I know the old adage "you can't have too many" but I don't believe that literally.

For a centerfire auto how many mags would you be satisfied with at a minimum? Lets say if you shot 100 rounds a month from that pistol from a 9mm or .45.

One in the gun and 4 spares...

For .22s and some pocket guns, one in the gun and two spares...

Bob

If I were just using it to shoot plink around at the range, two would be fine.

For the guns that I shoot regularly and do business with I have from 6-12 for.

I guess it depends on how you practice.

Loading mags at the range during a practice session gives me time to "think and consider" what's going on with my shooting. I have about 15 mags for my 1911's but rarely use more than two at the range during practice. 1911 mags are easy to load w/o a loader, plus I rarely shoot more than 5 rounds in a string.

If you're competing, then I'd say have two sets of how ever many mags you use during competition. In our local bowling pin matches for example, you bring 3 mags to the table, so for that, I'd say you should own 6 mags.

Seven or eight, minimum, if it's a serious business gun. If it's just a gun in your collection, then it doesn't matter.

Guns with a capacity less than ten I would say six just because you will always be able to buy them.

High capacity guns I plan on keeping no less than twelve and prefer twenty.

Dink

I've got six apiece for my two M&P's. I've got a couple of 1911's and probably twenty mags. My SIG 938 only has two or three mags. They are scarce and expensive.

Good point.

Have 2 for my Walther .22, 5 for the .45 Commander, 4 for the Colt .380 Govn't Model, 3 for the G42.

I feel well equipped with the three I have for my G42 as well. For a G17, however, I feel like (as DINK said) I need the ten or so that I have, since you never know when there will be another "assault weapon" ban.

PS I had a Colt .380 Government Model back in the 1980s. Wish I hadn't sold it. I carried it quite a bit back then. Have no clue what got into me to sell it just a few years after buying it. It was very reliable and shot and concealed great. Lots of guns in my history that I regret selling and can't figure why I did it.

I've got at least 2 dozen Chip McCormick and Wilson mags for my various 1911's. And at least 4 dozen Glock mags in .357 sig, 40 S&W, and 10mm combined. Have six for my Ruger 22/45 MKIII .22, and 4 for my Ruger LCP .380. And WAY too many AR mags to count. I do have at least one AR .556 Pistol, so I guess they count too.

I'm no match shooter or competitor, I carry one in the gun and three in a back pocket.

Get 'em while you can.
You can always sell the extras

Well Hawk, my Government .380 ain't going anywhere, the G42 may go to a friend.

Single column guns get at least five magazines, double-stacked magazines I try to keep at least three around per.

Since I'm not shooting competition any longer, that's plenty. I live in a quiet town, away from the big city, and my neighbors and I get along well. It's pretty docile around here.

Two is one. One is none.

Bare minimum of 5. Remember when some Hi cap mags were over $100 each B4 the AWB expired in 2004.

Sadly, yes. I bought two standard cap mags for my H&K USP-45 under that tyranny for about that much.

TRH - as to selling good old guns - I'm the exact same way.

Six is the bare minimum for me, for any semi auto pistol. More is better.

If you live within one tank of gas from a major city.
You may have unexpected company.

For me 2 is the absolute minimum. After that, buy 4-6 more and you're good for at least a few decades.

That's where those 100 round 5.56 drums come in.

I have 3 for my 1911. Three times eight equal 24 and one in the chamber makes it twenty five. If I cannot get the job done with twenty five I will already be dead and I don't want the bad guys to get what I leave behind.

For everyday people I thing twenty five is plenty.

As anal-OCD as I am, I have several guns I don't know exactly how many mags I have, two three four not sure don't really care. But for my regular carry guns I go by the theory that too many is almost enough. Both of my regular carry guns can use the same mags for reloads. I also have a carbine that uses the same mags. Then I have maybe three dozen mags for that collection, many still in the wrapper, so I think I'm covered. Until I buy a few more. Spare guns for the mags is a separate question.

Minimum of two per. Somehow managed to have at least a half dozen 1911 magazines and those are just the "good" ones.

few years ago c.m.p. was selling military 1911 mags by the case. That was a real good deal.

http://estore.thecmp.org/store/catalog/catalog.aspx?pg=product&ID=PS45MAGA#