Concealing your extra mags

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zookrider

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I was shopping for a Kydex holster at Comp-tac.com when I noticed something strange. You can buy IWB tuckable holsters (a must if you're a jeans/slacks, t-shirt/polo guy like myself), but I found no IWB tuckable spare mag pouches. I checked Blade Tech and found the same thing. Since I'm new to the whole CCW world, perhaps somebody can explain this to me. How do you conceal your spare mags?
 
I make my own holsters and mag pouches.

For a mag pouch, draw an outline of the magazine. Allow about 3/8" margin all around -- perhaps a bit more on top. Now cut that outline out of just about any old leather you have -- it doesn't need to be saddle-skirt leather. (Call this the First Piece.)

Make a second piece, this one about half the length of the magazine. (Call this the Second Piece.)

Now cut two straps -- not so wide as the magazine, and about twice as long as your belt is wide. Use an ordinary snap kit (available at any sewing supply section in any large store) to put a male snap on the end of one strap, and the female on the other.

Snap the pieces together -- with the ends without the snaps even. Put a little contact cement on the first 1/8" of the ends without the snaps and let it dry, then press the pieces together. The straps should now be fastened together at both ends -- one end with the snaps, the other with contact cement.

Then put contact cement on the outside of the top edge of the Second Piece, and some on the top of the two straps (the same place you put it before, but on the opposite surface). Press together.

Now stitch the parts together -- I like to mark the stitches, drill through with a tiny drill in a drill press, then sew with waxed thread. Double sew -- complete the sewing, then go back over it -- going in to holes you went out of before.

You now have three pieces of leather, with the straps hanging down and snapped together.

Next, use contact cement to draw a border about 1/8" wide around the First Piece from the bottom (and including the bottom) to about as high as the Second Piece. Make another border around all but the top of the Second Piece. Let them dry, then stitch together as before.

Finally, take a magazine, wrap it in Saran Wrap and weat the leather with alcohol. Force the magazine in, and make the leather conform to it. When the leather is try, use some Sno-seal to make the inside slippery.

To use, stick the carrier and mag inside your waistband, slip one of the straps under your belt, the other one over, and snap. Voila! An IWB mag carrier!
 
The beautimus Hawaiian shirts that I wear to cover the butt of the pistol in the IWB holster also easily cover the OWB mag pouches on the weak side. When I'm carrying a semi-auto in a pocket, I drop a spare mag in my weak side hip pocket. The reason for that particular pocket is that I can reach it with either hand in a one-handed drill. Can also reach the strong side hip pocket, but that's where I hang my knife.

In the summer, when I carry a snubby in my strong side front pocket, I carry 2 speed loaders in an inconspicuous nylon belt case on the weak side. The nylon case says 'Krypto' on it -- I have no idea what/who 'Krypto' is, unless it's Superman's dog.
 
Andy Langlois makes a nice magazine pocket strap.

Andy Langlois makes a nice magazine pocket strap a real bikini style for magazines carried in the pocket - keeps the magazine oriented and may reduce printing.

I can see the one gun one carry rule leading to tuckable magazine carriers as well as some that are not tuckable - none of my gear is tuckable (IWB magazine carriers with sweat bands from Andy Aratoonian at Horseshoe worn with a cover garment in a gun friendly environment) and if it had to be I suppose I'd go off-body with magazines in a day planner binder.
 
Uncle Mikes Universal Magazine/Knife Pouch. 99% of people who have seen it assume it is either a belt knife pouch, or more commonly, a cell phone holder of some weird design. Perhaps that it what we need - mag pouches with Nokia logos....
 
In addition, think about the orientation of the mag pouch too. For my tastes, I like the horizontal device that The Wilderness makes for application near the small of my back (non-IWB). Very easy to extract the stowed mag in times of need.

The 2nd to last thing I would ever want to do is dig for a IWB component during a re-load.
 
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I sometimes carry extra mag(s) in a leatherman (multitool) holster.

I'd like (if could find) an ankle holster for extra mag, small light and pepper spray.
 
+1 on the Leatherman holster. I've found that a Leatherman holster (I don't recall if it's the regular or the supertool) fits a 1911 mag with no basepad perfectly, and nobody gives it a second look.
 
hey armycop, blackhawk sells an ankle rig for mag pouches. unfortunately eagle does not sell an equivalent. I think sportsmansguide sold an ankle rig for carrying mags and pepper spray.

as for the lack of iwb tuckable kydex mag pouches, there probably is not enough demand. If you are gonna carry in deep concealment like that without a jacket, you are probably happy to just have the sidearm, much less the mags. mini hi cap pocket pistols probably also reduce the demand for carrying mags. I tend to keep a couple of spare mags in the car, it turned out useful when I got thrown into a lake and my mags filled with muddy water. I usually carry a spare mag if I feel so inclined in one of my pockets.

In the old days, I used to carry like Marty Rigs, Beretta tucked in my belt and two mags in my back pocket under a t shirt. Thought I was pretty cool I did.
 
i always thought if i carry extra mags on my waist (prolly going to go the shoulder holster route) i'd carry them OWB and say it's a leatherman/cell phone/etc. if i was in a good state, like vermont, i'd just say they're spare mags.

~TMM
 
Milt Sparks makes IWB mag pouches too.

I prefer to keep the mags OWB though. That's just too much stuff tucked in with gun, holster, etc.
 
I have had good luck with Galco's QMC mag carriers:
QMC.jpg


OWB or IWB. I like them a whole lot.
 
I use the Galco as well, OWB.

I dont' worry about concealing them, 99% of people don't
know what it is anyway.....and it's not against Texas
laws to have unconcealed ammo.
 
With jeans, weak side back pocket or watch pocket. If it sticks too far out of the watch pocket, put it behind the belt.
 
My CTAC has one of these...

http://www.copsplus.com/prodnum1726.php

That is what I carry the reload for my G23 in. Works like a charm, it conceals VERY well, and is extremely comfortable as well.

Another picture, IMO a better picture.
http://www.safariland.com/products.asp?id=57

If you decide to buy it, this looks to be a place selling it at a lower price.
http://store.yahoo.com/dtdistributors/homahomo123.html

My money is where my mouth is in this case, that holster + my CTAC = my carry setup. Happy trails.
 
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