How many magazines for does one need?

[ooops]

Just curious, how may magazines for the pistol is reasonable number? In particular - standard 17rnd?
I mean for a regular person?
( Not an officer, not a sportsman, , not a guard, not a gun nut
Just for home defense and may be occasional carry?

 

[Skunkhome]

15? If they are limited to 7 rounds 30.

 

[Dmartin]

As many as you can afford-

 

[ooops]

15? If they are limited to 7 rounds 30.

I think I said, not a "gun nut"
It was kind of serious question

What possibly would you do with 15?

I understand if you live in the war zone and expect invasion, but even then you will need something better then handgun.

 

[JMike]

For me personally, I own a minimum of five magazines for every pistol/rifle I own. But that is just my thing, ymmv.

Just curious, how may magazines for the pistol is reasonable number? In particular - standard 17rnd?
I mean for a regular person?
( Not an officer, not a sportsman, , not a guard, not a gun nut
Just for home defense and may be occasional carry?

 

[Serg675]

I decided for myself that 3 is enough. 1 at home and two for going to range.

 

[Chubbs103]

Well, I've got pistols for which I only own three. On the other hand, if I train with and/or shoot a pistol a lot I own as many as 15-20 (I do not consider myself a nut, by the way). Having magazines loaded and ready while at the range means you can concentrate on shooting. Reloading/malfunction drills means your magazines are going to be bouncing off the deck. Eventually they will get damaged and worn out. Magazines are an expendable item. Especially if you are training with any regularity. You need spares. It is as easy as that. Only you can determine how many spares are practical, but I think in terms of a minimum of 5-10 for training and three for carry/SD use. Oh yeah, did I mention that they are a consumable item.

Chubbs

 

[JJEH]

I recommend at least 4. You never know what's coming at you.
Also, it's good for the range (you can practice 3x mag changes) and if you carry you have 1 in the gun and either 2 or all 3 with you. Single stack mags I want even more to have, at least 5 or 6. But that's just my opinion, you get as many as you want...

 

[Tap Tap]

It just depends on what the gun is used for. My range guns end up with more mags than my other guns. Typically 6 magazines seems to be what I settle on for my range guns. I don't want to be reloading magazines at the range (at least not much) so when I got shooting I bring plenty of mags to shoot the guns as much as I want in an hour. If I am shooting pistols I typically bring 3 along so that's 18 magazines total.

 

[Chubbs103]

I think I said, not a "gun nut"
It was kind of serious question

What possibly would you do with 15?

I understand if you live in the war zone and expect invasion, but even then you will need something better then handgun.

I would attempt to achieve something approaching proficiency with a handgun. It is quite possible that this shooting thing is just harder for me than other folks. I find training helps.

Chubbs

 

[DJINCO]

Usually one more than you originally thought.

 

[duppie]

I had 2 semi automatics and now down to 1 and liked to have 9 mags for each.8 for the range loaded so I waste little expensive range time reloading and because my range bag has pockets that can accommodate 8 15/17 round mags.1 additional mag I keep loaded with JHP defensive rounds that stay at home.
Now with my state toying with the idea of limiting mag capacity to anywhere from 5 to 10 rounds, I was able to find an additional 6, 15 round mags so I'm up to 15 mags and even that is not enough.

 

[ooops]

Thanks.
I hate to collect things without any use now or in the reasonable future.
Currently, I have four.
And was thinking of, may be, selling one in favor of getting couple of magazines for my newer .22 SIG, which came with the single one.
But, it seems like four is about minimum for the starters ...
Now I want a couple of more ...

Gun ownership is expensive hobby ...

Range time here is not expensive, I mean you pay for the lane and can keep it for hours .... but everything else make sense.

 

[Robotech]

If you're not doing a lot of shooting, either on your own or in competitions, then consider how many you would want to optimize your time at the range and practicing.

Many ranges charge by the half-hour or the hour, and you would want to limit the time "wasted" having to reload. If time/cost isn't a factor, I suppose you could get by with two or three, so you can also practice magazine swaps.

Personally, I like to have at least four full-size magazines pre-loaded per gun when I go to the range. That way I can just concentrate on shooting. I still bring more ammo and a loading tool.

 

[marlin.357]

I think I said, not a "gun nut"
It was kind of serious question

What possibly would you do with 15?

I understand if you live in the war zone and expect invasion, but even then you will need something better then handgun.

If you do any kind of action shooting, or even practice self-defense drills, you will be dropping them in the dirt, you, or a safety officer at a match, may step on one, you may one to keep a couple loaded with self-defense ammo for carry or home defense. If you are a competive shooter you may want to have your magazines pre-loaded for the match.

So what's the right number, more than one, but less than (fill in the blank)

 

[Dieselscout80]

My 9c came with two 12 round mags.

I bought a third 12 round mag and three 17 round mags, but that was last summer and mags were $27.

I'd been fine with 4 mags. I'd bet many just have what came with the gun.

 

[duppie]

Thanks.
I hate to collect things without any use now or in the reasonable future.
Currently, I have four.
And was thinking of, may be, selling one in favor of getting couple of magazines for my newer .22 SIG, which came with the single one.
But, it seems like four is about minimum for the starters ...
Now I want a couple of more ...

Gun ownership is expensive hobby ...

Range time here is not expensive, I mean you pay for the lane and can keep it for hours .... but everything else make sense.

You are indeed lucky....here in NJ we suffer a dearth of public ranges so time is expensive with frequent 1 to 2 hour waits on weekends and nights for a lane. Private ranges are also expensive with sometimes overly strict rules and regs in order to satisfy Insurers and they too have long wait lists so the time spent reloading a mags becomes very costly.
Also the possibility that we will not be able to purchase 15 round mags again depending on the proposed laws make mag hoarding a all consuming passion.

 

[Starwalker]

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to your question. Each person has different needs and comfort levels.

For me, I have four mags for each of my pistols. I rotate them, and if one starts to fail I still have three proper ones left for immediate use. I then replace the one that failed.

I have never needed more then four but I don't shoot competition or expect a zombie invasion.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Just curious, how may magazines for the pistol is reasonable number? In particular - standard 17rnd?
I mean for a regular person?
( Not an officer, not a sportsman, , not a guard, not a gun nut
Just for home defense and may be occasional carry?

I remember the time when shooters simply did not feel a need to keep large quantities of spare magazines. I am sure that the politicians who voted for the 1994 Clinton Gun and Magazine Ban are horrified to learn that one of the "unintended consequences" of that legislation is that people who might have kept a couple of spare magazines now have dozens or more.

The problem with trying to answer that question at this time is the possibility of legislation making whatever you have the last you will ever get.

In a world where there was no possibility of a law making magazines illegal, Jeff Cooper once answered a correspondent by saying you should have three magazines per pistol. One in the gun, one spare on your belt and one at rest. Then they would be rotated.

Knowledgeable agencies tend to order six magazines per pistol.

The magazine is the "weak link" in that they are generally not repairable and must be discarded in the event of damage.

In today's environment, get as many as you can because what you have may end up being your "life time supply."

 

[NMPinNYC]

Always two more than I've got.