IME, reloads with extended mags are also easier/smoother than standard capacity mags. Just more real estate on the magazine to manipulate in order to get it from the pouch and into the magwell. I am unsure of the utility of this, given the rarity of having to reload for most LEOs, compared to the issues of weight, volume, and snag hazard, but something to consider besides the raw additional ammunition.
Back in the day, I had the Safariland triple mag pouch for Glock mags. I had two issues. First was that I could never get equal tension on the magazines....the middle one was always tighter than the outer ones. My second issue was that the bullets-out orientation was different than the bullets-forward orientation that I was used to and still used with plainclothes and concealment gear. I decided that having that 3rd magazine wasn't worth the hassle.
For the .45 1911, I've been considering the Railed Power Mag 10-rounders. The quad duty mag pouch I tried out is well made, but is wide at the base and digs into my hip bone.
"It's surprising how often you start wondering just how featureless a desert some people's inner landscapes must be."
-Maple Syrup Actual
Just curiosity, but why Beretta 17rd mags as spares instead of more Mec-Gars?Originally Posted by Vista461
Also, in case you're ever tempted to try Beretta +2 extensions on your 17 round mags, there is a gap between the extension and the butt of the pistol. I haven't tested them for reliability yet. On 15 round mags they mate up perfectly.
"Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA
Beware of my temper, and the dog that I've found...
I used them since 3 of them came with the 92A1 when I bought it, and they’ve been reliable and hopefully 72 rounds would be enough.
The first pouch, left side, roughly 11:30 is one of these.
I took the flap off the first pouch and it holds my issue Streamlight Strion, backup OLight, and back-up-back-up ancient Surefire M2, all bezel down. But not all at the same time. It holds one of the lights at a time securely enough that about ten years of foot pursuits and fights never lost the light. My rule is that light pouches in front of the hip need to carry bezel down, while behind the hip lights go bezel up. Strictly for economy of motion. This is my second pouch, and I love it. In its current position my hand falls to the light reflexively, and when I need to reload my pistol I automatically go to the pistol mags. Contrary to almost thirty years of Tactical Wisdom I have never tried to reload my pistol (1911, M&P9, and G17) with a flashlight, and I have never needed a light and come up with a mag.
The second pouch has a G17 mag inboard with the flap tucked in, giving me a secure source. After the flap gets tucked a second G17 mag goes outboard as a speed source.
pat
Last edited by UNM1136; 12-16-2021 at 08:10 PM.
At my agency, magazine extensions are not permitted for uniform officers. The person banning them is the SWAT Lieutenant (part time swat team) who carries 3x spare pistol magazines with +4 extensions (M&P 2.0 9mm). SWAT is permitted to carry personally owned magazine extensions while doing swat stuff. Most of them do so, only because they see someone else do so. Many of the swat officers “forget” to switch magazines when in a regular uniform and their regular gunbelt. The young officers see this and, “if it’s good enough for them…”
Until not too long ago, these same swat officers with the magazine extensions for their pistols were only carrying 1 extra rifle magazine, that may (?) be fully loaded to 30 rounds. Now you see most of them with 2-3 extra rifle magazines.
I carry two extra 17rd pistol magazines on my belt. As our Department Procedure mandates. My K9 officers were the first patrol officers to be authorized and issued an external carrier. Ours have two built in rifle mag pouches. I keep one spare 30rd PMAG in the carrier, as there’s been at least a couple of times I can remember hitting the release button for the AR and rolling out the door of the explorer to address something. Nice to have at least one spare magazine. If I have time, and especially if going with my guys tracking multiple suspects, I’ll stick a second spare magazine in the carrier.
Law Enforcement work is regional. In the Midwest city I work at, if I need more than 90 rounds of 5.56mm, I’m having a Very Bad Day. Which is a fancy way of saying that I’m F*cked. Now if I were a LEO along the Mexican border, 90 rounds of 5.56mm might feel a bit on the light side.
You probably won't die in the streets with less than 80 rounds...I used them since 3 of them came with the 92A1 when I bought it, and they’ve been reliable and hopefully 72 rounds would be enough.
"Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA
Beware of my temper, and the dog that I've found...
I hope not. Or at least have back up get there or be able to get the rifle from the squad.You probably won't die in the streets with less than 80 rounds...
My experience echoes the OP's.
Across 30 years we had(and the agencies in the surrounding county) very low round count OIS'. mostly 1 or 2 shots. A few extended bursts of 8-10.
The highest count in an exchange of fire was between 20 and 24-with a revolver. It involved multiple reloads with the officer getting a speedloader off his wounded partner.
Gun people still talk about the 1986(!) Miami shootout because it was such an aberration.
I see the logic of a high cap pistol: what's in the gun is going to be what you trade for time. The most likely need for a spare mag is a malfunction. And if you malf early
it would be nice to have , well, a spare magazine. So 3 mags makes sense.
I would say the most likely need for spare mags is not hitting the suspect. LE hit rate is not great, and majority of body cam footage out there shows reloads are due to not getting hits
Reply With Quote