Do you carry a spare magazine?

[DKD]

Hey MUGGSY sounds to me you are an advocate of the New York Reload proceedure.

[deputy tom]

I was trained to carry two reloads on duty and one reload off duty. I still adhere to that idea. If I have a revolver I have a speed strip on my belt. With an auto I have a second mag in a belt pouch. With the auto the extra mag is usually a larger capacity mag than the one in the gun. YMMV. tom.

[martkin64]

I voted no. But it does depend on were I am at. I don't carry an extra mag for everyday carry, but when I go on a long hike or a mountain bike ride in the mountains or hills I like to have an extra mag or two. Not from fear of animals but I have it in my head that if someone was going to rob me it would be out in the middle of nowhere.

[Charlie98]

Normally I don't have one on me if I'm carrying my CW9 on my person, but I have one or two in the truck console. If I don't like where I'm going (unusual for me) I'll drop another mag in my left pocket.

[southsound]

Normally I don't - but Sunday we were at church an I asked my bride if she could give me some cash for a special offering. She responded with a shocked look and said she had left her wallet at home. After a quick trip to an empty classroom, I didn't carry a spare mag but had her S&W Bodyguard 380 in my pocket and my CM9 IWB. Better for me to have two guns than to have to visit her in jail.

[wyntrout]

When I first ordered magazine holders from Tactical Kydex, I got at least one each IWB and OWB for each caliber Kahr. I found the IWB to be uncomfortable and added a vinyl or Kydex flap to keep the magazine off my skin for the OWB holders. I wear my shirts untucked and a magazine isn't too big that it shows on my opposite side... behind my phone case.

I also trimmed the clip off one each extra holder for pocket carry, but I don't like the heavy weight in my shorts, so I only carry a spare OWB, but the largest capacity mag that my pistol will accommodate. The one in the pistol is a flush-fitting base... metal for all but the .45.

I don't want to lose a gunfight for lack of ammo or loss of a magazine... however small the chance of that may be... the need or the lack/loss! I've dropped a loaded Kahr pistol and the magazine base plate came off and everything came out of the tube except the follower. Murphy is your copilot and will do his worst to "help" you!

Wynn

[tucker1]

I carry a extra mag always. If there is a issue it's going to be with the mag usually not the gun just my 2 cents

[RRP]

I'm surprised by the percentage of folks who claim to carry a spare mag. I'm left wondering how frequently/regularly these people practice emergency reloads.

[Barth]

I'm surprised by the percentage of folks who claim to carry a spare mag. I'm left wondering how frequently/regularly these people practice emergency reloads.

I carry two reloads on a belt.
You just drop the mag with the release.
And pop a fresh one in from the belt.

Whats to practice?
Grabbing a fresh mag off my belt, or off the bench at the range,
doesn't make any difference to me.
I cut all the retention crap off my mag pouches and holsters.
So drawing my gun, or reloading, is fast and easy.

I'm not LE, so retention really isn't so much of an issue.

[Longitude Zero]

If you do not carry a secondry and tertiary mag then you have woefully over estimated your ability with the weapon or the calibers effectiveness. Not many turds go down with one, two, or even three shots. Knowledge gained from several personal encounters.

[wyntrout]

You should try reloading your pistol under pressure... or with some urgency. With practice, you develop some "muscle memory" and your hand and fingers help identify and orient your magazine as you drop the empty, grab the fresh reload, and insert it into the pistol. Then you can do the slide lock release... or a hard, fast rack for positive reloading.

Here's an example... I'm only a bit slower than this guy... 3 or 4 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAFxg...yer_detailpage

Wynn

[Barth]

You should try reloading your pistol under pressure... or with some urgency. With practice, you develop some "muscle memory" and your hand and fingers help identify and orient your magazine as you drop the empty, grab the fresh reload, and insert it into the pistol. Then you can do the slide lock release... or a hard, fast rack for positive reloading.

Here's an example... I'm only a bit slower than this guy... 3 or 4 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAFxg...yer_detailpage

Wynn

My HK mags have finger extensions so I can feel that I have them positioned properly to load without looking at them.
Cut off all retention straps on my mag pouches for speed.
Also always have them in the same position in the pouch on my belt for positive loading.
Basically I'm dropping the empty mag with my right hand while
simultaneously grabbing and loading a fresh mag with my left.
Then drop the slide with the right immediately when loaded.
Smooth and fast without taking my eyes off the action.

Thanks for the video, but I'm good...
I can easily reload in ~1 second on a bad day.

BTW Ambi mag and slide releases really do work well

[deputy tom]

I'm surprised by the percentage of folks who claim to carry a spare mag. I'm left wondering how frequently/regularly these people practice emergency reloads.

I do every range trip. tom.

[Longitude Zero]

I even practice running the weapon, reloading and whatever I need to do with one hand disabled. First my dominant hand and my non-dominant hand. When you do that you will really learn about your kit and choices you have made ie. where you wear your holster, spare mags, choice of belt etc.

[AdamSean]

2 reasons to carry extra magazines. 1 is that if you are in a situation where there are multiple attackers, you may need it. 2 is that one magazine may fail and you need another fast.

I understand the odds are high that you will not need extra ammo, but in the case of staying alive, it is best to play the "what if" game. Most instructors will recommend carrying a spare magazine if not 2.