How many mags/holders?

[Ghorsley]

I'm new, have practiced lots and want to started shooting in matches.

My HK P30L has a 15 round capacity. My question is will I ever see a stage where I will need more than 45 rounds. If not, why couldn't I get by with 2 mag holders on my belt and 1 mag in my pocket.

Thanks

[mlmiller1]

If you're talking uspsa, official matches will require no more than 32 rds. However if you lose self control and get a grudge against a certain piece of steel it is easy to use more than 45rds. If that is all you have, keep it in mind while you shoot. Go and try it out. I think you will like it.

[Ghorsley]

Thans

[Vlad]

The advice I give new shooters is that you can't have too much ammo, unless you are swimming.

[kmca]

You should also remember, there are such things as double feeds, where you drop the mag to clear, magazine malfunctions, and just a dropped magazine.

[BobS761]

My rule of thumb is 50 rounds. I shoot in Production, so 4 on my belt and one to make ready. And still I wonder if one more mag would be a good idea. But for starting out, run with what you have. You'll have a blast and you can figure out what is right for you later.

Edited September 26, 2013 by BobS761

[MetropolisLake]

My rule of thumb is 50 rounds. I shoot in Production, so 4 on my belt and one to make ready. And still I wonder if one more mag would be a good idea. But for starting out, run with what you have. You'll have a blast and you can figure out what is right for you later.

I had somebody else recommend two AR pouches for the belt. Another guy said 4 shotgun caddys. So 4 pistol, 2 AR, and 4 shotgun caddys? Sound about right? Sounds like a crap ton.

[ericjhuber]

If you're talking uspsa, official matches will require no more than 32 rds. However if you lose self control and get a grudge against a certain piece of steel it is easy to use more than 45rds. If that is all you have, keep it in mind while you shoot. Go and try it out. I think you will like it.

I will admit that I have declared war on individual bits of steel before where I really should have just moved on. I'm still having a bit of trouble with small steel at longer range and I've even gotten into the habit of adding an additional mag for steel intensive stages.

My rule of thumb is 50 rounds. I shoot in Production, so 4 on my belt and one to make ready. And still I wonder if one more mag would be a good idea. But for starting out, run with what you have. You'll have a blast and you can figure out what is right for you later.

That's generally been my policy also and it's worked out well. I shoot Production so I have five mag pouches on my belt. I have grip tape numbers on all of my mags to keep me organized. Mag #1 is the most forward mag on my belt followed by #2 through #4. The last pouch is for Mag #0 which contains 11 rounds and it's what I grab during load and make ready. If (see above) I feel that war might occur during a stage, I'll take Mag #5 out of the range bag and put it into the last mag holder. I then just put Mag #0 into a pocket for load and make ready.

I figure 50 is safe because if something awful happens early where some malfunction requires me to drop that first mag to clear, I'm still in good shape with a 32 round stage.

Edited September 28, 2013 by ericjhuber

[BobS761]

My rule of thumb is 50 rounds. I shoot in Production, so 4 on my belt and one to make ready. And still I wonder if one more mag would be a good idea. But for starting out, run with what you have. You'll have a blast and you can figure out what is right for you later.

I had somebody else recommend two AR pouches for the belt. Another guy said 4 shotgun caddys. So 4 pistol, 2 AR, and 4 shotgun caddys? Sound about right? Sounds like a crap ton.

Pretty sure the OP is talking pistol and not 3 gun. But for 3 gun, best thing is to equip for each stage plan. That way you can add or take things off as needed. YMMV

[kevin c]

Starting out, shoot what you have in what ever division allowed and have fun, but if you get a bit more serious (addicted ;^D) you might want to consider the following: Your pistol is chambered in 9mm, right? In the USPSA, 9mm will put you at a scoring disadvantage in divisions that allow major power factor. If you shoot your pistol in Production Division, you will only be allowed to load to the Division maximum magazine capacity of ten rounds, leaving you short for big stages, even medium ones where it may be better to reload before going to slidelock, or on those obnoxious spinning steel plates...

[Olivers_AR]

In production you are limited to 10 rounds plus one in the pipe. That means that 3 mags could hold up to 31 rounds. Plus sometimes it doesn't make sense to run them dry, it makes sense to do a mag change so that you can finish the stage, Which means that you may have less than 31 rounds.

[Ghorsley]

Thanks for all the info

[theKenny]

The advice I give new shooters is that you can't have too much ammo, unless you are swimming.

Or on fire. as a friend is fond of saying.

[SoCalNoMore]

One visit with the Texas Star and you will quickly see how many mags are needed :-)

[02doooce]

I shoot SS and Production - I have 6 mags and 5 mag pouches on my belt.

To be honest, I rarely use the last two - however it's nice to know when that they a there should I need them.

Here's how I see things:

- You may end up not using the rounds, but in the event you miss a reload it's much easier to grab a new mag than fumble on the floor to grab the dropped mag.

- It's insurance for brain farts like pressing the mag release too early.

- when shits hits the fan and the zombies all come out, you will be thankful you bought the extra gear

Edited October 13, 2013 by 02doooce

[GMB]

I CARRY ONE MORE MAG THAN I WILL NEED TO COMPLETE THE STAGE. I MAINLY SHHOT LIMITED AND THIS HAS SERVED ME WELL!!!

[actionshooter38]

In production I found 50 rounds to be fine. Shooting open, I usually have a big stick and 3 140mm mags, This gives me a ton of rounds but it allows for brain farts and equipment malfunctions. You can never have too many rounds, too many misses is another story.

[SilverBolt]

My first ever USPSA match was a single stack only event. I had 4ea 10-rd mags and 1ea 8-rd for my 1911. It was a 10 stage match and I was doing OK for the first 3-4 stages. Then I hit the stage that had a Texas Star. I had never shot one. I started the stage will all mags full (48 rounds) and it was not enough. I ran dry before I ran out of targets.

Now I am shooting limited-minor. With legal mag extensions I get 23 rounds per mag. If a stage can be done on one mag I carry two. If a stage needs two I carry three. If the stage is steel heavy or lots of drop/swingers I may throw on an extra mag to be safe. It's very easy to drop a mag, mag malfunctions, etc. I would rather carry the extra weight than get caught short.

[millsan1]

I am a newbie, so take this FWIW.

I shoot production with 4 on the belt and 1 in the gun.

Besides total round count, there are plenty of times I reload without expending all the rounds in a mag.

Let's say there are 3 papers then a move to a port with 4 papers. I would shoot 6 shots and then drop a mag and reload on the way to the port. Most likely would drop the next mag after the 4 paper too.

Having 10 rounds to work with makes you think a stage through pretty hard.

I enjoy the planning part. Can't say I am great at it, but I do enjoy it.

For the extra $100 for 2 mags and mag pouch, I would go for it. Given the $ investment in equipment, match fees and ammo, it is not much and will give you cushion.

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[davidwebb]

I shoot IPSC production and have 4 mag pouches and 4 magazines. These are enough for me.

[johnhhuber]

I shoot SS and Production - I have 6 mags and 5 mag pouches on my belt.

To be honest, I rarely use the last two - however it's nice to know when that they a there should I need them.

Here's how I see things:

- You may end up not using the rounds, but in the event you miss a reload it's much easier to grab a new mag than fumble on the floor to grab the dropped mag.

- It's insurance for brain farts like pressing the mag release too early.

- when shits hits the fan and the zombies all come out, you will be thankful you bought the extra gear

I second this. You also never know when something might get caught on a mag and knock it out of a mag pouch. I have yet to have this happen but I have seen it enough to make me aware of its possibility.

Plus, the extra mags come in handy if you want to do an extra mag change or two in your stage breakdown.

[DDirks]

My rule of thumb is 50 rounds. I shoot in Production, so 4 on my belt and one to make ready. And still I wonder if one more mag would be a good idea. But for starting out, run with what you have. You'll have a blast and you can figure out what is right for you later.

I had somebody else recommend two AR pouches for the belt. Another guy said 4 shotgun caddys. So 4 pistol, 2 AR, and 4 shotgun caddys? Sound about right? Sounds like a crap ton.

I don't think that the OP isn't talking about 3-gun. As for 3 gun, there is no 'set amount' that you can tell yourself that you will carry for each stage and have it be a good plan. Most people will completely change out what they choose to have on their belt for each stage, and it rarely ends up being 4 pistol mags, 2 AR mags, and 4 shotshell caddies. Heck, I don't even have that much real estate on my belt...

Edited October 31, 2013 by DDirks

[JohnnyD]

One visit with the Texas Star and you will quickly see how many mags are needed :-)

Quoted for Truth

I run 4 on belt and a 11rd first mag in production. I'd like to get another mag to have a true barney mag that way I can insure round chambers without a doubt. Right now I run my finger over the loaded chamber indicator on my XD.

[D.Hayden]

Biggest stage I ever shot (at a Level 1 pistol match) was 54 rounds required - I always try to have 8 mags in my range bag for L-10/Prod