Should we carry an extra magazine?

[venomballistics]

Just saw a recap of a 20/20 story about a Texas man named Raul Rodriguez, who was convicted of murder after confronting a neighbor having a loud party. The man had a concealed handgun license and used the “Stand your ground law” as his defense.

I don’t want to get into whether he was justified or not for shooting his neighbor. That’s not the reason behind this post. I rather talk about the fact that he was carrying an extra magazine with him at the time of the shooting. In the interview, the 20/20 reporter Chris Cuomo kept emphasizing how Rodriguez had a handgun and a “lot” of ammo that night. Apparently the fact this man had an extra magazine with him at the time of his arrest was viewed negatively at his trial.

Now my question is what exactly can be considered a “lot” of ammo? Can carrying an extra magazine be potentially harmful to someone after a shooting? Should we stop carrying an extra mag and be content with what the gun holds, only to avoid serious prosecution? I want to see your opinions on this subject.

spare mags dont make a whole lot of diference.
If your standing trial....
It may reflect badly that you had a gun.
it may reflect badly that you were there.
it could be held against you if you brought extra ammo.
it could reflect badly that you didnt call 911 before you fired.
it could reflect badly that your target was a minority.
it could ..
it could ...
it could ....
but at the bottom line, your standing trial rather than your loved ones standing by your grave.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I am in agreement with all of the above. Some think we carry extra magazines for sole purpose of capacity. We don't

Let me ask this: Have you ever shown a friend a gun? Maybe at a gun shop or elsewhere? Only to find later than we didn't actually put a round in the chamber or seat the magazine?

Or maybe you get home and pull your gun out of the holster to find the magazine wasn't seated because you somehow hit the mag release?

We are human. We make mistakes or have lapses in judgement. We shake our heads at ourselves and go on. But stuff happens and it's better to be prepared for the absolute worst whether it happens or not.

Leaving home unprepared is like trying to figure out which day you'll actually need you gun.

 

[CoMF]

Well... That depends on a lot of things. What do you feel comfortable with? How much is "too much" within the context of the perceived threat level? Truth be told, if we're ever actually accosted by one or more violent individuals, the last thing we need to worry about is how our choice to carry one or more reloads is going to look in front of a misinformed or ill-educated jury.

FWIW, I always keep one speeloader handy. If trouble finds me despite my best efforts to avoid it entirely and I need more than ten rounds to solve the "problem," I'm beyond caring at that point.

 

[mc5aw]

Anyone who has taken a quality DHG class with a semi-auto and practiced various fail-to-fire drills can attest to the importance of extra magazines ... be it one, two, or three.

What is reasonable? I go with two loaded speed strips for my J-frames, not including the five rounds already in the cylinder. Fifteen rounds total ... If that's not enough for me to neutralize a threat OR get to safety, I'm in way over my head and need a long gun asap.

 

[gdnagle]

It's like carring a spare tire in your vehicle, it's there in case you need it for whatever reason. Better to have a spare tire in your car and not use it then to not have a spare and need it. I would have to deal with the DA after the fact, and be alive.

 

[shouldazagged]

I go with two loaded speed strips for my J-frames, not including the five rounds already in the cylinder. Fifteen rounds total ... If that's not enough for me to neutralize a threat OR get to safety, I'm in way over my head and need a long gun asap.

Right. For me I figure if I need over ten rounds from a J I'm well and truly hosed. I have a speed loader for my EDC, but it's tough to conceal, so I go with a speed strip or two.

 

[Engine 21]

I normally carry at least one spare mag and another in the car. Truth is, if I go through the first mag (without failure of a mag.) and the situation is still on going I need to escape and evade while reloading if possible.

 

[GaryS]

magazine with him at the time of the shooting. In the interview, the 20/20 reporter Chris Cuomo kept emphasizing how Rodriguez had a handgun and a “lot” of ammo that night. Apparently the fact this man had an extra magazine with him at the time of his arrest was viewed negatively at his trial.

A former ABC reporter, who is now with CNN, who is named Coumo, and is the son of a former NYS Governor and the brother of the CURRENT NYS Governor, did a piece on a self defense shooting trial that was negative about firearms and self defense?

Shocked! Shock I Say To Find Out A Politican Is A Hypocrite. Photo by garys2 | Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f349/garys2/ClaudeRainsCasablanca_zps801c34ef.p@@AMEPARAM@@50.photobucket.com/albums/f349/garys2/ClaudeRainsCasablanca_zps801c34ef.p

I don't think I'd base any self defense choices on that story, but that's just me. I think that the defendant probably had a lot more going against him than just an extra magazine in his pocket.

 

[edprof]

magazine--Mr. Murphy will bite bite you in a tender area.

Because of Murphy I almost always carry an extra magazine. For sub-compact semi-autos this raises the number of rounds from 8 to 15. I'd hate to think of a 15 round shoot-out, but I'd really hate to think of being in ona 15-round shootout with only 7 + 1 rounds.

 

[BCDWYO]

I would expect and hope a competant defense attorney could easily point out why having extra mags is a rational and reasonable thing to do.

Now if you EMPTY all those mags into your neighbor, the defense might be a bit more tricky!!

 

[Smitty357]

Just walk around carrying your AR or your AK on your back. Of course that if IF you live in an open carry state where you are free to do so.

Better to have the AR or the AK and not need it anyways.

This question has been beaten into the ground 100 million times. It's like asking what is the best CCW. Obviously it all depends on the person. If you cant shoot for ****, yes you better carry another 10 or 12 mags with you. If you train/practice on a regular basis. Chance are you shouldnt even need more than a few rounds to stop the threat. That is of course if the threat is close enough to be considered a threat. If the threat is 1/2 mile away, you may as well just wait til he gets closer (conserve the ammo).

 

[Protected One]

Just walk around carrying your AR or your AK on your back. Of course that if IF you live in an open carry state where you are free to do so.

Better to have the AR or the AK and not need it anyways.

This question has been beaten into the ground 100 million times. It's like asking what is the best CCW. Obviously it all depends on the person. If you cant shoot for ****, yes you better carry another 10 or 12 mags with you. If you train/practice on a regular basis. Chance are you shouldnt even need more than a few rounds to stop the threat. That is of course if the threat is close enough to be considered a threat. If the threat is 1/2 mile away, you may as well just wait til he gets closer (conserve the ammo).

If the threat is 1/2 mile away it's not a threat. Just leave.

 

[Smitty357]

If the threat is 1/2 mile away it's not a threat. Just leave.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some people fail to realize that. And u wonder why they seem to think they need more mags, lol

 

[Massad Ayoob]

Two complete reloads was standard equipment for most police officers before any of us here were born. If I was asked in court why I carry spare ammunition, my answer would probably be the same as my answer for why I load with hollow point ammunition:

"Sir, if the police determined it was the best thing to use to protect people such as myself and my family, it seemed obvious that it was the best thing for ME to carry to protect myself and my family."

 

[SMSgt]

You mean the police carry ammunition designed to expand and kill? Imagine that. Whodathunk?

 

[huskybiker]

Taurus 85 + 1 speedloader, or M&P9C + 1 mag, or Shield 9 + 2 mags. I don't really care if the liberal media thinks that's excessive or not!

 

[Silver Dollar]

I carry exactly the same as LEO's do....1 in the gun and 2 spare for the same reasons.

Things happen and the magazine is the weakest spot on a semi auto.

Randy

That's the advice I usually go by. In case of multiple assailants, bad lighting, fear and missed targets, one mag may not be enough to stop the assault.

 

[MP1518]

Yes , I would carry an dleast one reload.

My department policy says that I MUST carry at least one reload on and off duty.

 

[Mcwsky09]

I think the only case I have ever heard of where the home owner used excessive force was the guy on the phone with 911 after the bad guy was shot a number of times and in a heap not moving on the floor and the home owner told the 911 operator - I better shoot him a couple more times just to be sure - and then proceed to do so.

Not sure if that case if the coroner could determine if the perp was already dead prior to the additional shots - but whether the homeowner exceeded his need for defense in firing a couple extra rounds or not - the initial shooting was fully justified and clearly could have resulted in death of the perp so not sure why the exact number of shots fired became a focal question in that case.

 

[sipowicz]

I usually only carry one magazine...but if I'm constipated, I carry two...who knows how long I'll be in there?