How many AR mags is enough?

[jwPhotographer]

For my AR, I have (5) 20rd mags, which are actually what I prefer to use at the range, as they don't hit the table.

I have amassed about (20) 30rd mags, and I can't imagine that I would personally ever need that many - I just kinda lucked into them here and there.

 

[Still Too Many Choices!?]

If I have my way(and I do ), no less than 40 mags eventually. Sure, in reality you can only carry so many at once, but they are great trade fodder once the prices sky rocket again. Especially since everyone and their mother has an AR, or something with a stanag compatible mag well now!!

Still 2 Many Choices!?

 

[Double Naught Spy]

How many mags would you say is enough?

If you have to ask, especially in such vague terms, then you don't understand the question, the situation, or both.

 

[Dan Crocker]

Overseas I'd usually carry 4 mags + 1 in my rifle. Having 140 rds on tap usually does the trick.

 

[MattTheHat]

There's a very simple formula for determining the correct number of magazines for any firearm: How much weight can you carry?


-Matt

 

[Coronach]

This assumes that mags never wear out or are damaged. If you're training properly, you will eventually wear out a mag, especially AR mags, from use.

You really can't have too many. Consider: when will they ever be cheaper than now? Even if there is not another ban, can you imagine a situation where you can buy mags for less than right now? I'm not talking the scalpers prices you pay for having one in-stock on a table at a gunshow, I'm talking about the rate you pay for placing a backorder on a reputable site. The way the dollar is sliding in value over time, magazines are a better investment than cash or a simple savings account. Worst/best case scenario is you end up selling a mag you bought for $9.99 for $12 or so. What's that, a 20% rate of return? Best/worst case scenario is El Ban happens, and you end up selling your $9.99 mag for $90.

Mike

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I second Coronach's point about magazines (especially AR magazines) being an expendable item.

I have a bag of about 6-7 AR mags that don't work. This is from my ban-era days when I used to save them and replace the follower, replace the spring and tweak the feed lips to see if I could bring them back to life. Nowadays, I think the smarter (and more cost-effective) route is to just trash them and buy new mags (or mark them for training-use only if you like to clear double-feeds).

 

[jhco]

my rifle only takes one at a time.

 

[Mags]

Seven per rifle. One in the rifle and six in the pouch.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

I believe there is no such thing as too many mags.

That said, I feel that an AR15 should have 7-8 mags, minimum. More is better.

 

[Justin]

I'd put my arbitrary minimum number at 6 reliably functioning 30 round mags per rifle. From there you can always expand and add magazines as needed- say a couple of 20 rounders for shooting high power or plinking, a couple of 40 or 50 round Tripp Research Cobramags, and maybe a Beta if you feel the need.

 

[drgrenthum]

two ARs one in 300 whisper and one in 5.56. 7-30 rd pmags total. I find it sufficient for now. I cant imagine a situation where i would go through all of it in a single situation. If things were that bad i think i would be retreating while firing as opposed to taking anyone on and going through 210 rounds

 

[taliv]

what coronach said.

A lot of guys claim you need dozens of magazines per rifle, however, when are you really going to need 100 AR-15 magazines?

I can see if you plan on selling them in the future in the event of another Federal Assault Weapons Ban, but for personal use between 10-20 will basically last you forever.

when people say things like this, it just makes me think they never train.

if you don't train, it hardly matters how many you have, other than for investment purposes. one probably is enough.

and if you do train, you probably have a pretty good idea about how many mags you break in a year. from there, it's simple math to find out what a lifetime supply is.

for me, it goes a step beyond that, because i want to leave enough for my child

 

[Mr. Bojangles]

About (10) 30 round magazines should be plenty. Thankfully, good condition used teflon coated mags can be had for about $10.
If you have friends who are coming back from the desert they probably have several they brought back or know someone who would like to sell some for cheap (or even maybe free!).

 

[autospike]

I stopped at 16 per rifle (I have 3 ARs). I bought a bunch of those in bulk.

I figure that I might wind up selling or trading some of those to close friends (with no markup) if it gets ugly.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

My theory is 5-6 minimum each. So for 3, 15-18; or lets say 20.

 

[Quiet]

I've always been taught...

... take the amount you typical carry and times it be two.
That way you'll always have a replacement/spare, if the ones you are carrying are damaged/lost/etc.


Boy Scout motto = "Be prepared!"

 

[Cannonball888]

Fortier recommends 10. I say 12.

 

[Pun1sher]

depends on who you are, and what you're using it for, really. It's not that complicated.

 

[hobgob]

I fell into the whole "buy as many mags as you can before its too late!" gig. I've got somewhere between 30 and 35 Ar mags in .223 and 20 in 6.8spc. I've only got 4 steel mags for my AK tho. I kinda figured i would do well with what ive got. There are too many guns I want to be buying AR mags all the time. I would say 15 for an AR or similar rifle would be just fine.

 

[SSN Vet]

since you asked....

4,237

 

[4v50 Gary]

I'd like seven. Like someone else said, one in the gun and six spares. Now, you should have another seven at home as replacement magazines too. You can never have too many magazines and a few C-mags helps too.

 

[possum]

though you can never have enough as people always say, i think 10 good quality mags are a good start and that will serve most everyone fine. i have 53 ar mags. most of them are used on a regular basis, however i still have many in the wrappers brand new.

 

[Avenger29]

It's like the old pilot's adage "There's no such thing as too much fuel unless you are on fire"

50 is a good number, IMHO. Plus enough ammo to fill them (1500 rds). 10 loaded ready mags. Even better if you can muster up 100 mags and the ammo to fill them. Of course, you aren't carrying 50-100 mags with you on foot, that's obviously impractical. But I'm not planning on going anywhere.

I like plenty of mags for anything detachable mag fed. .22 rifles, pistols, ARs, whatever.

 

[Dr.Rob]

16 so far.

(6) C-products, (6) Pmags (2) Colt 30's and (2) Colt 20's. Debating between 4 more Colt GI mags and 6 more Pmags.