How many magazines?

[Rastoff]

You cannot have too many magazines:

Magazines are a wear item and they have no shelf life. So, buy one every time you have a few extra dollars.

 

[Doug M.]

I have no idea what would be too many. I'd say at least 10 per platform is a workable amount. I have no idea how many PMAGs I have, probably about 70 or 80. I also have a decent number of GI 30 round mags One of my goals was to take at least 50 AR mags already loaded to every class I attended so I did not waste time loading during breaks, so I could use the time to hydrate, take in some food, remove gear and let it dry, etc.

 

[Rastoff]

The last pistol class I went to started with a review of what we had learned in a previous class. When we went to the line some asked how much ammo we needed and the reply was, "A bunch." So, I took every mag I brought with me. It was a good thing because we shot at least 60 rounds before we stopped.

I didn't run out, but I was down to the last mag or two. Most had to run back to get more ammo.

 

[Dave Lively]

There is no such thing as too many but I feel pretty comfortable with 6 to 10.

It also depends on how often and how you practice.

I typically go shooting once or twice a month and put 50 to 100 rounds through both my carry and home defense gun as well as some more rounds for guns I shoot strictly for recreation. Since I never carry a spare magazine I don't practice tactical reloading so my mags do not get dropped to the ground and stepped on. In 35+ years of shooting like this I have never worn out a magazine, including a couple of Browning HiPower and Glock magazines that have had a few thousand rounds through them. An action pistol enthusiast that shoots hundreds of rounds a week, every week, and drops a lot of mags on the ground will need a lot more magazines than someone like that shoots a few hundred rounds a month.

 

[Ribwizzard]

For me, it all depends on what the gun is for.
My revolvers are all for pleasure, either target shooting or hunting, and the one magazine attached to the gun is more than enough.
My ar10 and ar15 are for SHTF. I feel ok with 10 for each, becouse that is about how many I would want to carry.
My choice for a semi auto in SHTF, is my glock 17. Four standard magazines and two 30 rnd make me feel comfortable. Going to be carrying a rifle anyway.
All other semi auto handguns, I like to try not to wear out the original magazines that came with the gun, so I'll order at least two additional ones for target and plinking and keep original ones in box.
I also keep a glock 19 in each vehicle, the 3 magazine's that come with the gun is all I have with them.

 

[Horn]

Who's Watching?

Having been in the intelligence field at one time... when reading some of these posts....who's watching? "How many (you supply the item) do you own? How much ammo do you stash?
So, who is telling the world how well armed you are?
Then there's the huge computers catching "trigger words"?
Same with email, guys.
Stay safe
Poli Viejo

 

[jakebrake]

personally, I have far too many. I have at least 11 for each pistol.

(3 loaded with carry, 8 with range fodder.) I always add when I see screaming deals.

let's be honest. range time gets pricey in a hurry. or, l can load mags sitting in front of the tv watching swamp people, drinking coffee, and hanging out with my dog.

(we won't even discuss the ar/ak pile... those take an eon to load)

 

[Dave Lively]

Having been in the intelligence field at one time... when reading some of these posts....who's watching? "How many (you supply the item) do you own? How much ammo do you stash?
So, who is telling the world how well armed you are?
Then there's the huge computers catching "trigger words"?
Same with email, guys.
Stay safe
Poli Viejo

If the anti-gunners get elected, ban guns and decide to ignore the rest of the constitution too they would use credit card records and 4473s to find out who owns a lot of guns and ammo. If you have ever Googled "best price on 9mm" that information is stored on a server somewhere too. Looking through forum posts where BS often reigns supreme is much less efficient. While criminal hackers may now know that "Dave Lively" has an M&P with 6 magazines that is a different kind of criminal than the ones that break into your house.

Since Dave Lively is a screen name I use only on forums I don't see too much risk. With a subpoena the government could easily find my real name and I am pretty sure both the NSA and Google could provide my real name and address in less than a millisecond if they wanted to. But neither of them are going to break into my house and steal things. The NSA has bigger issues to deal with and Google prefers stealing my personal information.

A much bigger risk is social media. The time my house was broken into I was targeted because my son had told his friends I had a lot of guns and after the word got out a few of them decided to steal them. A gun safe might not slow down a professional much but in my case it proved effective against teenage boys trying for some drug money. They did trash the house and smash the lock on the safe so badly I had to pay a locksmith to open and repair the safe.

I rarely post on social media but when I do I never mention politics or show off items that someone might think is worth stealing. Pretty much just occasional pictures of grandkids and vacations. And I only post vacation pictures after I get back. Assume everything you post on social media will be seen both by your next potential employer and the son of of your co-worker who has problems the co-worker never talks about.

I wish I could talk about guns on social media but its just too risky. When we only talk about them on forums and hide it from the rest of the world it makes it look like owning guns is something we are ashamed of or embarrassed by. Which isn't the case. Or least it shouldn't be.

 

[ScottS]

You have a couple of 12 or 15 round magazines, grab a couple of the 17 round mags, should all be good!

Or, you know, more...

 

[BAM-BAM]

Or, you know, more...

Like those cases what Brand are they?????

 

[John Robert]

All right, let's say you've made the jump in carry guns from the venerable 1911 type to the M&P 9. The gun comes with two magazines. That's plenty for carry; one in the gun, one for the spare.

But how many mags to acquire? Knowing that someday, there may be a new AWB?

How many is enough? I have the two that came with the gun, and two more coming.

As many as you can afford...................

 

[Smoke]

Article by Tamara Keel regarding hoarding magazines

Shooting Illustrated | Magazine-Hoarding: Always Be Prepared

Long story short, as many as you can reasonably afford

 

[mike from st pete]

Does your range charge by the hour? Then an hour's worth.

 

[Univibe]

Good heavens! Rastoff's impressive, but ScottS has hundreds of the things.

2 mags came with my new M&P. I have 2 more coming from a Forum member; guess it's time to start adding to the pile every now and then. I remember late in the AWB, Glock standard-caps were going for $75-100.

 

[Boudiepitbull]

I seem to go for 6 on all my bottom feeders too. I wonder why so many of us came to the same conclusion that 6 was a good number to have...

 

[JJEH]

For my duty gun I have currently 7 and that's not enough.
For all my other guns I have at least 5.

 

[ScottS]

Like those cases what Brand are they?????

The green ones I use for pistol mags are MTM ACR4-18s. I hot glue poster-board dividers into some of them to separate mags within the case.

The tan ones one the bottom (AR15 mags) are MTM ACR5-72s.

I got them both at Amazon, but when I try to link them, it comes out goofy.

If you watch Amazon, they both drop to well under $10 from time to time. I snap some up when the price drops. Helps me keep organized.

 

[veeklog1]

Or, you know, more...

Those are awesome! Where did you get those boxes?

 

[BAM-BAM]

The green ones I use for pistol mags are MTM ACR4-18s. I hot glue poster-board dividers into some of them to separate mags within the case.

The tan ones one the bottom (AR15 mags) are MTM ACR5-72s.

I got them both at Amazon, but when I try to link them, it comes out goofy.

If you watch Amazon, they both drop to well under $10 from time to time. I snap some up when the price drops. Helps me keep organized.

Thanks just looked them up on Amazon they are $12-13 right now. May grab one of each to try them out.

 

[gwpercle]

Six may not be enough , Twelve may be too many....
Lets split the difference and go with ...Nine !

 

[mjohn]

Thanks just looked them up on Amazon they are $12-13 right now. May grab one of each to try them out.

What do you type in the search box to find these contraptions?

 

[BAM-BAM]

What do you type in the search box to find these contraptions?

I started with "MTM."....... 8 pages of stuff....look around there may be better options for your needs.....................



... added the ACR7-18 and ACR4-18...... ordered one each ..... will be here by Wednesday. Prime is great IMO!


IIRC Walmart has plastic 30cal ammo cans (MTM?) for < $10

 

[ajensen]

I have ten (10) magazines for every weapon. Not an immediate purchase but look for sales and bump the included magazine count.

 

[garddogg56]

Minimum one in pistol ,1on me,1in truck,1 in job tool box and 2 with ball ammo for range =6 for my EDC.

 

[tnhawk]

As most of my pistols are 1911, I have many magazines in 9 mm and 45 acp. Most of my other pistols have 4-6 magazines.