[Magman77]

I have always wondered how differen't people see things and plan for them. I think if we were on foot, I imagine 7 to 9 mags + or- would do for the MBR. That's pretty easy.

My question is this however. Let's say TSHTF, and you bugged in, or made it to your fully prepped BOL. Safely inside "Fort Apache", and you have magazine fed semi-auto rifles for defense. How many rounds of ammo can you load into magazines at one time? How much fire can you return before you have to worry about running out of loaded Mags? A million rounds in cardboard boxes won't do you much good if they are at the door and you have to reload a Mag. I'm curious as to how many full mags you all think we need to make ready if TSHTF.

Just something to think about, or have you already?

 

[mgk]

One is never enough, and their is no such thing as to many!

 

[janit0r]

are you by yourself, or how big is your group? and who is chasing you?

 

[mgk]

janitOr who are you asking?

 

[Magman77]

are you by yourself, or how big is your group? and who is chasing you?

You can't really know that before hand can you? You have to prep for it, without knowing for sure. I guess that's why I'm asking.

 

[janit0r]

You can't really know that before hand can you? You have to prep for it, without knowing for sure. I guess that's why I'm asking.

it would depend on how what your situation is of course. purchasing ability may limit some people ability to obtain the number of mags for all situations (pmags are $16 here in arizona).

i'm in an urban area, and i plan to stay there unless it's a forced evacuation. in my current setup, i have 9 fully loaded mags (30 rounds each), but i don't anticipate full assault. my approach is to avoid gunfight at most cost.

an alternative to have many loaded mags, is to have your cartridges ready to go on metal clips. those metal clips hold 10-rounds (i haven't seen more than 10)...so with three on those clips you can refill a 30-round mag quickly.

 

[Dwind]

for both my military-ish rifles I assume a 7 magazine load for each- then double it. The second set of mags are pre-loaded and in pouches- ready to go if I lose a mag or 2- or if I'm with a buddy running the same type of rifle that might need spare mags.

Keep them along with loose ammo in boxes in gym bag "stash caches" along with other go gear. redundancy is good

 

[Discordish]

For my main go to gun and its back up I have 40 30 rd mags and 8K in ammo:

 

[Athanasius]

6 loaded Mags for "each" pistol....
12 gauge has a 5 extra shells affixed to the butt.

 

[Still here.]

In my humble opinion you will only need a few at one time. You wont have to worry about running out of ammo full magazines during a gun battle because a large scale battle will not happen. Lets put this into perspective. The worst case scenario that you would seriously encounter would be a group "Gang" of individual people in some form of raiding capacity trying to over run your Bug in or out location. After one or two get smeared out front and one gets hit a hundred yards away the other 3-10 others will seriously start thinking about their own heads getting scrambled and less worried about what you may or may not have. It is unlikely that you will have to fend off large tactical trained individuals from your meager preps. Military does not want them, and what you have (unless you have plutonium, enriched uranium, 1000 rib-eye steaks, etc..) Canned food, and supplies are easier stolen from the stores and easier prey. Once less trained, individuals meet someone that is willing to kill for their family, they will not keep coming in droves. Just because the SHTF does not turn regular thugs into some kind of Killing machines of the future. They are poonannies now, and will be when they are hungry too. They will just give a more trained and patient person better opportunities to help them commit suicide with you gun form a respectable distance.

Still here.

 

[Magman77]

In my humble opinion you will only need a few at one time. You wont have to worry about running out of ammo full magazines during a gun battle because a large scale battle will not happen. Lets put this into perspective. The worst case scenario that you would seriously encounter would be a group "Gang" of individual people in some form of raiding capacity trying to over run your Bug in or out location. After one or two get smeared out front and one gets hit a hundred yards away the other 3-10 others will seriously start thinking about their own heads getting scrambled and less worried about what you may or may not have. It is unlikely that you will have to fend off large tactical trained individuals from your meager preps. Military does not want them, and what you have (unless you have plutonium, enriched uranium, 1000 rib-eye steaks, etc..) Canned food, and supplies are easier stolen from the stores and easier prey. Once less trained, individuals meet someone that is willing to kill for their family, they will not keep coming in droves. Just because the SHTF does not turn regular thugs into some kind of Killing machines of the future. They are poonannies now, and will be when they are hungry too. They will just give a more trained and patient person a better opportunities to help them commit suicide with you gun form a respectable distance.

Still here.

I see your point, BUT with the passage of time will the situ change? If it is an EMP situ, or something long term like that, and you are prepped, will things evolve? Six months go by and as supplies for the average joe begin to dwindle, and the easy pick'ins are gone, they are eating bark and smelling your Dinty Moore on the fire. Do you think their numbers and intensity of their efforts may increase? Is it possible they may become killing machines or as in some books I've read just a touch cannibalistic?

A few weeks without power is a little different prep than a few years without power or civil control. Could it happen? Could we have enough Mags? How many?

 

[Still here.]

It is my guess that the average person will have supplies for about a week or so. They will not have the training nor the discipline to ration food and water. Potable water will be gone long before food, so dysentery and diarrhea will bring forth the dehydration. With dehydration you get extremely week. These people will be of little harm to you. Now hungry / starved....these will become ravenous and crafty raiders and will pose the highest level of danger. The fact that wal-mart and chain stores will provide all the initial raiders with their "Instant preps" They will go through them and when they do they will come for yours.. I am just saying that once a couple get laid out on the lawn the desire to take what you may or may not have dwindles quickly. Stupid people will in fact make stupid decisions and some will justify that with the "I'm just trying to survive" act. This alone will prompt large factions of criminal behavior in my opinion.

In short, they will come. Not in large Zombie/Tactical military type droves but in sporadic single person to a few person group or gang and when they do a few magazine will be all you need. Now with that said, can you have too many? Lets get real, I'm a prepper like the rest of you.. I would not laugh nor scoff at a book shelf by every window and door filled layered with loaded magazines. I would not scoff at a pantry of food so big it would feed hundred people for a hundred years. Do you need that much? probably not would I have it if I could??......You bet your a&& I would.

If I had the means to do it I would have a mini Walmart / Cabela's with a bedroom and kitchen. But hey that's just me. I appreciate your question and look forward to your advise.

Thank you
Still here.

 

[Swampwood]

That's what stripper clips are for.

10mags loaded, 1K in Sclips

 

[FarmerJohn]

one thing i got alot of in the army were extra mags people would leave em on the range and they would become mine so for my ar I am sitting on 30 something mags 15 for an m21/m14 and they were all free: 20 for the ruger 10/22s we have then we have 400 stripper clips for the moisans and everything else is a reg bolt action lever or 12ga pump

 

[rover]

12-20 minimum for a rifle.+1000 rounds or more. 6mags + 500 rounds in pack,for patrol,recce,ect. going to war you take it all.

 

[sailinghudson25]

Typical urban small group vs small group combat skirmishes usually go for about 200 rounds.

 

[rover]

Typical urban small group vs small group combat skirmishes usually go for about 200 rounds.

OK, thats a typical firefight, breaking engagement,resupply goto next block......
but I think in a SHTF you will ether shoot a whole lot less. or you could be fighting for days in a city. like Beirut only you don't go home for supper. Just a thought,

 

[AKpredator]

20 mags for AR/AUG and about 40 for the FAL and some are stashed as it's pretty heavy. I don't know how many en blocs I have for the Garand. I buy some every time I see them for less than $1. My 1911's are supported by a whole range bag of springs, mags, parts and holsters. I think I have 50 Wilson mags between the Officer's, ETM, 47D, Match and 10 rounders with all kinds of pads and plates for them.

 

[SMM123]

30 magazines per MBR. This accounts for losses, defects, wear, etc.
10 magazines per side arm, and also accounts for losses, defects, and wear.

These are the minimums to have on hand. It would be better to have many more, and could be used as very valuable barter with those who did not adequately prepare and felt that having 3 magazines was "plenty."

You can be guaranteed to lose some on patrol from time-to-time or if you happen to find yourself "runnin' and gunnin'." I seriously doubt that anyone would take the time to drop a spent mag in a dump pouch (if you even had one) or shove it back into a mag pouch if you find yourself reloading while on the move and under fire. You will need to replace those dropped mags if you cannot later find them. Having an adequate supply of spare magazines, as well as replacement springs, followers, and floor plates could become a critical logistical issue.

 

[13Fox150]

As many as you have.