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How many rounds are needed when carrying?

stevebowhunts

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
25
Location
Springfield,MO
That's up to the BG

The number of rounds that a law-abiding citizen needs to carry in order to win a gun fight, is always determined by the bad guy(s). That number is completely out of our hands. I would say it has to do with how many bad guys and how many rounds they have.
 

WalkingWolf

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
11,930
Location
North Carolina
OK, to be serious, I try to have at least one reload for the firearm I am carrying. Even though stats say I would never need more.
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
Most of today and yesterday it was 5 I was carrying my 5 shot 44mag and no spare ammo. But then I was out in the woods and didn't expect to run into any large gangs of anything.

A lot of days it is 26 my Glock 23 and one spare mag that when I remember to take the spare mag.


Not enough when you need more too much when you have to carry it.
 

mpguy

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
689
Location
Suffolk Virginia
I carry one mag, not counting the one in the gun. First round of fun is 10 plus 1

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 

CitizenJohn

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2013
Messages
77
Location
Clark County, WA
Old gun fighting adage: "There is no such thing as too much ammo in a gunfight."

Standard LEO carry is two spares. That of course will result in a varying number of rounds depending on the gun carried. Personally, I carry one spare mag but that is due to convenience. I found that carrying two spare mags was a bit bulky for me.

It is surprising to most just how many rounds one discharges in a simulated gun fight, especially if the first couple of rounds are not effective in stopping the threat (makes a strong case for hollow point defensive ammo), not to mention multiple aggressors. If a couple of “center body mass” rounds do not put the target down, it may be time to switch to a head shot, and the head is a hard target to hit, especially in the heat of the battle. Your aggressor may be wearing body armor.

Your aggressor may also be a wild animal. Wild animals do not respond to being shot as we humans do. Sometimes it only makes them more aggressive. You may have to conduct your defense on the run, and you don’t want to run out.

The other comment concerning clearing a malfunction is also an excellent reason for carrying a spare mag.

Good question though.

Here’s another good question. Do you know if your pistol will fire with the magazine removed, i.e., does it have a magazine lock?
 
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MyWifeSaidYes

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
1,028
Location
Logan, OH
Varies from 7 to 38.

7 means I'm carrying my BUG as primary with no spare mags.

38 means my EDC & 2 spares, and my BUG with a spare.
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
6-9, depending on the gun for that day. I rarely carry extra. The truck, on the other hand, is loaded for an invasion.

Plan A is to avoid fights.
Plan B is to haul ass.
Plan C is to fire two rounds and then haul ass.

If it goes past that, well, I'll be in conservation mode sooner than some.
 

Primus

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
3,939
Location
United States
Depends how I'm carrying. CC then 1 mag, 13+1. OC, then 1 spare mag and the 13+1.

I'm carrying other stuff around town then 2 ammo cans with belts, backpack with 40mm and smoke, plus minimum 7 mags (used to carry 13 in some areas). :lol:
 

mpguy

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
689
Location
Suffolk Virginia
Old gun fighting adage: "There is no such thing as too much ammo in a gunfight."

Standard LEO carry is two spares. That of course will result in a varying number of rounds depending on the gun carried. Personally, I carry one spare mag but that is due to convenience. I found that carrying two spare mags was a bit bulky for me.

It is surprising to most just how many rounds one discharges in a simulated gun fight, especially if the first couple of rounds are not effective in stopping the threat (makes a strong case for hollow point defensive ammo), not to mention multiple aggressors. If a couple of “center body mass” rounds do not put the target down, it may be time to switch to a head shot, and the head is a hard target to hit, especially in the heat of the battle. Your aggressor may be wearing body armor.

Your aggressor may also be a wild animal. Wild animals do not respond to being shot as we humans do. Sometimes it only makes them more aggressive. You may have to conduct your defense on the run, and you don’t want to run out.

The other comment concerning clearing a malfunction is also an excellent reason for carrying a spare mag.

Good question though.

Here’s another good question. Do you know if your pistol will fire with the magazine removed, i.e., does it have a magazine lock?

I ordered mine with the magazine disconnect. I treat it though as if it does not have one. As all things mechanical, safeties can fail.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 
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Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
Old gun fighting adage: "There is no such thing as too much ammo in a gunfight."

+1 I once answered the "how much ammo is enough" question with "one more bullet than I have to shoot".

It is surprising to most just how many rounds one discharges in a simulated gun fight, especially if the first couple of rounds are not effective in stopping the threat (makes a strong case for hollow point defensive ammo), not to mention multiple aggressors. If a couple of “center body mass” rounds do not put the target down, it may be time to switch to a head shot, and the head is a hard target to hit, especially in the heat of the battle. Your aggressor may be wearing body armor.

Not to rekindle the whole "hollow point vs FMJ" debate again, but I stick to 230 grain hardball for my 1911. Besides the fact that I live on a tight budget because of tuition, it was the cartridge the gun was designed for. Haven't yet tried any +P ammo (any thoughts from the 1911 gurus?).
If I could just get my hands on some USGI mags (you know, the "hardball only" ones designed by John Moses Browning?), I'd be set.

The way I see it, ballistics gel only tells half the story because the media used assumes the bullet only travels through that which is fleshy and excludes BONE; armor is not even mentioned.
If you shoot, you want to end the threat as soon as possible (less shots that way), and sometimes two holes for every bullet downrange may be desirable: bullet enters BG, bullet loses kinetic energy and causes havoc as it goes through BG, bullet MAY exit BG through a messy hole, bullet no longer carries enough kinetic energy to kill anyone.
Maybe it's just conjecture and theoretical physics (calling eye95 to let me know if the numbers crunch out?:)), but I've yet to see a legitimate case of overpenetration from a center-of-mass hit causing the death of a bystander.
I've considered buying a CZ 75 in 9mm and carrying FMJ for the same reasons (if what I've heard about it penetrating better is true), and an extension of magazine capacity (plus, the platform seems to have been designed for my hand).

Your aggressor may also be a wild animal. Wild animals do not respond to being shot as we humans do. Sometimes it only makes them more aggressive. You may have to conduct your defense on the run, and you don’t want to run out.

The other comment concerning clearing a malfunction is also an excellent reason for carrying a spare mag.

Good question though.

Here’s another good question. Do you know if your pistol will fire with the magazine removed, i.e., does it have a magazine lock?

Wild animals = more predictable than drugged-up berserkers.

As to the malfunction thing, I carry two spare mags for that very reason, and I try to check my mags for deformation (or any funny business) about every 2-3 months (gun as well).
 
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Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
Wild animals = more predictable than drugged-up berserkers.


Maybe may be not I seen both do some strange things that one would not normally expect from them.

The only thing you can count on is the unexpected.

You can carry FMJs for me a good JHP for defense most of the time. As with many things nothing is 100% perfect.

The bullet that cause gets to the vital organs and causes the most damage to them is the most effective.
 

Kopis

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
674
Location
Nashville, TN
I always carry a spare mag but it's more for if the gun jams, then I reload with the full mag and same muscle memory.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
Hahahahahahaha!!

Its a trick question. False premise. Need doesn't enter into it.

Its the same false premise as the anti-gunner assertion, "You don't need to carry a gun here."

The old saw applies: "If I knew I was going to need a gun, I'd bring a rifle. Then I'd bring all my friends who have rifles." If I knew I was going to need a certain amount of ammo, I either wouldn't go, or I'd bring a rifle--with lots of ammo.
 
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SD40VE

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2013
Messages
91
Location
North Macomb CO, MI
i carry 14 in the mag, 1 in the chamber, and a second mag. if i cant neutralize a threat in 29 rounds i have no business carrying, consealed or openly...
 
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