A spare reload if needed
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trackskippy
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A spare mag or reload is simply part of being prepared, as is any other type of practical accessory. This isn't rocket science, nor is it a big deal.
I get the impression a lot, that carrying a gun is cool for many, but it also seems to be a lot of work, and they don't want to get too involved beyond that.
As far as paranoia goes, I think a reasonable level of it is a good and necessary thing and helps keep your head in the right place. Of course, just like anything else too little or too much, and your experiences may vary.
I get the impression a lot, that carrying a gun is cool for many, but it also seems to be a lot of work, and they don't want to get too involved beyond that.
As far as paranoia goes, I think a reasonable level of it is a good and necessary thing and helps keep your head in the right place. Of course, just like anything else too little or too much, and your experiences may vary.
unclenunzie
Contributing Member
That's the thing. The chances of needing a handgun at all are also small, and we all hope it works out to never, yet we still carry. The consequences of being wrong are too great when compared to the small inconveniences involved. We all have made similar calculations whether we say so or not. In my case, I will with open eyes carry no spare mag often enough, because I also value comfort, and have no problem with my decision.
Sometimes a J frame is my spare mag, and in some situations the only gun on me. It's a risk, but I have so far survived
Hillbilly Hydrographics
Member
If I am carrying which is 99% of time I'm also carrying atleast 1 reload. Semi auto I usually carry 1 extra mag. My primary edc is a wheelgun which gets carried with 2 speed strips. Hope I never have to use any firearm to actually defend myself but I'd rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it.
It was just a little after 10pm on a well lit Massachusetts city street he'd just picked up the deposit bag from the movie theater. It contained maybe 7 grand. As per State law he was carrying a 38 special revolver and wearing his vest under a sports jacket he'd done this many times and that night didn't look any different. Except the peeps were waiting for the home improvement store deposit (about 70 to 100 grand) who was running late. The gun fight was going as good as could be expected until a round skipped off the top of the vest into the shoulder of his shooting hand. Switched to his off hand and was caught with an empty gun trying to reload one of the peeps executed him with a .32 behind his left ear. Carry extra ammo and if need be a new York reload. For those who don't know what that is it's a second revolver
Eutycus
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Wouldn't or couldn't an attorney for the "victim" that you shot make it look like you went looking for a fight? On the stand a lawyer is almost certainly question the reasoning for you carrying so many rounds. A few rounds could be construed as self defense, but alot of rounds could be interpreted YOU were out to "kill". An attorney can twist your wording to make you look like a bloodthirsty killer.
I also keep a spare mag, in case of a malfunction. As reliable as firearms are now, they are still mechanical devices with moving parts. If you have a firearm that you can say has never malfunctioned, id say that you havent shot it enough.
It's nice knowing that you have the spare ammo too.
It's nice knowing that you have the spare ammo too.
I think that's not much of an argument for not carrying a spare mag. If we were to go down that road, the logical cure would be to carry a single stack with a spare mag. This sort of thinking is in line with whether you should keep one in the chamber. If you're worried about that, carry a revolver.
Make no mistake, if you ever wind up shooting someone, questions are going to be asked and the person asking them is likely not going to have your best interest in mind. Still, it will be nice to be alive enough to answer those questions. All you can do is be prepared to do what you gotta do should the need arise and if you do have to do it, you'd better be darned sure it's necessary.
The Night Rider
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I've heard a bunch of different statistics on this and I've never seen anybody actually post a source. The only person I've ever heard Source their claim was Tom Givens and his sample size was statistically insignificant. But he said between 3 and 5 yards and 3 to 11 shots.
Whether or not you're being over the top paranoid is a discussion for you and your mental health professional to have.
I always carry at least one reload. Never more than two. If for no other reason than to reload after the fight is over.
If you don't think you ever go to any bad areas you're not as aware of your surroundings as you think you are.
Which is all the justification you really need.
Nope, nobody. You're the only person in the world that does it that way. (<I'm kidding)
UncleEd
Member
Funny, nearly all comments in this thread
relate to autos with magazine malfunction
heading the list.
Seems like a lot of arguments in favor
of a revolver, extra speed loader or not.
relate to autos with magazine malfunction
heading the list.
Seems like a lot of arguments in favor
of a revolver, extra speed loader or not.
The Night Rider
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trackskippy
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No.Funny, nearly all comments in this thread
relate to autos with magazine malfunction
heading the list.
Seems like a lot of arguments in favor
of a revolver, extra speed loader or not.
With my 17, Ive got three revolver reloads already in the gun, and I don't have to stop and fiddle anywhere in the middle.
The Night Rider
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I'd be more worried about an attorney for the state than an attorney for the "victim".
Plus if you're ever in a shooting incident and they're calling the guy you shot "The Victim" the number of magazines that you were carrying is probably the least of your problems at that point.
I have never taken a concealed carry training class in which the trainer did not recommend carrying at least one reload.
I have never carried a gun on the clock without my employer requiring me to carry two reloads.
The police in my area carry at least four reloads.
I've read several articles from known trainers such as Masaad Ayoob recommending that you carry at least one reload.
I think there's plenty of precedent there for me to say that I carry two reloads because that's the way I was trained to do it.
Twisted Chemist
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My EDC is a S&W Shield with 9rds (8 in the mag and one in the pipe) and an extra 7rd mag. You just never know.... People laugh at the fact I carry extra knives, fire starter, Leatherman, flashlight, compass, paracord, meds, TP, Bic lighter, a power-pack, extra cords for everything and more. But I have had and will have what I need, when I need it.
As film495 mentioned, an extra box of ammo when we travel.
As film495 mentioned, an extra box of ammo when we travel.
Electrod47
Member
I always carry a spare mag for what ever gun I have elected to carry concealed that day. If I'm particularly concerned I prefer the "New York Reload"
Eutycus
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Back when I was in transportation for the Prison system we were required to carry extras.I'm all for it.Some scenarios probably demand it.Nothing wrong with being prepared. I have a speed loader myself. As far as lugging around a few extra pounds of lead, I am not the "pack mule" that I used to be. Now if y'all excuse me I got to get ready for a Doctor's appointment.Sorry if I made anyone think.
Howland937
Member
Yes I do. I've never sought an answer to the question "why shouldn't I?"
This would imply that revolvers are infallible. In my experience, when an auto jams up, it's usually a tap and rack or at worst, drop the mag, clear and insert another mag. When a revolver jams up, and they do, it ain't so easy to fix.Funny, nearly all comments in this thread
relate to autos with magazine malfunction
heading the list.
Seems like a lot of arguments in favor
of a revolver, extra speed loader or not.
Funny, nearly all comments in this thread
relate to autos with magazine malfunction
heading the list.
Seems like a lot of arguments in favor
of a revolver, extra speed loader or not.
No, in my case I'm trying to make a point. Don't factor the items with strikethrough in the decision on whether to carry a spare mag, just do it.
Carry a spare mag regardless of capacity, whether it is a 1911 or Glock 17.
Leave statistics out, citing statistics is usually someone advocating (comfortable with) whatever minimum; "good enough" mentality rather than "best I can do".
Location. Criminals & psychos are mobile; yet some seem to think they are not ("good area"). Gun forums are mecca for budding psychics predicting the behavior of criminals.
So I cited malfunction when the Glock 17 I've got on my belt has been 100% reliable.
Terry G
Member
I had a malfunction on the LEOSA qualifying course. My never malfunction CZ P-01 just stopped working. The cause? A staple from one of the targets found it's way into my magazine. I never did figure out how. I did a malfunction drill and completed the course of fire. A million to one? YES! I always carry a spare magazine.
Telekinesis
Member
Even if we take the “3 yards, 3 shots, 3 seconds on average” statistic at face value, half of them were MORE than 3 yards / 3 shots / 3 seconds. It would be very bad to plan for the average and find out that you’re not in an average gunfight.
Malfunctions happen, and the simplest way to fix your gun is to reload it. Yeah immediate action starts with tap/rack, but reloading works for those too. Generally if you can’t fix the gun with a reload, you’re probably not going to be able to fix the gun until the fight is over.
From what I have seen and learned / experienced in training, you’re going to have a hard time keeping an accurate count of ammo expenditure in the best of circumstances. Given that, once you’re done fighting you probably won’t know exactly how many rounds are left in your gun.
Let’s say you have to shoot. Whatever happens and the shooting is over. Now you’re standing around in an area that you now know for a fact is unsafe (you just had to shoot someone!) with an empty or mostly empty gun. Now that extra 11oz to carry a spare mag doesn’t sound so bad.
So yes, very low probability of needing to use a gun or a spare mag. But if you’re going to carry a gun, the additional weight and discomfort of an extra mag is minimal compared to the potential benefits.
Malfunctions happen, and the simplest way to fix your gun is to reload it. Yeah immediate action starts with tap/rack, but reloading works for those too. Generally if you can’t fix the gun with a reload, you’re probably not going to be able to fix the gun until the fight is over.
From what I have seen and learned / experienced in training, you’re going to have a hard time keeping an accurate count of ammo expenditure in the best of circumstances. Given that, once you’re done fighting you probably won’t know exactly how many rounds are left in your gun.
Let’s say you have to shoot. Whatever happens and the shooting is over. Now you’re standing around in an area that you now know for a fact is unsafe (you just had to shoot someone!) with an empty or mostly empty gun. Now that extra 11oz to carry a spare mag doesn’t sound so bad.
So yes, very low probability of needing to use a gun or a spare mag. But if you’re going to carry a gun, the additional weight and discomfort of an extra mag is minimal compared to the potential benefits.
UncleEd
Member
Just got a mental image of you tapping, racking or dropping mag and inserting a
new one while the bad guy is beating you over the head with a feather duster.
Moral of the story is either your gun works or doesn't work when you need it and
you either survive or you die. Or suffer multiple bruises from the feather duster.
All these gun fight scenarios are just "what ifs" and any outcome in reality is not
predictable.
Oh, by the way, I'm not against carrying spare ammo. Just don't put any great emphasis
that that is going to win the day.
.38 Special
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Taking the logic of "You never know what's gonna happen/consequences of being wrong/be prepared for everything" to its logical conclusion, none of us are properly prepared, nor ever can be. Regardless of an individual's loadout, it's easy to imagine a scenario in which one more round, one more gun, one more ___ would mean the difference. Head very far down that rabbit hole and now you are carrying a dozen magazines - and still feeling unprepared.
Moreover, such posts imply that anyone not carrying as much weaponry as does the poster is underequipped, underprepared, and quite possibly a fool.
As I've said before, a fellow should carry what he wants, when he wants, how he wants. There is no one better placed to make those decisions than the man himself. The rationalizations, though...
Moreover, such posts imply that anyone not carrying as much weaponry as does the poster is underequipped, underprepared, and quite possibly a fool.
As I've said before, a fellow should carry what he wants, when he wants, how he wants. There is no one better placed to make those decisions than the man himself. The rationalizations, though...
