Why We Carry A 2nd Magazine
Posted on November 19, 2010 by Natalie in Education, Equipment, Self Defense
Our contributor, Bryan, is an experienced shooter and has some great advice for those of us who are beginners. Below he explains why it is important to carry a second magazine with you at all times. You can check out his store at www.sevenspringsarmory.com
How many times have you seen someone who carries a gun daily, concealed or in the open? Do you pay attention to what else, other than the gun, they carry? Next time I ask that you pay attention to what they are carrying in addition to the gun; further, I ask that you try to figure out why.
There is one thing a gunfighter will ALWAYS have in addition to their gun…
By the way, a “gunfighter” to us is someone who has trained to be, and has the mindset to be, the best. They train and anticipate, to the expectation that when the time comes that they have to use their weapon against a bad guy, that bad guy will have trained to the same level.
So what is the one thing the gunfighter will ALWAYS have in addition to their gun? The answer is simple: it’s a spare magazine for their semi-auto handgun.
Does the gunfighter necessarily need a spare magazine to stop a bad guy? No; the gunfighter can put every round they fire on target under stress. Then why do they carry at least one spare magazine.
The obvious answer is, “in case of multiple targets.” Yes there’s that. But what about weapon malfunctions? Can you clear a double feed (class 2 malfunction) from a semi-automatic handgun without a spare magazine? The only way I know to clear a double feed is:
- Lock Back (your slide)
- Strip Out (the stuck bullet)
- Cycle (pull back your slide)
- Cycle (again)
- Cycle (again)
- Fresh Magazine (insert your handy second mag)
- Cycle (one last time)
- Look & Assess (your surroundings)
That is the real reason why a gunfighter carries a spare magazine. It is because they believe in Murphy’s Law. They know that when the stuff hits the fan, the worst thing that could happen is their gun experiences a class 2 malfunction.
So next time you see a “macho man” carrying a gun without a spare magazine ask him why. I’ll bet he says it’s because he doesn’t need more than X rounds to kill a bad guy, or something cliche like that. You can now smile, nod, and know that that person is not a “gunfighter.” Gunfighters prepare, and train, for the unexpected. Do you?
Good article, and that’s precisely why to carry a spare magazine (or two). Sure there’s spare ammo, but magazines are the most likely point of failure. So if having a spare addresses both the ammo supply and magazine failure issue, it’s a strong win to carry a spare (or two).
There’s actually another way to address a double-feed, and it’s demonstrably faster at dealing with the malfunction and getting you back in the fight faster.
Magazine springs wear out. Semi-auto owners must test and replace their springs to insure proper feeding. Revolvers don’t have this problem.
True, but revolvers come with their own set of issues, like timing problems and limited rounds without reloading. A well maintained pistol is just as reliable as a revolver.
Revolvers are more reliable in ideal circumstances than self-loaders. Self-loaders are more resistant to abuse, such as having mud smeared on the side of the weapon. The self loader has two important springs, the operating spring and the magazine spring. They lose their tension at different rates, and have to approximately match each other, in that the next cartrige has to be pushed up in the time allowed by the operating spring. One way to be sure they match is to shoot a lot, which is a good thing, but expensive.
Single actions are easier to shoot accurately. If you are shooting a double action, you can get the same accuracy as with a double action by waiting a bit for your enemy/opponent to come closer.
1911s can be pushed out of battery to not fire if your enemy/opponent pushes against the end of the barrel. Exposed hammer weapons can be put out of action by putting the web of skin between the thumb and forefinger in front of the hammer.
Another reason for a spare mag is one seldom voiced: the one in the gun is lost, for whatever cause.
The mag button was bumped while holstered, and the loaded mag fell out after the draw.
The button got hit while scuffling with an attacker(s).
Or, you never got the mag seated to start with.
If you think you will be able to retrieve it in the midst of a self-defense situation, your grasp on reality is a bit shaky. Just finding it may be a problem, since the majority of encounters occur in low light.
Sucks to have a single-shot, or with mag safeties a no-shot, pistol.
This is a great article, but I fear most ladies don’t wear enough clothing to conceal a semi auto and a spare mag. I suggest a hammerless air weight wheel gun. This will be on target faster, and will prove to be more reliable.
I am a women that has just started becoming a serious shooter and I completely disagree about the hammerless air weight. My husband had bought a 38 air weight. It was too small for his larger hands so he thought It might work better for me. I HATED it. It had a lot of recoil and was hard to get back on target. So he bought me a 22 semi. It was a good first gun as it was small and didnt intimidate me. While taking my CCDW course, I got comfortable with the 22 but felt it wasn’t dependable enough to be my main protection device, since it was prone to jamming. I was also concerned that if my shot was not perfect, it might not be enough to stop an attacker. My son had a Springfield XD 9mm subcompact. The first time I fired it, I knew it was for me. Very little recoil, enough punch, 10+1 mags, very accurate, easy to clean and never jams. Its hardly bigger than my 22 making it easy to conceal with my IWB holster. It also works well with my concealing purses and fits nicely in my car console. I am in a womens shooting club and have observed several of the women with revolvers. I have noticed that some of the women have trouble working the hammer repeatly, and then have to reload after only 5 shots. 5 shots may not be enough to stop one attacker much less multiple attackers unless your aim is flawless under extreme stress. Which is unlikely to a novice shooter, not to mention trying to quickly reload while your hands are shaking and your adreneline is pumping. This is just one woman’s opinion based on experience and observation, but definitely some thoughts to ponder when deciding on a gun for you or for the woman in your life.