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How many magazines per rifle ?

Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

How many tires on your truck? Get enough for comps, drills, and training. Rebuild and replace as they wear.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

As many as you can reasonably afford, and then some.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

If you aren't going to abuse the hell out of them and get good quality mags, you don't need a ton of them. 10 of each caliber works for me (556, 308). I may have about 20 in 556 just from grabbing one or two here and there on orders. They mostly sit nice and clean in their factory bags as my normal 5-6 get workouts. Rebuild kits will always be around.. the mag bodies themselves will become the important part if "anything" ban wise happens.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

In this climate...I'm sadly going to have to come down on the side of "as many as you can reasonably afford." Simply put...a semi-auto without a magazine is a glorified single shot. Since they are consumable/disposable/expendable items...it makes sense to have a good stock of them around, especially if your rifles will be run harder than an occasional outing to the range and back to the safe.
wink.gif
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?


So, If you have 16 rifles that accept the same mag type,and need 12 per rifle.
should you buy 16x12= 192 ?
Or
Should you just have 12 for the 16 rifles ?
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

I have two or three magazines per rifle, I don't have a need for any more than that. I don't shoot competition, just target shooting and hunting.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

I try to keep 5 per rifle. If you have 16 rifles that accept the same mag type, I'm jealous
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

I like to have 10 mags per gun at the least. I have 3 AR's at the moment and I've got about 50 Pmags. Even more in the dirt somewhere.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

I buy enough magazines to be able to load half of my regular range load out into magazines ahead of time. So if I am shooting 300 rounds of 556 then I will need 5 mags.
Same does not apply for my bolt guns as I shoot them almost always as a single shot. Even starting to build rifles as single shots, is how little I use magazines in my bolt rifles.
Pistols it all depends. I have next to no magazines for my pistols but have never been able to find magazines for the ones I shoot in more than one and two at a time and prefer to buy all at once.
Rimfire however I buy every time I have cash in pocket and there is one on the shelves. I shoot tons of rimfire. I'm the guy that buys 20,000 rounds from the cmp but doesn't actually sell any of it at gunshows like others have in the past.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

I keep about 5 mags on hand for the .308, I kept about 15 loaded for the AR and another dozen empty.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

I like enough mags for two mag carriers plus one in the rifle plus another shorter one for load development.

So, AR = 7 +1, full-power = 5 +1, and 5+1 for semiauto pistols, 4 speedloaders for round guns. Per firearm. Until you have enough AND carriers for everyone in the house plus 1-2 neighbors, if you have multiple arms taking the same mags.

More than that is gravy or Zombie apocalypse. But I pack my ammo in stripper clips.

Oh yeah, most of you bolt gunners are stuck with single-feed instead of double-feed mags. Pity.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Will</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mags aren't worth a crap without ammo !! </div></div>

A friend of mine has 3 AR's, 2 extra barrels and BCG's for his Stag LH rifle, over 40 Pmags, and 30 rounds of ammo. Like wiping before you poop.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: redneckbmxer24</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Will</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mags aren't worth a crap without ammo !! </div></div>

A friend of mine has 3 AR's, 2 extra barrels and BCG's for his Stag LH rifle, over 40 Pmags, and 30 rounds of ammo. Like wiping before you poop. </div></div>
Seriously, one mag worth of ammo?
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

Yep. He had two mags full up until memorial day 2011 when he brought one to shoot it. He gets a lot of practice.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

This is something that is relative. What is the rifle used for/how is it used? For example. I have 13 for my AR15, but that is because it is the multi-tool of my rifles (capable of many things buy only excels at a handful of them). On the other hand I only have one magazine for the 338 Lapua, and while I will soon pick-up at least one more this is a rifle that is a highly specialized tool and has very limited use. Thus I don't find it very adventitious to keep a metric butt ton of magazines around for this rifle.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Longshot38</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This is something that is relative. What is the rifle used for/how is it used?</div></div>
While I agree with this, I admit that over the years I've stocked up on anything that holds more than 10 rounds, such as for my ARs and AKs. If I don't use them, they could become valuable trading stock.

As a general rule of thumb, I try to have 10 mags for any of my rifles that take them.

Cheers,
Richard
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

I am with the 10+ per rifle crowd and I like to make sure I have spare parts, in case mags become tougher to get in the future.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: michael357</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How many magazines per rifle, should we stock on?

Thanks </div></div>

At least 10 depending on what you want them for. Always rotate the loaded mags so you won't take the chance of setting the springs.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

Repeated compression/decompression wears mags. Not constant compression.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

If you have to ask....you aint' got enough
smile.gif


Storm's on the horizon, if you don't need 'em they make great paperweights!

Cheers,
breeze
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tylerw02</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Repeated compression/decompression wears mags. Not constant compression. </div></div>

While generally correct with respect to mag springs wearing out/weakening, that statement as a whole is not correct. If you load mags to their full capacity and leave them that way, you create pressure on the feed lips which over time will cause them to deform and to malfunction, and it can also take a toll on the mag bodies themselves with some mags, causing them to bow. This is one of the prime reasons that Magpul offers their snap on "dust covers" as it both protects one of the crucial areas of the mag and keeps debris from entering the mags, as well as taking that pressure off the feed lips by pushing the rounds down and off the lips slightly.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

That's why you load 28 is GI mags or use the dust cover on P-Mags. It really isn't that difficult. I've fired several mags that have been loaded for years and they never had. Problem. There are some good thread on m4carbine about this issue. Seems the SMEs there tend to agree, using a mag wears it more than leaving it loaded, especially if leaving them down to 28.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ORD</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tylerw02</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Repeated compression/decompression wears mags. Not constant compression. </div></div>

While generally correct with respect to mag springs wearing out/weakening, that statement as a whole is not correct. If you load mags to their full capacity and leave them that way, you create pressure on the feed lips which over time will cause them to deform and to malfunction, and it can also take a toll on the mag bodies themselves with some mags, causing them to bow. This is one of the prime reasons that Magpul offers their snap on "dust covers" as it both protects one of the crucial areas of the mag and keeps debris from entering the mags, as well as taking that pressure off the feed lips by pushing the rounds down and off the lips slightly. </div></div>

This was the original intent of Magpul when they designed the dust covers. However, continued testing by Magpul of their mags has revealed that it is not necessary. Magpul claimes that it is fine to leave their mags fully loaded with 30 rounds for extended periods of time. If you don't believe me, send them an email and ask them yourself. They have found no evidence of feed lip creep or spring set. One of the reasons for this is that a P-Mag 30 is actually capable of holding 31 rounds, but won't seat on a closed bolt this way. With 30 rounds it will still seat on a closed bolt, and not set the spring, but if you cram 31 rounds in one, you do run the risk of setting the spring. So, 30 rounds in a 30-round PMag for "extended peroid of time (at least 6 years) is apparently fine, even if you don't use the dust cover.
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sales@MileHigh</div><div class="ubbcode-body">10 per rifle is just getting started...

-Sean </div></div>

Exactly.
I had 10 per rifle.
and got 50 more inbound..
 
Re: How many magazines per rifle ?

I keep 5 10rd (NY State) Stag mags for my Stag Model 6 Super Varminter, and typically store them unloaded, in the ziplock with 6 strippers full of match ammo and a bridge clip.

For my Mossberg MVP, I keep the original 10rd mag and a pair of 5rd mags, and only load them when I'm getting ready to shoot.

Living out here in rural America, I'm figuring I've got a little spare time to load up before Varmageddon fully descends....

Greg
 
I had a damn A3 bag full of 5.56 and 7.62 pmags before the craziness... Made out like a bandit! But I generally keep around 10 on hand for each gun and buy more when I see a good deal.
 
I say have enough magazines put away that you can pass down to your children. A magazine ban is very possible within the next decade, and it would suck pass down $5000 worth of semi auto rifles that your children can't get magazines for.
 
I only have one Semi Auto Centerfire Rifle, an AR15. For it I have 33 mags: 2-10 rounders, 18-20 rounders, and 13-30 thirty rounders.
 
I say have enough magazines put away that you can pass down to your children. A magazine ban is very possible within the next decade, and it would suck pass down $5000 worth of semi auto rifles that your children can't get magazines for.


It will really suck if they not only pass a high cap mag ban but make it illegal to even possess them.

Major suck if you have to install the "Bullet Buttons" on all those Semi-Autos.


Damn California Legislature. They're worse than a dose of clap and even more infectious.
 
In 'Nam we would belt up with 6 loaded 20rd mags for our M-14's. That was the standard combat loadout, and I think it made sense. It got heavy after a few hours on foot and making what passed for stealth back then.

Really, folks, unless one has a designated thing bearer, any more than a comfortable weight doesn't make a lot of sense. If things get that bad, a bandolier of spare ammo on strippers with a bridge clip would be about the max additional one might carry effectively; Sgt. Rock excluded...

I made it through the customary 13 month combat tour with a semi-auto M-14 well enough. I was cleared to carry the M-60 and did a few times, usually uneventfully. I say this because it indicates I did have experience with a full-auto weapon. It a good tool for laying a base of suppressive fire, but for the individual Grunt, full-auto just makes your basic loadout go away too quick. After seeing that same film clip we can all remember of somebody reaching over a parapet with an A1 and spraying blindly, I rest my case.

Only panic and random chance could make full auto desirable to me, and that's not saying there's anything smart about that. Panic is defined as reaching the point where everything sensible has failed, and doing something, anything, even stupid finally makes better sense than passive submission.

Greg
 
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How many magazines per rifle ?

Remember, there are days when ammo is preferable to food and water.

May those days be few.

But it couldn't hurt to take a few extra boxes in your pack to load some mags...just in case.
 
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How many do you need? That is up to you. I usually only take three to five out shooting with me. Mags can and do get damaged or lost. Having a good supply at home would not be a bad idea.

You are probably far too young to remember when M-14 mags were less than $2.00 each. I bought a shit load of them and did not even have a M1A. I was planning on buying one but never did. I sold some of them during the height of Clintons ban and made good cash. Having more than you need might seem like a waste but the left is trying hard to make the new ones go away. Stock up as you can. I recently bought two cases of AR mags. Will I need the 200plus mags I got? Nope. When did need ever become justification for buying anything in the USA? If it was I guess new cars would go away.
 
As someone living in a ban heavy state, I say: Buy them, each trip to the store. If you get one or two once a month for a few years it won't seem like a large hit, but when bans pass and what you have is what you have forever, then you will be very thankful you stocked up.

I didn't. =(