Poll - How many rounds?

[The Annoyed Man]

Under the principle that 1 is 0, and 2 is 1, I always carry at least one spare magazine. So the number of rounds depends on what gun I’m carrying.

With my G43, I carry 1 extra round with a +2 extender.

With my G26, I always carry 2 extra mags with +2 pinkey extenders, and the one in the gun also has a +2 extender.

With my G19, I carry 1 or 2 spares, depending on how I feel.

With my G17, I’m set up to carry 4 backups, and all 5 mags have +2 extenders.......but that’s my “I’m expecting trouble and may need to fight my way to my AR” gun. But the truth is that I rarely carry that gun anymore, and when I do, I almost never carry more than one spare mag.

But the point of all that is that some of the most common kinds of mechanical failures in semiauto pistols are magazine related. If the malfunction won’t clear, the fastest way to fix the problem is to drop the mag and insert a fresh one. But despite having all those spare mags, I don’t actually expect to need that many rounds. However, one of the things I’ve learned here, and from other friends of mine who have seen the elephant and exchanged fire with him, there’s no such thing as too much ammo unless you’re swimming for your life. My daily carry routine, about 95% of the time, alternates between the G43 and one backup mag, or the G26 and two backup mags.

[bobby]

Shield 9mm 10 in pistol and 20 extra in 2 spare mags total of 30
1911a1 45acp 8 in pistol and 14 in 2 extra mags total of 22

Do you have magguts in your mags?

yes I do and they work great!

Untitled by bobbyjmestepey, on Flickr

[Lynyrd]

The result that I find most interesting is that almost everyone carries one reload with them most of the time. There were a few exceptions that carry two and a few with no reloads, but the majority is overwhelmingly whatever the weapon capacity is plus one spare magazine.

This seems reasonable to me and is what I do, but it was interesting to see that it is the most common way also.

One spare mag is also my normal carry. I use a belt pouch for the spare. And with a gun on one side, and my phone and a spare mag on the weak side, my belt is full with the exception of the area above my pockets. I have been asking myself if I should carry two spare mags when the gun I'm carrying uses a 7 round mag.

[TVGuy]

70% of the time - Glock 26 - 10+1 and a 17 round mag in a pocket or mag holster = 28
20% of the time - Glock 19 - 15+1 and a 17 round mag in a pocket or mag holster = 33
10% of the time - Glock 17 - 17+1 and a 17 round mag in a pocket or mag holster = 35

[SQLGeek]

Shield 9mm 10 in pistol and 20 extra in 2 spare mags total of 30
1911a1 45acp 8 in pistol and 14 in 2 extra mags total of 22

Do you have magguts in your mags?

yes I do and they work great!

Untitled by bobbyjmestepey, on Flickr

I'm going to have to give those a try. Squeezing in a couple of extra rounds wouldn't be a bad idea.

[Beiruty]

31 minimum.
14rds plus 17rds

I will give you an idea. In personal protection matches, we have up to 12 targets, each needs 2 shots with at least 1 shot dead center or 1 head shot.
Your needs differ if you miss a lot at 10 yards.

[montgomery]

Carried on my person: 13+1 of 45 ACP in primary + 13+1 of 45 ACP in secondary + 10+1 of 45 ACP in tertiary + (4) magazines at 13 each of 45 ACP + (2) magazines at 10 each of 45 ACP. That is 111 rounds all day every day ... except when I go to Walmart. Then I just start dumping loose ammo into my pockets and socks.

[TVGuy]

Carried on my person: 13+1 of 45 ACP in primary + 13+1 of 45 ACP in secondary + 10+1 of 45 ACP in tertiary + (4) magazines at 13 each of 45 ACP + (2) magazines at 10 each of 45 ACP. That is 111 rounds all day every day ... except when I go to Walmart. Then I just start dumping loose ammo into my pockets and socks.

I hear Kabul is nice this time of year.

[twomillenium]

The carry of Glock or any other mid to large pistol would bother my back towards the end of the day. A LEO buddy told me to wear a counter balance and it was a fantastic difference! I carry the G19 15 +1 and two G17 mags as counter balance (34 rnds) totaling 50 rounds. However, I do realize that if I ever need 50 rounds, I am in a situation that will not allow me to get to the 50th round. But hey, what if I am wrong?

[MechAg94]

The result that I find most interesting is that almost everyone carries one reload with them most of the time. There were a few exceptions that carry two and a few with no reloads, but the majority is overwhelmingly whatever the weapon capacity is plus one spare magazine.

This seems reasonable to me and is what I do, but it was interesting to see that it is the most common way also.

IMO, it is the easy to carry one spare mag in a pocket and I feel better having some backup. I can't see carrying two unless I graduate to a mag holder.

[longhorn86]

When I carry either of my XD(m)'s:

.45 9+1 gun, 9 spare mag, 19 total
9mm 13+1 gun, 13 spare mag, 27 total

[montgomery]

Carried on my person: 13+1 of 45 ACP in primary + 13+1 of 45 ACP in secondary + 10+1 of 45 ACP in tertiary + (4) magazines at 13 each of 45 ACP + (2) magazines at 10 each of 45 ACP. That is 111 rounds all day every day ... except when I go to Walmart. Then I just start dumping loose ammo into my pockets and socks.

I hear Kabul is nice this time of year.

LOL - a LEO buddy of mine carries no less than (7) pistols when he is off duty. I feel unarmed standing next to him.

[thatguyoverthere]

Snip... "But the point of all that is that some of the most common kinds of mechanical failures in semiauto pistols are magazine related. If the malfunction won’t clear, the fastest way to fix the problem is to drop the mag and insert a fresh one." ...Snip

I've learned this from experience myself. So even if you don't feel like you need the additional rounds, the second mag could be a life saver (literally!).

7+1, plus another mag of 7 for me. The extra mag is in a small nylon belt pouch on my weak side. Looks like a multi-tool to someone who doesn't know. All in .45 ACP.

[GreenMan0352]

Usually carry a G19 with (1) 15 round magazine in weapon and (2) 15 round spare magazines total of 45 rounds. Thats generally what I carry though sometimes it increases or decreases depending on weather, wardrobe, and destination.

[J.R.@A&M]

70% of the time (i.e., Monday through Friday) I carry fifteen rounds of .357 magnum distributed in three different revolvers.

The other 30% of the time it is only one or two revolvers.

So I answered in the 11 to 14 category.