I was at work today and a few of us were talking about different off duty carry options. The one thing that stood out to me was that none of us (including me) carry an extra mag or ammo when carrying off duty. I know that this is not the smartest thing but it's a pain in the ass just to hide the gun never mind an extra mag. So I was wondering, dose anyone else who is lucky enough to be allowed to carry a ccw carry extra mags or ammo?

I don't carry in NJ obviously, but when I do elsewhere, I always have a spare mag with me. I think it's a big mistake to not have at least 1 spare mag. Forgetting the fact that more ammo is always better, a malfunction clearance will likely necessitate a spare mag as part of the technique.

With so many good carry options today, there's no reason to never have at least 1 spare mag on you.

Extra mag in cargo pocket or a IWB mag holder.

I use IWB or OWB mag pouches. I think carrying a gun with no extra mag isn't smart. You never know what can happen and the shooter should be prepared for that.

 I always have a spare mag with me. I think it's a big mistake to not have at least 1 spare mag. Forgetting the fact that more ammo is always better, a malfunction clearance will likely necessitate a spare mag as part of the technique.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree completely, that's why I was surprised that I wasn't the only one who didn't carry an extra mag.

Im waiting for my permit now but ive thought about it. In the summer I think I'll just throw an extra in my shorts/pants pocket. Winter I'll probably wear one or two on my belt.

 

FYI it will be a single stack .45 mag

I carry a 5 shot revolver off duty and do not take extra ammo. 

 

If its my day to go, then there is nothing I can do about it.

I always carry at least one extra mag, and a BUG.

 

Screw that "It is my day to go" crap. If I am in a gunfight, I'm gonna win.

I always carry at least one extra mag, and a BUG.

 

Screw that "It is my day to go" crap. If I am in a gunfight, I'm gonna win.

This.

I carry one spare mag... it is a 22 round mag in my backpack... its not the easiest thing in the world to get to.. but it is there if I really need it.. after talking to high exposure I may relocate one smaller extra mag to my belt or pocket.. 

I carry one spare mag... it is a 22 round mag in my backpack... its not the easiest thing in the world to get to.. but it is there if I really need it.. after talking to high exposure I may relocate one smaller extra mag to my belt or pocket..

 

I carry a 5 shot revolver off duty and do not take extra ammo.

 

If its my day to go, then there is nothing I can do about it.

A defeatist attitude? Bad way to be. I've carried a gun on just about a daily basis for almost 40 years and been a police firearms instructor since 1976. I've always believed if you're carrying a gun you need to do it right and that includes carrying at least one reload. I usually carry two with a revolver. A speed loader for full reloads and a 2x2 pouch for patrial reloads. If I have to pick one I'd go with the 2x2.

 

There was a NYPD officer who went to get her hair done on a day off. She found herself in the middle odf a holdup. She hit all 3 bad guys with her 5 shot revolver. Yeah five hits on three targets. She didn't have a reload. She went to get the guns away from bad guys but one of them recovered enough to get off one more shot and shot her. If she had a reload and used it before disarming the bad guys she may not have been shot. Fortunately she recovered. This was one incident that convinced NYPD brass to allow semi autos.

 

A Fed showed up at a gunfight with his 6906 with the 13 rounds in the gun and no reload. He decided he needed to move (but couldn't reload before doing so because he had none) and while doing so ran out of ammo. The only two things that saved him. One was the lack of marksmamship of the part of his opponent who managed to hit the agent in the foot. The other, and more livesaving, was the other officers on the scene who took out the bad guy permanently.

 

I think when its your day its your day. But I don't believe in helping it along. I wear a helmet on a motorcycle even if I'm in a state that doesn't require one and a life jacket in rough weather or if I'm running a boat by myself. I also carry at least one reload.

If I'm gonna take it and I know I'm going to take it at least I'm going to take it fighting and not lay down and die.

Should I find myself in PA I have 13 in the mag, 1 round in the chamber, and 2 spare mags on my belt. 40 rounds should do the trick, or buy me enough time to get away.

Gerber type multi tool pouch typically fits a mag and looks discrete on the belt.

 

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I always carry at least one extra mag, and a BUG.

 

Screw that "It is my day to go" crap. If I am in a gunfight, I'm gonna win.

Off duty when i carry 1 gun, i carry spare mag on the belt. If i carry 2 guns, no spare mags.. Ive never heard of anyone that was involved in a gun fight complain about having too many rounds on them

I carry a 5 shot revolver off duty and do not take extra ammo. 

 

If its my day to go, then there is nothing I can do about it.

I actually agree with the matrix, except for the revolver part.

This is real life, not the movies. I know there are a lot of situations that you can find yourself in so if my 7 round mag isn't enough so be it.

I look at carrying as get out of dodge option, not shoot it out option. I guess some of you gentlemen look at it differently.

Turtles and squirrels

it's not about having extra ammo all the time. if you have a catastrophic failure with a magazine you essentially have a brick in your hands and might as well throw it at him.

I've never thought of carrying an extra mag. 9 rounds of 40 or 13 rounds of 45 should be enough in what I carry.

I actually agree with the matrix, except for the revolver part.

This is real life, not the movies. I know there are a lot of situations that you can find yourself in so if my 7 round mag isn't enough so be it.

I look at carrying as get out of dodge option, not shoot it out option. I guess some of you gentlemen look at it differently.

Turtles and squirrels

Its like you read my mind....like I know you from another life time.

 

But seriously, Clint summed it up nicely, its to get out of dodge, not to shoot it out.

 

A shootout, even if you are in the right, will only bring you grief, prison, lawsuits, unwanted attention, Al Sharpon, BBC news, etc.

it's not about having extra ammo all the time. if you have a catastrophic failure with a magazine you essentially have a brick in your hands and might as well throw it at him.

^^This

If I could it would be 2 33rd to back up the 15 in the gun. I know it's easy to say when I can't ccw.

Off duty when i carry 1 gun, i carry spare mag on the belt. If i carry 2 guns, no spare mags.. Ive never heard of anyone that was involved in a gun fight complain about having too many rounds on them

Holy crap! 2 guns off duty? Where do you live? Im only asking because I don't want to go there!

Always be prepared...

Always be prepared...

Prepared for what? I know guys that did multiple tours in Iraq and never carried two guns.

Ok. I know people that didn't have flood insurance before Sandy too because something like that would never happen.

Ok. I know people that didn't have flood insurance before Sandy too because something like that would never happen.

Really?

Prepared for what? I know guys that did multiple tours in Iraq and never carried two guns.

I know a few too. Most all carried a rifle and a pistol. They also rolled in groups and knew that if their gun went tits-up their partner had their back. They also rolled with armor, air cover, and comms.

 

Now, I am not comparing walking down Main Street USA with Saddam Hussein Ave in downtown Baghdad. But... shit happens everywhere, not just MLK Blvd, and violence occurs with a quickness.

 

I can think of 20 or so AARs where a second or even third gun saved the day.

 

Like I said, if I need to skin a pistol, it is on, and I will win.

Holy crap! 2 guns off duty? Where do you live? Im only asking because I don't want to go there!

 

 

Prepared for what? I know guys that did multiple tours in Iraq and never carried two guns.

 

http://www.policemag.com/channel/patrol/articles/2012/02/shots-fired-skokie-illinois-08-25-2008.aspx

 

"There were 17 total hits on his body including three fatal shots to his head, a couple to his torso, and one to his abdomen," Gramins says. "Which means that even though Maddox was mortally wounded before the head shots, he was still able to engage me.

"People don't die the way we think they do," Gramins says. "I had 17 rounds in the guy. That will teach you how critical shot placement is."

Gramins' inability to successfully place rounds in the early part of the engagement is readily understandable given both the spontaneous nature of the attack and the confined environment he'd found himself in. Still, he'd made the most out of suppressive fire.

 

That's 17 hits of .45 ACP.