Do you carry extra mags when concealed carrying?

[Raygixxer89]

I carry a Kimber 1911 Ultra Carry with an extra mag (Yes, 1911 because I’m old).
1911, because that what I am most comfortable and proficient with and also what I was trained on. 7+1 with an extra 7 in a spare mag.

My question is what do you carry and Do you or dont you carry an extra mag or more?
I would really like to hear the reasoning as to why as well.

thanks,
M.

Hey! I carry something very similiar to you and I'm not OLD!!! (I'm 52)
I really enjoy carrying my Colt New Agent + 1 mag. Nice, slim gun that shoots like a dream and as accurate nas all get out. It's VERY similiar to your Ultra.

 

[Guyanaman1963]

Hey! I carry something very similiar to you and I'm not OLD!!! (I'm 52)
I really enjoy carrying my Colt New Agent + 1 mag. Nice, slim gun that shoots like a dream and as accurate nas all get out. It's VERY similiar to your Ultra.

I know that weapon well, it’s an amazing firearm and it accuracy is underestimated.
I’m 57 and my kids say I’m old, so there’s that!

I enjoy and am comfortable with the 1911 platform.
Cheers!
M

 

[Raygixxer89]

I know that weapon well, it’s an amazing firearm and it accuracy is underestimated.
I’m 57 and my kids say I’m old, so there’s that!

I enjoy and am comfortable with the 1911 platform.
Cheers!
M

I think the 1911 platform is probably my favorite to shoot and carry. It just feel so good in the hand.

 

[Letzte Runde in MT]

I carry a Kimber 1911 Ultra Carry with an extra mag (Yes, 1911 because I’m old).
1911, because that what I am most comfortable and proficient with and also what I was trained on. 7+1 with an extra 7 in a spare mag.

My question is what do you carry and Do you or dont you carry an extra mag or more?
I would really like to hear the reasoning as to why as well.

thanks,
M.

Carry twice what you expect to encounter.
With luck you may survive.

 

[Deputydave]

My question is what do you carry and Do you or dont you carry an extra mag or more?

I normally carry a Sig P365. This was the last pistol I qualified with for of-duty carry prior to retiring. It is small, light and comfortable. I carry it with a 12-round magazine.

I do carry a spare mag and have done so now for the last 5+ years. For the P365, I carry a spare 15-round magazine. I was an instructor for our agency for firearms, defensive tactics and operations. We began a big push for off-duty Deputies to carry a spare mag. One of the reasons was in the event of a malfunction needing a magazine change. Secondly, and more to the point, additional capacity in never a bad thing. I posted this on the SEP forum a while back, I'll repost here so I don't have to retype:

A few years before I retired our agency conducted an off-duty carry combat course. You used your authorized off-duty weapon in a series of combat drills derived from actual off-duty situations from around the country i.e. drills were taken from real life situations that off-duty Officers/Deputies/Troopers had faced. Active shooter situations in big box retail stores, hostage situations, lone wolf terrorist attack, moving, running, barricades etc.

One thing became apparent rather quickly, capacity does matter. Yes, many stats floating around of 2 shots per average gun fight. The validity of those stats should be taken with a grain of salt. And often they only consider two people involved rather than multiple attackers. I went through the course with two of the Deputies on my shift. I used an HK P30sk with a 10-round mag with +2 base plate in the pistol and a 15-round P30 mag as my spare mag. Our agency 'strenuously' encouraged carrying a spare back up mag. One of my buddies carried a G26 with 10-round mags and G19 back up mag. My other buddy carried a Walther PPS with, IIRC, a 7-shot mag in the pistol and 7-round back up mag. Halfway through the course he stated that he needed to qualify with a different pistol. He ended up later qualifying with a G19.

The reason was simple, higher capacity is better than lower capacity. And yes, lots of real world gun fights only require a small number of rounds fired. But some don't. Since you don't get to pick and choose which kind you might find yourself in it's best to 'hope for the best and prepare for the worst' with the caveat that it needs to be within reason.

 

[Hk-USPC-40]

I have never carried a spare magazine on my person but keep a few in each car/truck just in case
A loaded 12 round Hk USPc40 magazine weighs more than a Airweight J frame
I've wanted a SIG P365 or a Glock 43 for a while, The prices are way out of line currently & I only buy when the price is right

In a year the market will be flooded with little guns for cheap.. Wait & See!!

 

[Deputydave]

I've wanted a SIG P365 or a Glock 43 for a while,

I've had both, got rid of the G43 and CCW the P365. Here's why; the Glock 43 is a solid pistol. But it is limited because of the design of the mag. They can't make it smaller, nor can they increase the capacity. So you're stuck with a pistol that is on the large end of the single-stack niche of pistols with the lowest capacity and no options. And it comes with the pathetic plastic dove tail protectors that Glock calls sights. The P365 on the other hand offers 10, 12 and 15 round options. Comes with Xray night sights standard. Small enough for you pocket if you want and give you the choice of manual thumb safety or not. Glock makes the choice for you and they really aren't concerned if you'd like an option.

Note, I'm not a Sig fan or a Glock hater. Simply analyzing each pistol and it's place in the small micro 9mm market. The G43 is a solid pistol but would be the last choice for me. I'd rather have something like a Ruger LC9s. Better trigger, option of thumb safety and higher capacity options.

 

[HKaltwasser]

Yep, what ever I'm carrying with me, I have an extra with it. FN 503, P7, P30. 40 or VP9 get rotation depending on weather and location.

Then I usually carry a USPc .40 stainless with 2 extra mags in a backup GHB in my truck.

Reasoning, it's not that big of a hassle to have an extra mag. If I ever have to draw for whatever reason, I want plenty. What if there are two armed aggressors? Engaging two people when you have to may expend more rounds than anticipated.

 

[Hk-USPC-40]

I looked at a SIG Sauer P365 earlier this year & really liked the X-Ray sights & the feel of the pistol in my hands
Liked the G43 too, I was looking at a green one that was $450 before the covid-19 drove the prices crazy
IIRC the P365 was $500 & I passed, It was Tan NRA model & I wanted a black one, The price was OK because of the night sight IMO
It will be a while before the prices come back to normal + I gave my twin brother all my 9mm ammo for his M&P Shield 2.0
As far as type of pistol I "Have Had" a SIG P220ST-45, P225-9, P228-9, P229-40 & a P239-40
Glocks I "Have Had" 17, 17L, 19, 24, & 26 all 9mm except the G24 which was a 40

I have always felt well armed with the Hk USP Compact 40 Stainless that I carry now & will love it's fraternal twin the 2nd blued one coming in five days
Gary/Hk


MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

[THRLSEKR]

I've had both, got rid of the G43 and CCW the P365. Here's why; the Glock 43 is a solid pistol. But it is limited because of the design of the mag. They can't make it smaller, nor can they increase the capacity. So you're stuck with a pistol that is on the large end of the single-stack niche of pistols with the lowest capacity and no options. And it comes with the pathetic plastic dove tail protectors that Glock calls sights. The P365 on the other hand offers 10, 12 and 15 round options. Comes with Xray night sights standard. Small enough for you pocket if you want and give you the choice of manual thumb safety or not. Glock makes the choice for you and they really aren't concerned if you'd like an option.

Note, I'm not a Sig fan or a Glock hater. Simply analyzing each pistol and it's place in the small micro 9mm market. The G43 is a solid pistol but would be the last choice for me. I'd rather have something like a Ruger LC9s. Better trigger, option of thumb safety and higher capacity options.

Went on NYPD in '94. Duty gun was a S&W 5946, it's a TANK. If I ever ran dry I was committed to beating my opponent to death with it. Summer '95 found it to be HEAVY whether in jeans or shorts. Tried the original gunny sack (velcro rip ) but you might as well have worn a sign that said, " SHOOT ME FIRST " for all the good the concealment was. There was talk of the dept. going away from the venerable model 36 (for old timers) and the 640 Centennial ( for us f.n.g.'s ) and allowing KAHR K9, GLOCK 26, S&W 3953 AND 3914, even the Beretta COUGAR (total monstrosity) after a T&E period. Well I ran out and bought the 26 w/ night sight upgrade (BWC ser.no. ) and carried it unauthorized for 2 years until it was approved in 98. It was trusty for-ever. Extra 15 rd. mag in my commuter train backpack. ( I once got to TSA at J.F.K. airport with the mag hidden in the folds of the black nylon. They were NOT amused....P.D. i.d. card or not )

ANYWHO.....2 years ago I discovered the 365. Read the reviews, impressed that it was 'designed around the mag' with the double to single taper, 10+ standard and 12+ option, I was interested. Went and molested it at the LGS and bought it on the spot. Dad was carrying a 938 and THAT dinosaur was NE-VER a 1911 guy. I was convinced if he ever pulled it....he'd die for failure to manipulate the (tiny) thumb safety in the moment, but I digress. I owned my 365 for all of 2 weeks. The then girlfriend (now wife) saw it....picked it up....dropped into a crouch, advancing around the living room while pie-ing the corners, then asked about capacity. Upon my answer she stated, " Wait a minute, it's this small ( she's like 128 lbs.) has 11 or 13 AND is as comfortable as my airweight with a sticky holster? " , " THANKS HONEY ! "

I get to sigh at it lovingly on the nightstand now and then. If she wears a dress to dinner and i'm in "those" slacks that shoulda been retired about 20 lbs ago....i'm allowed to borrow it.

But much like Dave, I am (was) a 365 fan. I've been relegated to my GLOCK 26. STILL....too heavy for light shorts in Florida, but to answer Mo's question in my ri-DIC-U-LOUS-ly long winded fashion, NO. I don't carry a spare on my person. 10+1 and it's over or i'm FUCKED. There IS a 15 round in the console of every vehicle for Go to War (or road rage), but no on my person.

I waited too long to get myself the 365 SAS so we could have compatible systems and mags for trade or vehicles, but when prices come back down i'll add it to the family.

 

[Guyanaman1963]

Went on NYPD in '94. Duty gun was a S&W 5946, it's a TANK. If I ever ran dry I was committed to beating my opponent to death with it. Summer '95 found it to be HEAVY whether in jeans or shorts. Tried the original gunny sack (velcro rip ) but you might as well have worn a sign that said, " SHOOT ME FIRST " for all the good the concealment was. There was talk of the dept. going away from the venerable model 36 (for old timers) and the 640 Centennial ( for us f.n.g.'s ) and allowing KAHR K9, GLOCK 26, S&W 3953 AND 3914, even the Beretta COUGAR (total monstrosity) after a T&E period. Well I ran out and bought the 26 w/ night sight upgrade (BWC ser.no. ) and carried it unauthorized for 2 years until it was approved in 98. It was trusty for-ever. Extra 15 rd. mag in my commuter train backpack. ( I once got to TSA at J.F.K. airport with the mag hidden in the folds of the black nylon. They were NOT amused....P.D. i.d. card or not )

ANYWHO.....2 years ago I discovered the 365. Read the reviews, impressed that it was 'designed around the mag' with the double to single taper, 10+ standard and 12+ option, I was interested. Went and molested it at the LGS and bought it on the spot. Dad was carrying a 938 and THAT dinosaur was NE-VER a 1911 guy. I was convinced if he ever pulled it....he'd die for failure to manipulate the (tiny) thumb safety in the moment, but I digress. I owned my 365 for all of 2 weeks. The then girlfriend (now wife) saw it....picked it up....dropped into a crouch, advancing around the living room while pie-ing the corners, then asked about capacity. Upon my answer she stated, " Wait a minute, it's this small ( she's like 128 lbs.) has 11 or 13 AND is as comfortable as my airweight with a sticky holster? " , " THANKS HONEY ! "

I get to sigh at it lovingly on the nightstand now and then. If she wears a dress to dinner and i'm in "those" slacks that shoulda been retired about 20 lbs ago....i'm allowed to borrow it.

But much like Dave, I am (was) a 365 fan. I've been relegated to my GLOCK 26. STILL....too heavy for light shorts in Florida, but to answer Mo's question in my ri-DIC-U-LOUS-ly long winded fashion, NO. I don't carry a spare on my person. 10+1 and it's over or i'm FUCKED. There IS a 15 round in the console of every vehicle for Go to War (or road rage), but no on my person.

I waited too long to get myself the 365 SAS so we could have compatible systems and mags for trade or vehicles, but when prices come back down i'll add it to the family.

I agree with you. If you can’t get it done with one mag... you’re probably in a bad spot.
Like you I have a spare mag in the console in the even that the situation ties dire, but I find that it is comforting to have that second mag close by.
M.

 

[Lamont]

Man, for what we're talking about, I have to say, "always one", right?

I carry a G17 strong side Blade Tech Nano IWB. The G19 is on the other side in a SERPA, crossdraw. Both spare mags are G17, behind the G19 over on the left side. Same ammo as Metro PD, Speer Gold Dot +P 124gr......Kasper/Polkowski Companion IWB Appendix, only one of the two screws mounting the sheath to the clip is used so that the hook of the clip can engage but the sheath can rotate a bit so it rides in that slot. The one remaining screw was removed and reinstalled with red locktite. I did folders for a LONG time. Fixed is where I'm at these days. "Less to do, less to go wrong".

Traveling.....Especially International, if that's a common thing for you. Forget taking a gun, of course. Folding knives? TSA clipped a lock 2x. Looking to see if it's spring operated. Had that conversation in person in Germany where they pulled the bag off the conveyor and I had to be back there when they opened it. Again, making sure it was not a "springmesser". Fixed blade.....yeah just a month ago, chick is looking at the xray while the guitar case (SKB, HUGE....) is going through that airport's (not USA) oversize baggage screening process......she of course spots the blade, zero's in, rotates etc....it's a pretty evil looking little piece of steel....she goes "Is that a knife?" "Of course". "Is it a real one?" (I shit you not.) The coloring of the xray was making it look very blue gun-ish, but still....I'm like "Yeah, wouldn't be much good if it wasn't". She gives me that dubious look but my point is there is sweet F all she can do, it's a fixed blade knife in checked baggage, and I am going about my way unmolested, and still armed the moment I get off the plane where ever it lands. Carrying it, local regulation where ever we might happen to be speaking of....meh, parallel but different consideration. Potential vs. none. If you have decent movement skills/ability and training/know how to use the blade, inside 10 ft you are more than a match for people with a pistol in a holster. Inside 5 ft, even if they have it already in their hand. (And then very shortly, you have a handgun....)

A blade makes you the equal of multiple unarmed assailants, no matter their size.

Disassembly of the 1911A1........we used to sit around in the Squad Bay and compete against each other....now these are G.I. guns, "kinda" loose fitting.....I think the best anyone ever did on disassembly was like 7 seconds, around 20-25 for reassembly. Obviously we had some time on our hands.....

Anyone wear a vest daily along with their daily carry?

 

[Hk-USPC-40]

I have wanted a SIG P365 since I first saw one..
Had my chance to get one that was FDE NRA edition. I wanted a black one..
It did come with an extra magazine though
The store also had an OD Green Glock 43 that interested me & I had just sold my Glock 26 Gen 4 for $100 more than I paid..
I had picked up a S&W M&P Shield 2.0 9mm for $249 that I later gave to my Twin Brother
Back in the late 90s I carried a Glock 19 with two extra magazines in a leather shoulder holster or a Fobus paddle & had the matching magazine carrier.
It was a Gen 2 that I had for a decade since the mid 80s, It serial was LH559..
My youngest son David carries a M&P Bodyguard 380, My Twin Bro has the Shield 9mm & I have the Hk USP Compact with it's twin coming for Christmas

When asked do you carry an extra magazine I say Nein.

Just carry an extra Hk

 

[ca survivor]

Single stack (1911) I carry two mags, double stack I carry one extra mag.

 

[Guyanaman1963]

Single stack (1911) I carry two mags, double stack I carry one extra mag.

which 1911 do you carry And how?

 

[Deputydave]

But much like Dave, I am (was) a 365 fan. I've been relegated to my GLOCK 26. STILL....too heavy for light shorts in Florida

I hear you on that! Particularly Florida during a long, hot summer (I'm in the Tampa Bay area). I carried the G26 for years and the G19 or G23 prior to that. But at the end of a long day I was more than ready to take the gun off. The P365 on the other hand, well you just forget it's there which is really nice. I paired it up with a Kore Essentials gun belt and now even in the summer with the standard shorts and a T-shirt it's not a problem.

Had my chance to get one that was FDE NRA edition.

Had one of those as well. Never shot it and it was basically just a safe queen. Eventually traded it off for something else, don't recall what.

Also bought one of the models with the SS slide just over a year ago, brand new/never fired on the used market for $350. Gifted that to my son and that's now his CCW pistol.

 

[Hk-USPC-40]

Always figured a Glock 43 or SIG P365 would be my next go to carry guns & then those two Hk USP 40 Compacts showed up..
I'd bet the Glock is lighter than the SIG loaded up, It almost has to be = 4-6 less rounds, Both are capable IMO..

Good choice on the P365 for you're Son Deputydave

 

[Deputydave]

I'd bet the Glock is lighter than the SIG loaded up, It almost has to be = 4-6 less rounds, Both are capable IMO.

According to Glock, a G43 with loaded mag is 20.64 ounces. A Sig P365 with 11 total HST 124gr rds. weighs in at 23.1oz. That's almost a 2 1/2 ounce difference for an additional 4-5 rounds (Glock isn't specific if their loaded weigh is with a round in the chamber but I would suspect that is full mag/empty chamber).

A typical 9mm round weighs between 10 - 14.5 grams. A standard Maxxtech FMJ 115 gr 9mm round weighs approximately 14.06 grams. There are 28.34 grams in an ounce. So a ballpark is that a 9mm round weighs about 1/2 and ounce give-or-take a pinch.

So in the above example it would make sense that it's a 5 round difference in standard capacities. So you'll have to decide which is more important, a 2 1/2 ounce savings in weight or an additional 5 rounds of capacity.

I normally carry my P365 with a 12-round mag for a total of 13 rounds. So figure that would be around 24 ounces total give-or-take a fraction.

I've personally chosen to have a 4 ounce difference for the benefit of 7 additional rounds in the pistol.

 

[Hk-USPC-40]

That's just about what I have figured myself Deputydave.. The Glock was lighter but only by the difference in capacity to the P365
When I was handling them both side by side they were of course unloaded & weighed almost the same = Apples & Oranges
I just got back from one of the goodie stores, They had a Glock 43X & zero SIGs & had another nice guitar too = 2010 PRS Custom 22
Liked the Glock but walked away with a smile knowing I will find what I want eventually..
Carried the blued USPc40 today. It's more stealthy than the stainless one..

 

[Deputydave]

For comparison, Glock 19.5FS which weighs 30.16 ounces loaded with 15 rounds. Figure 30.5 ounces with a full 15+1 rounds. A 40 S&W weights about .6 of an ounce (17 grams) whereas a 9mm is about .45 of an ounce (14 grams). This is a ballpark figure on average.

So USPc40 with 12+1 would weigh 35.16 ounces. The G19.5FS with 15+1 would weight 37.36 ounces. So a 2.2 ounce difference and 3 round difference.