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Colonel Cooper described it best and for both handguns and longguns....here are some excerps
I have yet to run across a case study that called for a double-column magazine in a .45 pistol. The highest score I know of in a gunfight was five, which was achieved by a shooter using a single-column magazine of 7-round capacity. It would seem obvious that the “spray-and-pray” method we see in gunfights is both ineffective and ridiculous. According to doctrine we shoot twice (except for head shots), and this is just to take care of unforeseen errors. There is nothing wrong with having a whole lot of rounds available in one loading unless it actually reduces the efficiency of the weapon, in which case the idea should be dropped. The double-column magazine, in a major caliber pistol, does indeed reduce efficiency and affords nothing particular in return.
There is also a worldwide preoccupation with fully automatic, hand-held fire. The “spray-and-pray” concept may be held in contempt by sophisticated shooters throughout the world, but there are not many of those. Most people in the press and law enforcement seem to feel that a whole lot of shots, hit or miss, is preferable to one well-placed hit. We cognoscenti know better than that, but we are in the minority.

Col. Jeff Cooper

It would seem obvious that the “spray-and-pray” method we see has nothing whatever to do with a guy who can put 17 aimed shots into his target in 5 seconds.

That's not spray and pray. It's just darned fast shooting.

The double-column magazine, in a major caliber pistol, does indeed reduce efficiency and affords nothing particular in return.

Col. Cooper, bless his heart, apparently never had his hands on a Para-Ord pistol with a double column magazine. I have. If anything, I find it to fit my hand better than a traditional single-stack 1911.

I suppose that "we congnoscenti" might say that I'm wrong about that ... that despite my preference of the double-stack pistol I should listen to their theorizing and ignore actual experience ... but if they say that, I say that they can pound sand.

I have yet to run across a case study that called for a double-column magazine in a .45 pistol.

Colonel Cooper also later described the South African Armored Car action [at Ebo, as I recall] in which one Eland A/C went to retrieve another that was bogged down, then itself stalled, whereupon it was taken under fire by a platoon-sized group of Angolans and Cubans. Out of 90mm main gun ammo, the gunner/commander had no recourse but to return fire with his 9mm Star pistol, his two spare magazines and those of his driver, five each, eight round mags in all.

Result: 29 hostiles killed or wounded, for an expenditure of fewer than 40 rounds. And not with a double-column *large capacity* magazine, but a standard eight-shot army issue piece, firing through a 4x4 inch reloading hatch in the side of the turret.

But that is extended aimed fire, not *spray and pray.* And with a 9mm, rather than a .45.

Dwight Johnson received the Medal of Honor for his own similar activities under somewhat similar circumstances, except that he was limited in the amount of M1911A1 .45 magazines available, and while beating North Vietnamese Army sappers to death with a salvaged M3 greasegun, it broke and he was left with having to spear at least one of them with the M3s wire buttstock. Oh, and the fight lasted a half hour or so, and it was at night....

Dwight's the fella hanging off the main gun's bore evacuator....