Concealed Carry Corner: How Much Ammo Should You Carry?

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at some of the pros and cons of carrying a backup gun. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. The comment section made an interesting argument for the amount of ammo someone should carry. This week, I wanted to take a deeper look at how many rounds you should have when you carry a concealed handgun daily. There's no exact, definitive answer, but there's a good baseline to build off. Let's try to answer the question of how much ammo you should carry.

Modern Handguns

When it comes to modern handguns, capacity is fairly standard at 12, 15, or even 21 rounds, depending on the model and magazine configuration. Since there's fairly high capacity on these models, like the Glock 43X and 48 models can have 15-round flush-fitting magazines with extended mags holding 20 rounds, it's very possible to carry just one spare magazine. My overall rule is to try and have roughly 20 rounds of ammo on my body, even though that's drastically higher than the average self-defense shooting statistics. I have always tried to hit the 20-round minimum bar since you should be able to get out of any situation with that much ammo, even if there are multiple attackers.

Some people online talk about having everything and the kitchen sink on their body just in case, but the reality is, you don't need everything under the sun. Instead of thinking you need everything, it's better to look at the bare minimum and what you need to get away from a dangerous situation. Some will argue you need 3-4 magazines on you with a baton, pepper spray and even flex cuffs, which is absolutely not needed. I think some people talk about carrying all these extra items because they fantasize about society crashing. Having a handgun and an extra magazine is more than enough to get you out of harm's way. If we are being realistic, you probably won't even need a spare magazine, but it's better to have one.

1911s and Revolvers

When it comes to single-stack guns and revolvers, having enough ammo can be a genuine concern. While I absolutely love carrying my revolvers and single stacks, the idea that there may not be enough capacity is something that sits on my mind. With a full-size 45 ACP 1911, you can upgrade to a capacity of 8+1 in most modern magazines. In most cases, that's essentially half of what modern double stacks will have and revolvers are even worse off with just 5 or 6 rounds, depending on the model. With single-stack mags, I will usually have a spare magazine and if I'm traveling with a 1911 across multiple states, I may have 2-3 with me, but nothing insane. With 2 magazines and a round in the chamber, you're sitting at 17, which is close enough to the minimum 20 rounds for me.

Revolvers are really tricky, though, because of the reload. There are a number of companies that make speed reload strips where you can reload a revolver fairly quickly. These only have 6 rounds per strip, so the most reasonable method is having one strip with an additional 6 rounds for a total of 11-12 rounds, depending on the model. No matter what, even with something like a 686+ with 7 or 8 rounds, you will still have less ammo than any other options with a spare magazine. With a bit of practice, you can really become quick with these speed strips for an acceptable reload, but the vast majority of people won't put the bit of training in to make reloads smooth, so we usually end up talking about semi-autos again with a Glock or other offering.

Best Practices

I know the comment section will be full of people saying there's no reason to carry a spare magazine as well as guys who say you need to take every magazine you own and carry it on your body while you're out in public. The hard truth is there's a happy medium where people can carry a spare magazine and be completely covered. With the size and weight of modern magazines, there's no reason you can't throw a spare magazine in your pocket and go on with your day. You don't need handcuffs, pepper spray, or anything else to be safe in public, but a spare magazine is almost no weight to add. I know not everyone will agree with me and both sides will attack me because I'm in the middle, but that's what makes our comment section so magical.

Overall Thoughts

In the end, it's always a great recommendation to have roughly 20 rounds. Sometimes it's tough, depending on what you're carrying, with single-stack magazines being really tricky or revolvers with speed strips as well. It all boils down to what you're capable of carrying and what works for your life.

Let me know what you personally do with spare magazines down in the basement fire we call the comments section. If you have questions about carrying or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you guys next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.

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