Carrying extra mags for CC pistol

As far as capacity is concerned, that's a personal decision that no one can make for you. The number of rounds that may be more than enough for one person may be totally inadequate for another and vice versa. Because we do not know you, there is no possible way for us to tell you how many rounds is "enough" for your circumstances.

That being said, when I carry a semi-automatic I always carry a spare magazine regardless of capacity. This is because, in my experience, magazines are second only to ammunition as far as being the most frequent cause of a semi-automatic handgun jamming. Because of this, I feel it prudent to carry a spare magazine so that you can get your gun back into action should the magazine in it prove to be problematic. While I almost always carry at least one reload for any gun, I'd actually be more comfortable carrying a revolver with just the rounds in the gun than I would a semi-automatic.
 
Over the years I've worked as a firearms instructor, having worked with LE and non-LE shooters, I've long since lost count of the magazine-related problems that have occurred during some course-of-fire and rendered someone's pistol inoperable. :eek:

Ever see the look on someone's face when the ONLY pistol magazine they thought to bring to a qualification course-of-fire stops working, or comes apart and is now inoperable? :eek: Inconvenient on the range. Conceivably worse if it were to happen elsewhere.

Capacity is another issue, and one which concerns me much less than the ability to resolve a magazine-related problem by having another magazine at hand.

Whenever I carry one of my pistols as a retirement CCW weapon, I usually have 1-2 spare magazines on my person. A little prudent risk assessment, combined with balancing my clothing choices against desired comfort levels, are things I do when selecting a pistol from my safe and reaching for either a single or double magazine carrier.

The magazine capacities of the various pistols I own/carry nowadays include 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 12-rd capacities. I carry a spare magazine, regardless of capacity, in the event I experience a magazine problem. I may carry a pair of spare magazines if I feel like upping the ammunition amount, for whatever reason.

Whenever I carry one of my 5-shot J's, I typically carry 1-3 speedstrips (sometimes speedloaders), depending on the pockets of whatever I'm wearing that day/evening.

I remember carrying a 6-shot revolver and a pair of speedloaders as a young cop, giving me a total ammunition load-out of 18 rounds on my gunbelt. I occasionally carried a pair of speedstrips in addition to the speedloaders, giving me 30 rounds, but that was when I was working a uniformed patrol assignment and was being sent to all manner of potentially dangerous situations all the time (or proactively looking for them).

Suit yourself.

Decisions can have consequences.

Life is all about choices, right? ;)
 
I carry two speed strips with the same ammo that's in my revolver. And one speedloader with hard cast SWC. You never know when you might have to go through something to reach the other side;)
 
My standard operating procedure:

For an open carry belt gun (which I don't do any more, but still) fully loaded pistol and two reloads.

For hide out, off duty pistol, full pistol and one reload.

The only exception to this is my five shot J frame, I carry one speed loader and one speed strip.
 
4 magazines? I know a guy who carrys 3 magazines for glock 19 and a j frame 357. He lives in the rough part of town.
 
If carrying a pocket pistol I typically don't carry an extra.

If carrying IWB with a cover garment I'll usually carry an extra mag on the belt on the opposite side. Magazines are narrow and conceal easier than a gun. Heck if they're single stack and in a pouch with a flap most people wouldn't know what it is (I'd wager more people would think it was a knife that anything gun related).
 
I carry two spare magazines all the time. Sure its a personal preference, but consider this before passing judgement.

The primary reason I carry spares is not ammunition related. I hope I never find myself in a situation where I need three magazines in a gunfight. I carry extra mags to protect against mechanical failure, or if I drop or otherwise lose my magazine.

There are tons of ways you can lose a magazine under crisis level stress. What if I carry one spare, fumble the reload and drop the mag in the dark? If I stop fighting to look for it, I will lose. A second spare protects against this.

As the legendary Clint Smith said, two is one, one is none.

Ask any good firearms instructor, you will get some version of this story.
 
I try my best to carry at least 1 extra mag. If I have the time to grab the double mag pouch, I'll carry 2 extras. It's easy to conceal and a nice little bit of extra insurance.
 
90+% of the time, I carry a high capacity semi in 40 or 45.

95+% of the time, I don't cary a spare mag.

I feel comfy 100% of the time with my formula.:D
 
4 magazines? I know a guy who carrys 3 magazines for glock 19 and a j frame 357. He lives in the rough part of town.

Yes, usually 4. I got used to it down in Jackson, where even though we lived in a moderately nice neighborhood there was still (within about the first 10 months) a murder next door and home invasion across the street. So walkin' a little extra heavy kind of got to be a habit with me.
 
I carry at least one reload, when I carry (not very often due to workplace constraints).

It helps balance the belt a little better, and the single-stack mag goes pretty quick, especially if an attacker takes more than 1 shot to stop.
 
Yes, usually 4. I got used to it down in Jackson, where even though we lived in a moderately nice neighborhood there was still (within about the first 10 months) a murder next door and home invasion across the street. So walkin' a little extra heavy kind of got to be a habit with me.
Click to expand...
What about your bug? you got 4 reloads for that also? I got two reloads and some snake shot lol. I had a snake sneak past my foot at a family members house, so I don't leave home without a 22loaded with snake shot or my snake shot for 38/9mm.
 
The pocket holster for my P3AT includes a slot for a spare mag, so I have one when it's my carry piece for the day. I don't carry a spare for my 9mm, though.
 
To those who disagree with my personal risk assessment and decision not to carry spare magazines, thanks for your honestly felt comments.

My defense program starts way before a firearm even needs to be considered. For example, I chose where I live and work with that in mind.

Having made such decisions, in the extremely unlikely event that I would ever need a weapon, the primary challenge would be overcoming the bad guy's attempt to achieve surprise and for me to seize the initiative. If I fail in that, it won't matter what I'm carrying.

And if I succeed, I believe that drawing the weapon will solve 90% of the problems, firing it will solve 90% of what's left and hitting someone (to any effect) will solve 90% of the rest. I think that seven shots are adequate for reducing the risk to perfectly acceptable levels - for me.

Maybe not for you. That's fine. I'm not telling you what to carry or what not to carry. I'm just answering a question.
 
I must agree with Woody55 as my training and mindset is "learn to fight with what you have". Most of us carry for personal protection and in the protection of self must constantly use awareness and avoidance tactics to provide that security. However should a scenario requiring lethal force arise incorporate your carry gun along with proper tactics to quickly stop the threat.
This mindset may be appropriate in certain locales where investigators and prosecutors view the carrying of extra ammunition as malicious intent. Based on legal reasons my instructors used the creed "if you can't solve the problem with five or six shots, find another solution". I've followed this advice after they gave numerous examples of victims going to jail for reckless endangerment and criminal negligence.
I've integrated a pistol into my daily life style, not the inverse and therefore haven't seen the need to carry all that extra stuff. Disagree if you will, but its my choice and my answer to your question.
 
I have enough in my pockets already that I almost never carry an extra magazine unless its a small .380 mag, I always keep an extra mag in the center console though of whatever i'm carrying that day. In the winter ill stick one in my coat since it doesn't take up any space, and when carrying a revolver I always keep a speed strip in my pocket since its so small.
 
I posted a thread on the "Tactics and training" heading of this forum to explain why I have not only starting carrying an extra mag, but switched EDC guns, and gone to a bigger mag in it. Along with carrying a BUG.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top