How many magazines do you CARRY?

[Llando88]

I carry my Shield 9mm loaded with the 7rd flush fit magazine IWB in a Galco King Tuk hybrid holster. I further carry two 8rd extended-fit magazines in front slash pockets. Basically in 2012 and some '13 and '14, I invested in about 11? pairs of LA Police Gear pants (a few different sub-styles of their Operator line) and 4? pairs of their shorts. These are all amazing, amazing clothing that count as pieces of kit. Some of them 8 pockets, some 10, 11, and even 12. They all have two hands-pockets, two rear hip-pockets (where you'd put your wallets etc.) two cargo pockets, and two front 'slash' pockets between your hand-pockets and fly, which are custom made to hold pistol-mags. And these pockets are also on the shorts.

Since I got to FL, I basically have been wearing shorts every single day. I wear each of the 4 LA Police Gear shorts and then usually 2 more days other cargo-style shorts, sometimes more. Back home in Jersey it's pants-weather a lot more than here so I wear those pants (But of course couldn't carry a gun lol). So fortunately i always have room for spare mags.

In my setup, I have a loaded Shield with 8 rounds of 9mm plus two more loaded 8rd mags, which gives me 24 rounds of high-quality 9mm (at the moment, Winchester 147gr Black Talons). I know it's not the same as having 15+1 Glock 23 in .40 S&W with 2 15-rd spares but, I realize CCW/EDC is not preparing for war or working a duty shift. I might try to buy some more 8rd mags for the Shield but I wouldn't be carrying more than 2 very often if ever.

I like how you think.

 

[papersniper]

Off Duty Shield; 7rd mag in gun + 1rd in chamber(I pocket carry), and 8 rd extended mag as reload. On Duty: M&P 40FS on belt(SERPA Holster! They work just fine!), with full 15rd mag in gun, 2 15rd reload mags. One on belt, and one in cargo pocket mag pouch.
I have said this before, and I believe it due to experience; "3 is 2, 2 is 1, and 1 is none". Has to do with redundancy in the field.
Of course, YMMV.

I see you're an armorer and instructor, so your recommendation is valued. Out of curiosity, why carry the 9mm Shield when your duty gun is a 40 cal? And which Serpa holster....I've been hearing rumors about ADs with them?

I plan to try pocket carry with the Shield once it's here. I don't know if I can manage it on my body....which sometimes leaves little room in the pockets due to my body behind it!

 

[papersniper]

I carry my Shield 9mm loaded...... I invested in about 11? pairs of LA Police Gear pants (a few different sub-styles of their Operator line) and 4? pairs of their shorts. These are all amazing, amazing clothing that count as pieces of kit. Some of them 8 pockets, some 10, 11, and even 12. They all have two hands-pockets, two rear hip-pockets (where you'd put your wallets etc.) two cargo pockets, and two front 'slash' pockets between your hand-pockets and fly, which are custom made to hold pistol-mags. And these pockets are also on the shorts.

Since I got to FL, I basically have been wearing shorts every single day. I wear each of the 4 LA Police Gear shorts and then usually 2 more days other cargo-style shorts, sometimes more. Back home in Jersey it's pants-weather a lot more than here so I wear those pants (But of course couldn't carry a gun lol). So fortunately i always have room for spare mags.

In my setup, I have a loaded Shield with 8 rounds of 9mm plus two more loaded 8rd mags, which gives me 24 rounds of high-quality 9mm (at the moment, Winchester 147gr Black Talons). .......

know it's not the same as having 15+1 Glock 23 in .40 S&W with 2 15-rd spares but, I realize CCW/EDC is not preparing for war or working a duty shift. I might try to buy some more 8rd mags for the Shield but I wouldn't be carrying more than 2 very often if ever.

I will have to investigate those LA Police Gear pants and shorts. Sounds like an interesting approach to CCW.

 

[papersniper]

. ....

I think the root question you are really asking is, "How much ammo do you carry for SD?"

My answer is about 15 rounds.....

Yeah, you are right, that would have been a better poll.

 

[WR Moore]

If you limit the question to available ammo, you possibly neglect the issue of clearing a malfunction and/or bad magazine. While how much total gear you pack may be dependent upon situation, if you're toting a semi-auto, you should have at least one spare magazine.

 

[papersniper]

If you limit the question to available ammo, you possibly neglect the issue of clearing a malfunction and/or bad magazine. While how much total gear you pack may be dependent upon situation, if you're toting a semi-auto, you should have at least one spare magazine.

Good point. I think a magazine while-in-the-gun failure would be rare, but stranger things have happened. I have had magazines fail while inserting or ejecting in training with crappy old, worn, dirty (on purpose) magazines. But that was part of the drill........and not unwelcome.

 

[MyDads38]

With my SD9VE. 1 in gun plus 1 on weak side in Safariland leather mag holder (33 rounds total). With my 1911, 1-7 rounder in the gun and 2-8rounders on weak side in Bianchi dual mag holder (24 rounds total).

 

[ScrapmasterFlex]

I like how you think.

Thank you very much! Perhaps the best compliment someone could receive on a forum such as this! Thanks again.

I will have to investigate those LA Police Gear pants and shorts. Sounds like an interesting approach to CCW.

Thank you very much also. Let me give a bit of brief background... I didn't BUY these for CCW I must admit- I have spent 33 out of 33 2/3 yrs of my life in Jersey. No CCW at all. These pants were a result of an email both my father and I had received simultaneously from LA Police Gear. One style of pants were on closeout for like $14.99 or something ... so my Dad and I each got 3 pairs each. They were a revelation ... Amazing pants. A few weeks or months later, another nicer version of the pants were on sale, plus there was a 15% off your order coupon available. They were incredibly cheap and we each got a bunch more. And just a few months back they came out with a newer version that had I think 7? pockets but supposedly a more premium cloth... at a great price so I got some more new ones.

Not only are they perfect for CCW they are pretty much perfect pants. high quality cloth with a ripstop type weave built in, but they look like khakis ... in like 7? or more colors. So you could literally wear them to work, wear them on a date, wear them to the mall or to a ballgame, even wear them on duty if you were a bodyguard or armed guard etc. Really awesome and versatile.

LA Police Gear is a pretty cool company. They often have sales and promos and unlike the newer MidwayUSA policies, their sales and promos are across the board - not only regularly (read: full) priced merch or specific things. They have a large closeout section and if you find them closing out something you like while they offer a discount , you can apply the 5, 10, 15% off code to their lowest available prices .... that is HIGHLY awesome and very unusual in the post-newtown price world.

Anyway as I said I might not be an old hat at CCW but survival, preparedness, and certainly shopping, I'm an ace ... all about highest quality and best gear at the lowest prices lol. And this is a prime example.

 

[.45mtngun]

I carry Kimber Pro Commander size with 2 spare mags. This is also how I compete in IDPA events. This set up works well for me with 1911's.
Jim

 

[Trons]

I carry the Shield 9mm with the 7+1 in the gun and the 8 rounder in my weak side pocket. It's the only thing that goes in that pocket.

 

[JWH321]

The standard answer is "..unfortunately one less than I wish I had, there is no such thing as too much ammo."

But in the real world, close to home, I carry one in the gun and one in a pouch. If I'm out on the bike for any distance, there are usually three mags somewhere close at hand, usually on my belt or in jacket pocket.

 

[CVF]

One in the pistol and a spare in the pocket.

 

[LimaCharlie]

It depends. My routine urban carry is a government size 1911 with one spare magazine OWB. I also carry a pocket BUG with a spare magazine. My pocket BUG is either a Sig P938 9mm or a 3.3" SA XDs-45.

If I am spending time in remote rural areas, I often swap the 1911 for either my Glock G20 SF 10mm or my FNH FNX-45 Tactical with two spare fifteen round magazines plus the pocket BUG. If I am spending time in the woods with potential bear encounters, I swap the 1911 for my 4" S&W 29-2 .44 magnum with two speed loaders plus the pocket BUG.

 

[papersniper]

It depends. My routine urban carry is a government size 1911 with one spare magazine OWB. I also carry a pocket BUG with a spare magazine. My pocket BUG is either a Sig P938 9mm or a 3.3" SA XDs-45.

If I am spending time in remote rural areas, I often swap the 1911 for either my Glock G20 SF 10mm or my FNH FNX-45 Tactical with two spare fifteen round magazines plus the pocket BUG. If I am spending time in the woods with potential bear encounters, I swap the 1911 for my 4" S&W 29-2 .44 magnum with two speed loaders plus the pocket BUG.

You apparently are well arm, sir!

 

[Aahzz]

ONE......

The more rounds that are fired. The more the chances of an innocent person being struck. If i cant get the job done with one mag in a self defense situation. Then i shouldnt be carrying a weapon in the first place.

And if you have a malfunction? I don't carry a spare because I think I'm going to shoot that much, I carry a spare so that if something goes wrong with the first, I'm not out of options.

 

[TNelson1]

M&P 45

One in the gun & one extra.

 

[MikeChandler]

Good point. I think a magazine while-in-the-gun failure would be rare, but stranger things have happened. I have had magazines fail while inserting or ejecting in training with crappy old, worn, dirty (on purpose) magazines. But that was part of the drill........and not unwelcome.

Some guns moreso than others - while some guns nearly never.

The number of 1911 failures I had experienced with numerous guns led me to carry a spare magazine and only use the 7 round variety magazines, which are more dependable.

At a certain point I started looking for the most fail proof semi-auto, high capacity, small footprint, pistol I could find, putting those qualities as higher than good trigger, etc (all of which can be corrected through training anyway).

My P-01 is the only handgun that passed the stringent NATO testing. The proof is in the pudding - in over 3,000 rounds of practice I have had zero pistol failures of any kind whatsoever, from straight out of the box all the way to my most recent range test. If I hit a dud for some reason I have double strike and/or can slingshot clear it, however I only carry top-end defense ammo.

I really don't believe I need a spare magazine.

 

[phred119]

Depends on the gun that I'm carrying. If I'm carrying myG26, it's a 12 round mag in the gun and a 17 round spare. If I'm carrying myG23, it's a13 round mag in the gun, with a 15 round spare. If I'm carrying my shield 9, I have an 8round mag in the fun, with 2 spare 8 rounders on my weak side.

 

[9mmBiscuits]

I carry 3 mags in total for my Shield 9. One eight round mag in the gun and two eight round mags on my weak side at the 7-9 O'clock position.

Sometimes I want to be a little less obvious so I'll leave the double mag holder at home and just go with 2 eight round mags... one in the gun and one in my front weak side pocket.

Here is my EDC setup:

 

[disturbed0013]

2 mags weak side