If you carry a firearm on a daily basis, chances are it’s become part of your “everyday carry,” or EDC, right along with your wallet and car keys. With so many possible risks involved in daily life, the necessity for responsible gun owners to educate themselves about proper personal protection and arm themselves accordingly.
While some people go all out and carry a bag with a few extra essentials in case of an emergency (such as a tourniquet or small first aid kit), others go the minimalist route, preferring to only carry what they see as absolutely necessary.
Should a mag carrier be considered part of that “absolutely necessary” gear?
What is the Benefit of Carrying More Rounds?
Obviously, a mag carrier will allow you to carry more ammunition on your person. If you typically carry a single-stack firearm with no extra magazine, that means you have less than ten rounds; typically, with a single-stack firearm you’re looking at about seven rounds plus one in the chamber. The big question you need to ask yourself is will eight rounds be enough to stop a threat?
That answer depends on a lot of factors, including your proficiency, the number of assailants, and many other details that you won’t know until you’re in that life or death situation. Most people who carry a firearm believe that it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, so it’s a good idea to have a backup magazine on your person if you’re going to carry. Even if you have a double-stack firearm that can fit thirteen rounds total, having an extra magazine means you could have over 25 rounds—and those extra rounds could mean the difference between surviving a deadly encounter…or not.
How Should You Carry an Extra Mag?
If you’re going to carry an extra magazine, the next logical question becomes “how will you carry it?” Tossing it your pocket might seem convenient, but you’ll think differently if you ever need to reload quickly. Having an extra mag means ensuring you can get to it quickly and reload efficiently—and that means having a mag carrier.
There are a couple of drawbacks to having a mag carrier. It’s an extra item you need to put on every morning, and you’ll need to go through the same research process of choosing a good mag carrier as you do for choosing a good holster. Likewise, many of the same questions you asked yourself when choosing a holster will come into play when buying a mag carrier:
- Does it have good retention?
- Are you able to pull the mag out quickly?
- Will it hold one or two magazines?
- Etc.
You’ll also need to train with your new mag carrier. Just like you have to practice drawing your weapon, hopefully in a variety of positions and situations, you’ll need to be intimately familiar with your mag carrier and how to reload under stress. Fumbling for another magazine when you’re in the middle of a self-defense situation is not when you want to familiarize yourself with it.
Who Wears or Needs a Mag Carrier?
Some naysayers believe that the only people who need to invest in pistol mag holders are in law enforcement, the armed forces, or some other line of work that puts them in a position to be in regular shootouts. Unfortunately, the fact remains that, even though it’s rare, there are terrible situations that might warrant more ammo than what is readily available in your gun’s magazine. Again, that’s why we are so passionate about believing in the Second Amendment and a American’s right to arm themselves.
Pistol magazine holders are a necessary personal protection accessory for anyone who recognizes their need to carry a firearm in their daily life. The pistol magazine holder is a lot like your firearm holster. In an ideal situation, you never have to use it. Gun owners who carry a concealed carry magazine do so in the hope that they will never need to use it, but they also recognize that the need could present itself at any time.
The Purpose of a Mag Carrier
The primary purpose of pistol magazine holders is to add an extra layer of protection for gun owners. Those of us who believe in the need to carry a firearm in our daily life already recognize the fact that criminals are prone to commit criminal acts at any time. The possibility of these criminal acts creates the need for good men and women who believe in personal protection, upholding the law, and educating themselves on responsible gun use to arm themselves.
A concealed carry magazine is just another tool that ensures that responsible gun owners can protect themselves, their families, and other innocent people in the event of a violent crime.
The Benefits of a Mag Carrier
The presence of the magazine holster on the market has made carrying around an extra mag significantly easier. Magazine holsters allow you to put your extra rounds of ammunition in a position where they’re readily available.
Weather Considerations
During warmer months when you aren’t wearing a jacket, gun owners who don’t invest in a magazine carrier typically stick their extra magazine in the pocket of their pants. That’s fine, and it may keep the extra ammunition in place, but what happens if you need to get to that magazine quickly? You shove your hand into your pocket and pull out your keys or cell phone when you need your next magazine.
During colder months, it may be common to stick your extra magazine in your jacket pocket. Again, this is fine, but since most jackets aren’t form-fitting, the magazine will be sliding around in your pocket, meaning you may end up fumbling around looking for your extra ammo. Additionally, if you take your jacket off and toss it over your arm, the spare magazine can fall out. Mag carriers ensure that your extra rounds of ammunition are exactly where you need them to be.
Quick and Safe Access
Everything about carrying a weapon is about quick and safe access. Responsible gun owners can quickly draw their weapons with minimal looking and no wasted motion. Similarly, gun owners who carry extra magazines can do the same.
If your magazines are shoved into the pockets of your pants or jackets, there is no way for you to remove them and slide them into your handgun smoothly. If you use a mag carrier, you can quickly develop the same type of muscle memory that allows you to draw your weapon for your extra magazine.
Reliability & Abiding to State Concealed Carry Laws
Depending on the brand and size of the extra magazine (or magazines) that you carry, you will want to be sure to find a mag holster that secures your magazine with the same reliability as your concealed carry holster. It is important to note that some states have limits on how many rounds an individual is allowed to have on their person at any given time. You must educate yourself on your state’s laws before deciding to purchase a mag holster that will enable you to carry extra rounds of ammunition.
For instance, if your state limits you to a total of ten rounds of ammunition on your body and your firearm holds ten rounds, there is no reason for you to invest in an additional gun magazine holder. As is always the case, being educated on your state’s gun laws is your responsibility as a gun owner. Carrying a concealed weapon is a massive responsibility that includes the need for doing so safely while also operating within the framework of the laws of your state.
Variety of Size & Shape Options
Mag carriers that come in various shapes and sizes are simply a method of ensuring that you always have an ample supply of ammunition if you find yourself in a high-pressure situation that requires you to fire multiple rounds.
The magazine holder you choose can be the difference in having enough ammunition to protect yourself and those around you or running out. At their core, pistol mag holders are every bit as important as the pistol is to your protection.
How Many Extra Magazines Should You Carry?
This is the most common question for people who are deciding to add extra magazines to their everyday carry. If you’re going to carry one spare magazine, why not two, three, or four? If you have room on your belt and want to carry four extra mag carriers and your state laws permit it, there’s nothing wrong with doing so. However, mag carriers’ primary purpose isn’t about seeing how much ammunition you can carry, it’s about making sure that you have enough ammo to survive a potentially fatal situation.
Most people ascribe to the theory that having one extra magazine is enough to get them through almost any situation that they will find themselves in. That would mean that you have one extra mag carrier on your belt, doubling the amount of ammunition on your body.
Ultimately, the number of extra magazines that you should carry is up to you. What are you comfortable with? Do you want to walk around with four or more mag carriers on your belt? Does your state law even allow that? If the answer to both those questions is “yes,” carry four. Extra magazines are there for your security and peace of mind.
What Type of Mag Carriers Are There?
There are essentially as many types of mag carriers on the market as there are gun holsters. You can choose between mag carriers that hang on your belt (OWB mag carrier) or clip on your waistband and rest on the inside (IWB mag carrier). You can also choose between hard shell and soft shell mag carriers and designed for either right-handed or left-handed shooters. You’re probably already aware of how many gun holster options there are on the market. There are just as many mag carriers types, meaning that you shouldn’t have any problem finding one that is right for you.
No matter what type of mag carrier you choose or how many of them you incorporate into your daily concealed carry arsenal, it’s important that you can use it effectively. Spend some time reading the reviews of different mag carriers reviews and be sure to check out our expansive inventory of mag carriers.
Final Thoughts
Only you can decide if a mag carrier should be an essential part of your everyday carry, but if you’re already carrying a firearm, you should make sure that you have enough ammo to stop a threat. A mag carrier is the best way to do that. The team at We The People Holsters believes that it is your God-given right to protect yourself, your family, and your property. Ensuring that you are aware of all of your options is one of the best ways to make sure that responsible, well-educated gun owners protect our nation.