Is This REALLY Necessary ?

[Blakenzy]

Have you ever tried a horizontal mag pouch? Almost every mag puch out there holds the mag in a vertical position, and that may be what makes it uncomfortable for you.

A nylon mag pouch can be easily modified to attach to your belt in a horizontal fashion so the mag won't stick you in the side. Depending on the size of your mag you could also use a celphone carrier as a mag puch. I have seen several of those that are mounted in a horizontal way.

 

[Big Boomer]

Hawaiian shirts are an amazing thing! They can conceal an amazing amount of goods. So my theory is this...if you can why not?

 

[Erik]

As noted, magazines are the weak link in semi-auto pistols, are necessary to clear certian malfunctions, and provide extra ammo to boot. Given how easy they are to conceal there isn't really a reason not to have one on you.

 

[Bennett Prescott]

Big Boomer,

You couldn't be more right! Nobody thinks a chubby guy with a loud shirt is carrying, and I can carry in any situation without printing when I dress in two layers since the "party" shirt is so loose fitting.

 

[huntinstuff]

Carry your gun and be happy you can. As a good guy, you will probably be more careful in firing your pistol (traffic, bystanders), than the bad guy will.

That's where each round counts. You are accountable for each round. Laying lead down makes you just as dangerous as the bad guy.

If your pistol and magazine are in good working order, I'd think it would be all you need. The extra mag would be more for a mechanical failure of the first mag rather than a need for more ammo.

One well placed shot will end it.

 

[stevereno1]

I don't carry a spare. I carry 11 rounds. My purpose for carry is to "protect" myself and anyone else that may be threatened, not to be a hero or go into a "die hard" kind of situation. I will spend all of the ammo that I have, and then I will run away in a zig-zag fashion, until I am away from the threat. God forbid!

 

[stevereno1]

If everyone carried what we think we need in a "worst case", scenario, we'd all be toting shotguns, and driving sherman tanks!

 

[darwin-t]

Tom Gresham's explation makes sense to me.Does anyone make an IWB mag holder? It'd be fairly easy to convert one, all you'd have to do is make a belt loop that attaches near the top of the holder (I'm thinking of a nylon of, like Uncle Mike's stuff). It'd have to stick up a fair amount to be accessible.

 

[Mike OTDP]

With 12 rounds in the gun, you're on the cusp. With a single-stack gun or revolver, you need a reload. With a high-cap 9 (15+ rounds), probably not. But the real question might be whether to carry a spare mag...or a backup gun.

 

[AndyC]

I almost never carry a spare on me except in the car; when I did, it was in a horizontal cellphone pouch on my belt, hiding in plain sight.

 

[Keegan]

Galco makes a pretty good one. Uncle Mike's makes one, but then again Uncle Mike's is crap.

 

[Jeff F]

I carry a revolver and I usually carry a speed strip with an extra six rounds in my pocket.

 

[DougDubya]

Carry the spare mag in a cell phone holster with a top flap or something. People won't notice it.

I've also thought about carrying the reloads in an ankle holster. However, those suggesting a backup gun have the best idea - it's faster to pull another loaded gun, and your first gun might not stop shooting because of a lack of ammunition, but because of a malfunction.

 

[hankdatank1362]

undercover mag pouch = leatherman holster.

It's worked for me since day one. I don't even own an actual magazine pouch. (ETA: I forgot, I do have a double mag puch for my 1911 mags, but mostly carry sdouble stack hi-caps) But I've got four or five Leatherman/pocketknife holsters.


I carry at least one backup mag... and a backup gun. But then, I'm a mall ninja.

 

[Geronimo45]

Hawaiian shirts are an amazing thing! They can conceal an amazing amount of goods.

Yup. They do a great job of breaking up the outline.

So my theory is this...if you can why not?

'Cuz that much gear might break your back.

As for spare mags - couldn't hurt. As for concealment... aren't there mag carriers that can go in the pocket?

I don't carry a spare, normally. If I do, I carry it in the watch pocket/change pocket/whatever it's called on blue jeans. I prefer to carry a spare handgun... so instead of clearing a jam and switching mags, I drop the malfunctioning/empty gun and go on to the next. Or switch hands, and use the empty as a club.

 

[gregthehand]

One is None....

 

[ezypikns]

I don't carry a spare.....

but that's a personal decision on my part. To each his own.

Big Boomer, do you REALLY carry all that stuff every day? Not criticizing, just curious.

 

[Big Boomer]

Big Boomer, do you REALLY carry all that stuff every day? Not criticizing, just curious.

LOL, actually no. My daily carry for work and such is either an XD-45 with 1 spare mag, or a 1911 with 1 or 3 spare mags. (1 left side or dual sob)

I do carry that on the weekends, say going to the movies or something. I've always wondered what would be thought if say I got pulled over and was "disarmed", hasn't happened yet though. Remember in Texas we have to disclose to LEO. Knock on wood...

Oh, and it IS heavy total weight is if I remember correctly adds 30-35lbs. And if you want to hear a funny, it really sucks when you have to use the loo.

 

[possum]

an above poster made a good comment, what if one of the mags takes a dump on you, and goes bad, those things can and will happen at the worst possible time. remember pvt. murphy's laws!

 

[mad hungarian]

I carry a spare mag or two depending on where I am. Also since I wear cargo shorts 9-10 months out of the year toting the spare(s) around is not a hassle.
When I was taking the shooting part of my CHL test some of the applicants were using Glocks provided by the instructor. While firing using 5 rounds the bottom of the mag fell out. The dude shooting stood on the line looking shocked at the spring, mag follower, and ammo that were now in the dirt.

Scheisse happens. Carry the spare(s) mag(s) and be happy in knowing that they are there if needed. Read Fastbolts post - the parts about training to be able to access your spare mags. I show up at the range dressed in a variety of different styles of clothing and train myself to be able to reload using my spare mags, accesories or back up piece depending on how I am dressed that day.

MH

 

[LT.Diver]

No spares. Just the bare essentials.

I'm a full time Corrections Officer and a part time Police Officer. I'd say my chances of bumping into a known bad guy on the streets are about 200 times greater than the average Joe's.
I carry a Smith J-frame with five rounds in it and a small tactical folder. I've never needed either...yet. They are both small, light and easy to hide. And that weight in my pockets has a familiar and comfortable feel to it. I'd feel naked without it. But anything heavier or bulkier would, to me at least, feel like a burden.

 

[JerryM]

My own view is that for general, routine carry one does not need a spare magazine. I have heard all the arguments, and conclude that if I need a reload to change the magazine for a malfunction I will already be shot or knifed. I am not an off duty LEO, and have no business getting into a "gunfight."
As has been said, the statistics say that an attack would be close and over in seconds. I cannot think of a scenario where I would fire more rounds than one magazine or cylinder.

If one is carrying at church or elsewhere where he is carrying for church security, then I would carry at least one and preferably two spares.

To each his own, of course.

Regards,
Jerry

 

[GRIZ22]

I spent over 30 years as a LEO and about 28 of them as a firearms instructor. I always believed you need to carry at least one reload for your main battery no matter what it is (5,6,7,12,15 or 17 rounds). It doesn't hurt to carry a reload for your BUG.

Counting on being able to finish the fight with what you have in your gun is poor judgement. A few years ago an off duty NYPD officer was in a beauty salon that was held up. The officer was able to shoot all 3 holdup men with her 5 shot. One of the BGs was not fully stopped and shot her. When it appears to be over you need to take cover and reload.

Chances are it will be over in 3-5 shots but do you want to bet your life on it?

 

[JerryM]

Hi GRIZ22,

I think there are a couple of things in that incident that makes it different from what the CHL holder faces.

First, unless there is some particular reason to get involved one, even an off duty LEO, should not get into a gunfight over a simple robbery against three armed BG.
If there is a history of locals robbing and then killing that is a different story, but unless that were the case she should not have engaged three armed men in such a place for robbery. How many other innocents were endangered?
Of course such things are a judgment call and others might have done the same or not.

Certainly a CHL holder has no responsibility to intervene in a robbery, and playing the “knight in shining armor” is unwise, and might endanger others in the place.

Second, if a LEO intends, either by choice or legal duty, to intervene in such incidents he should carry something other than a 5 shot revolver. A small Glock with 10 rounds would be far superior.
I also wonder if she would have had the time to reload the revolver anyway.

It is always sad to learn of “one of our finest” getting shot or injured and I hope she made a full recovery. I bet she does not carry that revolver anymore. Do you know about that?

Even LEOs do not get into such incidents very often. It would be interesting to know how many have to take on three armed men when off duty. I suspect it is a very small number. I know several retired LEOs who spend an entire career without ever firing a shot at anyone. One is a relative who served for 31 years on the LAPD, and never had to shoot anyone. He did have a few incidents where he could have done so, but was able to defuse the situation and take the BG in.


Anyway, thanks for your service and dedication. We can disagree on this particular subject.
Yes, I am willing to bet my life on a 5 shot revolver without a reload. In fact I have done so for many years, although I carry SA as often.

Regards,
Jerry

 

[GEM]

Asked and answered a thousand times on gun forums. Do you plan for the modal encounter or for an extreme end of the distribution like the 95 percentile of violence.

So, a single mugger - the J frame and no shots fired probably does it. If you run into a rampage shooter in the mall at some distance AND you don't flee you will want every round. We have cases of both.

Decide which boundary you want to be at on a given day. Note, you can run into rampage boy anywhere.

I usually go for the gun and one reload for that gun. I also carry a can of FLEEING IN TERROR in my pants.