# Do you carry extra magazines?



## StoneyFF (May 12, 2009)

How many of you carry extra mags, and if so how many and where?

Stoney
{who carries a Colt Officer @ 4 o'clock (till my SW1911ES comes out of layaway) and two 7 round mags @ 8 o'clock toward the back of a small camera case as a standard rig... made the mag holders out of stiff knife 'holsters' that I've modified and have a plastic clip that are stable and allow for easy on and off... But then I'm stuck in a state with a 10 round mag limit <sigh>...}


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## jeffreybehr (Feb 10, 2009)

I carry a Glock 23 in a Tommy's bellybag. I keep its chamber empty and its 13-round mag loaded with 12 rounds. I carry another 12-round mag in the middle pocket of the bag. _Maybe_ the reason I don't fill the mags with the 13th cartridge is that my slightly arthritic fingers aren't strong enough to push it in.


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## sheepdog (Aug 23, 2006)

*Ruger .45...*

...one in IWB mag pouch and two in back pocket pouch...others in vehicle...


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

1 spare mag either on weak side hip (majority of time) or in pack if carrying off-body (very occasionally).


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

1 in weak side front pocket in a Galco pocket mag holster...usually...sometimes I'll carry 2 in a OWB belt carrier.


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## jdeere9750 (Nov 28, 2008)

Does a mag in another gun count? If so, change my vote from none to one.


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## zhurdan (Mar 21, 2008)

A gun without extra magazines is one malfunction away from becoming a paperweight. Not to mention running out of ammo.


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

I don't usually carry extra mags.

All my carry guns have at least 8 on board with one having 18 in the mag.

I could be real wrong, but I believe most things will be way over before I'm looking for more ammo.


:smt1099


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## zhurdan (Mar 21, 2008)

dondavis3 said:


> I could be real wrong, but I believe most things will be way over before I'm looking for more ammo.
> 
> :smt1099


I hope and pray that...

1. You never have to find out

and

2. That if you do, you don't have a malfunction or miss under the stress of such a situation and run out of bullets.


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## dosborn (Apr 17, 2009)

I keep a spare full mag in the truck cup holder. If I do a ride along I will carry atleast one extra OWB.


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

+1 zhurdan

I hope that too. :smt023

:smt1099


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## sheepdog (Aug 23, 2006)

*One day...*

...I heard some hollerin' and stepped out the back of my apartment...to see a local Auxiliary Police Officer chasing a young man across the playground of our complex...yellin' at him to stop...my neighbor, a little younger and much more athletic than this old dog, also stepped out...and the poor officer hollered "Stop him!!!" whereby the neighbor just stuck his arm out and hooked him...held him in a big bear hug till the cop caught up and cuffed him......then the cop started fussin' with his gun...a Glock 21...which had the remnants of the magazine in it...and a few slugs fallin' out on the ground...he'd banged it on a piece of playground equipment as he ran by it...still in the holster...and the baseplate popped off...and the spring shot out..and the bullets kinda dribbled out all across the playground...never did find the baseplate or spring...he had two spare mags and put one in and resumed his business....had he come to a shooting situation, those spare mags would have saved his bacon(so to speak)...just one instance where it's good to have a reload...


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

+1 sheepdog

When I was a LEO I always carried 2 extra Mag.s :smt023


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## sheepdog (Aug 23, 2006)

*When I was an LEO...*

...I always carried two extra GUNS...we were spread real thin and graveyards even thinner...backup was somethin' you got when someone made you mad...


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## Freedom1911 (Oct 22, 2009)

Seeing how many people carry 7 or 8 round mags in their 1911 and get by just fine. I think that 16 to 19 rounds in the mag are good.


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## Waffen (Feb 8, 2006)

Yes.



W


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## chathcock (Feb 4, 2008)

I just dont see the need for one more thing on my belt, so I prefer to carry 1 extra in my weak side pocket.


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## StoneyFF (May 12, 2009)

I'm curious... those of you who carry your mags in your pockets (I'm assuming pants pockets since most folks don't seem to be able to carry a coat everywhere, but maybe some have them in a vest or something)... Have any of you practiced tactcal (panic) reloads, and how do you find getting a magazine out of your pocket with any speed or dexterity? I wear jeans, and I couldn't imagine getting a mag out of my pocket in time...

Stoney
{who carries two OWB (don't think most people recognize a magazine bottom on a belt) under a vest or overshirt with my 1911 Officer IWB, but always wear something over my shirt/belt (cause I carry a number of things on my belt along with a gun and mags... a cell phone, a camera on the left w/mags toward the back, and on the right a small case with a Palm device in it, a flashight (Surefire G2), holster, then a Leatherman in a case behind that... so always something over all that... either a vest, or a lightweight sleeveless overshirt untucked in the summer...}


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## dosborn (Apr 17, 2009)

StoneyFF said:


> I'm curious... those of you who carry your mags in your pockets (I'm assuming pants pockets since most folks don't seem to be able to carry a coat everywhere, but maybe some have them in a vest or something)... Have any of you practiced tactcal (panic) reloads, and how do you find getting a magazine out of your pocket with any speed or dexterity? I wear jeans, and I couldn't imagine getting a mag out of my pocket in time...
> 
> Stoney
> {who carries two OWB (don't think most people recognize a magazine bottom on a belt) under a vest or overshirt with my 1911 Officer IWB, but always wear something over my shirt/belt (cause I carry a number of things on my belt along with a gun and mags... a cell phone, a camera on the left w/mags toward the back, and on the right a small case with a Palm device in it, a flashight (Surefire G2), holster, then a Leatherman in a case behind that... so always something over all that... either a vest, or a lightweight sleeveless overshirt untucked in the summer...}


That's a lot of gear for a civilian to lug around.


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## zhurdan (Mar 21, 2008)

dosborn said:


> That's a lot of gear for a civilian to lug around.


Ohhh I dunno. I carry the following daily.

1. 4" 1911 .45 in Kirkpatrick IWB holster with 8 rnd low profile magazine
2. Qty 2 spare 10 round magazines on OWB mag holder
3. Surefire Outdoorsman E1L flashlight clipped to inside of left pocket
4. Microtech Ultratech knife clipped to inside of right pocket
5. Cell phone in left pocket
6. Gerber multi-tool in pouch just behind my pistol
7. Canon Elph digital camera in coat or jacket
8. Back up gun on ankle (Ruger LCP .380)

After a while, you feel naked without it.


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## StoneyFF (May 12, 2009)

dosborn said:


> That's a lot of gear for a civilian to lug around.


Yea, and that doesn't include the three knives I carry, one in each back pocket and an "escape" knife (for cutting the seatbelt and breaking out a window in the car) in my right front pocket along with a short strobing flashlight in my left front pocket to blind any threat... along with a money clip/Credit Card wallet and another 'misc stuff' wallet in my right front pocket and an ID wallet with my licenses (driver and CCWs) and medical insurance card in my left front along with that strobing flashlight...

When I went through the gate to get to our plane to FL a while back (obviously without the gun, and with knives and Leatherman removed and in checked baggage, though the Leatherman pouch was still on my belt) I had to take all that stuff off, along with my cowboy hat and boots and belt (with the big buckle <grin>) and empty my pockets, of course, and the Security guy looked at my wife and said "He's got more sh1t on his belt that Batman!"

Stoney
{When they weighed me at the Doctors, they didn't believe me when I told them to take off 14 pounds from what I weighted on the scale for all the crap I had on, so I waited till they left the room briefly (didn't want to "brandish") and then took off the boots and my pants, and in my shorts, socks, and shirt, I weighed 16 lb less than when fully 'attired'... I think of it as good exercise... it's like ankle weights for the body <grin>... and I always have what I need when I need it. Especially around the farm with the horses as well as out in the 'world' with the other animals...}


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

I carried a lot of stuff on my belt while a LEO, but not anymore.:numbchuck:

I can't imagine - and I mean image why someone not on duty daily would want to carry that much stuff.:rip:

But to be nice - to each his own. :smt023


:smt1099


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## sheepdog (Aug 23, 2006)

*DON'T let 'em laugh you down...*

...I'm not listin' all I carry every day...but I'm 60 and been doin' it since I was 18...hasn't hurt a bit and saved me a few trips to the car....and that was my street name...Batman...first with a Second Chance...first with a Streamlight...first with speedloaders...and after they quit makin' fun..they started buyin' the stuff 'cause it made sense...stick to your guns...literally:smt1099


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## dosborn (Apr 17, 2009)

dondavis3 said:


> I carried a lot of stuff on my belt while a LEO, but not anymore.:numbchuck:
> 
> I can't imagine - and I mean image why someone not on duty daily would want to carry that much stuff.:rip:
> 
> ...


Likewise.

I keep lights, mini camcorder, skinin' knife and a small tool bag in my truck. These guys must walk to work. JK, poking fun.:smt082

But I do always carry my G27, Kershaw 1620, cell/picture phone and wallet.


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

I too carry a gun, cell phone, wallet, & car keys.

:smt1099


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## StoneyFF (May 12, 2009)

sheepdog said:


> ...I'm not listin' all I carry every day...but I'm 60 and been doin' it since I was 18...hasn't hurt a bit and saved me a few trips to the car....and that was my street name...Batman...first with a Second Chance...first with a Streamlight...first with speedloaders...and after they quit makin' fun..they started buyin' the stuff 'cause it made sense...stick to your guns...literally:smt1099


 Thanks, Sheepdog... since I was a Boy Scout (for a while) and a Marine (for 8 years, including 3 in college while on active duty), I follow both motto's combined... Be Prepared (Scouts), and Always Faithful (Semper Fidelis, Marines), I get "Always Faithfully Prepared" <grin>... And yep, people give me grief, but when I can handle almost any situation with what's on my belt or in my pocket, they think twice about giving me grief!!! Of course, my truck has too much stuff in it too, but when someone has to be pulled out, or when they can't get lug nuts off, or are on the side of a major highway, they are glad I have some small orange cones and a heavy duty lug wrench, and lots of duct tape and straps and bungees, etc... It's always funny till someone needs my help cause I'm prepared and they're not... then I get grateful, not grief.

Stoney
{who is getting a slightly lighter pistol soon... but it's only going to improve things by ounces, not pounds <grin>, and I'm gonna be 62 the end of February, and I can still run circles around most of my peers and a lot of guys 10-15 years younger... and I impress my 15 year old every so often by carrying two 50 lb bags of horse feed into the barn at the same time, and in case some of you have never carried bags of horse feed, it's not like carrying a barbell or something solid, it's harder. Only a couple of the younger guys at the feed store carry two at a time... though to be fair, I only do it occasionally to prove I still can <grin>... Oh, and I'm not a big bruiser, I'm 5'8" and probably 40+ pounds overweight according to the 'charts'...}


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## StoneyFF (May 12, 2009)

dondavis3 said:


> I carried a lot of stuff on my belt while a LEO, but not anymore.:numbchuck:
> 
> I can't imagine - and I mean image why someone not on duty daily would want to carry that much stuff.:rip:
> 
> ...


Well, never having been a LEO, perhaps I don't appreciate the ability to carry less... It's like when I got off Active Duty as a Marine, I stopped running for exercise, cause I didn't have to anymore... maybe you don't carry as much cause you don't have to any more? Besides, I don't carry a baton, or cuffs, or mace, or ??? on my belt... so I carry other stuff that I find useful. As you said, to each his own <smile>... Plus, I live in the boonies on a horse farm and lots of wooded acres, and I'm frequently out a ways from 'home base', so it's not always easy to get things if I'm not already carrying them. Your situation is probably different.

Stoney
{who always prefers nice to the alternative <smile>}


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## sheepdog (Aug 23, 2006)

*I have friends...*

...who don't carry NUTTIN' in their front pockets...a thin wallet and two keys on a ring...and the keys bother 'em...I laugh...and they borrow my knife...and my fingernail clippers, and my flashlight...and my pen...etc...I'm just a cheap kinda guy and like to get my money's worth outa my pockets, I guess...I'd trade lives with ya for awhile, Stoney...boonies and horses sounds pretty good right now...I also got enough runnin' before breakfast with an M14 that I don't run anymore...no matter how the scales squeal...Semper Fi!!!


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## mikej997 (Jan 26, 2008)

I don't carry as much as some of you guys. I usually carry my Kahr PM9 either IWB or OWB depending on how I feel and what I have going for the day. Besides that I carry a spare mag in my left front pocket, a small Gerber pocket knife and keys in the front right, wallet (back pocket of course), and a cell phone in a leg pocket. I like to wear carpenter style jeans and there is a small pocket on the right leg perfect for my cell phone. I would like to get a little pouch or something for my spare magazine but I don't have one for now. I carry the extra one so I have a total of 14 rounds 9mm on me. I have tried quick change of magazines and didn't really have any trouble so I am comfortable with the setup for now. Oh yeah, if I have a jacket on (cause it isn't going in my pants pocket!), I like to carry a LED flashlight as well. Not a surefire or anything but darn handy. Little $14 Walmart special.

Now as far as all the extra gear some of you pack, my 12 year old boy could put you to shame! I have had him empty his pockets just to see before. 4 pocket knives, cell phone, digital camera (not a tiny one), flash light, MP3 player, HUGE wallet plum full of junk, pack of gum, and a couple of shoe laces just in case. That is in regular denim jeans. If he is wearing something with cargo pockets watch out!


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## sheepdog (Aug 23, 2006)

*mikej997...*

...some of us just never grow up, I guess!!! Pockets are a wonderful thing...:smt082


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## imager67 (Dec 2, 2009)

Backup, backup, backup. Of course I carry an extra mag. The edcforums.com is a great place to explore this topic in a most OCD kind of way.


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## ROBINPA (Sep 11, 2009)

With 12 in the magazine and one in the ready hole i still carry a spare loaded magazine on the off side in a leather belt pouch. If thats not enough guess i have to run for the truck.tumbleweed


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## sheepdog (Aug 23, 2006)

*Somethin' tells me...*

...if you make it to the truck..."they" are in a world of processed food...


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## Zertek (Dec 14, 2009)

no I feel 15+1 should be enough


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## StoneyFF (May 12, 2009)

Zertek said:


> no I feel 15+1 should be enough


So you think it's just number or rounds? What if your magazine fails? How often do you use it and shoot all 15 to make sure that it works properly and the spring hasn't gotten 'soft' from being loaded all the time? Are you sure that your magazine will never fail? You are indeed an optimist...

Given that the stats show that something like 30% hit rate at 7 yards is about average for the NYPD, mostly due to adrenaline, which affects us all (short of Wyatt Earp or Doc Holiday, so we're told <grin>)... so you really have more like 5 rounds, and what if there's several guys?

Stoney
{The optimist line reminds me of an old joke about Engineers (majored in Mech Eng, though never worked as one, got into computers instead)... An optimist sees the glass as half full, the pessimist sees the glass as half empty, and the engineer sees the glass as simply the wrong size <grin>... and perhaps part of my feeling that backup magazines are necessitated by the State of NY seeing any magazine larger than 10 rounds is 'simply the wrong size' (and a crime!).}


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## mike#9 (Jul 14, 2008)

I do not carry any extra mags.....but I have been thinking about starting for the reasons already listed. My regular carry piece is a Kahr E9 or my LCP......neither of which have heavy mags.


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## chris441 (Sep 6, 2009)

I have sewn a straps onto my ankle holster to carry 2 additional mags on the opposite side of the gun.


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## Tucker (Sep 23, 2009)

zhurdan said:


> A gun without extra magazines is one malfunction away from becoming a paperweight. Not to mention running out of ammo.


Good grief! That was a brilliant statement!!! Can I borrow it off you for a while??? Thanks.

Of course I carry extra mags, one in my handbag and one in my pocket. If I am wearing a pair of pants with lotsa pockets, extra mags goes in extra pockets. Simple. Add 13 + 1 in my gun...I have an armoury.


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## Martywj (Oct 10, 2009)

I marked on the belt, but also carry in my weakside hip pocket.
Marty


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## woodwaster (Jan 22, 2010)

Since I carry a wheelgun, my extra mag is a speedloader, and every jacket I wear has one dedicated to it.


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## cougartex (Jan 2, 2010)

1 on belt, weakside.:smt083


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## flagaman (Jul 27, 2007)

One in the pocket when carrying my 9 and a speed strip with 5 when carrying the snubby.


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## 1911/W_HotSauce (Feb 21, 2010)

Two indexable in BlackHawk shwag @ about 10:00:00


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## Gunners_Mate (Feb 17, 2010)

I dunno if mine count's so much, considering it's my job and all, but we get issued two mags (of 15) for our M9's OR (not and/or, just or) 3 mag's (of 30) for our M4's. 

I get issued an M4, I put one mag in my left thigh pocket, and two in a holster on my vest (which in transit is usually packed in the back with other vests, thus the one mag in pocket rule). My weapon never leaves my side unless I'm on my boat or in my boat house where we have a gun rack. 

When I get back stateside, get a weapon and a CCWL I'll probably carry one or two mags depending on my dress for the day. It's a little over the top, perhaps, but I don't trust the community surrounding my area of work, better too many than too little.


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

Sometimes I carry a copy of this magazine: Popular Mechanics


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## faststang90 (Apr 8, 2013)

my gun holds 17 rounds if i need for than 17 i need HELP. lol


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## BigCityChief (Jan 2, 2013)

One magazine of .45 ACP on belt / weak side.


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

I always carry one spare magazine with me on my belt, always.


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## Jammersix (Mar 10, 2012)

Always?


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## claimbuster (Jan 29, 2007)

Extra mag in left pocket along with my pocket knife.


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## Stengun (Jun 27, 2013)

Howdy,



zhurdan said:


> A gun without extra magazines is one malfunction away from becoming a paperweight. Not to mention running out of ammo.


That's why I carry a Glock ( +20,000 rounds without a hiccup ). Plus I practice so I'm not worried about running out of ammo.

Paul


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## niadhf (Jan 20, 2008)

If I am carrying a semi-auto, 1 spare mag, minimum (depending on gun). 
If I am carrying my Snubby, two extra speed strips. 
Usually this means 14-20 rounds.


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## BearTaylor (Jan 27, 2012)

My 1911 handguns are loaded with eight round mags (JHP) and I carry a spare 10 round mag (JHP) and an eight round mag (FMJ). The PPS40 is loaded with a seven round mag (JHP) and I carry another seven round mag (JHP) and a six round mag (FMJ). I motorcycle camp in remote areas and the FMJ loads make me feel a little safer. JHP mags are kept on my left side and the FMJ loads are on my right. I'll continue to do this until I can figure out a better way.


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