For Citizens who carry daily - Carry Extra Mags or a Rifle/ammo in your vehicle?

[Len-2A Training]

WRT Carrying extra mags:

Short story: In between defensive handgun courses, I bought some additional mags for a backup gun for the course, a Walther P99 in .40S&W. I went to the range to run each of the now 5 mags. On mag 2, I hear "ping" after shooting a few rounds. I look down and the entire guts and 8 rds are on the bench and ground! I load another mag, same thing. Bottom line, talking with S&W Tech Supt I learn that Walther .40 mags had a bad batch of plastic used by a sub-contractor in making baseplates and the ears shear off unexpectedly . . . leaving you with a single-shot throwing object. Eventually all 5 mags failed and replacement baseplates did too (S&W explained that there were NO distinguishing marks on the baseplates to help ID good from bad). They did say that the S&W marked baseplates were fine and that is what that gun now sports.

So for those that carry only the mag in the gun, I say "G_d Bless and I hope you never suffer a mag failure when you really, truly need it to work"!

 

[italianppf2]

I carry my G19 these days w/spare mag on the belt in a horizontal mag holder. This keeps the spare mag from jabbing me in the side, etc. The horizontal positioning also allows it to disappear. Here's the link to the mag holder... http://www.onesourcetactical.com/joabhorizontalmagazinepouch.aspx

And some photos of my G26 setup... same as my G19 setup.

What I see when I look down at my belt...

Some close ups...

And a frontal mirror image shot...

Everyone who doesn't carry a spare mag for your self-defense pistol... please do... I shoot IDPA and have put around 10,000+ rounds through my Glock 34 over the past couple of years... and I've personally seen and experienced enough equipment and "environmental" malfunctions during competition under pressure (double feeds, failure to feeds, unseated mags, mags coming unseated during course of fire, etc due to environmental factors like bumping your gun against doors/barriers while using them for cover etc) that there's no way I'd feel comfortable only carrying the one magazine in my gun for self defense. The odds that you will have a malfunction is just too high, no matter what brand/model pistol you're shooting.

Example: It's SHTF for whatever reason... you draw your carry gun and start to side step to give the bad guy a moving target that is harder to hit. You have the bad guy in your sights and you squeeze off your first shot... still side-stepping you go to squeeze off your second shot... pull the trigger... and... "click". What happened? As you're still side-stepping... you look down at your gun and the slide is closed (maybe chambered? Maybe not)... still side-stepping you tap and rack... Oh shit... there's no mag in the gun. And now you've also just confirmed that there's no round in the chamber either. You're still side-stepping... you look down at the ground and you see your magazine lying on the street 6 feet away to your left and getting further away. You don't have a spare mag. And now you're dead.

Either your magazine was never fully seated and dropped after your first shot (I've seen this happen in competition too many times) or something depressed the mag release earlier in the day/week/month and you never noticed...

Now... regardless of how diligently you check and recheck your carry gun... something unforeseen and out of your control could very well cause a malfunction when you need your gun to go bang. Murphy's Law.

So carry a damn spare mag, will ya.

I like that set up, very nice.

 

[william_munny]

Permit loss via getting made is a lot rarer than it's made out to be, but I wouldn't risk it if you wanted to continue living in this state with a functioning LTC. You wouldn't lose much if you were willing to dump MA residency. Remember, revocation via "unsuitable person" is an administrative process more than anything else.

You won't get made in MA anyways unless you blow concealment completely. As in like, there is none. The sheep in MA are pretty oblivious.

-Mike

The sheep in MA are VERY oblivious. Before I had a Crossbreed, I carried my full size USP in an OWB holster. It looked like I had a cinder block on my belt for a year, and no one ever said a thing.

ETA: Don't take this the wrong way. I'm not proud.

 

[william_munny]

jesus was a 5%er

Jesus was an architect previous to his career as a prophet.

Actually, Jesus is a gamer.

 

[MassMark]

Another thread I should not have read...I need a hobby...

 

[TheRoland]

So, back on topic, I carry a second and sometimes third magazine in a pocket. I want the extra rounds since I'm carrying a single-stack .45. This leaves me with 7+1 and either 7 or 8 per reload. It's slow from a pocket; my slide-lock-reload from a pocket is up around 3 or 4 seconds, but that doesn't bother me that much. I may invest in an IWB pouch eventually.

Magazines are a major failure point, even in modern, otherwise reliable guns.

 

[TheRoland]

3-4 seconds is not acceptable. train harder, dude.

While rummaging around in a pocket for the magazine? That's a two-second reload with two seconds of pocket grabbing. I'm pretty OK with that most of the time.

EDIT: Although, when I write that, it does seem pretty ridiculous to double the reload time just to avoid wearing a pouch.

 

[TheRoland]

or reconfigure your pocket mag carry. not trying to be a dick, just trying to help you out. 3-4 seconds is a long, long time when shooting. maybe cargo pants?

No, I agree. See edit. I guess I've never tried to justify it to anyone before, and usually I'm the one telling people their equipment is costing them time.

Time to grab a:

 

[TheRoland]

Saw it. Good deal, man.

I think, to an extent, this has to do with the mindset one approaches the reload with. The first gun I carried for any length of time was a 5-shot snubbie, with a reload that took approximately two weeks. In parallel, I got my competition gun reloading from slidelock right around 2 seconds shot-to-shot. When I changed out the carry to a semi-automatic, I chose the par time of two weeks rather than 2 seconds to compare to.

My draw from an IWB holster isn't any slower than from OWB with a shoot-me-first vest. I'm now curious if reloading from an IWB pouch will be similar. Sort-of on topic: does anyone else use an IWB-style magazine pouch?

 

[Squished]

Sig P239, 8+1. I also carry a pocket full of .30-06 to throw at people if I run out on my Sig.

 

[NavelOfficer]

When I had a car I usually kept an extra pistol mag in there somewhere, plus one or two on my person, and a coach gun in a locked box in the trunk with a bunch of buckshot, plus extra pistol and rifle ammo/magazines in that same box.

You and me both... my clunker (a $300 Plymouth Reliant) went up in flames a few weeks back on I95 in Milford, CT. I did pull my three handguns and ammo (just coming back from a match) before abandoning the thing to the fire gods.
Several .308 rounds were still in the ashtray, but they were unscathed, even though parts of the dash were melted.
Darn shame though...the anti-theft treatments (chain and padlock and removal of interior hood release) kept me from getting the hood open before the fire (seemingly electrical) made it inaccessible!

 

[Sully]

What I see when I look down at my belt...

Any reason you carry the 9 round G26 mags with the pinky extension over a hi-cap G19 or G17 mag, at least for a backup? Aren't they the same size, or at least close? Sorry if I'm misunderstood, I don't have a G26 obviously.

 

[Underwhere]

Any reason you carry the 9 round G26 mags with the pinky extension over a hi-cap G19 or G17 mag, at least for a backup? Aren't they the same size, or at least close? Sorry if I'm misunderstood, I don't have a G26 obviously.

The G26 uses 10 rounds mags.
I carry a spare G26 mag due to size.

Round count isn't that important to me. Having a backup mag is.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

So I just have no clue why someone would carry a double-action revolver with the hammer on an empty chamber

In the old days, you were supposed to put a $20 in the empty chamber to cover your burial costs.

The admonishment "carry on an empty chamber" persisted in some gun manuals (including the one supplied with the Colt Python in the old days) well beyond the time it was technologically relevant - probably because nobody would sign off on removing a "safety warning".

 

[ochmude]

I'm not a .mil guy, but I think some of them do. Feel free to Scriv me if I'm wrong.

If there are any that do, I've never seen it. I have spoken to Marine PMOs, Army MPs, Air Force SF, and DoD police, and everyone has told me that their SOP required condition 3 carry. I cannot tell you whether or not those were just base orders or if it is an agency-wide policy, but it's been the same policy at every base I've been on. Actually, I have heard that VA police are required to be in condition 3 as well. I can also tell you that it's extremely common for military personnel acting as armed guards to be required to be in condition 4 or even not be issued ammo at all. I personally spent a few evenings at a civilian pier on the big island of Hawaii "guarding" howitzers with an M9 with 3 empty magazines. Our cannons were transported to the big island from Oahu by boat ahead of all the personnel, so they were sitting in an ungated and unsecured pier for 4 days with a detail of Marines. We were issued one pistol for all of us to share, 3 magazines, zero rounds, and were told to use our cellphones to call 911 if anything happened.

 

[mogarbage]

And a frontal mirror image shot...

hanwei, is that belt thick? it almost seems like it's doubled on itself the entire length?
also, do you have a photo showing the pistol side while worn?

 

[garandman]

When I had a car I usually kept an extra pistol mag in there somewhere, plus one or two on my person, and a coach gun in a locked box in the trunk with a bunch of buckshot, plus extra pistol and rifle ammo/magazines in that same box.

Damn, and I thought I lived in a bad neighborhood....

 

[Cato]

This inexpensive holster carries a magazine attached to it. Can be worn inside or outside of pants. Leave the magazine in the holster and it takes no additional effort to bring it along.

Link

 

[Jose]

This inexpensive holster carries a magazine attached to it. Can be worn inside or outside of pants. Leave the magazine in the holster and it takes no additional effort to bring it along.

Link

Sooooooo, have you ever tried to reload a semi auto when the magazine is carried on the same side as the gun?

Seriously, you can't make some of this shit up.

Let me give you a clue, that holster and mag carrier setup is a piece of shit that does not conceal worth a damn, has zero retention, does not hold its shape when empty (dangerous to reholster a loaded weapon when carried IWB), and can be found for $5 at your local gunshow.

This is a real holster:

 

[44marty]

OK - To satisfy your curiosity:
I carry a revolver (442), loaded of course, and two speed loaders.

 

[TheRoland]

Sooooooo, have you ever tried to reload a semi auto when the magazine is carried on the same side as the gun?

This. I thought I was in no position to throw stones when reloading from my pocket, but I could go faster than that.

 

[Hanwei]

Any reason you carry the 9 round G26 mags with the pinky extension over a hi-cap G19 or G17 mag, at least for a backup? Aren't they the same size, or at least close? Sorry if I'm misunderstood, I don't have a G26 obviously.

I rarely carry the 26 anymore... I now carry a 19 with a spare 15rnd mag. I suppose I could carry a spare 15rounder if I'm carrying the 26... but like my brother said... carrying a spare mag, for me, is more about being prepared for a malfunction than it is about carrying the max amount of ammo on my body.

hanwei, is that belt thick? it almost seems like it's doubled on itself the entire length?
also, do you have a photo showing the pistol side while worn?

Is it thick?... I guess It's thicker than a casual belt... but no thicker than a leather gun belt. It's only doubled on itself in front from the buckle to the beginning of the holster. It's not abnormally thick by any means. It's definitely no thicker than any of the other gun belts out there.

I don't have pics of the pistol side while worn... but I have other photos of the gun/holster combo if that's what you're looking for?

 

[Jose]

Not only am I shocked by the number of people who do not carry a vital spare part for their pistol (a magazine), I am shocked at the number of people who haphazardly stick a mag in a pocket and don't think through the issues involved with that.

I want to challenge everyone who carries a magazine in anything but an OWB mag holder to go to an IDPA match and try reloading on the clock.

Let me know how it works out.

 

[TheRoland]

I want to challenge everyone who carries a magazine in anything but an OWB mag holder to go to an IDPA match and try reloading on the clock.

Let me know how it works out.

I took CDP champion for the match.

But your point is a good one.

 

[Jose]

I took CDP champion for the match.

Reloading from a pocket? If so, was it a class of one or were the other CDP shooters n00bs?

 

[TheRoland]

Reloading from a pocket? If so, was it a class of one or were the other CDP shooters n00bs?

The latter, but it was my first IDPA victory of any sort, so I leave that out when I tell the story.

 

[meth0d]

Sooooooo, have you ever tried to reload a semi auto when the magazine is carried on the same side as the gun?

Seriously, you can't make some of this shit up.

Let me give you a clue, that holster and mag carrier setup is a piece of shit that does not conceal worth a damn, has zero retention, does not hold its shape when empty (dangerous to reholster a loaded weapon when carried IWB), and can be found for $5 at your local gunshow.

This is a real holster:

Correct on all counts! I had one for a G29 to hold me over while waiting for a quality holster to arrive. IWB put the mag BELOW my belt line, so not only was it on the wrong side, but I'd have to loosen my belt to go digging around for the mag. The top collapsed when the pistol was drawn, so reholstering required fully removing it from IWB before putting the gun back in. It was snug for about a week, but offered no retention, and it only used 1 clip to attach so all it's weight was centralized on one spot on the belt.

 

[Jose]

The latter, but it was my first IDPA victory of any sort, so I leave that out when I tell the story.

Hey, you take em any way you can.

 

[Underwhere]

Not only am I shocked by the number of people who do not carry a vital spare part for their pistol (a magazine), I am shocked at the number of people who haphazardly stick a mag in a pocket and don't think through the issues involved with that.

I want to challenge everyone who carries a magazine in anything but an OWB mag holder to go to an IDPA match and try reloading on the clock.

Let me know how it works out.

Your clothing makes a big difference.
I work (in a 3D office with 3D people) and so wearing a magazine on my belt with a shirt tucked in isn't possible. So you do what you can and sneak a mag in your pocket. It's better than nothing and yes you can reload from a pocket. I've reloaded from a pocket in a match. I've even reloaded strong hand only in a match. It's not ideal but neither is carrying a sub-compact gun next to your weenis.

 

[TheRoland]

Hey, you take em any way you can.

I actually felt a little cheated at the time. I spent how much on competition stuff, and my first win is with a compact gun, my carry rig and pockets?