How many magazines do you like to have for a given gun? Why?

[Cryogaijin]

Greetings, Highroaders! I recently just purchased a sccy CPX1 compact 9mm handgun, and it got me to thinking about my Magazine habits.

CPX1 aside, I only have one firearm with fewer than 4 magazines; my Remington 597 in 17hmr. Annoyingly 597 magnum magazines are impossible to find at the moment, so while I'd like at least 2 more, I can't find 'em.

However, this means that I have 8+ magazines for my Saiga .308, 5 for my saiga 12, (2 20 round drums, 1 12 round drum, 1 10 round box, and the factory 5 round box magazine) 8 magazines for my XD45c, 5 magazines for my High Standard Sport King .22rf, 5 magazines for my armscor 20p .22rf, etc etc.

It works out that I generally have enough magazines that I don't have to reload from a typical trip to the range with 'em. I'm wondering what other people use as their methodology for determining how many magazines to buy for their firearms?

 

[wally]

One in the gun and four spares is what I prefer for pistols, one in the gun and six spares for rifles. No particular reason other than if I had to bug out carrying a pistol and a rifle any more ammo than this would likely be way too much load along with other bug out supplies.

For range favorites I want enough mags to load 200-300 rounds per gun so I can load them before heading to the range while sitting in air-conditioned comfort, instead of standing outside in 95+ degree heat on the firing line.

 

[gspn]

Enough to minimize my downtime at the range. I don't like to spend range time loading magazines.

 

[loose noose]

I've got so many rifles and handguns, not to mention my black powder guns, it is allmost impossible to tell. You see I'm a collector.

I do have 10 mags for my Mini-14 (6 30 rounders, 3 20 rounders, and the 5 rounder that came with it) now my 2AR-15s I've got 10 Mags for them also (6 30 round mags, and 4 20 rounders). I've got 3 17 round mags for my Beretta 92, and 6, 7 round mags for my Colt 1911, and 3 12 round mags for my Springfield XD-40.

Then again I've got several .380s, a .32, several .22 LRs, 9mm carbines etc that I have at least 2-3 magazines for. Fact of the matter is I've got 3 wooden crates (Winchester, Remington etc.) filled to the brim with additional mags.

The ones that are readily available are my AR-15s, my Mini-14, my Colt 1911, and my Beretta 92FS, and my Springfield XD-40. Why do I have so many, cause I enjoy having them around.

 

[MtnCreek]

Depends on the gun. I've got hunting type rifles w/ only one mag.

 

[Rittmeister]

I like to have 5-6 magazines for each pistol, though I have a dozen for my 1911. I plan to buy more for each in the future, just to have for the range mostly. I pay for range time by the hour and as stated above I hate to spend that time loading when I could be shooting.

I've only got one mag-fed rifle (AR) and so far I only have six magazines for it. I'd like to have at least double that and I'll probably wind up with more in the end.

 

[481]

As a minimum, I want no less than five magazines per handgun (or long gun).

12 - 13 magazines per gun is much better and I have no 'upper limit' for how many magazines each gun should have.

 

[Coyote3855]

ARs, 5-6 per. Competition STI .40, 10 regular capacity. Carry guns, usually 2-3 plus one in the gun.

 

[ID-shooting]

Auto rifles, 10 each, 1 in rifle, 9 in 3-each mag pouches.

Auto pistols, 5 each, 1 in pistol, 4 in 2-each mag pouches.

Why? The Army made me do it

 

[MedWheeler]

I'm not a hunter and do not own any centerfire rifles. The only repeating rimfire rifle I own is a Tapco-modified Ruger 10/22. For it, I have two stock ten-rounders and two extended-cap mags (three, actually, but one never worked.) One of those two is Ruger's own BX-25. I would not mind having another.

For my concealed-carry pieces, I'm fine with two for each, and that's what I have.

For my .22 plinkers, I'd like at least two for each, but currently have only one for each.

For my just-acquired P95 Ruger, I'd like to get my hands on two more to add to the one that came with it.

 

[Beach Nut]

I have about two or three for each my semiauto pistols and five for my AK-47 and AK-74.
I just go with what I feel is practical for me and what I think I need. During a gun panic
like we just recently survived, more magazines for the AKs would be a good hedge bet
if I was looking to make a little profit, but I am not the type who enjoys making a dollar
at someone's hurt or expense.

 

[bannockburn]

With pistols I like to have a minimum of 6 per gun. For my AR-15 and AK-47 I probably have about 20+ magazines for each.

 

[aarondhgraham]

5 seems to be the arbitrary number I have chosen.

I do want multiple magazines,,,
Because a semi without a magazine is a bad club.

The reason 5 is my number,,,
Is the pistol carry bags I like to buy,,,
All come with 4 extra slots for extra magazines.

4 + 1 = 5

Aarond

.

 

[stumpers]

I just got some more in the mail...which brings my magazine totals to:

Glock 19 - 28 mags
Glock 26 - 5 mags
AR - 24 mags

There's no upper limit. I buy new mags often to keep far ahead of wear out.

And when some of my old G19 mags seemed like they were getting too worn and on the way out...I sold them online during the height of the panic for prices I would never consider paying myself.

 

[Captains1911]

5 min. Preferably 10-15.

 

[Atbat82]

I keep a minimum of 3 for each pistol, but much prefer to have 5-6. I've only got one rifle (so far) and it's got an attached mag.

 

[Hanzo581]

And when some of my old G19 mags seemed like they were getting too worn and on the way out...I sold them online during the height of the panic for prices I would never consider paying myself.

That's the spirit!

 

[newfalguy101]

I guess for me a minimum number would be two.

 

[MDH90]

More mags is never enough, I only have two for my pocket carry gun but I have 8 mags for my 1911 and 11 30rnd mags for my AR + 2 20s.

 

[olderguns]

14 for my G29
And always looking for more when on sale.

 

[Sgt_R]

5-10 minimum. After that, more.

 

[Captains1911]

I guess for me a minimum number would be two.

really? And then when one breaks or wears out, you're down to one with no ability to reload....

 

[Hanzo581]

really? And then when one breaks or wears out, you're down to one....

This really depends on how much you shoot. I've literally never had a magazine break, but then again I don't run a thousand rounds a weekend.

But really, unless we are talking about a survival type situation, I see nothing wrong with a recreational shooter only having two mags per firearm.

 

[Jim Watson]

Defense weapon: Three; load, reload, spare.
If LE (I'm not): Six: Load, reload, reload, full set of spares.
IDPA (I do): Seven SSP double stack: Load, reload times three stages, one extra in case of a trick stage or malfunction.
15 ESP single stack: Load, reload times six stages, one extra, one Barney, one with six rounds for a downloaded start; it is hard to pull rounds out of a full 10x9mm magazine.

 

[wow6599]

Here are my minimums, but I don't really have much more than my "minimums" for any firearm I own, with the one exception being 1911 mags.

7 for handguns.
10 for AR & AK style rifles.
2 for hunting rifles.