How do you carry your spare mags?

[Corpral_Agarn]

I have a desantis leather double mag pouch for single stack 9mm...

but most of the time, I just have a spare in my left front pocket.

 

[coondogger]

Nothing against people who carry extra mags. Nothing at all. But I feel that if ever need more than 6 shots, you're not in a gunfight; you're in a war. And if you're in a war you should be carrying a rifle, not a handgun. When I leave the house, I'm not walking point -- I'm often just walking the dog.

 

[helitack32f1]

After San Bernardino, I started carrying an extra Glock 22 magazine for my Glock 23 on my weak side, using the basic, cheap mag carrier that Glock sells. I had previously bought a few of them for $5 a piece. Works really well.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Nothing against people who carry extra mags. Nothing at all. But I feel that if ever need more than 6 shots, you're not in a gunfight; you're in a war. And if you're in a war you should be carrying a rifle, not a handgun. When I leave the house, I'm not walking point -- I'm often just walking the dog.

Well, if you're in a gunfight, it's not because you CHOSE to be in a gunfight. Someone else made that choice for you when he attacked you.

So when it comes to self-defense, we can't control the circumstances. Even if we don't WANT to be in a situation where we need extra ammo, we might be forced into one.

 

[Warp]

Nothing against people who carry extra mags. Nothing at all. But I feel that if ever need more than 6 shots, you're not in a gunfight; you're in a war. And if you're in a war you should be carrying a rifle, not a handgun. When I leave the house, I'm not walking point -- I'm often just walking the dog.

You can feel like needing 7 or 8 or 10 shots from a handgun is being in a war, but it's not.

If I could just walk around doing my daily routine the same way I always do with no significant encumbrance while looking just like every other person, but have my rifle in my hands ready to fire inside of two seconds, I would. I am sure a lot of other people would as well. But that isn't really doable for pretty much anybody, so a handgun is the next best choice.

Handguns are weak and ineffective as a general rule, it can take many good non-CNS disabling shots (even heart/lung shots) to stop somebody...most of us aren't hardened elite soldiers with icewater in our veins and the average hit rate for OIS/private carrier SD is down in the 20% range...multiple attackers are definitely a thing that happens...and magazines are not-uncommonly the cause of semi-auto malfunction (so you may need the mag to fix a malfunction or you may just want to go to a new mag after a malfunction just-in-case).

Nothing against people who just plan to quit after 6 rounds, but personally I would like to have more than 6.

*Of course, most private citizen defense scenarios are over, one way or the other, with only the rounds in the gun at the time, either because no additional rounds are needed or wanted, or because there isn't time to reload (or the person doesn't have the wherewithal to make the time). But needing more than 6 rounds, or more than 10 rounds, or a spare magazine for when _____ happens, might be a useful thing.


But if you are attacked by a violent criminal or two or three...you are walking point and you will very likely be on your own with only what you have on you. Those soldiers in war you reference would have a couple hundred or more rounds for their rifle plus a handgun and body armour and their friends with rifles and hundreds of rounds and body armour and much more...they wouldn't go into a war with a handgun and two magazines lol

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

Well, if you're in a gunfight, it's not because you CHOSE to be in a gunfight. Someone else made that choice for you when he attacked you.

So when it comes to self-defense, we can't control the circumstances. Even if we don't WANT to be in a situation where we need extra ammo, we might be forced into one.

OMG something we agree on.

 

[gk3]

My system

Unfortunately, I have to carry two guns in my system in order to ensure that I am always carrying. Since I have an office job, I find it easier to pocket carry a S&W 442 while wearing office clothes. When I leave the office during work hours (lunch), I slip the 442 into a pocket holster on my strong side and carry two speed strips in the other pocket.

On nights and weekends when I'm dressed like a bum, I carry a G27 in a kydex iwb holster. I have not carried a spare mag for the G27, but I recently ordered a mag pouch holster that I plan to carry on my weak side.

I also keep a tethered lock box in my vehicle to store the gun that I'm not carrying at the moment. I might look into pocket carry options for the G27, but I have no reservations about carrying an airweight revolver.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

We're kind of getting off topic here but I'll indulge just a little by saying I regularly (monthly almost) read articles by Ayoob where available ammo is a concern.

No, none of us in a SD situation are the same as LEO's in a stand off, but there's no reason to think we couldn't end up in a similar situation. And yes there's a difference between being paranoid and carrying an extra mag. Feeling like you need to have an AR with several mags in your vehicle along with a handgun carried on your person might be a little extreme, but a CC handgun with a extra mag or two just makes good sense.


Now back on topic, I've seen several folks post pictures and talk about mag pouches that appear to me to be OWB versions. Are there, or does anyone carry an IWB mag pouch? Would there be much of a benefit over a slim single OWB pouch with a shirt over it?

 

[Warp]

We're kind of getting off topic here but I'll indulge just a little by saying I regularly (monthly almost) read articles by Ayoob where available ammo is a concern.

No, none of us in a SD situation are the same as LEO's in a stand off, but there's no reason to think we couldn't end up in a similar situation. And yes there's a difference between being paranoid and carrying an extra mag. Feeling like you need to have an AR with several mags in your vehicle along with a handgun carried on your person might be a little extreme, but a CC handgun with a extra mag or two just makes good sense.


Now back on topic, I've seen several folks post pictures and talk about mag pouches that appear to me to be OWB versions. Are there, or does anyone carry an IWB mag pouch? Would there be much of a benefit over a slim single OWB pouch with a shirt over it?

There are a lot of IWB magazine pouches. I have one of these:

http://www.comp-tac.com/magazine-pouches/single-magazine-concealment-pouch-10223

And one of these

http://stealthgearusa.com/Double-Stack-Long-Single-Mag-Carrier-Double-Clip

Neither are particularly comfortable when seated. Rather uncomfortable after much time, actually. It's just too much to shove two things inside of my belt and the top of the very square/rectangular magazine always ends up digging into my side.

An OWB that holds reasonably close to the body is far more comfortable for me and under an untucked t-shirt actually conceals decently

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

There are a lot of IWB magazine pouches. I have one of these:

http://www.comp-tac.com/magazine-pouches/single-magazine-concealment-pouch-10223

And one of these

http://stealthgearusa.com/Double-Stack-Long-Single-Mag-Carrier-Double-Clip

Neither are particularly comfortable when seated. Rather uncomfortable after much time, actually. It's just too much to shove two things inside of my belt and the top of the very square/rectangular magazine always ends up digging into my side.

An OWB that holds reasonably close to the body is far more comfortable for me and under an untucked t-shirt actually conceals decently

That's good feedback. I was at the LGS today looking for extra mags and noticed a Blackhawk single stack single mag carrier that looked pretty darned small, even though it was OWB carry. Maybe that's the way to go.

 

[X-Rap]

I have a couple of the leather ones from Blackhawk, they seem OK but I'm not real fond of the plastic clip.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Warp]

That's good feedback. I was at the LGS today looking for extra mags and noticed a Blackhawk single stack single mag carrier that looked pretty darned small, even though it was OWB carry. Maybe that's the way to go.

To add to that, the OWB single magazine carriers conceal pretty well under just an untucked t-shirt or similar, where an OWB pistol usually doesn't, because the magazine + carrier are almost entirely at or above belt height (OWB pistol has exposed holster below the belt line, typically) and the magazine is more or less straight vertical where a pistol has that grip sticking out/back away from the body.

OWB mags are not that hard to conceal and far more comfortable I would definitely try it

 

[Leanwolf]

Like this. One mag pouch on left side of my waist belt.

My feeling about an extra magazine has to do with the fact that the weak link in a semi-auto pistol is ordinarily the magazine. Therefore, I carry a spare. Just my belief.



If I can't shoot my way out of an extremely bad situation with 17 rounds of .45 ACP, I'd better be fast on my feet.

L.W.

 

[Ryanxia]

To each his own, of course, but working retail I see a lot of this happening.

And we have keys, cell phones etc constantly lost, left behind, or phone calls about "Have you seen my stuff?" every week. It doesn't work that well for a lot of people. Therefore, the following.

Consider all the data on your phone which may include your bank account's electronic debit key for purchases, and your physical keys securing everything at your house - all right there advertised for the taking. Which is exactly what thugs do in high crime areas, get the beat down ambush perfected then take your phone, wallet, and keys for future use. Not good.

If someone is absent minded enough to forget their stuff in a public place then I guess that wouldn't work for them. Never happened to me. But I should clarify, I set them down in places like home or the office, if I'm out in public and wearing casual clothing I have extra pockets to put those things in. It's really only an issue when I'm wearing dress pants and even then, I don't worry about leaving my stuff on my desk.

Good point about the potential bank information on the phone, I specifically don't have anything financial/sensitive stored on my phone for this reason, too easy for someone to wreak havoc if they get a hold of it.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I carry a safariland leather mag holster, OWB, weak side.
It doesn't weigh much, provides a little ballast, and doesn't get in the way.
Small price to pay to keep a spare mag with another 13 rounds handy.

It's not just about ammo capacity, either.
Magazines can get damaged or lost when the feces hits the rotating convenience.

 

[entropy]

EIther OWB or IWB, depending which auto, opposite side of gun. I sometime carry a New York reload.

 

[Schwing]

I usually pocket carry my .38 LCR without a reload. Occasionally I will carry a speed strip in my weak side pocket.

I do feel far more prepared with a semi auto with at least 10 rounds and a reload but have found over the years that I just don't carry at all if it is uncomfortable or if I am going somewhere where printing or my weapon being seen is an issue.

I don't really get into the arguments about what people should carry. In my case, I know I am playing the odds but, to me, the odds are that I am far more likely to actually have something in my pocket if I need it when I am carrying in this fashion. Carrying on my belt, I am far more likely to not be carrying.

 

[sbwaters]

A Sticky SUPER MAG POUCH (SMP) x 1 has a second velcro flap to attach it to a belt. I found it . . . inconvenient.

So I unstitched the second flap and the pouch fits nicely in the tickets pocket of a sport coat or suit jacket.

Absent a coat, the sticky fits nicely in a hip or back pocket. You could also use an old suede knife holster that fits on a belt.

 

[Chuck R.]

Now back on topic, I've seen several folks post pictures and talk about mag pouches that appear to me to be OWB versions. Are there, or does anyone carry an IWB mag pouch? Would there be much of a benefit over a slim single OWB pouch with a shirt over it?

I use both as per the pictures I posted (I use a Comp-Tac IWB). But due to the length of most mag carriers, there's usually zero issues with wearing an OWB carrier as they don't hang much below your belt-line and are covered well by whatever cover garment I'm wearing.

Chuck

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The way I see it, I don't have any obligation to conceal a magazine carrier, but as Chuck R says, they're really easy to conceal. I carry two mags in a multi-tool holder, and no body ever gives me a second glance.

 

[nebraska_farmer]

Does anyone offer mag carriers that do ride low (below the belt line)? The only reason I don't carry an extra mag is because every one I've tried, the mag plate pokes me in the side.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

As I have said, I carry two mags in a Wal Mart multi-tool pouch. This pouch can be worn either horizontally or vertically. When worn horizontally, it's very discreet (you can blouse your shirt and let it hang over your belt to conceal it) and it doesn't project either above or below the belt.

 

[edmo01]

Carrying a spare magazine isn't always for the often assumed "more ammo" option. When asked by friends, "Why do you carry a spare magazine?", here is my answer...

- If the mag release is accidentally bumped and the mag falls to the ground, I have a spare available on my person to change my "single shot" back into a loaded pistol.

- Many semi-auto malfunctions are caused by magazine issues. If I have a malfunction it may be more effective to strip the "bad" mag out and start with a fresh one. With a spare mag I have that option.

- Although more ammo is not my primary reason for carrying a spare mag, the availability of extra rounds is a welcomed byproduct of my first two reasons for it being there.

Generally, my spare mag carriers are gun specific OWB kydex rigs which can be removed without taking off the belt, like the Tulster mag carrier below. I do have several leather carriers such as a single mag carrier from Bianchi for my 1911 mag. Another mag carrier which has worked well for me are the single mag carriers from Comp-Tac.

The choice to carry a spare mag is as personal as the choice to carry a gun in the first place. I would never criticize anyone for either...

Edmo