How many mags should a recreational shooter stock?

[pakman916]

Most of the gun enthusiast that I know seem to stockpile on mags. I never really understood why. I realize that a mag is a gun part that can eventually go fail over time, but why stockpile. Why not just replace it when it goes bad?

How many magazines do you typically purchase per gun and why?

My thought would be 3-5 mags per gun is enough to keep on hand.

 

[lx1x]

Handgun.. 4-6 since i go to matches..

ar - not enough.. lol

 

[Boom Boom]

That all changes when it's an AR platform, since one AR is not nearly enough. Much the same applies to Glock pistols.

 

[Arcamm]

Because they will wear out over time and we fear the day when we can't buy them anymore.

Better to have a lifetime supply than a half lifetime supply.

 

[rj1974]

I have 10-50+ magazines for most of my mag fed firearms .

Need some more Sig MK25 and HK MK23 mags though

 

[rmiddle]

Most of the gun enthusiast that I know seem to stockpile on mags. I never really understood why. I realize that a mag is a gun part that can eventually go fail over time, but why stockpile. Why not just replace it when it goes bad?

How many magazines do you typically purchase per gun and why?

My thought would be 3-5 mags per gun is enough to keep on hand.

I like to pre-load my mag's so when I am at the range it make shooting more smooth and I have to spend less time loading mag well in the really loud range.

Thanks
Robert

 

[Alphabrew]

We've seen what happens to prices when legislation looms. Get them while you can.

 

[Goateggs]

I shoot some CMP type competitions, and like to load all the mags before the first round starts, so in a typical AQT setup that would require 6 mags. If I had not already have the experience of being unable to find replacement mags when I wanted, I would probably be content with that 6 plus a couple of backups. As it is, I'd be happier with 12 on hand.

 

[pakman916]

Okay, so I get why the competition shooters would have several backups.

I also get the "if laws change" idea.

BUT

Unless I'm planning to use mags to make money, I don't see why I would want to buy more than 10. Take a Pmag...average cost is $13-$15 right now. If I bought 20...just to have, that's $260-$300 tied up in mags...mags I may never have a use for. This particularly doesn't make sense to me since I hit the range once a month and I still think 10 mags would be plenty if the SHTF.

I'm not going to lie...I've purchased mags just because it was a good deal at the time, not because I needed them. But now that I have a box full of mags, I'm not sure what to do with them other than put them away in storage. And by putting them away, I feel like i'm throwing away money. I could be using that money to buy myself another gun.

 

[lx1x]

Not necessarily throwing away.. Consider it as investments.

 

[pakman916]

Not necessarily throwing away.. Consider it as investments.

Good point.

 

[psycosteve]

Well depending on what your doing with said weapon ie 3 gun ISSC , IDPA or even duty use a minimum of 4 is recommended IMHO . I have known security guards who carried a 1911 in 45 to have 4 mags on the belt and one in the gun . Granted I no longer do security but I have for my gear setup is 2 mags in holders and one in my 40 for 43 rounds on hand ( 3x14 +1 in the chamber ) . I currently have 5 mags cause I like to rotate them around and hope to get another 5 before too long when funds become available just to have in the bag.

 

[rmiddle]

Okay, so I get why the competition shooters would have several backups.

I also get the "if laws change" idea.

BUT

Unless I'm planning to use mags to make money, I don't see why I would want to buy more than 10. Take a Pmag...average cost is $13-$15 right now. If I bought 20...just to have, that's $260-$300 tied up in mags...mags I may never have a use for. This particularly doesn't make sense to me since I hit the range once a month and I still think 10 mags would be plenty if the SHTF.

I'm not going to lie...I've purchased mags just because it was a good deal at the time, not because I needed them. But now that I have a box full of mags, I'm not sure what to do with them other than put them away in storage. And by putting them away, I feel like i'm throwing away money. I could be using that money to buy myself another gun.

I have several guns that share the same mag's having lots of mags allow me the share them between the guns.

Thanks
Robert

 

[MonkeyPunch]

I personally stick to 7 for a pistol, and 12 for a rifle.

My "logic" is that in an emergency, I want one mag in the gun, and one "set" in addition to what is a common load-out stored in case I need to resupply. I'm not advocating someone carry around 15 magazines at one time: carrying 3 pistol mags + 7 rifle mags is a [heavy] standard load-out; this would leave 2 pistol mags and 3 rifle mags waiting for you if you had to resupply). As magazines wear from use not storage, I would need at least two magazines that could be used and replaced when needed.

Pistol:
5 pre-loaded and stored for emergencies (2 mags standard & one in the gun + 2 mags)
2 for range/practice (use = worn out and replaced)

Rifle:
10 pre-loaded and stored for emergencies (2 rows x 3 mags standard & one in the gun + 3 mags)
2 for range/practice (use = worn out and replaced)

I personally wouldn't go more than this unless there was legislation that explicitly banned my ability to own magazines of a certain size/type - something beyond the current "no sale, but legal possession" SB281 restriction. I'm also pretty risk-averse and a bit OCD, so I like "rounded" sets, so it's my "logic" not logic.

 

[freddie]

I am like you - not a Magaholic. Firearmaholic - probably. In fact I probably have fewer magazines that most - 2 per

Use both mags at the range - like the break time of loading my Mags.

I have found my mags to be very very reliable - some 30 year old mags still going strong. Never had mag. problems.

But I am an only a once a month target shooter that makes it a day outing with several firearms.

What limited funding I have, I choose to spend on firearms and ammo.

 

[ObsceneJesster]

If we're talking AR mags, 25 is my comfort number. I keep 10 loaded mags in my safe (five for me and five for my wife) and I use 5 mags for range duty. That leaves me with 10 back ups which isn't all that much when you think about it. Especially if these so called high capacity mags get banned one day.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Boom Boom]

Unless I'm planning to use mags to make money, I don't see why I would want to buy more than 10. Take a Pmag...average cost is $13-$15 right now. If I bought 20...just to have, that's $260-$300 tied up in mags...mags I may never have a use for. This particularly doesn't make sense to me since I hit the range once a month and I still think 10 mags would be plenty if the SHTF.

Extra mags are nice to have, just in case. If ever need be, they can be used as a serious bartering/trade/cash item. If well-maintained, they tend to go up in value as time passes, sometimes by a lot. For example, I've got a bunch of Vietnam-era 20-rd GI-issue Colt M16 magazines in excellent condition. Way back when, they were worth maybe two or three dollars each. Nowadays, they easily command $25 to $35 each. More than a few vintage pistol magazines can easily command $50 to $100+ each.

 

[Walker]

As others have already said i buy extra mags just cut down on reloading time. Going to the range tomorrow with 28 mags already loaded which should get me through the day without having to reload once. I'll take extra ammo just in case but i seriously doubt i'll be using it. Everybody's different on how many to own. It's all about personal preference.

 

[240 towles]

because mags like the psl went from being 80.00 for four to almost a hundred each. and they love to rust. Because p64 and cz82 mags are hard to come by for less than 20 each. because md keeps making the capacity limit lower and I would feel like a tard at the range with a 10 rnd ak mag.

 

[HeatSeeker]

I knew I should have never clicked on this thread. Now I gotta go mag shopping.