Thoughts on spare magazine carry.....

[Freedom Forged]

I CC a G19 and I also carry a spare magazine. While I hope that I never need it I know that it's possible. IMO their are two main reasons for a spare mag. One is obvious, for the extra rounds which I doubt would ever be needed in a selfdefense situation. I'm not saying NEVER. If one carries a G43 or similar single stack that holds roughly half the number of rounds as say the G19 or 17 then the extra mag for more rounds IMO is a no brainer.

Second reason for a spare mag is a mag failure. I use Glock factory mags. I separate training mags from carry mags. Some of my training mags like everyone else's get beat up pretty bad and eventually become spare parts. I generally run a few hundred rounds through the carry mags as a dependable test which is much more for peace of mind than anything else. I've never had a new mag failure. Not saying it doesn't happen, I've just never experienced it.

I would like to hear your thoughts on spare mag carry. Hopefully this will generate a good discussion.

Is the spare mag like the "tap" in "tap, rack" according to Bill Blowers? Is their a real need for it?

Do you carry one?

 

[Paul053]

I carry a 17 mag for my g19 in back pocket with my wallet. Wallet prevents it from printing. Tried carrying it in a magazine holster but it would print more than my gun. Might try one of those kydex holsters that carry both the gun and mag in appendix. But it seems like it would be like concealing a dinner plate in my pants.

More importantly any one ever over inserted a glock 17 mag in a glock 19?

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[Andrew Y.]

It was my understanding that it isn't really possible to over insert a double stack mag due to the mag body geometry.

As far as carrying a spare, I don't 100% of the time, probably 80%, its situationally dependent.

With my spare mag, off side appendix, the gun prints less, its how the mag evens out my waist line and torques the belt. YMMV

If its needed, It depends what kind of gunfight you are planning for. If its a personal attack, maybe a few rounds, little time to clear a malfunction as it is. OR multi-threat coordinated terror attack that lasts longer then 60 seconds where suddenly due to distance, numbers of threats, barricades, bad luck etc, extra ammo is handy. In the words of DARC, "if you carry a gun, you better be preparing for the Super Bowl"

 

[1776united]

Is the spare mag like the "tap" in "tap, rack" according to Bill Blowers? Is their a real need for it?

Do you carry one?

Interesting. Does he say the tap is not needed?

I'm pretty limited in shooting in shooting experience but in my short time I've had the tap pay off. Once in a competition I did a speed reload and fired once then click. As I did tap rack I felt the magazine seat.

 

[Freedom Forged]

Interesting. Does he say the tap is not needed?

I'm pretty limited in shooting in shooting experience but in my short time I've had the tap pay off. Once in a competition I did a speed reload and fired once then click. As I did tap rack I felt the magazine seat.

I didn't mean to make it sound like he said it's not needed at all. Here is a vid he did on the subject.

 

[Fatboy]

In my opinion, for the minimal amount of weight and space a spare mag takes up, I'm carrying at least one. I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. The only time I don't carry at least one spare is if my clothing choices prohibit it for some reason, but that is a really is a rare occasion.

The loudest sound in the world is a gun going click when it should be going bang (or a gun going bang when it should be going click.)

 

[DocGKR]

If you carry a defensive firearm, is is STUPID not to carry a spare mag...

 

[jrshelnutt]

G19 or G17 with at least 1 but sometimes 2 G17 mags. I carry either iwb in crossbreed mag pouch or neo mag in left front pocket. OWB kydex double mag pouch when carrying two.

 

[MojoNixon]

Carry is a G 19 with 15 round mag with an Arredondo +3 base. Carried IWB in an XFER. Always at least one and frequently 2 G17 mags with Arredondo +5 bases. Carried in Kytex shooting Gear carriers.
I have at least 1000 rounds thru each of these mag/base combos to make sure they're reliable. They are. I'm totally confident in them. I do have a pair of PMAG GL 9 21's that may replace the G17 + 5 combos if they prove to be as reliable in the long term. Only reason for the possible change is the PMAG's are 1/3 the cost at the expense of only one round per reload. Pretty damn cost effective for potentially and hopefully the same reliability.

 

[k4man]

Carry a G22 or G23 daily usually roll with a G22 mag in my left front pocket or in an aiwb carrier.


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[Mac185]

G17 mag w a TTI +6 in an RCS MD cut mag carrier with IWB loops at 9 o'clock. If I'm running a little more low profile with my G43, it'll be a 43 mag with a TTI +2 in a BFG 10 speed on an RCS pocket shield in my pants/shorts pocket. There are only two reasons I can find to not carry a spare mag. One is that is an inconvenience and to me that is not a sound justification. The second is in a true NPE environment where concealing the handgun is a task unto itself and may prohibit hiding a magazine.

 

[ReVrEnD_0341]

I am a skinny fucker. I carry a G19 and x300 AIWB. If I don't have a spare mag AIWB on my left side it looks like I have a huge tumor at waist level. The mag evens everything out. The only time I could go without a mag with the G19 is if I carried in a traditional IWB configuration. Even then I still have a spare mag. I really like the JM AIWB mag carrier, but it isn't tuckable, so I am on the search for a tuckable mag carrier. Hell, looking for tuckable solutions in general right now since I've never had a need for it. I feel like it is a bad idea not to have a spare mag.

 

[Asr34]

LE perspective here...

I always carry an extra mag, speed strips or whatever. I saw a AAR-like video about an active shooter in 2007, at the Trolley Square Mall in Salt Lake City. The off-duty cop who engaged first, Ken Hammond, was only armed with a 1911 and no spare mag. Pretty much, he expended his mag with target specific suppressive (intentional or not) fire. The cavalry got there quickly, but I remember very vividly him saying that he wished he had another mag. Obviously, this isn't your typical CCW self-defense scenario, but it's on the spectrum of things I game plan for.

YMMV, but I view it from the off-duty LE perspective as absolutely necessary.

 

[Freedom Forged]

LE perspective here...

I always carry an extra mag, speed strips or whatever. I saw a AAR-like video about an active shooter in 2007, at the Trolley Square Mall in Salt Lake City. The off-duty cop who engaged first, Ken Hammond, was only armed with a 1911 and no spare mag. Pretty much, he expended his mag with target specific suppressive (intentional or not) fire. The cavalry got there quickly, but I remember very vividly him saying that he wished he had another mag. Obviously, this isn't your typical CCW self-defense scenario, but it's on the spectrum of things I game plan for.

YMMV, but I view it from the off-duty LE perspective as absolutely necessary.

Very informative. This is information you can sink your teeth into.
FF

 

[Dr. Cornwallis]

I carry a G19 and spare mag unless I'm going somewhere where I really don't want people to see I'm carrying or if it's a super short trip to somewhere really low key, like running in to grab the take out I ordered. Typically I drop it in my front pocket. I'm going to try out one of the new 21rd PMAG's and see if that will fit. I know the front pocket isn't really ideal but it's convenient and comfortable. I already get poked by my gun AIWB when I bend over and I'd rather not get poked by my mag as well. That being said, I plan to try some different mag carriers but thus far I haven't had any luck with anything IWB and OWB doesn't conceal well enough.


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[JohnsonCityTN]

I carry a spare mag. I've had magazine/ammo malfunctions while using quality mags and ammo. It can happen and heaven forbid you get involved in a shooting, you won't have time to unfuck your gun.

I throw the spare in my front left pocket with my cell phone. The phone keeps it oriented how I want it and I don't need to worry about printing like a mofo with a kydex holder.

The academy and time on patrol has built a sense of wanting redundancy in me, it is what it is.

 

[armyscoutman25]

I like how it was stated above, If you carry a gun you better be prepared for the Superbowl. Ive watched and read a lot of Off-duty shooting situations and the one that comes to mind a lot for me is the one in which an Off-duty officer was at a mall (I believe New Orleans) with his wife. This happened when a lot of Officers thought the 1911 was the end all, be all gun and this Officer was carrying a 1911 Commander. (Yes I am guilty of this is the past as well) The situation was a dude starts blasting in this mall (Can't remember if it was a shotgun or a rifle) but all this officer had was the 8 rounds in his gun to hold the shooter in place from an elevated position until Local SWAT was able to take the shooter out. Ultimately it was a happy ending but I put myself in this situation every time I strap up and go out.

I Carry a 19 with at least a 17 reload in an old RCS mag holder. I carry at the 3 with a VG3 and the mag offsets the weight of the gun. If I know I am going to a mall or other big venue then I will plus up my spare mags with two 17 rounders in a RCS double mag holder. I am mentally prepared for the worst case scenario and I plan on being a force to be reckoned with if someone decides to take a shot at me or mine. The three absolutes that I have to have with a gun in public is a Weapon Mounted Light, Spare Mag, and TQ.

With that being said I know there are a small percentage of situations in which you may not need that much gun. I live in an apartment complex and every time I take my dog out to shit I throw a S&W 642 with Crimson Trace Grips in my pocket, A Speed Strip, and a SF Fury Flashlight in my coat pocket. That's enough for me to at least fight back to my residence to get something bigger if need be. The bonus to this is that if something or someone gives me that feeling when I'm outside I can aim the revolver at them from my pocket and they have no idea. I also can't rely on my dog to do anything as it is a fat lazy bulldog.

I went back and re-read comments. Looks like ASR34 and I are on the same page.

 

[barchack]

For all the reasons stated above, I carry a spare G19 mag. Mag and flashlight ride in a 10-Speed double pistol mag pouch attached to a Raven Pocketshield in my weak-side front pocket. I know it's not ideal and is slower to grab than some other methods, but it works well for me and ensures that I always have my spare with me.
If I don't have pants that accommodate the Pocketshield, I'll use a belt mounted 10-Speed.

 

[MrMurphy]

Used to carry a G30. Minimum 1 reload. These days ny 24/7 gun is a 9mm Shield. Normally 2 reloads, absolute minimum 1 reload with another nearby.

 

[shoobe01]

It was my understanding that it isn't really possible to over insert a double stack mag due to the mag body geometry...

You should try it on your own compact to make sure. On many pistols the mag tapers but the hole the mag goes into is pretty much straight through to the top of the frame. Here's a stripepd 228 frame from the top though:

Over-insertion is possible (with the slide open, of course) on those types of guns and can not just mess up reloading but actually knock fire control components out of the way. Once had to help hammer one free (since it's maybe loaded once we get it out, had to do this on the line, carefully) that had jammed itself on the drawbar among other things, and was high enough it forced the slide lock into position, etc. so it was a real bitch to remove. Ended up requiring a punch from the top IIRC, and was no good to the mag or gun. (Forget which gun now).

Check how your guns works, and if possible to over-insert, make sure you have stops on when using duty or extended mags in compact guns.