How many extra mags do you carry?

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if anyone out there dosen't carry spare reloads, the said folks should read massad ayoobs article in the latest combat handguns. has several case studies that show why that reloads are important, for the armed professional and as well as the ccw holder.
 
two guns- at least one mag for primary, one speed loader for bug, -minimun 40 rounds 14x2 and 6x2 sometimes more, never less

does not incude whats in the truck or what the little lady is toting

dont want any trouble but we will not be victems
 
For me its the standard 15rnd mag sometimes one extra. Also for most people the extra mag is not about the extra ammo is about better options in clearing a malfunction.
 
I don't carry any extra mags. The chances of me needing to use the 15 rounds in my Glock are very slim but I still carry because of the realities of this world.

The chances of my needing to use more than one magazine in a self-defense situation are exponentially slimmer than the already slim chance I will need to draw or - even less likely - fire my weapon.

I take a calculated risk not to carry around the extra weight. I will retreat if 15 rounds doesn't do it.
 
alexd, I will not even comment. I will let you take the punishment from the rest of the THR.

Myself, I carry a G21 with one extra mag. I have a P-11 as a bug. If those are enough to get me to my truck, my Rock River AR-15 with 3 extra mags are waiting.
 
Alexd, you get your first round off, press the trigger and no joy.

Tap.
Rack.
Ba.. No bang.

No Joy.

Double feed jam. Now what?

When its going to happen, its going to happen when you least need it to, Murphy shows up when you are confident.

...because of the realities of this world.
Click to expand...

Hate saying it, but Murphy's a reality of this world too.

Maybe its just me. I am Murphy's Favored son...
 
Murphy's Law vs. Calculated Risk?

In over 1000 rounds my Glock 19 has never malfunctioned. Let's assume my Glock fails 1/1000 times. Multiply the 1/1000 chance of me needing my weapon today (assuming we all shoot our weapons in self defense once every few years ;)) by 1/1000 chance of a malfunction. There is a .000001 chance that I need to carry an extra mag to successfully defend myself today.

Not saying I'm right - but it's interesting to think about. You will find that extra gear is exponentially less likely to be useful.

In the real world, with my Glock, some training, and 15 rounds, I am significantly more protected than the unarmed guy next to me and ready for most encounters.

opd743 has two guns on him and an AR-15 rifle. Will we both be able to defend ourselves equally from an attacker? Pretty much. I'm hedging my bets that I will not have multiple attackers coming in waves or find myself in an extended gun battle. opd743 is more protected than me in such a situation. More power to those who want to assume the burden of carrying more gear - I'm taking my chances for now. If I lived somewhere else or a different lifestyle I might have to re-calculate my risk.
 
what I find interesting is those with extra guns/mags "in the truck".

If you can get to the damn truck, get the hell out of dodge!

It's all about your personal safety- not being a one-man commando outfit (that doesn't work, BTW).
 
i agree with alexd, my taurus has never malfunctioned (knock on wood). and i also carry only what is i my 45 (13 rounds) for some of us, WE FEEL THIS IS ACCEPTABLE, if you are a leo, or frequently wander through high crime area's. then by all means carry more. some of us pretty much mind our own business, keep our mouths shut and lay low. for us, just having a ccw is probably overkill. it is just as alex says, a calculated risk. if your risk is low, we believe that this is adequet. if my risk was higher, i WOULD carry a second gun and more ammo. if your in a REAL gun fight, you are probably not going to have time to mess around clearing a jam anyway, so is an extra magazine going to help you? is it the magazine that jams? no it's the action. an extra gun would be a better choice to me, a revolver. i am sure they malfunction, but way less than a semi-auto. lets face it. if the big guy upstairs punches your time card, your going to go, like it or not. when its your time, 500 guns and 5000 rounds are not going to help you.
 
How many? Two per semi auto.

I take a calculated risk not to carry around the extra weight. I will retreat if 15 rounds doesn't do it.
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Yep, no telling how much of an inconvenience all that weight will be with 15 whole rounds and a heavy Glock spare magazine. I am surprised more folks don't suffer long term spinal damage from such a heavy burden!

So you ran all the calculations and decided a spare mag wasn't needed, but if it is you will retreat? What makes you think that if you need more than 15 rounds that you will be in a position where you can retreat?

I ran the calculations as well. Odds are hugely in your favor that you will never need to draw your gun, so are you going to not carry now? If one mag was too heavy for you, think of how much more weight you would not have to lug around if you didn't carry the gun.
 
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I take a calculated risk not to carry around the extra weight. I will retreat if 15 rounds doesn't do it.
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For a civilian, this makes sense. 1st rule of engagement: TAKE COVER! There is a trend among instructors in eliminating any type of tactical reloads among their civilian clientel.
When it is taught: it's from a covered position: not in the open..."The Calvary is coming by now..." (CQT 101)
You start going beyond an extra mag and chances are you are not carrying regularly in a real-world.

Having said that, yes there are certain parts of each town/city in America where adjustments can be made...:)
 
First off, I'm not trying to change anyones mind. I gave up on that a while back. If you carry a handgun with no reloads and are comfortable with it. Thats cool with me. Your life, your call. I carry spares, I like the redundancy of it.

if your in a REAL gun fight, you are probably not going to have time to mess around clearing a jam anyway, so is an extra magazine going to help you?

Actually, yes. It will help. Part of my training is clearing jams and malfunctions, my instructors thought it such a big deal we spent time practicing it.

Transitioning to a different firearm is faster, if you have a different firearm on you. Point is, I edc enough gear as it is. 1911 (or G33), 1-2 mags, 2 knives, flashlight, pen, lighter, 2 money clips, cellphone, keys, spare change, etc etc etc. I won't make room for a BUG. I've toyed with and tried it out, but it wasn't for me.

>if the big guy upstairs punches your time card, your going to go, like it or not.<

All too true, but I made the decision a while back though, if I can help it I'm going down fighting.

Calculated Risk vs Murphy's law.

You decided to calculate your risk level due to your experiences. I understand where you are coming from.

I decide to plan for Murphy, due to my past experiences. Can you see where I'm coming from?

what I find interesting is those with extra guns/mags "in the truck". If you can get to the damn truck, get the hell out of dodge!

If you can get to your truck they can get to theirs as well. Ever have someone trying to harm you follow you? Not a pleasant feeling.

For me having the spare mags and rounds in the truck is just insurance. Or more precisely peace of mind. Same reason my IFAK, medkit and BoB are in the truck. Same reason you have homeowners insurance. Think of it as a security blanket.

Reasoning for me having all my gear. Simply put, I don't know where I'm going to be at any given time. Some weeks I am only at work or at home. Other weeks I end up all over this city, heck sometimes even to other city's. Yeah I got a toiletries bag and spare clothes in my truck too.
 
Typically one reload of whatever carry weapon I have, unless I am carrying a 5-shot J-frame in which case I carry 2 speedstrips loaded with 6 rounds each, so a total of 17 rounds in this instance.

jw
 
I carry no reloads as I don't like having 20 things on me. I'm simplistic, my phone, keys, wallet and gun is enough. If I had a skeleton key to kill the amount of keys I have to carry around I'd get it. If I could be less of a technology geek, I'd go without my phone, but I am what I am.
 
One magazine or one speed strip. The magazine I carry not for the extra rounds but because, as others have pointed out, it is something that can fail. The speed strip I carry for the extra rounds to off-set the lower capacity of the revolver although I cannot envision many realistic scenarios where 5 rounds of .357 would not be enough. I am not a LEO or public official where I make enemies of really bad people every day, I don't carry large amounts of cash or jewelry for work, I don't go into bad neighborhoods, if I'm out after dark for a walk I have two good sized dogs with me. People need to carry the gun and reloads that make them feel comfortable. For some that is a 5 shot revolver with no reloads and others it's a 19 round 9mm with 3 backup magazines. No one is more right than anyone else in this debate. It's what makes you personally confident you are prepared. Although personally, if I felt I had to carry 3 extra magazines for my pistol with me I would reexamine my lifestyle and make the appropriate changes to get to the point where I only carried one.
 
Well for starters I should introduce myself... Hello everyone I am USMCDK obviously a Marine, aside from that. I was reading "Combat Handguns" mag March 2008 issue, and stumbled across an interesting article about how to defend yourself in a court hearing after being the victim of assualt and shooting the assailant then the police have you on trial to see if you are a cold blooded murderer. Anyways it led me to this website and this forum.

Now then... Sorry.

I am a CCW holder and I carry a H&K USP .45 cal. With one EXTRA mag. My main mag hold's Glazer rounds (12) and another mag with Federal Priemium Hollow point HST-1.

I am comfortable with just that and like the rest of you... "hope to never be in a gun fight or have to shoot someone" but if it comes to pass, though I don't carry on in the chamber, I will undoubtably would attempt at firing back and make a killing shot.

"A dead man tells no lies" (Origin :confused:)

About the article. I hope some of you read it, the author of it Massad Ayoob... (Hey buddy awesome article!) really speaks volumes about our situation and how prosecutors will try the darndest to frie you in court based on just how many EXTRA mags you carry. I highly suggest you all read that atricle and copy if just in case you one day, GOD FORBID, are in the court room facing one of those prosecutors and need to clear your good name.

Anyways sorry for getting of track :cool:. I carry at least one extra even though I was sold three total with the firearm. I keep the extra as a way of cycling through the mags as to not over compress my mag springs.

For those of you that carry more than 3 mags total :what:, god bless you and watch over you, I hope that you never ever ever have to go to court and explain yourself, less get into a fire fight with someone else. God Bless you none the less and more power to you and your safety.

USMCDK

Ps. Please call me DK
 
though I don't carry on in the chamber,
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Not a popular position on this forum, but understand your background & reasons if solely military trained...
Back to your point, it's a good one....Having to defend yourself in a courtroom where the perp (wheelchaired into the courtroom of course) becomes the accuser with you trying to explain all your arsenal was for defensive purposes only...LOL! :rolleyes:
BTW, DK welcome to the forum....
 
Ya know, I've always carried 7 +1 no extra mags. But lately I've been rethinking this.

Hearing a lot of stories of multiple attackers ganging up on victims lately.

Although jdgray nailed it for me overall...

If I can't get out of trouble, with whats in my gun, I'll be dead, or running like hell.
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I would carry two if we were legally allowed to carry here in Illinios. This is so that it will balance the weight of the gun on one side of the belt. Not to mention, I would rather have it and not need it than... you know the rest of the saying goes.

I would be carrying an HK P2000sk with 9+1 in the gun and 2-12 round magazines. This would give me a total of 34 rounds of .40 S&W.
 
USMCDK said:
though I don't carry on in the chamber,
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Welcome to the forum!

I doubt you were trained by the USMC to carry a gun without one in the chamber, thus making it a paper weight with potential.

Why did you decide to carry this way? I'm very curious as to the thought process and rationale behind it.
 
1911 with one extra magazine and then a BUG in the form of a 5 shot revolver hidden on my person as well. You can pick at different scenarios all day, but for me this covers most situations. I can reload my primary weapon, or if murphy clubs me over the head and the primary malfunctions in such a way as to take too much time to get it back into action or reload, I can pull the BUG and stay armed. I feel this makes the most sense FOR ME.
Interesting thread though.
 
wuchak:
I doubt you were trained by the USMC to carry a gun without one in the chamber, thus making it a paper weight with potential.
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I'm not affiliated with any military but a friend in the US Army infantry was trained to never chamber a round unless you're off base/on a mission/in imminent danger. He was surprised to see me carrying with a round chambered. Wuchak - is USMC different?
 
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