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?