Carrying extra magazines

[1-DAB]

we've discussed the pros and cons of carrying extra magazines on our belts.

what about stashing spares in your vehicle. say you are out and have to shoot, and run out or run low. would you like to have some reloads back in your vehicle?

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Sure, it is good to have extra in the car. However, is that useful in a critical incident where you are not in your car?

If I see a hidden meaning, it's go to the car for reloads? Huh - if you can get into your car, drive away.

I do carry extra, so if I run out - then latter in the day I can replenish. Carry what is reasonable to fight with.

[shafter]

While I don't think it hurts to have extra ammo in the vehicle, I think it's more useful for impromptu trips to the range with the carry gun, or scenarios that we don't discuss here, than reloads after an incident. If in a shooting I probably won't be going back to my vehicle until after the police are finished questioning me.

[Sharkbite]

I keep spare mags and ammo in my Yukon's rear storage compartment. Its not for emergency reloads. It in case i get stuck someplace again and want more ammo.

I worked in LA during the Rodney King riots and some extra ammo and mags were a comforting addition in those days.

Any civil unrest, natural disaster or whatever has me stuck away from home, makes having a cpl more mags a nice option.

[kilimanjaro]

I think it's an obvious choice, just like carrying a few bottles of water and a blanket. All it costs you is the price of the magazines and the shells in them.

I'm a revolver person right now, but there's a full box of .38 Spl in the truckster.

[Brit]

Well I have 100 rounds of NATO 9mm, in the back of the Jeep? Just to have.

But my Glock 19 has 16 rounds of 147g Ranger T, none Plus+. And a spare Glock17 mag next to my Surefire light, also on my belt. 33 rounds total.

The spare mag is a bit redundant, never had a malfunction! But, handy to have.

[Model12Win]

I would love to carry some spare magazines for my PM in my car, but since I work on a military base every once and I will you'll get pulled to the side of the road at the gate and the vehicle will be searched.

I do know that if you have any firearm in the vehicle, or on your person, and it isn't registered on base (a lengthy and cumbersome process that involves commander signature) then you are in for it.

I'm not sure about extra magazines, but I'd imagine they'd be asking questions hard if they spotted them during a search.

[kozak6]

Spare jacket? Sure. Jug of water? Sure. Flashlight or two? Of course. Magazines or ammo? I guess it doesn't hurt, but I don't really think I'd find them useful.

In an emergency situation, I think the gas pedal would probably be a better option.

[TailGator]

If I see a hidden meaning, it's go to the car for reloads? Huh - if you can get into your car, drive away.

That was my first thought, and I don't carry spare ammo in my car. My next thought, though, which for some reason I hadn't entertained before, was that if my wife was pinned down somewhere and professionals hadn't arrived, I would be willing to reload and go back in, and not at all willing to drive away.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Got to watch that. We had a discussion here years ago where an officer reported that a hubby was running inside to save the wife and the arriving law almost shot him.

There's no answer that is correct but be aware that entering is risky.

On the other hand, armed folks did enter the Kenyan mall scene and helped out when the Kenyan forces were in terrible disarray.

[T. O'Heir]

"...have to shoot, and run out or run low...if my wife was pinned down somewhere and..." You've made a very serious tactical error somewhere. CCW is supposed to be for self defence, not getting into fire fights with an inadequate tool.
If you can get to your vehicle, why are you planning on playing around any further with a hand gun?

[Sequins]

I'd keep a rifle in my car if I planned to keep fighting. I'd carry the spare mags on my person.

[TimSr]

I normally don't carry reloads for day to day activities, but I keep them in my vehicle. Not because I'm expecting to run back to my vehicle for a reload, but so they are available if I end up having to exit the vehicle somewhere where carrying a reload would be prudent.

[TailGator]

Yup, Dr. Meyer, lots to think about, and seldom a completely risk-free alternative. Re-entering would certainly have to be done with caution, for the reason you cited and because one would have no way of knowing how the situation had changed in the minutes one was gone, what the new positions of gunman and innocents were, whether hostages had been taken, and so on. It would be a tough spot, but I am one who would dismiss the idea of driving away if my wife was in mortal danger.

[FireForged]

I am not a proponent of off body carry of firearms or mags. If you don't have it with you, its probably not likely to be of much use. Sustained firefights are very very uncommon. Most conflicts are 10 second events

[Glenn E. Meyer]

So what if you are not in 'most' conflicts?

Old debate of the single mugger incident vs. some intense horror show. It's a yawn on Internet forums.

Do you have the equipment for a more intense but rarer incident. If you go by stats most DGUs have no shots fired and you don't even need ammo by this constant statistical naivety.

[Neal_G.]

So what if you are not in 'most' conflicts?

Thus the dark, and silly, mental spiral that leads grown men to feel un-prepared to go about their hum-drum, ultra low risk lives unless their carrying multiple guns, extra magazines, knives, as well as backups in their vehicle... This kind of thinking makes gun store owners very happy.

Extra ammo in the car, while unnecessary, is harmless and cheap so go for it if it floats your boat. Just remember to hit the pause on any extended firefight scenario fantasies you dream up to use as an actual rational for doing it. You would be far more sensible not worrying about this, and instead installing a roll cage in your car, seeing how much more likely you are to be involved in a major accident, vs. an actual gunfight of any kind...

[Brit]

If you examine lots of shootings, by Police, By non Police? You will most likely find one. or more, where quite a few rounds were required.

I always carry 16 9mm in my Glock 19, and a spare mag with 17 more, plus a Surefire flashlight. And we all have a folding knife.

These items fit easily on my belt, get carried every day. What earthly reason do you find for not having extra rounds? They are too heavy? Your friends will say it is silly, you are paranoid?

And my gun goes bang always!

[TailGator]

Being prepared only for the "average" encounter means that you are prepared only for the center of the bell curve, and you are unprepared for the almost half of encounters above the center. Realizing that is not and does not necessitate descending into a "dark spiral" and is not silly; on the contrary, it is silly to regard an average as a limit.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Tailgator, that assume a normal or at least symmetrical distribution. That's an empirical question and we really don't have a good handle on shots fired in DGUs. However, your point is well taken and correct (except for a stat guy quibble ).

Neal - I'm sorry but you show ignorance of statistical decision making. There is no necessity to go the extremes of Tactical Timmy. As said quite a few times, one decides not to act at a measure of central tendency but for a reasonable cut off in the tail of incident intensity. From good ol' null hypothesis testing, you can decided your statistical power and Type I error cut offs (.01, ,05, etc.)

Most experts in civilian usage have discussed this and a reasonable cut off is that a quality semi pistol and one or two mags is not that hard to carry and probably gives you enough rounds for the 'typical' intense incident. At Orlando or Mumbai - a Glock (or similar) and a mag or two might get your through the day. At the Kenya mall, the handgun armed civilians realized that they didn't have an extra mag and needed one. The police officer, off duty, who intervened in a mall shooting (duh-mind fails - someone fill in) had only the rounds in his gun and regretted that.

It is silly to think that one cannot make reasonable decision levels of risk without going off the deep end.

Remember, modal figures of DGUs say you need no ammo.

If you want a bug - why not. Three muggers and your J frame - go for it.

[JERRYS.]

an extra magazine is easily carried in a pocket along with a cell phone, or keys, or whatever else you load yourself down with. if not a spare magazine, at least a second gun then.

[FireForged]

When I say "most" I mean the same thing as "average", "expected" or "envisioned". If I happen to find myself in a situation that is outside those boundaries, I will do the best I can. By comparison- I do NOT have a 8 point roll cage in my daily driver and I do not wear a nascar helmet as I drive down the freeway. I am not trying to prepare myself for every conceivable circumstance, I do not consider it practical or realistic.

Statistical data is a large part of profiling and risk assessment. Although a criminal attack launched against me may not be considered "average", there is however a statistical average in regards to common violent criminal behavior. I have formed my self defense initiatives around the common model. Sometimes you may just have to "wing it" and that is where training, knowledge and experience comes into play.

We cant prepare for everything and I wont try. My basic intent is to allow myself a good chance to mitigate "most" problems.

[Lohman446]

While I do carry reloads from time to time I do not have the skill to likely employ them against competent and determined attackers. My best hope for ending a conflict is frankly an attacker who is not determined and ceases aggressive action when resisted. My next hope is the attacker, when shot, loses determination and stops. If I go through 5-11 rounds (depending on firearm). and my attacker does not stop while I hope my reload helps me I am already past a point that I am hopeful to get through based on my abilities.

[rightside]

No extra mags here. I try to carry a double stack magazine weapon that is still concealable. Right now it's Taurus PT111 G2. Small enough for the back pants pocket, yet has 12 rounds of fire power. Please, I'm not interested in opinions on my choice of weapons. Done heard it! I'd rather have my Beretta 92, but it's a little large for me to conceal.

[FireForged]

When I carry an extra mag I do so not for the round count but for speedy recovery from a magazine related problem.