Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Should you carry a backup magazine?

Don't get me wrong, if I'm schit kicking in the woods or mountains I carry a healthy amount of ammo.

But for day in and day out just going to store or whatever, I just don't see where Joe Schit the Ragman is going to be well served by engaging anything with 50 rounds of ammo. If anything it will just get you shot by the po-po.

I think a "fire and flee" approach makes more sense.

Yeah, but what if I don't want to look like a doofus?

I never carry a spare mag, if my loaded CCW doesn't do the job it's time to back out.

Yes! Two is better yet! memtb

I carry a spare mag, mainly because mag-related malfunctions are the most likely thing to cause a problem. I understand why some prefer to carry more than 1 spare although I don't myself. I don't see any good reason not to carry at least one; stuff happens we can't predict, and having a spare is no hindrance to my everyday life.

“Fire and Flee”, is a good plan! That “back-up” magazine may provide you with the “fire” to accomplish that! Just a thought! memtb

Good point.

Or the opportunity to top off your gun for plausible deniability.😇

Reloading is one thing.

Reloading twice is quite another.

No.

It really ain’t a good point.

Who the fugk is walking around with a mag that induces malfunctions in their carry weapon? How often does this occur?

Rarely...

Have been studying gunfights, both LE and civilian, since the early 1980s. From the stats I have seen LE ends up with a reload in about 7% of their gun fights. Civilians....0.00001%.

I've asked most of the big name trainers if they have examples of a civilian reload where shots were fired after the reload...none. Or run out of ammo and a reload could have been done if available and ended up injured or dead...none. I've seen a couple of accounts of reloading but hard to verify...

In Tom Givins book FIGHTING SMARTER he had over 60 students in gunfights and not a one needed a reload. He said a couple topped off after the fight was over but it didn't change the outcome any...

That said, I do carry a ManBag that has my checkbook wallet, sunglasses case, and a bunch of other small stuff that I don't want stuffed in my pockets or used to be on me when I wore a vest. There is a extra magazine in there.

Bob

The only time it is HABIT,is when schlepping something with a mag disconnect safety...which means S&W 41's.

Hint..................

At least I won’t have to “flee” like you! 😜

Thinking if you can't get the job done in 15 rounds, you damn well better flee.


And I'd like to see those stories of confirmed proper mags failing in a gunfight.

The decision is almost always situational.

I'm sure most of us do a conscious or subconscious threat assessment every time we are heading out the door.

Well put. (Insult would normally go here).

The only time I've ever thought that I might come in 2nd Place,was on Chichagof. Had (5) Brownies in proximity,the furthest being 20yds away. (2) Boars to my left and a Sow and Twins to my right,post Rut(luckily).

I KNEW someone would find the Satin Nickle BHP in my mitts emptied,but really didn't know what the Final Score was gonna read.(grin)

An extry mag(which I had on me at the time),wasn't gonna "help" and I luckily managed to slip away,less pressing the trigger.

Woulda made a nice video.

Hint....................(grin)

Ah the old "Mall Ninja" mentality appears! At this point one of the resident Mall Ninjas will chime in telling us how they always carry three 30 round spare mags for their Glock 26 and practice mag changes using their anus.

I'd never admit to carrying a "manbag" on this site......never.

Hope your lawyer ain't a gentile.