Carrying extra Magazine

BirdmanH54 said:
Don't you always "expect trouble?"
Click to expand...

You make a good point but the reason I moved to the outskirts of "Mayberry" (not Mt. Airy) was because I no longer wanted to live in an environment where I "had to" carry and look over my shoulder at all times.

Let me put a quote in here from a post I made on another firearms related forum the other day which puts in perspective how things have changed in my world view since retirement...

Taking the J frame lifestyle to the extreme, (in a way which won't ever be popular on this forum), after I moved up here to God's country from South FL, I got pretty used to leaving my guns locked up and this lasted for several years.

I'd talk on the phone with one of my old partner's down in South FL and he'd ask me if I was carrying up here. I'd tell him no. He'd ask why and I'd say that's why I moved here...I didn't need to.

And in truth I didn't and haven't. But the world gets more unfathomable, unpredictable and perilous on seemingly a daily basis and so now we once again sally forth prepared to meet the untamed world on its own terms.
Click to expand...

These days I normally EDC either a G26 or a G19 AIWB...usually with one spare mag. Last night I wore the spare mag IWB as well.
 
Rpg said:
For edc I don't carry extra magazines.

If I can't solve a real life problem with 8 in a 1911, more ammo isn't going to help.

Unless you plan to miss a lot, an extra magazine won't help in a civilian sd situation.
Click to expand...

While I agree to some extent, real life is unpredictable.

I guess you haven't seen a car full of thugs pull up and 3 or 4 get out and confront a victim. More than one carry and I sure would like a few extra just in case, instead of standing there with my gun locked open and empty.

And for other situations I actually do a little drill where I reach for my extra mag in my back pocket as if going for my wallet, using the visual distraction to slide up to appendix and draw my primary. Once you see what's in my left hand my right hand is pointing a gun at you. And if I've gone that far the next move is bang.
 
I too live in Mayberry, but I'm vigilant in my carry practice for that possibly SHTF day, when the need for my tools and extra ammo can't be predicted. I carry a handgun to get away first and get to my rifle second.

blues7 said:
You make a good point but the reason I moved to the outskirts of "Mayberry" (not Mt. Airy) was because I no longer wanted to live in an environment where I "had to" carry and look over my shoulder at all times.

Let me put a quote in here from a post I made on another firearms related forum the other day which puts in perspective how things have changed in my world view since retirement...



These days I normally EDC either a G26 or a G19 AIWB...usually with one spare mag. Last night I wore the spare mag IWB as well.
Click to expand...






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
blues7 said:
BirdmanH54 said:
Don't you always "expect trouble?"
Click to expand...
You make a good point but the reason I moved to the outskirts of "Mayberry" (not Mt. Airy) was because I no longer wanted to live in an environment where I "had to" carry and look over my shoulder at all times.
Click to expand...
I too moved to a safer town, but that is all the more reason to carry all the time.

Yes, the crime rate is lower, but we still have one. Just because it's safer doesn't mean it's safe. Because we live in a safer environment, we tend to let our guard down a little more. Thus we are less prepared to deal with the bad guy right away.

This is normal. It's how we want to live and that's a good thing. I'm not trying to change anyone here, just making a point. If anyone doesn't want to carry, that's fine. It's a level of risk they are willing to take. Fortunately for us in the US, it's a low level of risk, but there is still risk.
 
BirdmanH54 said:
I too live in Mayberry, but I'm vigilant in my carry practice for that possibly SHTF day, when the need for my tools and extra ammo can't be predicted. I carry a handgun to get away first and get to my rifle second.
Click to expand...

If I'm out and about I won't have a rifle with me but I will have a "happy stick" in my 4Runner.

At home, I have ample stashed surprises including an AR ready as required. (I haven't exactly forgotten where I come from.)

Rastoff said:
I too moved to a safer town, but that is all the more reason to carry all the time.

Yes, the crime rate is lower, but we still have one. Just because it's safer doesn't mean it's safe. Because we live in a safer environment, we tend to let our guard down a little more. Thus we are less prepared to deal with the bad guy right away.

This is normal. It's how we want to live and that's a good thing. I'm not trying to change anyone here, just making a point. If anyone doesn't want to carry, that's fine. It's a level of risk they are willing to take. Fortunately for us in the US, it's a low level of risk, but there is still risk.
Click to expand...

Preaching to the choir, brother. I'm rarely without a firearm on my person and I prepare myself (and my spouse) for the eventuality should they need to be used. (I also carry PLI to provide financial and legal support should it come to that.)

I'm also fortunate to be able to shoot with my neighbors on their property as well as the local sheriff's department to keep my skills honed.
 
When I carry my 1911s my holster has a mag pouch.
 

Attachments

  • 2017-01-01 001 001.jpg
    2017-01-01 001 001.jpg
    103.2 KB · Views: 38
Targets Guy said:
When I carry my 1911s my holster has a mag pouch.
Click to expand...
While better than nothing, there is a serious draw back to that setup; the mag is on the shooting side. When it comes time to change the mag, you'll have to switch the gun to the other hand to retrieve the mag. Then, if you're like most of us, you'll switch the gun back to your shooting hand to insert the mag. Lots of extra movement there.

It is good that you have the extra though.
 
Thought provoking replies to the original post.

I carry extra mags at the range in cargo pockets, grabbing fresh mags & dropping empties in a simple shoulder bag, a freebie from some conference. I seldom carry spare mags on the street but always practice "combat reloads" to hone my skills. I rotate mags every range visit & clean the mags when I clean the weapon. Lint has not been a problem but I understand some platforms are more sensitive to what the USAF called FOD (foreign object damage).

With that said I almost always carry a spare backup gun (BUG). If I or the weapon malfunction or I can't reach my primary carry, I can draw offside & defend. I don't just practice shooting a few rounds offside (left for me), my backup IS my left hand gun, shot every visit to the pistol range as such. I carry both guns fully loaded. In a true emergency I'd rather draw a loaded gun ready to fire, than attempt a combat reload.

This carry method derives from the days when guns held less rounds & were more prone to failure but makes sense. My loaded BUG weighs less than a full spare mag for my primary but helps balance the weight. Carrying a BUG doesn't preclude carrying extra mags but with keys, wallet, knife, phone & other pocket plunder, I'd need belt & suspenders. :cool:
 
I usually carry one reload for any handgun I carry- revolver or semi. I can easily see emptying your weapon in almost any stress-filled scenario, regardless of how many aggressors there are.

I don't want to be waiting for the authorities in hostile territory with an empty weapon.
 
I always carry two spare mags if I'm carrying an auto and extras in the vehicle if I'm away from home. I've never been in a gun fight, on or off duty, but I've had to put animals down (one being a skunk with a .380 and missed a couple of times before making the 10yd head shot) and rather than spend the rest of my day short a few rounds I was able to just swap in a fresh mag. I've also had magazine related failures, including having the base plate pop off the mag in my FNP45 Tactical while sitting in my cruiser, had magazine parts and 15rds of .45 all over the place. But, again, I inserted a fresh magazine and I was back in business.

So, there's many reasons to carry spares other than running dry in a gun fight, including reloading at the end of a shoot out, rather than being left with an empty or near empty gun while you make your escape or wait for the cops to show up.
 
Lots of good info and food for thought in this thread. I've never carried an extra mag for EDC, though I have put one in the glove box for road trips. I'm going to reconsider my EDC plan.
 
Rastoff said:
While better than nothing, there is a serious draw back to that setup; the mag is on the shooting side. When it comes time to change the mag, you'll have to switch the gun to the other hand to retrieve the mag. Then, if you're like most of us, you'll switch the gun back to your shooting hand to insert the mag. Lots of extra movement there.

It is good that you have the extra though.
Click to expand...

I can pull the velcro strap with the pistol in my left hand (using my left pinky and the pistol butt) (I'm a lefty)) and then grab the mag with my right hand while releasing the empty mag with my left finger. Not the best set up but if I'm still shooting after the first mag is empty I'll take my chances getting to the second mag.
 
Last edited:
When I carried an auto to work every day in the Corps, I carried 6 extra magazines. That plus the one in the pistol and one in the chamber gave me a total of 50 rounds. That was for if I got into trouble while on patrol. If I did I would call for back up and had a complete squad enroute to my position within 5 minutes with nine M16A2's, three M203's and one M1911A1 and if we got in trouble there were about 150 more folks with said type assorted arms.

As a civilian I carry a 342 with five extra rounds. I feel that should be enough to get me out of trouble. I try to make sure I don't go places that I will get into trouble. If I think there may be a problem, then I take son-in-law or don't go. Son-in-law is a Deputy here............
 
During working hours, one single stack extra mag on belt. Off work, 2 extra mags on belt.
 
There has been some good information posted here. Here is my take on this.

Whenever I carry my pistol or revolver off-duty, I always carry an extra magazine or speed-loader/strip. I can't recall what the "average" number of rounds per officer-involved shooting currently is. I can neither predict when or if I will be involved in an off-duty critical incident, nor can I predict how many bad guys will be involved, if they have ingested/injected pain-deadening drugs, if they are wearing body armor, if they are using LE/MIL tactics, if they are religious/political zealots, or a combination of all of these. As such I plan on any incident I'm involved in as guaranteed to go "sideways".

To those persons who say that an extra magazine or speed-loader is not needed, I (respectfully) pose this question, "Where in your garage do you store the spare tire for your car?".

JM2C.

Joe
 
I always carry a reload of some sort. I live in a small town and if I'm not going far I carry my j frame and a speed strip. I live about 5 miles South of one of the largest outlet malls in MI. It would be the perfect spot for a vehicle based terrorist incident or Multi shooter terrorist incident (1 shooter could do some damage but being an outdoor mall a set of shooters would multiply damage greater than the sum of their parts) If I go there Its one of my semi autos and a mag. If I go into the city of Detroit Its definitely my .40 and a extra mag. If I have to work an event in Detroit and there's a specific threat then I will bring a second mag.

I used to just drop them in my pocket but with everything else I carry that got rough. I shoot left but just about everything else is Right so my knife takes up my right pocket so snagmags are out. I just got a nice leather pancake style own mag holder on Amazon for cheap. Only problem is its red. My ocd won't let that stand so I will be readying it. I also have a bianchi iwb mag holder that's not bad and a niteeyez multitool/ flashlight holder that works ok but not my favorite.
 
I'm not so worried about super quick access to additional ammo, as long as it is either in my body on in a bag I can access. A loaded magazine isn't a safety risk, so "holstering" it is as much of a concern.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Doing business or shopping in town if I am just carrying my Sig P238 (6+1) I've got an extra mag on me somewhere .. if I'm carrying my Beretta Px4 (17+1) or my S&W Compact in 40 (15 + 1) not so much unless we are traveling ..

And if we are traveling there is always one in the console and one on my off side .. and sometimes a bug according to how I'm dressed ..
 
I just use a sun glass case hooked to my belt. The one I have has a velcro flap and I can get 2 9mm double stack mags in it. I just wear it out in the open and I doubt that anybody thinks it's anything but a sun glass case. Plus, it's CHEAP !
 
I always carry one extra magazine on my person regardless of capacity. If I have to clear a malfunction, I want a fresh magazine. I don't want to reinsert the same magazine that was involved with the malfunction I had to clear. It might be a bad magazine.
 
Last edited:
Rpg said:
For edc I don't carry extra magazines.

If I can't solve a real life problem with 8 in a 1911, more ammo isn't going to help.

Unless you plan to miss a lot, an extra magazine won't help in a civilian sd situation.
Click to expand...

Concers about magazine malfunctions are silly.

Obviously, you should test your mags and your guns.

I have.

Never had a mag failure in a mag I've tested: which is all my mags.

They all work, all the time.

Wouldn't use one that didn't.

You need to be confident in your exuipment.

If you don't , lots of iterations are possible.

Most folks can't carry or reasonably use all those iterations .
 
If you are 100% confident your firearm, magazine and ammunition will never fail, don't carry an extra magazine.

I've had what appeared to be good equipment fail during training. Thank Heaven it did not happen while I was working in the field.
 
When I CCW in a shoulder holster, I will have with 1 or 2 extra magazines depending on the holster. When I CCW a revolver in a shoulder holster, I have an extra 12 rounds as well.
I may not need the extra ammo, but it evens out the weight distribution a little.
 
Wow, I didn't see a single argument here and then this?

Sounds like someone doesn't assess the situation before they jump in. I sure hope you don't carry a gun with that attitude.

BAM-BAM said:
I really get tired of these threads........................



everyone can do what they want..............NO we all don't agree......



If someone doesn't like my...or someone else's thoughts or opinion on the question.... so be it .... they are all personal opinions...... live with it!!!!
Click to expand...






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
blues7 said:
You make a good point but the reason I moved to the outskirts of "Mayberry" (not Mt. Airy) was because I no longer wanted to live in an environment where I "had to" carry and look over my shoulder at all times.
Click to expand...

Before we get all snuggly about living somewhere safe.......one of the times I was the intended victim of an armed robbery was right in front of the Federal Courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh at about 1130 AM on a bright sunny Tuesday. There was a cop directing traffic at the intersection.

Folks, even Mayberry probably has street gangs today.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Extra magazine weight question.
Replies
17
Views
985
Smoke
Smoke
S
LCP Max vs Bodyguard 2.0 Ultra Carry
Replies
13
Views
496
ladder13
L
M
Low capacity but probably enough
4 5 6
Replies
169
Views
10K
skwchock
S
chief38
How much does yours weigh? I just weighed mine!
Replies
13
Views
561
TJm15.38
TJm15.38
chief38
EDC comfort is often overlooked, made fun of and poo - poo'd. Sometimes people try in intimidate EDC-er's.
2 3
Replies
80
Views
4K
doubleclaw
doubleclaw

Latest posts

Back
Top