Spare Magazine or Knife?

[Yo Mama]

For a long time I've carried a gun and knife combo with a folder cliped to my pocket. Usually I carry a spare mag, but then I bought a new Swiss Army knife.

Lately, it seems that the extra knife has been handy, and I like having it, but don't want to add an extra mag when I have it with me.

Being that depending on the weapon I have 8-10 rounds of .45, which would you perfer, a spare mag in the pocket, or a spare knife?

 

[atlctyslkr]

Probably the mag eventhough I know my chances of needed it are much less than the knife.

 

[clance]

Is there a reason why you don't carry an extra mag in a mag pouch on your belt?

I personally carry 2 knifes (utility + fighter) one is in the one pocket the other hooks onto the opening to the pocket and a spare mag on the belt.



The pistol I wear inside the waist band of my slacks (no holster) while I hook the pouch on the belt or in the left pocket of my jacket/vest. I've seen something like a Uncle Mike's for the mag that you can fit inside the waste band as well, but I can't seem to find one that fits my Kahr mag.

But to answer your question on which one I would choose, I persoanlly prefer the knife if I had to choose.

 

[Doug Add]

Are you opposed to belt carry? I carry both a spare mag for my SIG P228 and a Swiss Army Knife. You can see them here on my left hip just behind the holster for my BlackBerry (with which I took the photo). The SAK is very useful, and I rarely leave home without it, but I could never carry it in my pocket. I don't even like to carry pocket change. I guess if I had to choose I would pick the SAK, because I use it regularly and (thank God) have never yet had to use my carry gun.

 

[Owen Sparks]

A knife can save your life in other ways than stabing bad guys especially if you work around heavy machinery. Your chances of having to cut something in an emergency like your clothing are at least as good as your chances of having to use it as a weapon. I once had to cut a dog leash in an emergency because a neighbors dog had climbed onto his dog house and then jumped a 6' fence and was strangling. I heard screaming and found a small hysterical woman trying to hold him up so I cut him loose. I really don't know if I could have lifted this panicking 90 pound dog back over a 6' fence. If you carry a knife, carry one with serrations. It makes no difference in stabing ability but it makes all the difference in cutting ability.

 

[rcmodel]

Murphy's Law of Magazines:
1 mag = 0 mags
2 mags = 1 mag.
3 mags = 2 mags.

If a mag fails, or you lose it out of the gun in a scuffle, you have a very expensive and very inefficient little club left.

Carry the SAK knife in your pocket.

rc

 

[hacksaw]

my basic loadout is:
RIA Tactical .45acp
2 extra wilson47D's
benchmade AFo II

 

[One-Time]

if a knife makes your load weigh too much, perhaps excercise is in order? I normally carry two spares and at least one knife and im headin' toward 'fatass'

 

[PoserHoser]

carry both

 

[BikerRN]

I don't have much use for folding knives as a defensive weapon, so I'd take the spare magazine.

Even if it were a fixed blade weapon I'd opt for the spare magazine first.

BikerRN

 

[ATBackPackin]

I carry two spare magazines and a knife. If I had to choose between a knife and a spare mag I would choose the mag, especially in a low round, single stack pistol. Could be multiple assailants or a magazine breakage of some sort. Not having a knife may be an inconvenience, but I can't see a knife saving your life while carrying a pistol. That is why I carry both.

Shawn

 

[Ringer]

I always have a knife and or multi tool of various size, but more for utility not for defense. Given the choice of a spare mag or a second knife, definitely the spare mag for me.

If it came down to it I'd probably stick to open hand over a knife as I'm not well trained in knife fighting.

If you like the SAK so much, can you lose the folder instead?

 

[Yo Mama]

if a knife makes your load weigh too much, perhaps excercise is in order? I normally carry two spares and at least one knife and im headin' toward 'fatass'

I'm opposite, very skinny! Weight makes me think of my selections for the day. I do need to excercise though.

Doug Add, I like the holster idea, but usually I don't tuck my shirt, and want to be as low under the radar as possible.

In the end though this may be the best solution.

 

[Erik M]

I normally carry a CRKT cruiser and my glock 19. I had never taken into account the floorplate failing . . and I have a +2 after market one on my primary mag. I think I need to add a backup to the carry arrangement.

 

[orionengnr]

I find that I use my knife pretty regularly, so leaving it behind it is not an option.

 

[hso]

I don't fully understand the OP's question.

Are you asking about whether carrying a spare knife in place of a spare magazine in addition to the knife you already carry or are you asking about choosing between a knife and a spare mag?

I always have a knife whether I have a firearm or not. If I add a firearm I then have a knife and a firearm. If I have a firearm I also have a spare magazine in case I have a failure while shooting.

 

[leadcounsel]

I can carry a folder and not even know it's there clipped in my pocket. I would say carry both.

 

[Ole Coot]

Carry both. I also carry a SAK in my pocket and a SOG Flash II clipped BEHIND my belt buckle. I can reach the SOG easily with either hand and mag on weak side about 4.

 

[Mr. Bojangles]

I'm a big fan of having a good knife, although substituting it for your only spare magazine is an iffy proposition. My current favorite is a CRKT M21-14. I am able to get the knife out a little quicker than my concealed pistol. I know that there are a lot of commandos out there who will tell me that I just need more practice in drawing my pistol quickly, and, although I have practiced, I am still a little faster with the knife. I am comfortable with a knife, and I feel that if someone is within contact distance I will need that little extra bit of speed for self-defense. The pistol is still my preferred choice, though.

 

[Ala Dan]

I carry as my load out:

a) Kimber 3" stainless UC II .45 ACP
b) 2- spare Wilson mags for the above weapon
c) a Kershaw Leek folder
d) a cell phone
e) a KEL-TEC P3AT .380 (BUG)

this is my EDC set-up~!

 

[x_wrench]

i always carry a pocket knife. i do not consider it a weapon, i consider it a tool. a spare magazine depends on many things. but if you actually end up in a gunfight, why would you bring a knife to a gunfight? we all know how that will end.i would say that 90% of the time, i have at least 1 spare magazine. probably 50% of the time, i also casrry a second gun. and 100% of the time, i have my pocket knife.

 

[22-rimfire]

I carry a Swiss Army knife (SAK) every single day regardless of whether I carry a firearm or not. I normally carry two knives. Lately I have been carrying a CRKT Razel Stubby (folder) which has come in handy a few times already. It is becoming a permanent part of my daily carry. I don't carry a knife as a weapon.

If I understand your question correctly, I would carry the knife because I use a knife every day. You can get rather small but user friendly SAKs. I have never used the carry gun for self defense. As far as spare mags go, I would sacrifice the mag over a knife. I normally carry a revolver so I don't carry mags and I don't carry a reload "on me" unless I am going into what I suspect is a dangerous environment (greater than 25% risk level), then I carry two guns and mags. In what I consider is truly dangerous situation, I pay for extra security or I don't go. But every day, NO.

 

[Ignition Override]

Owen Sparks:
Excellent application.

 

[jpruitt]

Why choose? Now you can have your knife and extra magazine:



Problem solved.

(I looked this up as a joke but apparently it's a real product. What possible use could this thing be?)

 

[[email protected]]

Surprised no one has said it yet...

Rule #9... "always carry a knife"..

knife is much more important than a gun..... 99% of the time.