Carrying Shield with Extra Mag

[Miles2014]

SW-nation,
I carry the Shield 40 with the extended mag in a JayPee holster. I'm fairly new to carrying, so was wondering of a good holster to use if I want to also carry an extra loaded mag. What are good options?

PS-apologies if this post should go in the holster forum.
Thanks!

 

[ColbyBruce]

Not sure if the Blackhawk CQC is available for the S&W Shield, but I have this one for my Glock 26's and it works fine.

 

[Bob O]

Thats a nice holster!! I just carry a spare mag in my pocket.

 

[Jim1392]

Thats a nice holster!! I just carry a spare mag in my pocket.

Same with me. I just lay it down flat in my pocket rounds facing down so if I reached in for in it would come out in the right direction.

 

[Fred_G]

I would recommend a mag pouch on the support hand side, as that is most likely the hand you will use if a reload is needed. Kydex ones are widely available for mags. I like a good leather holster for carry, the draw is a little slower, but it is much more comfortable to me.

 

[OS-Wiz]

Another option: Desantis Tuck This II

 

[Magload]

I carry one extra mag on the support hand side in the lower cargo pants pocket leaving the pocket unbuttoned. I have a belt mag holder I just like the pocket better. Don

 

[Jaysq]

Can you post a photo of the JayPee Holster? Isn't that a police type holster? If so I would get something that will carry higher and closer to the body with a separate Mag holster to be worn on the weak side.
Concealed Carry Leather Holsters - Wright Leather Works LLC
Leather Magazine Holsters - Wright Leather Works LLC

 

[bigwheelzip]

I carry the spare Shield mag horizontally on the support side (about 10 o'clock) in a nylon carrier with a velcro flap. This also allows me to orient the mag forward edge down so I can slam it home quick without thinking which way its pointed.

 

[S&W Fan]

I prefer leather carry gear. Have a few good holster makers I like. One is Sweetwater Saddlery and it's a pancake style for the Shield. My mag carrier is the DeSantis FTU single mag carrier carried on my support (left) side. Trying to draw a mag out of a pocket may not work so well in a high stress situation.

 

[326MOD10]

I have a Lobo Leather rig for the Shield for OWB carry and the off side single mag pouch.

For Summer IWB carry I go with the N82 Tactical Pro and a Desantis pocket magazine holder in the off side slash pocket of my shorts. Making sure the rounds are up so ready to load when pulled.

I also have an Overwatch Treadstone IWB holster for it with IWB mag holder that is very nice but with my body type I like the padding of the N82. The Overwatch is on loan to a friend who is a little more, shall we say, svelte.

I believe it is important to carry a reload in case of failure or the rare chance you actually might need it.

 

[Biggfoot44]

For the OP : Spare mags are prefered to be available to weak aka support aka opposite to gunhand. Quality holster designs featuring intregral mag pouch are very rare . There is a split of opinion between vertical , horiz, and pocket for spare mag(s). The difference comes to personl preference , with a dash of differing anatomies.

For those without LE-ish background , and not yet of a certain age : Jaypee is a brand , and offer(ed) more than poorly designed duty holsters. Also various "Plainclothes" and "off duty" holsters. Usually knockoffs of better known designs.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Another spare-mag-in-the-pocket guy here.

I carry my Shield on my right side and the spare mag in my left front pocket.

I don't like the idea of the gun and spare magazine in the same holster.
(Very unlikely for most people, but) If you were ever in a situation where you fired the gun empty (or if the magazine mis-fed or jammed) and you needed to reload, the gun is in the same hand you need to reach the spare magazine with. It just seems like a bad idea to me.

That's why I keep the spare mag accessible by the hand that isn't firing the gun.

 

[Gaucho59]

I use that Desantis with the integral mag holder and it works great. I carry appendix tho, so grabbing it with my support hand is no problem.

 

[CB3]

Pocket Carry

I feel a pocket is a bad place for a spare mag.

Pockets get dirty and so does the mag.
The mag can change orientation in the pocket slowing a reload.
Pockets can be inaccessible, such as when seated, especially in a car, or while running.
You shouldn't carry anything else in that mag pocket.
Pockets are different on different pants: angle and orientation of top opening, width, depth, tightness which may lead to a slow or inconsistent draw.
If you are active, a loose mag in the pocket will tend to beat up your leg as it moves around.
If your pocket is tight and holds the mag securely in place, it is harder to get it out.
Available only to one hand.
If you carry the mag in a holster in the pocket, you have one more piece of gear to deal with on the draw.

Pocket carry may be convenient, but it may be less effective than other modes.

I prefer a IWB vertical offside mag holder positioned at 11 o'clock. Well concealed, quickly available. Always in the same position no matter what pants. Always oriented in the correct direction. Easy to remove with a C clip. Secure. Available to either hand.

As with all such decisions it comes down to personal priorities. Drop it in your pocket? Quick and easy. Draw it out fast, clean, correctly oriented, with either hand? Not so much.

 

[MyDads38]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable carrying an extra mag in a pocket, but that's just me. Good quality strong side OWB holster (usually leather, sometimes kydex) and a mag carrier (leather or kydex/single or double) on support side. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it....

 

[Coastie762]

My low key (and low cost) solution is a nylon sheath for a Gerber folding knife. The knife wandered off a few years ago but for some reason I still had the sheath.

An 8-round Shield mag (9mm) fits nearly perfectly. The holder sits flat on my offside hip and due to its original purpose is very unobtrusive.

 

[326MOD10]

I would agree a loose magazine in a pocket is a bad idea.

I carry the magazine in my pocket in an inside the pocket magazine holder designed for carrying a magazine in your pocket. The one I use is made by DeSantis and is sticky enough with wings on the side to keep it in the pocket when I draw the magazine.

Covers and protects the magazine, rounds go up for a proper grasp for a reload and they don't move around. It is in a dedicated pocket by itself on the off side.

Not much different than carrying a handgun in a pocket holster and may take some adjustment when seated but works well. If I need to reload I hope that I have moved off the X enough to be able to either be out of harms way or able to get it out a little easier by that time.

 

[kc8syo]

I found a shield magazine pouch on Amazon for inside your pocket it's made by Jay P

 

[NCW Ray]

SnagMag... looks just like a knife clipped in your pocket!