Magazines - How many do you really need?

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Skans

Active member
So, you buy a semi-automatic rifle or pistol. It comes with a couple of magazines. How many "spare" magazines do you really need per gun? I am not suggesting that people should be legally restricted to some number of magazines - that's not where I want to head with this discussion.

For example, if I purchase an EAA Witness Match 9mm with a couple of 19 round magazines, how many more will I really need for the life of the gun? Do magazines really tend to wear out faster than say: firing pin, recoil spring, slide stop etc?

What about for competition - how many magazines do you typically use in one handgun competition? Rifle competition?
 
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Ben Towe

New member
Depends on how much loading you want to do at the range. It's nice to load a bunch of mags at home and spend range time shooting rather than loading.
 
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Destructo6

New member
6.

That's how many I was issued for my service pistol and needed for qualification. No less than 3 are carried on duty.

5 for USPSA.

Being as magazines are the major cause of malfunctions, particularly in ARs, I consider them to be somewhat disposeable.
 
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geetarman

New member
I usually have several magazines. For the M1A and LR308, I have 10.

I usually have 4 or more for the handguns. That means if you have several 1911 style, you could end up with a lot of money in magazines.

It is nice to take enough so that you can shoot more and load less.

Lately, I have bought more large magazines for my Glocks. You never know where this is all going.
 
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evilleprichaun

New member
I like to have about 4 or 5 when I go to the range. And if I bring multiple guns I dont have to spend much or any range time at all loading magazines, I can do that at home.
 
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carguychris

New member
Depends on how much loading you want to do at the range. It's nice to load a bunch of mags at home and spend range time shooting rather than loading.
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It's nice until you leave an expensive mag at the range and it disappears. :mad:

The optimal number for me is 5 per pistol: 1 loaded with SD ammo, 4 in the range and practice rotation. I have a system to periodically change the SD mag so my mags will all wear evenly. For the couple of pistols in my safe that serve purely as range toys, 4 will do.
 
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spanishjames

New member
I like to have three minimum per gun. I'm thrifty, so I load at the range to save ammo. Even if a mag holds 16 rounds of 9mm, I load only 10, and do that five times. It's fun to practice inserting the mag, drop the slide release, decock, etc.. Now 22lr is a different story, I still load at the range, but don't mind shooting a lot of it.
 
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MLeake

New member
Our local range where our IDPA club meets has three bays; we typically run two rounds in each bay, so that is six stages per match. Each stage may require up to three magazines, so...

If I want to load beforehand, and not have to load during a match, that would potentially mean 19 magazines (18 for 6 stages x 3, plus a "Barney mag" for topping to 8+1 in CDP or SSP if I run a P7; my CZ does not need Barney's to get 10+1, so I would need 18 if using it).

I usually bring 10 (3 x 3 plus 1 Barney, or 9 if using the CZ) and reload between stages while the ROs move their targets around for their next scenario. At my old club, we would help with that, but at this one they like to surprise us.
 
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Glenn E. Meyer

New member
Separate from gun control concerns - I go with Mleake's theory of easy match preparation. Same with speed loaders for my revolvers.

I have enough for two mags per stage and reload a couple for extras if needed. I also have one for a download stage. Same with carbine.
 
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BarryLee

New member
I pay per hour for range time, so for me having six or seven magazines makes sense. I can load everything up at home and spend my range time shooting.
 
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rickyrick

New member
I can see the need for more for competitions and ranges.

I have to drag all of my stuff through 300+ yards of dense mesquite to get to my shooting spot so I take one mag per gun that I intend to shoot. Targets, tables and all the stuff gets humped in and out, so I trim the fat wherever possible.
 
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MLeake

New member
For carry guns, I always have at least one spare - see "stoppage clearing."

I prefer to have at least three, as I find that a dual mag carrier on the weakside nicely balances the gun on my strongside.

Add in spares, and even without competition an argument can be made for half a dozen or more.
 
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RamItOne

New member
My M&P9 came w/ 2 17rnd mags, with the talk of mag restrictions I went to Smiths site to purchase two 30rnd pmags for my AR and then also decided to get one more 17rnd mag for my M&P9, had i not ordered the AR mags I prolly wouldnt have ordered the pistol mag. I have three mags for may P99QA (had two but couldnt find one so i bought one and then of course found the other one inside a month) I primarily use the original mag (since for a time I only had that one) and it has over 5k through it, it does feel "different" than the other two mags w/ much less use. The follower seems to pivot more, dont see any issue w/ the feed lips.
 
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Yung.gunr

New member
I like as many as I can get good deals on.

I like to load my mags at home and with centerfire I only take the loaded mags. When I run out of centerfire then I switch to .22. The only extra ammo I take with me is .22 so I can shoot longer.

I just shoot at the range and have my CCW, I carry the one mag for the CCW.
 
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Tom Servo

Staff
I usually have at least five per gun, sometimes more.

My main concern is future availability should I need them. Not from a legal standpoint, but from a "holy cow, they discontinued that model and magazines are $200 on eBay!" standpoint. Been there.
 
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