Name Taken
Ultimate Member
I chamber from a loaded magazine and have not "topped off" in my carry firearm.
Any reasons not to?
Any reasons not to?
Any reason not to "top off" a magazine
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Ski169
Active Member
- May 28, 2012
- 940
Just one less round. Totally up to you. However, you never know if you may find yourself in a situation where you may need it.
Biggfoot44
Ultimate Member
- Aug 2, 2009
- 33,170
I'm not sure which direction the OP is asking, reason not to chamber from mag , or reason to not top off ?
But , I likewise chamber from the mag , and don't top off .
There is a minority opinion that feeding of the ( round at top of mag ) is more reliable that way than one feed into mag by thumb and reinserted . Haven't seen any serious confirmation of that, nor conducted personal research .
But my reasoning is for another reason . It's inconvenient to deal with the extra round , and not loose or damage it when unloading . Much simpler to just stick it back in magazine . ( Usual disclaimers about being vigilant for setback or battering .)
But , I likewise chamber from the mag , and don't top off .
There is a minority opinion that feeding of the ( round at top of mag ) is more reliable that way than one feed into mag by thumb and reinserted . Haven't seen any serious confirmation of that, nor conducted personal research .
But my reasoning is for another reason . It's inconvenient to deal with the extra round , and not loose or damage it when unloading . Much simpler to just stick it back in magazine . ( Usual disclaimers about being vigilant for setback or battering .)
Meh, if you can't get 'em with 16 plus the 16 in your spare mag, then it's your time brother. 
Meh, if you can't get 'em with 16 plus the 16 in your spare mag, then it's your time brother.
But...but...but...17 is better than 16.
knastera
Just another shooter
I carry a Beretta Pico. The mag only holds six, so yes, I top off.
Don H
Ultimate Member
davsco
Ultimate Member
just have to realize that the more one handles their firearm, the higher the chance of something bad happening. one reason i hate that va gunshows want you to disarm before entering. but if the actual gun stays holstered (trigger covered) and/or you have good trigger discipline, not a problem.
True dat, but I want one in the pipe and a full mag, so I use one mag to charge the pipe, dump that mag, and then insert a full mag. I don't go through the effort of dumping the first mag, adding a round, and reinserting it in the pistol. The way I do it, I never have to put down the pistol.
I can't CCW. But if I could ,I would always top off. Especially if your not able to easily carry a spare mag. Or you have a low round count with your chosen pistol. You'll burn threw those few rounds fast as heck! That one extra could make a huge difference.
- Feb 17, 2011
- 14,024
Name Taken
Ultimate Member
As of now it is a Glock 23. So we are talking 14 instead of 13.
Typically only carry a spare magazine in the winter when clothing allows it. Haven't found a way yet to (relatively) comfortable carry a spare magazine everyday for hours at a time.
Typically only carry a spare magazine in the winter when clothing allows it. Haven't found a way yet to (relatively) comfortable carry a spare magazine everyday for hours at a time.
Biggfoot44
Ultimate Member
- Aug 2, 2009
- 33,170
Johnny E's method would be at a range, particularly for a match stage . Not as much for home or carry situation involving a gun and one or two mags in a case or otherwise kept accessible together .
If you can carry the pistol , you can always carry at least one spare mag .
If you can carry the pistol , you can always carry at least one spare mag .
Name Taken
Ultimate Member
How would you suggest carrying the extra mag? I don't have any more room IWB because that's how I carry in summer. I'm already up sized on the shorts to conceal the firearm. Last year when I was 10 lbs. less (I'm working my way back down) when I could IWB it still dug into my side.
OWB has the magazine constantly digging into my side while sitting. I've tried several magazine carries and haven't found one that doesn't A) Stick out more so than the gun or B) causes the magazine to jam into my side.
I've tried pocket carry but the thing bouncing around isn't idea and causing discomfort. Not to mention the risk of a magazine falling out of my pocket isn't something I want to deal with.
Safariland has a horizontal magazine carry I might try. But 20-35 bucks a carrier does add up when none of them end up working.
davsco
Ultimate Member
everyone has to do what works for them. carrying a gun is just like paying for insurance. there is a cost (hassle, dressing around it, discomfort, taking it off and on as needed in post offices, etc) and there is a benefit. how much insurance do you want or need?
when i carry it's generally a glock 32/23/19 and i'm comfortable enough with glocks that i don't think i need to carry a spare mag for any sort of malfunction. hopefully i won't be proven wrong. when i have carried a spare mag it's just been in my back pocket.
some folks believe in full redundancy. two guns, spare mags, etc. one is none and two is one... like i said everyone has to do their math, weigh the odds, and live (or possibly die) with their decision.
There is a magazine holder with a clip that clips onto your pocket like a folding knife. I don't remember the name but I'm sure you can do a search for it.
I use a belt holder made of denier nylon with a flap over it that looks a lot like a knife pouch. My mags are stainless so I painted them black and most people think I have a knife or a leatherman on my belt. I got them off ebay for about $19. I have one for single stack and one for double stack mags.
I use a belt holder made of denier nylon with a flap over it that looks a lot like a knife pouch. My mags are stainless so I painted them black and most people think I have a knife or a leatherman on my belt. I got them off ebay for about $19. I have one for single stack and one for double stack mags.
Biggfoot44
Ultimate Member
- Aug 2, 2009
- 33,170
John from Md beat me to the erstaz knife pouch/ multi tool pouch to hide in plain sight if need be . ( Or concealed under shirt tail as case may be .
All else fails , suck it up , and deal with in pocket . If in danger of falling out , you need better pockets. ( Unless it's a 33rd Glock mag .)
For those of the revolver persuasion, 2 or 3 speed strips will fit a nylon pager case . ( Cue the youngsters asking " what's a pager ? ", but the pager cases are long outliving the actual pagers.)
All else fails , suck it up , and deal with in pocket . If in danger of falling out , you need better pockets. ( Unless it's a 33rd Glock mag .)
For those of the revolver persuasion, 2 or 3 speed strips will fit a nylon pager case . ( Cue the youngsters asking " what's a pager ? ", but the pager cases are long outliving the actual pagers.)
rob-cubed
In need of moderation
I don't chamber a round for house guns, because it's loading a round is a universal safety measure. Even at the range, under ideal conditions, I'll sometimes forget the safety. Not all my guns have safeties so this is an easy and consistent habit.
On a carry gun I'm a small guy and carry one in the chamber plus a full mag. My carry guns don't have safeties. Most shootings end well under the 6-7 rounds so an extra mag always seemed excessive.
The old M16 logic was to load a mag one or two under 20 for reliability. It's repeated compression and expansion that weakens springs, not being compressed for a long period of time or loaded to capacity. But the advice has leaked over to other firearms since.
On a carry gun I'm a small guy and carry one in the chamber plus a full mag. My carry guns don't have safeties. Most shootings end well under the 6-7 rounds so an extra mag always seemed excessive.
The old M16 logic was to load a mag one or two under 20 for reliability. It's repeated compression and expansion that weakens springs, not being compressed for a long period of time or loaded to capacity. But the advice has leaked over to other firearms since.
I dunno, what's the big deal? You do an admin reload.
Full mag, charge the pistol.
Holster pistol.
Remove mag.
Add round.
Insert mag.
Tug on mag.
Sweep flat hand behind pistol and body to make sure no clothing got caught.
Go about your day. No extra "handling" of the pistol is involved.
Same rituals every single time.
Does your Dept. allow you carry 1 less round? Mine didn't. Why do something off duty that you can't do on? Stay consistent.
As far as extra mags, I usually don't have one in a pouch. My 43 is single stack so it's easily in a pocket.
Depending on where I'm going, if I feel frisky, I'll wear a spare mag with my VP9.
2 spares, cuffs, and a 229 on my waist for many years, I'm going comfort level. Especially that combination on long international flights in an airplane seat. My hips have had enough of that crap.
I'm going for comfort from here on out.
Full mag, charge the pistol.
Holster pistol.
Remove mag.
Add round.
Insert mag.
Tug on mag.
Sweep flat hand behind pistol and body to make sure no clothing got caught.
Go about your day. No extra "handling" of the pistol is involved.
Same rituals every single time.
Does your Dept. allow you carry 1 less round? Mine didn't. Why do something off duty that you can't do on? Stay consistent.
As far as extra mags, I usually don't have one in a pouch. My 43 is single stack so it's easily in a pocket.
Depending on where I'm going, if I feel frisky, I'll wear a spare mag with my VP9.
2 spares, cuffs, and a 229 on my waist for many years, I'm going comfort level. Especially that combination on long international flights in an airplane seat. My hips have had enough of that crap.
I'm going for comfort from here on out.
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