Concealed Carry and the spare Magazine

[El Tejon]

A fight is not what you want it to be, it just is.

Never know when mag will decide to give up the ghost. Have had it happen in school. Was not fun then, if I do something really stupid, like get in a fight and mag in weapon exits stage left, I like to have another. YMMV.

Of course, the pistol of no-pistol is the one true Way!

 

[BerettaNut92]

I'm no gun expert, but are the mags not the weak link in most weapon systems? Seems to make sense to have a spare.

 

[Marko Kloos]

I carry at least one spare magazine, usually in a single magazine carrier on my weak side.

First and foremost, the magazine is the weak link in an autochucker, as already mentioned. The spare is more to get the gun up and running again if the mag in the gun breaks or gets lost.

Second, I don't think that anyone's ever been in a gunfight and found themselves saying, "I have entirely too many rounds on my person." It doesn't inconvenience me to carry a spare...and if I ever need one, I reckon I'll be glad it's there.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

If we could say every morning, "I won't have an accident today, so I don't need to fasten my seat belt," then we could also know that we wouldn't need a spare mag that day, as well, and leave it at home.

Hey, if we had that kind of precognition, we could leave the gun at home, too!

 

[JamisJockey]

I fall back on the wisdom of Murphy....what can go wrong, will, especially if you have no backup. Common wisdom dictates to carry 2 spares, bug, and a knife. Not necessarily practical, but is the cost of not carrying at least a spare magazine worth it?

 

[Tamara]

Besides, a spare magazine is a handy thing to have so that you can reload your primary after you've shot your BUG dry...

 

[Charles S]

There is a secondary issue that has not been addressed. If your autoloader does fail with a double feed jam there is only one solution. Strip the magazine out of the gun and rack the slide and put a fresh magazine in place and re-rack the slide.

We all prepare for the eventuality of a confrontation in which we must be armed. We must prepare for the possibility that we will need more ammo or we will have an equipment problem at an inopportune moment.

Charles

 

[Tamara]

If your autoloader does fail with a double feed jam there is only one solution.

Er, actually my first solution would be to drop it and pull my Centennial...

 

[fix]

Second, I don't think that anyone's ever been in a gunfight and found themselves saying, "I have entirely too many rounds on my person."

I don't think that anyone's ever been in a gunfight and found themselves saying, "Thank God I didn't have a rifle."

 

[Charles S]

Er, actually my first solution would be to drop it and pull my Centennial...

There is a lot to be said for carrying a backup. I know I usually carry a backup in addition to spare mags for my primary and a light.

Charles

 

[John Forsyth]

Single mag carrier on my weak side. The reload is for after the shooting is over.

 

[Marko Kloos]

I don't think that anyone's ever been in a gunfight and found themselves saying, "Thank God I didn't have a rifle."

True, but in most places in the U.S., the local constabulary takes issue with people carrying battle rifles in tac slings at the mall.

 

[355sigfan]

Agree w/ Jeff OTMG. I carry a topped off gun and that's it. I'm not LEO so I don't expect to be in a prolonged fire fight. I carry a gun that has excellent reliablity so I don't expect a failure. I don't like to carry extra gear on my person.
END Quote

Well its good to see your an optimist. The truth is even the best guns fail at the worst possible times. The truth is many people miss in gun fights. The fact is that you may not need that extra ammo but you will sure be glad its there if you do.

Quote
"Er, actually my first solution would be to drop it and pull my Centennial...
"END Quote

I agree in the case of a double feed its faster to draw a bug.
Pat

 

[Frenchy]

The fact is!...Where you live may dictate what & how you carry.

 

[OF]

I'm not aware of any laws regarding the carrying of spare ammunition or magazines...

- Gabe

 

[Frenchy]

I'm not aware of any laws regarding the carrying of spare ammunition or magazines...

That's not what I meant. I live and work in a very rural part of Central Missouri. I personally don't feel the need for more than the 15 rounds I carry in the gun.

 

[355sigfan]

The fact is!...Where you live may dictate what & how you carry.
END

The fact is no matter what you carry its always a good idea to have spare ammo for it. You know what gets cops killed in big cities. Simply the law of averages more bad stuff happens and their number comes up. You know what gets cops killed in small towns. Apathy or complacency. They believe nothing will ever happen to them and when it does they are not prepared for it. Same could be said of legally armed CCW holders.
Pat

 

[OF]

Frenchy: Roger. What do you think about the "spare mag as malfunction insurance" angle?

- Gabe

 

[Eskimo Jim]

Smoke,
How long do you practice drawing with that set up?

I hope that you never have to go through a metal detector.

On a side note, went to a gunshow and the police made everyone disarm before entering. Two guys were at the disarmament table for about 15 minutes taking out extra magazines, back up guns, back up guns to back up guns etc. One policeman asked one person if that was it and the guy replied, "uh, uh, I haven't gone below my waist yet".

To keep on thread, I keep an extra mag or extra speed loaders in my pocket or in a pouch.

-Jim

 

[mpthole]

I like the idea of having a spare mag (or two), but don't always carry a spare. For me its as much a comfort issue as a (potential) need issue. Having a balanced load on my belt is just far more comfortable than carrying the gun alone.

YMMV

 

[Series 70]

Er, actually my first solution would be to drop it and pull my Centennial...

I'm with Tamara on this one. But I do keep a reload for the 1911 in a mag carrier on my belt.

 

[SAG0282]

In my left vest/jacket pocket, or left pants pocket if no vest/jacket available. Simple, yet highly accessible.

 

[Smoke]

Eskimo Jim,

Thats not Smoke, thats

Possumabilly!

 

[Frenchy]

Frenchy: Roger. What do you think about the "spare mag as malfunction insurance" angle?

There is always the possibility of a mag malf...or and extractor malf...or a myriad of other things that could go wrong with an auto. "Murphy's Law" is in full effect here.
I've about 6 to 7 thousand rounds through my gun without a FTF or any other kind of breakdown. I'm fairly comfortable with the equipment I carry off duty...on duty however, is another story!

 

[Feanaro]

So, got a question for the "no spares" crowd. You will probably never need a pistol, so you carry one? And you will probably never need a reload, so you don't carry it? You probably won't need the spare... but you probably won't need the pistol either, right? If you don't want to carry a spare, don't. But uh...

As my father would say, "Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."