How many magazines?

[redkow97]

I got bored at work and ordered a couple more 20-round mags for my 995. 

Got me to thinking about how many i should have for each gun. 

I was thinking that i should be able to have ~100 rounds in mags for each rifle and ~50 for each pistol. 

Thats just based on how much i shoot them at the range, and the possibility of failure if mags became scarce. I admit those numbers are somewhat arbitrary. 

So other than “as many as you can afford,” how many magazines is it advisable to own?

(for reference, i’m speaking exclusively in 9mm and 22lr, but i’m sure we’ll expand into 223 for the sake of conversation. I currently have 10 and 25 rd mags for my 22lr, and 10 and 20 rd mags for my 995. I only have factory mags for my Glock 19, but if i buy more, i suppose i’d buy 17 mags.)

[MidgetTodd]

I have 20 for every gun I own

[Tpoppa]

I've never buy extra mags.  But I do tend to buy used firearms that come with extras. 

[TimTheAzn]

How many can you carry if shit hits the fan?

[Gixxus Christ!]

I think I have around 12 for AR, another 7 for 92fs, all loaded, stacked in the safe... ya never know...

[max power]

 I have six or eight for the .223, Probably the same amount for my 7.62 and I believe I have seven for my 9 mm. I should probably get all of those loaded up now that I have a big enough safety keep them in.   

Edited August 2, 2018 by max power

[redkow97]

I am probably going to start storing more loaded as well. With good hornady self defense rounds for the 9mm. 

I’d rather swap ball ammo before range time than have to shoot it at an intruder.

my feeling though is that it’s probably better to have “extra” magazines than have one break or misfeed and be super annoyed.

i need to number my mags to keep track of when/if any are showing signs of wear, then those ones go to the bottom shelf for range-only use, rather than carry or first grab.

 

[Gixxus Christ!]

3 hours ago, redkow97 said:

I am probably going to start storing more loaded as well. With good hornady self defense rounds for the 9mm. 

I’d rather swap ball ammo before range time than have to shoot it at an intruder.

my feeling though is that it’s probably better to have “extra” magazines than have one break or misfeed and be super annoyed.

i need to number my mags to keep track of when/if any are showing signs of wear, then those ones go to the bottom shelf for range-only use, rather than carry or first grab.

 

All my pistol mags are loaded with Winchester JHP or speer gold dot. Rifle mags have xm193 in them, which isnt af good as the 855 but last time I checked bad guys are still allergic to them. Again, anything could happen, hope it never does, but if shit hits the fan or society breaks down or spiders become sentient, I would rather be prepared. 

[redkow97]

My pistol round of choice is hornady critical defense. Critical duty, if critical defense isn’t available. Haven’t tried much else. 

(From what i read, duty is designed to penetrate drywall without expanding. Defense is not)

[Tpoppa]

28 minutes ago, redkow97 said:

(From what i read, duty is designed to penetrate drywall without expanding. Defense is not)

Is that actually a good thing in a home defense situation?

[MidgetTodd]

I prefer, use, and recommend 

Liberty Civil Defense rounds

[vf1000ride]

I have a weird count for my Ar and 1911 pistols.  11 mags each.  1 in the gun and 10 loaded spares.  For my M1 garand that gets a little fun because yes I have loaded clips and lots of them.  I have somewhere north of 150 loaded clips for the garand.  Most of my other firearms are even more vintage and not worth keeping either loaded mags or high quantities of them, either 1 or 2 mags per gun depending on cost.

 

BTW, here is what 1008 rounds of .30-06 looks like when loaded into 126, 8round garand clips.

[redkow97]

On August 3, 2018 at 1:17 PM, Tpoppa said:

Is that actually a good thing in a home defense situation?

Nope. They're marketed to law enforcement, and not made for home or personal defense.  

On August 3, 2018 at 8:26 PM, MidgetTodd said:

I prefer, use, and recommend 

Liberty Civil Defense rounds

I'll look into those.  I just have never read a bad review about anything Hornady puts their name on, and they cycle through the G19 flawlessly for about a dollar a round :-/

I'd love to find an inexpensive +p round that cycles through the carbine well :)

I need to figure out a real rifle with a real rifle round.  Mosin Nagant may be the inevitability, but I'd like a cheap bolt .223 if I can find one.

[Tpoppa]

12 hours ago, redkow97 said:

but I'd like a cheap bolt .223 if I can find one.

Thompson Compass can be found used around $250.

[hiro]

For me, three or four mags for each seems like a good start. Enough for the range, to carry, to have at home, or to use in training or competition like IDPA. I don't do all that yet. heh

[Uncle Punk]

If you can count and keep track of how many rounds, magazines or guns you own you don't have enough.

I sold seven guns last year, don't remember how many I bought in the past year and have no clue or desire to know how many I own. I started to keep some at other locations a few years ago.