How many magazines?

Per gun, how many magazines should/would you have?

  • 1 is enough

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • 2 is better

    Votes: 3 2.6%
  • 4 per gun

    Votes: 32 27.6%
  • as many as I can buy

    Votes: 80 69.0%

  • Total voters
    116
I've lost count of how many AR mags I have. I suppose I should take inventory and see if I want to order any more now, or wait a while. I did get a 10 pack of the PMAG 300 Blackout (30 rounds since I'm not in a nanny state) within the past couple of months. I can see ordering another 10 pack of regular 5.56 mags in the next month or two. I do need to get more AR10 mags. I'm "OK" on pistol mags, at the moment at least. I won't say I have "enough" of them though.

The last 10 pack of 5.56 PMAGs I got, I split with someone from work. I helped him put together his first AR (he bought a complete upper, I put the parts in the stripped lower he bought from a local gun store). Since he also lives in NH, getting the 30 round PMAGs (gen3 IIRC) was no problem.

I need to check pricing on the 40 round PMAGs.
 
This thread reminds me, after building 3 more ARs, I need to buy PMAG bulk pack(s) from Larry. No need for windows on your AR mags, just something else that can break.
 
When I was preparing for life on the road I realized its the ammo that is the "problem" due to its weight. I decided "down sizing" for me was to try as best you can to consolidate calibers. I managed to get it down to 4.
.380, .40, 9 and 5.56
I think if I was to start over I would only keep 9 and 5.56 and have more rounds of each.
 
I make it a point to own 5 per firearm. That means my G17, 19 and 26 have 5 each, but all 3 can fire the g17 mags. 3 AR's, all with 5 mags each, so 15 total. VP9 6 mags and so on for each firearm. Except the tube fed.
 
Wow, I guess a pocket full of cartridges is under equipped, huh? [rofl]


Then again, I only have a few guns that even take magazines. I used to have a ton of clips, but got rid of the guns that took those (SKS, Garand). I'd lose clips easier than magazines, so I always made sure to have more of those, the mags are harder to lose so I don't worry about running out of them as much.
 
Wow, I guess a pocket full of cartridges is under equipped, huh? [rofl]


Then again, I only have a few guns that even take magazines. I used to have a ton of clips, but got rid of the guns that took those (SKS, Garand). I'd lose clips easier than magazines, so I always made sure to have more of those, the mags are harder to lose so I don't worry about running out of them as much.
It's really all about what you're looking to do, right?

Plinking or self-defense? One or two is probably enough; you can always buy more when they wear out/are on sale.

But if you're gonna be a Wolverine, you'll wanna be prepared.
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It's really all about what you're looking to do, right?
Plinking or self-defense? One or two is probably enough; you can always buy more when they wear out/are on sale.
But if you're gonna be a Wolverine, you'll wanna be prepared.
the suggested basic combat load is actually same in most armies of the world - surprise surprise - and it is 210 rounds, which goes into 7 standard loaded mags - one in the rifle, 6 on the body. that, ideally, should be the count of mags.
i find 3+3 on the belt to be an overkill, and fine with 2 + 2, so it equates into 5 standard battle ready 30rd mags - times as many rifles as you expect to deploy simultaneously.

for plinking it is much easier to deal with 10rd mags, which are not needed in excessive volumes for rifles, so, a couple of those does it for me when i want to swap and try different kinds of ammo. plus, it is easier to shoot from the table with a 10rd one. same for bolt rifles - a couple of 10rd ones.

for handguns i just prefer to use mag pocket case carriers - one such case fits 10 mags, so, per each type of a gun it goes 10 mags each.
i consolidated all glocks into g17 bodies, so, 10 mags for glocks, 10 for CZ, etc. hate to reload those at the range, so, it works well enough with 10.
 
I have at least four magazines for every gun I own.

Except the .22LR conversion on my 1911. I want to buy more but they're stupid expensive for what they are and I refuse to pay $25 for one.
 
For something that is a range toy and mags are available everywhere, 3 is fine.

For any pistol carried for self defense, 9. 3 for training, 3 for carry and 3 for rotating with your carry ones after you shoot off the ammo you have been carrying for a few months. Assuming you carry one mag in the pistol and two spares.

For rifles that may be used in self defense, how many reloads would you feel comfortable with if a fight happened, how many do you have the gear to carry, then use the same math as the pistol, so if it is 1 in the rifle and 6 in a chest rig, then 21 would be a good number.

You can always go higher, but that is the minimum I feel ok with. And for things that I need prebans for, I will buy all I can afford if I see a reasonable price and use the state compliant for training.
 
Keep in mind that if these MF’s can’t get the guns right away they will come after the mags in the in-between.

Stack em deep. There will come a day that they may actually be needed to pass out to your small crew of resistance fighters and/or will be worth their weight in gold on the Black Market trading for water, food, ammo, batteries, etc.

At this point in time everybody should be like Golum drooling over any mags they can get.

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No need for windows on your AR mags, just something else that can break.
This reminds me of another good point.
Magazines are likely to reach the end of their service life long before the firearm does.
Having plenty of spare magazines means more in reserve when the primaries break or start to malfunction.

The more pre filled magazines you bring to the range, means more time shooting and less time filling magazines.
 
This reminds me of another good point.
Magazines are likely to reach the end of their service life long before the firearm does.
Having plenty of spare magazines means more in reserve when the primaries break or start to malfunction.

The more pre filled magazines you bring to the range, means more time shooting and less time filling magazines.
B-b-b-but then your barrel gets hot and your groups open up.!
 
Um...dibs? Doesn’t look like anyone called it yet, so...
well I have a bunch of 30 round prebans I could be tempted to part with (so long as I can charge you a crazy price AND replace them with something newer that we in free states can still own)
 
I went overboard on Mags like I did with ammo, like Greg said they are cheap enough to not notice just boxing them up and putting them in a closet. I got more Mags still in the wrapper than I do in service
 
well I have a bunch of 30 round prebans I could be tempted to part with (so long as I can charge you a crazy price AND replace them with something newer that we in free states can still own)
Tell me how many you have. I'll order you that many + 15% PMAGS , and pay for shipping to Boston once you've received your replacements.
 
well I have a bunch of 30 round prebans I could be tempted to part with (so long as I can charge you a crazy price AND replace them with something newer that we in free states can still own)

PM me if serious...it was a serious dibs. I’m not willing to pay Reptile pricing, but I’m familiar with the basic laws of economics... a short while ago, a friend shipped me a bunch of pre-ban magazines from out of State after he replaced them with P-Mags... I helped sell them for him at no-so-rapey pricing. I believe in treating others fairly. 👍
 
Was just thinking back... @mclina once posted he wanted enough mags to make a wall to hide behind, or something similar. Maybe he'll stop by and refresh my memory...
That sounds like something I may have said when I moved from MA to NH. Back when PSA regularly had AR mags for $6 each and I was buying them like candy.
 
If it just the two of you, 5 per person in use for range time plus two brand new in storage at all times. If you do any sort of competition (IDPA, USPSA, GSSF) or formal training classes, 7 per person in use.
 
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