Why carry extra mags?

MikeTheGreek · Mar 31, 2011

I was just wondering why a lot of people who OC often carry 2 spare mags? I know some people who carry Taurus Pt92's (17+1) and still feel the need for 2 more 17 round mags. I always thought that 17 hollow points would be more than enough to stop someone, or even multiple people.

Nothing wrong with it, just wondering about peoples reasoning for it?

JoeGlock40 · Mar 31, 2011

i carry a glock 22 with 15 round mags and i still carry 2 spares and a BUG...the spare mags are incase i have a mag failure or a double feed and then its just best to change mags..plus i carry 2 spares on duty so i feel alil under powered you can say if im not equalled off duty since itll take alot longer for Leo to get there if the SHTF..but thats just me

protect our rights · Mar 31, 2011

Mixalis said:
I was just wondering why a lot of people who OC often carry 2 spare mags? I know some people who carry Taurus Pt92's (17+1) and still feel the need for 2 more 17 round mags. I always thought that 17 hallow-points would be more than enough to stop someone, or even multiple people.

Nothing wrong with it, just wondering about peoples reasoning for it?

Well if you take into account stress and everything that that entails, you may only hit with one out of every 5, 6, or 7 shots. Now say there are more than one. Maybe it is sustained gun fight. Just better to be prepared IMO.

JoeGlock40 · Mar 31, 2011

protect our rights said:
Well if you take into account stress and everything that that entails, you may only hit with one out of every 5, 6, or 7 shots. Now say there are more than one. Maybe it is sustained gun fight. Just better to be prepared IMO.

i agree...plus if you have two or three whacked out druggies comin after you, it probably wont be a one two or even three stop shot{s} since their so jacked up and if you miss a couple of them shots you butts really gona pucker when that slide locks back and your all out of ammo without any spares..its always best to be prepared for the worst case scenario IMO

XDFDE45 · Mar 31, 2011

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

Brian D. · Mar 31, 2011

Best I'm aware, nobody who ever came through a gunfight in more or less one piece was ever heard to remark afterwards that they'd been carrying too much ammo...

Seriously, as others have mentioned, the spare ammo isn't really about a total number of rounds, it's about recovery after clearing a malfunction if it occurs. Ever have the kind of malf that required you to vigorously RIP the magazine out of the well? Even under range conditions (on the clock so it was being done at high speed if not high stress) I've managed to drop that magazine at some point in the action. Imagine adding real-life stress and dropping that magazine into a snowbank, down a storm drain, under the car you ducked behind for cover, etc.

Chap · Mar 31, 2011

I carry two extra mags because

I carried two extra mags on my left hip to offset some of the weight from the holster on my right hip.

When I conceal carry I think it balances out my hip profile, equally wide on both sides not lopsided. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

Plus 1 for everything mentioned by the other posts.

Chap

MikeTheGreek · Mar 31, 2011

Chap said:
I carried two extra mags on my left hip to offset some of the weight from the holster on my right hip.

When I conceal carry I think it balances out my hip profile, equally wide on both sides not lopsided. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

Plus 1 for everything mentioned by the other posts.

Chap

Very good point, I was thinking about carrying mine in a thigh rig to try and ease some of the pressure on my hip from carrying a full sized handgun around all day.

onlurker · Apr 1, 2011

Chap said:
I carried two extra mags on my left hip to offset some of the weight from the holster on my right hip.

Weight balance is the only reason I carry spare mags. Sustained gun fire? Call me arrogant but the likelihood of such combat for the average citizen is so strikingly low as to be a non-issue. If I can't take care of business with the 13 rounds I have I'm getting out of town with the quickness.

protect our rights · Apr 1, 2011

onlurker said:
Weight balance is the only reason I carry spare mags. Sustained gun fire? Call me arrogant but the likelihood of such combat for the average citizen is so strikingly low as to be a non-issue. If I can't take care of business with the 13 rounds I have I'm getting out of town with the quickness.

Your right it IS low. Some would argue that getting in ANY incident that requires a gun is extremely low. I would LOVE to see how many of those 13 rounds you could put on center body mass in high stress. Prepare for the worst. Ever heard of that? You would rather carry for the simple reason of weight distribution, then attack the thought of carrying for a possible extended gun fight with a felon meaning you harm?... I question your reasoning.

onlurker · Apr 2, 2011

protect our rights said:
Prepare for the worst. Ever heard of that? You would rather carry for the simple reason of weight distribution, then attack the thought of carrying for a possible extended gun fight with a felon meaning you harm?... I question your reasoning.

Yes I've heard of that, which is why they're spare mags and not random dead weight (better to have it and not need it and such). The fact that I could use them is secondary to the ability to balance out the weight. It's a situation that occurs far less frequently than the chance of ever needing a gun, so I see little actual need (for me) to worry/fantasize about an extended gun fight. It all goes back to the type of people most felons are, cowards.

Ultimately the point is if I'm needing to change mags there are bigger problems, and my focus will be put towards "flight" rather than fighting back. The tools at my disposal will be used accordingly.

rscottie · Apr 3, 2011

onlurker said:
Yes I've heard of that, which is why they're spare mags and not random dead weight (better to have it and not need it and such). The fact that I could use them is secondary to the ability to balance out the weight. It's a situation that occurs far less frequently than the chance of ever needing a gun, so I see little actual need (for me) to worry/fantasize about an extended gun fight. It all goes back to the type of people most felons are, cowards.

Ultimately the point is if I'm needing to change mags there are bigger problems, and my focus will be put towards "flight" rather than fighting back. The tools at my disposal will be used accordingly.

The hope for the best and prepare for the worst statement is the best reason I can think of.

Between the rare restaurant shootings such as Luby's and the terrorists shooting up the Taj Mahal in Mumbai, at least one or two extra mags just seem to make sense.

I do not have a link but remember a story about the off duty Leo that helped stop the shooter in the Utah mall. He said that because he was in civies, he was not carrying as much ammo as when he was on duty and almost ran out. It may have been a live interview.

Mas49.56 · Apr 3, 2011

Mixalis said:
I was just wondering why a lot of people who OC often carry 2 spare mags? I know some people who carry Taurus Pt92's (17+1) and still feel the need for 2 more 17 round mags. I always thought that 17 hallow-points would be more than enough to stop someone, or even multiple people.

Nothing wrong with it, just wondering about peoples reasoning for it?

Your fighting for you and your loved ones life. You fire round one at the two attackers with knives. You get a double feed. What is your clearance drill? Do you think you will live the next five seconds? Just wondering.
Take at least a basic combat pistol course and let your eyes be opened my friend. Plastic knives hurt like hell!

MikeTheGreek · Apr 3, 2011

Mas49.56 said:
Your fighting for you and your loved ones life. You fire round one at the two attackers with knives. You get a double feed. What is your clearance drill? Do you think you will live the next five seconds? Just wondering.
Take at least a basic combat pistol course and let your eyes be opened my friend. Plastic knives hurt like hell!

Taking out your mag and clearing it, then putting your mag back in, would take the same time (if not less) than clearing the weapon and putting in a new mag.

I don't see how this has anything to do with carrying spare mags..lol

Mas49.56 · Apr 3, 2011

Mixalis said:
Taking out your mag and clearing it, then putting your mag back in, would take the same time (if not less) than clearing the weapon and putting in a new mag.

I don't see how this has anything to do with carrying spare mags..lol

Good luck in a high stress situation with running, holding your mag and rack tap assess reload with the same hand, you're a better man than I am. And if it's your mag causing the malfunctions? I'm not riding you, but if your going through the effort to carry a pistol it's no great effort to have at least one spare IMHO. I want you to win.:dude:

MikeTheGreek · Apr 3, 2011

Mas49.56 said:
Good luck in a high stress situation with running, holding your mag and rack tap assess reload with the same hand, you're a better man than I am. And if it's your mag causing the malfunctions? I'm not riding you, but if your going through the effort to carry a pistol it's no great effort to have at least one spare IMHO. I want you to win.:dude:

Ahh okay now that makes sense.

j4l · Apr 3, 2011

..no such thing as too much ammo

And, however remote, a Mumbai-type situation could happen anytime/any place...I wouldnt want to come up short in that scenario...

since9 · Apr 4, 2011

All you need is a couple more than the BG's...

protect our rights · Apr 4, 2011

onlurker said:
Yes I've heard of that, which is why they're spare mags and not random dead weight (better to have it and not need it and such). The fact that I could use them is secondary to the ability to balance out the weight. It's a situation that occurs far less frequently than the chance of ever needing a gun, so I see little actual need (for me) to worry/fantasize about an extended gun fight. It all goes back to the type of people most felons are, cowards.

Ultimately the point is if I'm needing to change mags there are bigger problems, and my focus will be put towards "flight" rather than fighting back. The tools at my disposal will be used accordingly.

and if you CAN't get away, and run out of ammo? Beg for mercy?

JoeGlock40 · Apr 5, 2011

rscottie said:
The hope for the best and prepare for the worst statement is the best reason I can think of.
Between the rare restaurant shootings such as Luby's and the terrorists shooting up the Taj Mahal in Mumbai, at least one or two extra mags just seem to make sense.
I do not have a link but remember a story about the off duty Leo that helped stop the shooter in the Utah mall. He said that because he was in civies, he was not carrying as much ammo as when he was on duty and almost ran out. It may have been a live interview.

yea i remember seeing that video..it was around Valentines day and he was eatin at the mall with his wife..but yea he ran out of ammo cuz he was off duty and obviously didnt feel the need to carry spares for the rare situation that unfolded in front of him..
as others have said... hope for the best, prepare for the worst.. cuz if i was defending my family or others id feel like crap if i ran outa ammo cuz i didnt feel the need to bring a spare mag or two and lives were changed for the worse and i may have been able to make a difference...its a rare situation..but thats why you"hopefully" train for the worst so your better prepared for it... after being trained by former LEO and SWAT officers, i highly recommend training to anyone carrying, especially after seeing how bad alot of people shoot at 7 yards at my local range, its kinda scary thinkin that they might be carrying outside when they hit just as much outside the sillouette as they do the BG on targets at 7yards

Why carry extra mags?

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