How many AR mags are "enough"

[Hohn]

I see the "consumable" aspect of it, but for some of us the rate of consumption is low enough to manage without owning a trainload of mags. I also see the mag-scare aspect of it, but it's odd to me that people who'd never speculate in rice of corn or pork belly commodity markets will readily jump in to the mag commodity market.

And Teddy12B, you are not alone in your preference for 20 rounders. I also far prefer the 20 round magazine, but then again I'm not a "mag dump, Echo-trigger-is-still-way-too-slow" kind of guy.


I'd be interested in seeing Magpul's production data. I bet they have sold enough PMAG to provide 1/4 Americans with a mag every other year. I suspect that mag "shortages" are just like .22 "shortages"-- artificially induced by people with 20,000 rounds stockpiled who are absolutely petrified they won't be able to reach 30,000 rounds by Christmas.

 

[femurphy77]

When you're up to your hoohoo in zombies who want's to take time to load mags?

 

[shibumiseeker]

I see the "consumable" aspect of it, but for some of us the rate of consumption is low enough to manage without owning a trainload of mags. I also see the mag-scare aspect of it, but it's odd to me that people who'd never speculate in rice of corn or pork belly commodity markets will readily jump in to the mag commodity market.

.

TBH, I don't really understand the willingness to put money in paper investments. So you don't understand what motivates some people, no big deal. You are not them so do your own thing. That you have the option to do so is an indication of freedom. The AWB was enacted because a large number of gun owners said "I don't see why anyone needs..."

 

[teddy12b]

With magpuls new contract with the USMC I expect their production capabilities are going to be dramatically increased and hopefully that'll filter into the civilian mags we buy. Economy of scale can be a beautiful thing at times.

Another reason I've forgotten to mention earlier, is that I also look at 30rd mags as an alternative means of currency for barter. I'm not talking about post shtf stuff, I'm talking right now in today's world. I had a neighbor who was a bigtime prepper and we always did favors based on "how many pmags". It was a halfway serious running joke between us, and handing someone a mag as a token of thanks after them helping you out with something is a nice gesture.

No matter what, magazines will always be worth "something". Whatever that "something" is I can't imagine it ever getting any cheaper that $7 per mag so it's a pretty easily to transfer cash into a fairly stable financial asset.

 

[GIJEW]

If money was no object, I'd own a box car full of mags but I'd also own more guns and...whatever else. Owning lots of extra AR mags is a secondary priority since my pistols are my EDC. My thinking on how many mags to own is: what I plan on a load-out X 2, then reassess and funds or other priorities (food, ammo, training, etc) permitting, get more.

 

[two70]

This MIGHT be enough......

 

[307SD]

I went with this. Magpul PMAG M2 MOE Mag AR-15 223 Remington 30-Round Black Pack of 10

Maybe not the best deal, but a decent deal in my opinion. But then I was wrong ............ once, many many years ago.

 

[teddy12b]

My policy on pistol mags is the exact same. When I go to shoot, I'm there to shoot, not reload.

 

[JettaKnight]

Zero.


This a trick question, right? The real question should have been, "how may AK mags are enough?"

 

[24Carat]

55 ea, 30 rnd, all steel or aluminum, all loaded, all of the time. In ammo cans and strategically located. More on order.

 

[m82mike]

I've got about 100 okay industry, about a dozen Colt marked 20 rounders. I keep 2 mags loaded for each weapon, 1 with soft points, and 1 with tracers.

 

[brchixwing]

My philosophy with all mags!

It comes down to whether you want to spend your range time loading mags or shooting.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Mags are like Velveeta in my scrambled eggs. Just when I think there's enough, add some more.

 

[24Carat]

LS&B -- Rep inbound !

 

[Hohn]

TBH, I don't really understand the willingness to put money in paper investments. So you don't understand what motivates some people, no big deal. You are not them so do your own thing. That you have the option to do so is an indication of freedom. The AWB was enacted because a large number of gun owners said "I don't see why anyone needs..."

Shibum, I would never say that there should be any external restriction on the quantity of mags someone can own. Let someone corner the market for all I care.

I'm just trying to apply the well known law of diminishing returns to come up with a sensible rule of thumb for mags. Because I'd much rather spend that money on ammo or accessories, not mags that sit around. Inventory represents negative cash flow that generated little or nothing in return.

Still, inventory can be insurance-- and insurance is a good idea, but how much? And at what price? That's the tough part.


I think I might just pick a round number like 10 mags per and call it good, but maybe a couple left NIB for future speculation...

 

[teddy12b]

Shibum, I would never say that there should be any external restriction on the quantity of mags someone can own. Let someone corner the market for all I care.

I'm just trying to apply the well known law of diminishing returns to come up with a sensible rule of thumb for mags. Because I'd much rather spend that money on ammo or accessories, not mags that sit around. Inventory represents negative cash flow that generated little or nothing in return.

Still, inventory can be insurance-- and insurance is a good idea, but how much? And at what price? That's the tough part.


I think I might just pick a round number like 10 mags per and call it good, but maybe a couple left NIB for future speculation...

I agree with what you're saying. The balance between what we feel we "want" versus what we feel we might "need" are always in conflict with one another. Personally, the most mags I've ever had strapped to me in training was 9, with one more in the gun. Beyond that they aren't needed, but always welcome. Owning spare magazines has a comfort factor to it. Personally, I like feeling comfortable.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Shibum, I would never say that there should be any external restriction on the quantity of mags someone can own. Let someone corner the market for all I care.

I'm just trying to apply the well known law of diminishing returns to come up with a sensible rule of thumb for mags. Because I'd much rather spend that money on ammo or accessories, not mags that sit around. Inventory represents negative cash flow that generated little or nothing in return.

Still, inventory can be insurance-- and insurance is a good idea, but how much? And at what price? That's the tough part.


I think I might just pick a round number like 10 mags per and call it good, but maybe a couple left NIB for future speculation...

Fair enough. However the law of diminishing returns is not an absolute, it's relative to perception of need or risk, resources available, and personal satisfaction. So it gets back to what YOU want, which makes trying to understand other people's choice difficult to understand. If I view mags as a commodity then I'll buy as many as I can when they are cheaper and hope to sell them when they cost more. If I fear bans (which has been proven to not be entirely irrational) then I'll buy as many as I can afford. If the mere fact of having a boxcar full of them brings me joy then it's worth it - to me.

Hence, only YOU can make the decision for yourself. Of all the things that people can buy and hoard it's pretty innocuous: bought at today's prices they won't lose value in general as the market is about as low as it is likely to get. If I bought a magazine a week I am still spending less than most people spend on stuff like cigarettes or booze or eating fast food, and the magazines will hold their value. If I shoot a lot then shooting 20 or 30 rounds less each time buys me a magazine whereas the ammo once shot is gone. In a year that's 50 magazines. Hell, if I just cleaned out pocket change from the house and cars I could probably buy 2-3 a year.

So buy whatever makes you feel good and be glad that we each can buy as many as we each want. I don't actually know how many I own: somewhere north of a few hundred, because they are cheap enough that I pick up a few whenever I see them cheap, or need to add a few more bucks to an order to get free shipping or some other discount or the like. I've been doing that over 10+ years of shooting ARs and I lived through the AWB where standard capacity magazines for all guns became scarce and expensive, so having a lot of them makes me happy and gives a sense of security, false as that may be.

 

[BGDave]

This MIGHT be enough......

The fact that they are sold out is telling.

 

[Hohn]

The fact that they are sold out is telling.

Telling that magpul doesn't ship many of these?

 

[BGDave]

Telling that magpul doesn't ship many of these?

Meaning someone "needed" 100 mags. I'd call that a pretty good start on the mag and ammo fort.