Carrying extra mags for CC pistol

Since I carry a semi-automatic pistol, I always carry at least one spare magazine. Yes, I feel very confident with the 17+1 rounds that are already in the gun (M&P9), but if I have a malfunction such as a double feed that requires me to eject the magazine, I do not want to be reinserting a magazine that could have just caused a problem; nor do I want to be fumbling with that magazine whilst I am trying to clear the jam. I would prefer to strip it out of the gun and let it fall, clear the gun with my free hand, and then insert a fresh magazine and reassess the threat from there.
 
If you find yourself in a situation like gunhand describes "Fighting against an assailant armed with a long gun and body armor is likely to be a losing battle if you only have a handgun." I think it fair to say that you are in the wrong place at the wrong time using the wrong tactics and God probably doesn't like you!

To the question...carrying extra ammo is smart. Carrying an extra gun is even smarter. :)
 
I always have a spare mag with me ... it's light, doesn't get in the way and the peace of mind that comes from extra ammo (and a way to solve a mag-related failure in a pinch if I need to) is worth any inconvenience ...
 
Don't currently, though I have been considering it. Haven't gotten off my lazy behind to get a mag carrier for the Glock. I'm not in too much of a hurry, given that for a couple three years there I carried a five shot revolver with no extra ammo.
 
As Always It's Only Personal Preference

Whether it's Massad Ayoob or you local range master, you will get different opinions on this. The fact is empirically there's no right or wrong answer so you will have to ask yourself does YOUR environment or particular circumstances dictates the need.

Personally, I carry an extra mag as well as a BUG and can conceal both very comfortably which is very important for me (primary KTP11 BUG Beretta 21A or PT-22/25).

Others will argue it's nothing more than the proverbial "Placebo effect"?

One thing for sure is what's the downside? I don't see one (I won't listen to the 'what happens in court..." scenarios as I see no relevance/credence with that concern unless someone can point me to a url that speaks to this).
 
I always carry a spare magazine, to cover malfunctions.

My carry weapon is a Ruger SR9c. I used to carry a 17-round spare. I now carry a second 10-round magazine, instead.

If LE or prosecution were to try to spin the spare magazine as a sign of aggression, I would be comfortable and confident defending the choice with the explanation that it was for covering malfunctions. With the amount of information and discussion around this topic, it is an easy defense. Switching to a second 10- was partly to support this, should it ever be relevant.
 
A guy here was ambushed buy 4 people 2 carrying ak 47-s. He shot one of them dead wounded another the others ran away. He had two mag-s and was down to his last two rounds. I bet he was glad he had the extra mag. How would the people that say 5 or one mag is enough have managed this situation. ?
 
^^^^^^ uuuuuh....?

SIG 1911 XO / SA 1911 custom / Colt Gold Cup / SIG P226 e2 / Browning High-power / Walther PPQ / Beretta PX4 Storm / G34 / G19 / G21 / G22 / Kahr CW9 / S&W M-19 / Hk USP 40 / Rem 870 / Rock R. AR-15

sent from my Android
 
A guy here was ambushed buy 4 people 2 carrying ak 47-s. He shot one of them dead wounded another the others ran away. He had two mag-s and was down to his last two rounds. I bet he was glad he had the extra mag. How would the people that say 5 or one mag is enough have managed this situation. ?
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It can happen anywhere. I would rather have it and not need it than the other way around.
 
Extra Mag/Speed Loader Litigation

I always read posts concerning the potential for the increased likelihood of prosecution of those CCW individuals carrying extra capacity/ammo.

Can anyone actually refer me to either a case or even documented attorneythat speaks to this issue (or non-issue)? I have written it off as an 'old wives' tale' (kind of like the .22lr is responsible for more deaths than any other caliber--again, where is the empirical evidence of such)?

-Cheers
 
Well, here's another angle on the question: I'd rather carry two single column magazines than one double column magazines. However, the only reason for that is because they're flatter. Mind you, the gun itself is thicker, any of them, and I've never seemed to let an opinion like that make a difference when buying anything. I never let reason stand in the way.

Judging from photos taken at police shooting competitions in the 1950s, it was apparently not uncommon for detectives to carry spare ammo loose in the pocket, and even more surprising for that method to be used in a competition. But at least they carried spare ammo.
 
A guy here was ambushed buy 4 people 2 carrying ak 47-s. He shot one of them dead wounded another the others ran away. He had two mag-s and was down to his last two rounds. I bet he was glad he had the extra mag. How would the people that say 5 or one mag is enough have managed this situation. ?
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I don't mean this in a sarcastic or insulting way at all.

I believe I have "managed [the] situation" by not living in a place where anything remotely like that has ever happened. And while it could happen, my estimate of the odds are that it is so unlikely that it is not worth worrying about.
 
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A guy here was ambushed buy 4 people 2 carrying ak 47-s. He shot one of them dead wounded another the others ran away. He had two mag-s and was down to his last two rounds. I bet he was glad he had the extra mag. How would the people that say 5 or one mag is enough have managed this situation. ?
It can happen anywhere. I would rather have it and not need it than the other way around.
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Same here
 
Quote. Woody55. I don't mean this in a sarcastic or insulting way at all.

I believe I have "managed [the] situation" by not living in a place where anything remotely like that has ever happened. And while it could happen, my estimate of the odds are that it is so unlikely that it is not worth worrying about.


So you would give in to terrorists and move from your home. ?

Maybe that's why he won the military medal for not running away. The guy had numerous threats made on his life. He knew when he went to work that day their was a chance of a ambush but he went anyway.

The chances of anyone shooting at you are slim. But i thought the idea of carrying a gun was just in case. PS. No insult taken. :)
 
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I don't know of a case where extra mags were brought up.

However, we do know of cases and simulations where training, ammo, competition, the Internet cliches, gun type have been brought up or influenced juries.

Wearing glasses influences juries.

You need to have an attorney that can tell a reasonable story for all of your gear, training and competition.

Jury research is clear that you can tell a negative story about a person based on personal characteristics and life style. Anyone is free to disbelieve that.

I wouldn't not carry extra ammo because of jury fears but I darn well would have a lawyer who was up on the issues of jury influence and could bring in the appropriate experts to rationalize your choice if the prosecution makes you look like a nut.

Frank has listed relevant cases in several posts. THR has a summary sticky of such.
 
As far as defense attorneys go, should the event ever arise, you'll want an attorney who has experience representing good people, not just scumbags; and you will want an attorney who is either a gun guy himself, or who fully understands the value of defense expert witnesses in the fields of firearms and self defense.

I don't worry about an extra mag or two. (Edit: I don't care about the legal ramifications of an extra mag or two; when carrying an auto, I always carry an extra mag or two.)

OTOH, I don't have Punisher grips, nor do I have "Smile, wait for flash!" on or near the crown of my barrel.
 
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I think the case in FL. with George Zimmerman and his attorney will provide for a good example of a client/attorney/SD representation case (though as far as I am aware there were no extra mags in question?). I had a look and I do not see that his lawyer is notorious with Second Amendment like cases but I guess we shall see. I think he needs to make sure it doesn't get to a jury...
 
@Manta49

So you would give in to terrorists and move from your home. ?

Maybe that's why he won the military medal for not running away. The guy had numerous threats made on his life. He knew when he went to work that day their was a chance of a ambush but he went anyway.
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Northern Ireland during the Troubles is not exactly a good analogy to living in the United States. I choose to live in a rural area of Texas as opposed to a high crime area of one of the big cities like Houston, San Antonio or Dallas. I don't hang out with drug dealers - trouble seems to blossom around them. I don't hang out in honky tonks in the middle of nowhere - same idea.

If the entire US were like Northern Ireland at that time, I might well make a different choice in what I carried because I couldn't avoid the problem.

In addition, I'm a little confused as to the facts here. Isn't (or wasn't) the Military Medal a UK award to members of the military? Was this gentlemen a Soldier or Marine on duty? If so, the situation is again different.
 
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