How many Mags is enough

FNG

FNG

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Had some good luck at todays Gun show. I found a guy selling brand new GI pre-ban 30 round mags. As some of you know I just got a new SR-556. The mags were just what I was hoping to find. I picked up 4, but now I question...How many is enough?
 
I have about 20. I'd say that's enough, but if the gun grabbers get their way I may need to gather even more as an investment.
 
Consider that ammo not in magazines is useless if SHTF in your neighborhood, town, city, etc... and buy mags accordingly.
 
FNG said:
Had some good luck at todays Gun show. I found a guy selling brand new GI pre-ban 30 round mags. As some of you know I just got a new SR-556. The mags were just what I was hoping to find. I picked up 4, but now I question...How many is enough?
Click to expand...

Brand new pre-bans? [laugh]

Anyway, I have 50 or so on hand. Not nearly enough.
 
Aluminum USGI STANAG magazines have a shorter service life than many other rifle magazines (especially steel ones). One the feed lips are sufficiently worn or dented, the magazine reliability will be questionable at best.

Stock up as many as you can. 4 will get you started, and keep your eyes peeled for deals. I don't know if we'll ever again see $12-$15 pre-bans, but find a price you are comfortable paying and keep looking.
 
exodious said:
Consider that ammo not in magazines is useless if SHTF in your neighborhood, town, city, etc... and buy mags accordingly.
Click to expand...

This is exactly how I feel too. You can have a pallet full of ammo cans, but if it's not loaded into mags, it won't do you a bit of good in a combat situation, unless you have your whole family trained to load mags for you while you're shooting.[laugh] In reality, though, you should at least have as many mags as you could reasonably carry on a vest, or in a bug-out bag, because unless you are barricaded in your home, having hundreds of mags won't do you much good either.
 
My thought process is at least 10 STANDARD capacity mags per weapon platform (AR).

My boss on the other hand has about 20 standard capacity mags per AR and they are always loaded to 28rnds stored in ammo cans.
 
FNG said:
Had some good luck at todays Gun show. I found a guy selling brand new GI pre-ban 30 round mags. As some of you know I just got a new SR-556. The mags were just what I was hoping to find. I picked up 4, but now I question...How many is enough?
Click to expand...


Too many is not enough.

At a bare minimum, 6. I'd prefer at least 10 though.
 
hy2rogen said:
My thought process is at least 10 STANDARD capacity mags per weapon platform (AR).

My boss on the other hand has about 20 standard capacity mags per AR and they are always loaded to 28rnds stored in ammo cans.
Click to expand...

I've heard others mention "28 rounds" before, but never understood why. I have never had a single issue with any of my pre-ban Colts running the full 30 round capacity. Do some mags have issues with binding, or other feeding issues when fully loaded?
 
LoginName said:
Basic load (7 mags), per firearm at minimum.

After that... there is no such thing as 'too many".
Click to expand...

7 mags is your basic "load out", if you're a bad-ass of Chris Kyle proportions you rock an even ten (yes, I'm in the middle of reading American Sniper[laugh]).

For an AR type rifle I'd say a bare minimum of five, preferably ten. Personally, I only keep a few loaded. Pistol mags? The same for me if it's a full size pistol: minimum of five. Pocket pistol and three or so keeps me happy.
 
Last edited:
Terminator03 said:
I've heard others mention "28 rounds" before, but never understood why. I have never had a single issue with any of my pre-ban Colts running the full 30 round capacity. Do some mags have issues with binding, or other feeding issues when fully loaded?
Click to expand...

Difficult to seat a GI type mag with 30 rounds on a closed bolt.
 
I have 6 "good" pre-ban mags (new springs and MagPul followers) but have 100's of stripper clips, a few strip LuLa's and dozens of spoons and bandoleers...if things look like they're going to go "bad" I can load the ammo and fill a couple hudred strippers in a day.....easy...
 
FNG said:
Had some good luck at todays Gun show. I found a guy selling brand new GI pre-ban 30 round mags. As some of you know I just got a new SR-556. The mags were just what I was hoping to find. I picked up 4, but now I question...How many is enough?
Click to expand...

If you cant count them then you dont have enough
 
1 ten rounder. Ok seriously what are you preparing for in some peoples case it may be a grid down event. If you plan for extensive collapse figure what you would bring with you on a daily scavenge for goods and figure you will lose some of those in firefights periodically. I keep enough to carry and then enough to replace those for a while after that.
 
A full carry load is 7, per mil. So I would try to have 3 x full carry loads available per rifle. So 21. Again, per AR. So if you have three ARs, plan for 63 magazines. Not all have to be loaded at the same time (and I would actively discourage that so you can rotate magazines to help the springs relax.
 
I'm working towards 10 per weapon.

My main rifle is less common (vz58) so I'll be acquiring more once the madness abates. I also keep another 50 stripper clips loaded up to feed my SKS and the vz58, if for some strange reason, loaded mags run out.
 

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