How many mags do you need?

[crofoot629]

1/2 a dozen or so I suppose for my fighting guns.
I may only have 1 or 2 for my Ruger MK 3 .22.

The thing for me is most of my guns that take magazines are all duplicates in my armory.
9mm Glocks
45 1911's
AR-15's

So I tend to have many more than 6 each for some models.
It is intentional at this time in my life to limit models and calibers. However all of the above mentioned models I intend to pass down to my wife and daughters. So I strive to make sure they are properly set up.

Emory

 

[rsrocket1]

...to quote John Rockefeller "just a little more"

Actually, 2 is fine for me since all I do is punch paper and kill some soda cans and vegetables on range trips, but 3 would be enough for just about any situation (1 in the gun and 2 on a belt holder).

I think more important than a slew of extra magazines would be to accumulate a kit of spare springs, followers and gun parts.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I've accumulated a "bunch" for 3rd gen Smiths and Beretta 92s.... but as an accumulator/collector....... I have "several" 3rd gen Smiths and Berettas. It's amazing what you can accumulate over 35 years!

There was a time you could walk into a LGS and see bins of "extra/used" mags for $10-20........ some anib..... so why not....... when no one wanted 3913s new mags could be picked up for as cheap as 3 for $50 because the dust was so thick on the packaging......."take them" was a common LGS response to an offer!!

Also when I sell/trade a gun I will hang onto the extra mags. (and holsters)......... who knows.... the 39 "shooter' is gone (a mistake) but someday I might find a 639!..... And if the Zombies do come...... I might just need that Pre 39 safe queen....LOL

Also as crofoot stated someday my stash.. will be divided between my boys.

 

[mistahd]

I have 3 for my Shield 40 and 3 for my M&P Pro 40.

I don't shoot and competitions or anything like that. I have no need for anymore than that.

If people feel they "need" 10 - 20 mags for each gun they own; more power to them. If they have the means to acquire them and it satisfies their desire then let them have at it. We all have our own vices that we feel we "need" an amount of something that others feel we don't.

I have read many posts on this forum alone where others have lent or been lent mags at competitions and range outings to help out NOOB's or those whose mags have been forgotten, damaged or whatever.

I know personally at the range I have been offered and have offered to other shooters not only extra mags, but ammo and guns as well.

The gun community is a great brotherhood of nearly everyone helping everyone else out not just with equipment and supplies, but also with advice. Take this forum for example. People we don't know from all over the world ask a question and others selflessly offer an answer to help that person out.

I for one have no issues with others who want more mags than I have or need. There may come at time where you are thankful someone does.

 

[El Bombardero]

Minimum 5 per gun, 10 per is ideal.

That's what I was going to say.

 

[MSG Glenn]

At this time I have 3 M&P 40 mags but would like more. When my 40C gets here it, too will come with 3 mags. I plan on getting a couple of X-Grips for the FS mags for the compact but a couple more 10 - rounders would be nice, too.

I carry one spare for the FS & plan on carrying 2 for the compact - 31 rounds versus 31 rounds. I've gotten used to carrying that many. I'll probably carry at least one FS mag with the 40C, though so that will exceed my normal load.

I sincerely hope that I never need that much ammo but I like spares in case of a mag failure.

 

[Starwalker]

For my two M&P's I have four mags each. Two for use with each M&P, and two for backup should any of my often used mags start to fail.

If/when mags become more available and better priced, I will probably add a few for each pistol.

 

[mg357]

3 magazines total one in the gun and two reloads.

 

[ICD]

For my shield I def need to get at least 2 or 3 more. Being at the range with just 2, I'd probably spend more time reloading than shooting.

 

[Doug M.]

A lot, for a variety of reasons.
1) Mags are a wear item. They get used, they die, they get pitched. Some platforms are more finicky than others (1911, for example).
2) As a part time cop, almost all of my LE time in two states was in rural areas in which backup was between park and neutral. Lots of loaded mags was a darned good idea.
3) Not a cool guy or HSLD type, but I went to classes so I at least sucked less than most others. Some class environments can hard on mags, and the more loaded mags I had the less time I had to waste prepping more. That time saved can be used to rest and rehydrate.
4) Politics. Given the ebb and flow of political tides, we could have some really ugly legislation pop up on short notice. The panic buying that statred 7 months ago is not unusual. Unlike many, I don't waste my money on boats, motorcycles, booze, and other stupid/irresponsible crud. Over a year ago, I began buying medium large quantities of ammo, but probably not as much as I should have, in consideration of the coming election. While the fools were wringing their hands, I was not and am not in a bad spot.

I'd say about 10 for any given autoloader, 100 or more for ARs. Ammo: 5-10K rounds for 5.56X45 (AR); 1-2K of practice ammo (ball, in autopistols) and at least 1K for service/duty/carry ammo for each handgun caliber/configuration, plus .38 wadcutters for plinking and fun plus at least 10K for .22 LR. (The only selection in which I am really lacking.) These are minimums.

 

[Vinney47]

I'd say about 10 for any given autoloader, 100 or more for ARs. Ammo: 5-10K rounds for 5.56X45 (AR); 1-2K of practice ammo (ball, in autopistols) and at least 1K for service/duty/carry ammo for each handgun caliber/configuration, plus .38 wadcutters for plinking and fun plus at least 10K for .22 LR. (The only selection in which I am really lacking.) These are minimums.

Really... 100 or mags more for ARs? That will outlast the rifle.

I remember hearing somewhere that aluminum USGI mags were intended for 20 uses, then should be discarded. 20 uses is really pretty low, but lets use that as a benchmark.

20x30 rounds is 600. x100 mags is 60,000 rounds - well beyond barrel life. Not to mention well beyond what just about any shooter will shoot in a lifetime, especially given the pricing trend on ammunition. even if you could get them for $.25 a shot that's $15,000 in ammo, $30,000 in ammo at $.50 a shot.

And again, that's giving each mag only 20 uses which is REALLY low. There is no logical reasoning that would lead someone to say 100 mags is a safe minimum for AR's, or even how many you need. Imagine what the numbers could be using the Pmag, which will perform far and above the aluminum USGI mags.

I usually take a live and let live approach, viewpoints are bound to differ, but I just couldn't let that comment slide by without challenging it.

 

[Darryle]

These answers I don't get. I don't understand where these numbers come from. I am going to say a sentence and if I am wrong and there is some obvious practical reason I admit my ignorance and limited experience but... having 10 magazines for a gun and you are simply a non-operator non-competition conceal carry citizen I think two or three magazines is enough.

You don't need a heart transplant until you need one.

My numbers have nothing to do with tacticool, small appendage or a need to be the star of "Last Man Standing". Mine is, I can afford it and I want it, much like I wanted a Shield or another 40c, a new Colt Commander or a new Beretta 391. My magazines don't stay loaded, just the 2 I carry or the 2 on the night stand.



Sent from my Tesla coil

 

[Danno_man]

These answers I don't get. I don't understand where these numbers come from. I am going to say a sentence and if I am wrong and there is some obvious practical reason I admit my ignorance and limited experience but... having 10 magazines for a gun and you are simply a non-operator non-competition conceal carry citizen I think two or three magazines is enough. Is it a di*k measuring thing or a 'tacticool' look at how many I have in case the zombies come?

I don't really buy the explanation that you need so many because the magazine springs wear down... wouldn't you just spend a fraction of the money and take what is literally 2 minutes to change it out with a replacement after xxxx number of rounds?

For my practicalities two .40 S&W/.357 and two .9mm (which I can't get) for my M&P 40c with 9mm conversion Barrel meets my requirements as a conceal carry/range junky.

My reasoning:
At the range I only need two. I like to pause, load a magazine and think about what just happened when I shot. I also can't justify loading up 10 magazines before I go to the range which costs a lot more in magazine expenses and is still taking exactly as much time to do as if I was at the range to do it... idk. I might be missing something there.

Conceal carry: I hardly want to carry a gun AND a single spare magazine. I will never carry more than a single extra mag. Well... unless the zombies come... but in that eventuality I will be open carrying my m&p .22 with pockets full of loose .22lr rounds because M&P 22 magazines are ridiculously impossible to find.

Maybe I am just grumpy about the guys/gals that go out and buy 6 9mm M&P mags in a single sitting for their far reaching doomsday/DHS stealing our guns/Red Dawn scenario now makes it so I can't even get one to reliably feed my 9mm conversion so I can conceal carry.

Okay... done ranting about this subject... until next month when I still don't have a 9mm mag.

And you probably think that having 7 round mags are enough too.

Why does it matter to you how many mags one has? Have you taken a high round count hand gun class? I used 12 mags in my last one. It saved having to reload as often during breaks. Could I have just used 3? Yes, but I buy mags when I can because they are wear items and because I know that when a tragedy happens they become hard to find.

I tell friends that they should pick mags up when they can, they always say "i'll get some later", well the Sandy Hook shooting happened and they like everyone else is scrambling to get mags. Paying twice as much for mags is crazy.

Before Obama was elected the first time I found a deal on Glock mags for $13, and bought 50 of them because of been through the Clinton ban. I sold 20 of them off for a killer profit.

So who cares how many mags one has. I know a guy that carries 4 extra mags when he carries.

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[Nakanokalronin]

A lot, for a variety of reasons.
1) Mags are a wear item. They get used, they die, they get pitched. Some platforms are more finicky than others (1911, for example).
2) As a part time cop, almost all of my LE time in two states was in rural areas in which backup was between park and neutral. Lots of loaded mags was a darned good idea.
3) Not a cool guy or HSLD type, but I went to classes so I at least sucked less than most others. Some class environments can hard on mags, and the more loaded mags I had the less time I had to waste prepping more. That time saved can be used to rest and rehydrate.
4) Politics. Given the ebb and flow of political tides, we could have some really ugly legislation pop up on short notice. The panic buying that statred 7 months ago is not unusual. Unlike many, I don't waste my money on boats, motorcycles, booze, and other stupid/irresponsible crud. Over a year ago, I began buying medium large quantities of ammo, but probably not as much as I should have, in consideration of the coming election. While the fools were wringing their hands, I was not and am not in a bad spot.

I'd say about 10 for any given autoloader, 100 or more for ARs. Ammo: 5-10K rounds for 5.56X45 (AR); 1-2K of practice ammo (ball, in autopistols) and at least 1K for service/duty/carry ammo for each handgun caliber/configuration, plus .38 wadcutters for plinking and fun plus at least 10K for .22 LR. (The only selection in which I am really lacking.) These are minimums.

I'm not LE, but I agree with most of what you said. Mags are consumable items and having more than a few on hand because of possible damage to the unforeseeable political future is a few reasons to buy them when you can. I've accumulate quite a few magazines for my rifles by buying one or two here and there over the years.

I don't have an exact number of mags that I "need" for each firearm, but I like to be able to have enough as a buffer if they become unobtainable for one reason or another. I'm also not gentle with mags for firearms I practice or train with the most.

ETA: BTW, it also depends on how many similar firearms you have that use the same mag. Someone may have more than few ARs, AKs, 1911s, Berettas, M&Ps, Glocks,etc so having 4 mags or so for 4 (or more) of the same platform is pretty low.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

And you probably think that having 7 round mags are enough too.

Why does it matter to you how many mags one has? Have you taken a high round count hand gun class? I used 12 mags in my last one. It saved having to reload as often during breaks. Could I have just used 3? Yes, but I buy mags when I can because they are wear items and because I know that when a tragedy happens they become hard to find.

I tell friends that they should pick mags up when they can, they always say "i'll get some later", well the Sandy Hook shooting happened and they like everyone else is scrambling to get mags. Paying twice as much for mags is crazy.

Before Obama was elected the first time I found a deal on Glock mags for $13, and bought 50 of them because of been through the Clinton ban. I sold 20 of them off for a killer profit.

So who cares how many mags one has. I know a guy that carries 4 extra mags when he carries.

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I've heard the same from friends as well. I was at a gun show the day before the Sandy incident and casually bought two Gen 3 PMags for $11 each from a giant bin. I certainly didn't need them, but I'm sure most wish they bought out the entire bin afterwards. My buddy who was with me didn't buy any thinking he could buy them any time.

Well the following week he decides he wants an AR again and magazines to go with it. My dad who calls me and thinks it's funny that I have more than a few mags for each firearm was asking me where can he find this and that. A few others I know are texting me complaining of the mag situation all during the panic. All I told them was "Well, now you know why I buy them once in awhile for situations like this." It's the same with ammo too.

While everyone was trying to get whatever they could and overpay, I sat back and shot what I had. The only mistake I made was buying another FS9 M&P at the end of the panic which has me sitting on 4 measly mags until things hopefully get resolved.

 

[WBlacklidge]

I am mostly just grumpy because I can't get even one 9mm magazine. I just don't understand the bragging about buying up a ton at once while the rest of us can't buy one for less than 2x retail. If you are going to brag about that I am going to call it out... well I will limit myself to doing it once a month if I can help it. haha

Also for those that say: "what does it matter what I am buying, it is none of your business.". I say: you are posting on a public forum, if you wanted it private you could have just not said anything. Also this is a forum for enthusiasts of the S&W M&P SA pistols... you should expect people to call you out on eating up the supply of the magazines that some of us can't even get one of right now.

No, I don't think magazine capacity limitations makes sense. I think for practical purposes you want as many rounds that a firearm can accommodate. Artificial limitation of that is impractical and stupid.

My gripe is the impractical nature of buying up 10 magazines at one time when they are going on sale at the top of retail value. If there was a huge supply and the economics of it caused the magazines to be below retail that is a different story. Also, how often do magazines fail and how often is it not a spring that needs to be replaced? Yes it does happen that is why you keep an extra one or two.

I look at it like this: I don't have 2 or 3 extra M&P 40c hand guns in a safe at home. Sure I could have a complete failure of one or maybe even two (at the point I would probably stop buying M&P pistols) but it is statistically so unlikely that I don't add the expense of buying extras. The cost to benefit ratio is not even close to being something you can argue as practical. For me the same thing goes for magazines. The practicality and need for the average Jill/Joe is two magazines. With higher failure rates (which are still really low and overwhelmingly going to be a replaceable part within the unit) I would think it would be reasonable to keep around a couple extras...but having a dozen magazines at retail or above retail price makes me think that the person is fear buying and not actually bought for practicality or need.

That isn't a government limitation thing. I am a Libertarian and I think most all firearms outside of the massively destructive should be legal and the penalties for property or human damage to be very high but that is for another thread and probably another internet forum. I also do not think anyone is more dangerous with a stockpile of magazines, that doesn't even make sense. This is a gripe as an enthusiast of these specific firearms.

Like I said I am just grumpy because people are bragging about buying beyond their need and there are a lot of us who just want one or two. As this is an enthusiast board and not prepping/hording/doomsday public forum I am going to call people out.

I am sure when I get my email from midway and it says they have some in stock and I get my purchase of two 9C magazines I will stop bitching. Actually I am declaring this my last magazine rant until August 23rd. I think I made my opinion clear on the matter and it seems my opinion isn't shared by many. A month from now I will probably need an outlet to let off some steam so I will be back at it then. haha

 

[RobzGuns]

For my carry pistols, 4:
2 with JHP and 2 with FMJ, so I don't need to unload my carry mags for range practice.

For my Match pistols, 6:
The group I shoot with sets up 3 stages per bay and usually limits each stage to a max of 20 rounds (for me, that's 2 mags each). Having 6 mags allows me to only need to load mags once per bay.
... But that's just me.

 

[Danno_man]

The only thing eating up the mag supply are the people that are panic buying, including new gun owner that are buying guns after Sandy Hook. This is what created the backorders and higher prices.


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[Danno_man]

For my Match pistols, 6:
The group I shoot with sets up 3 stages per bay and usually limits each stage to a max of 20 rounds (for me, that's 2 mags each). Having 6 mags allows me to only need to load mags once per bay.
... But that's just me.

Pretty similar reasoning for a 6 mag minimum.

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[Darryle]

WBlacklidge, don't worry. I completely understand your frustration. It will ease. I'll pm you shortly.

I bought the 200 Magpul magazines right before Sandy Hook, I planned to sell few since there was quite a break on the 100rd packs. Then Sandy Hook happened and magazines and ammo went crazy. I sold some metal mags and 13 cases of 5.56, I didn't advertise it either, it came about from people calling me knowing I had them. They set the price and I agreed. I didn't aggressively pursue selling anything at inflated prices and I was disappointed when some retailers took advantage of the mass hysteria.

The other issues with the S&W mag supply are probably not panic buying, but a lack of production. I actually wonder if S&W doesn't rotate the models on just a few limited production lines? I can't see having a single line for every caliber and platform myself. The reason I say this, the Shield 40 mags are still in stock at various vendors while the 9 is not. The 9 was in stock while the 40 wasn't.

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