One should have a lot of spare magazines. Why? Because sitting at a table full of magazines, loading them up while watching
Last Man Standing is just so freakin' cool!
Having spare mags (beyond the semi-obligatory 1 spare) is a matter of your taste, the gun, its expected use, and availability.
Also, there is the matter of, if you are not using the most common mil-spec duty autopistols.
How many spares for that WWII Mauser HSc .32? I am still looking for one, that works. Have sent two back already, one that would not feed, and one that wouldn't even fully enter the mag well!
Had a basket of GI 1911 mags, found 8 that wouldn't drop free from my gun when empty....
How many spare mags for that Luger?
are there ANY mags for a 1919 Savege .32acp?
How about mags for anything other than current production guns? And the costs.....
Magazines do wear out. Springs are normally the first thing, but enough use and you get wear at the mag catch notch, feed lips, follower, maybe dings and dents in the body if you play rough (combat style) with your mags.
The semiauto pistol is a mechanism for launching bullets, combined with a mechanism for storing and getting ammo into firing position, all fitted with a handle you can hang on to. Magazines are the most vulnerable part of the gun, being both lightly constructed, and detatchable.
Having multiple spare mags is like having an extra gas tank, in that if you don't use it, its there for reserve, or you can run on both for extended range.
When it comes to long shelf life storage things like ammo and mags, the only way you can have too many is when your storage areas crowd out your living space, you have to reinforce the floor, the kids go hungry, and they shut off your lights.
Because reality is, that there is a real possibility of not being able to get more, when and as you want it. So, if it comes to pass you want/need more, and you can't get it (for any of a thousand reasons) you either do without, or take some out of storage.
