How Many Magazines Should You Own?

When you buy a new firearm, it usually comes with one or two magazines. For a brand-new gun owner, that might seem like plenty. After all, if you're only using one magazine at a time, how many do you really need?

There's no magic number that every gun owner should have, but there's a good argument for owning more than whatever happened to come in the box. Extra magazines make range trips easier, give you backups when something isn't working correctly, and allow you to rotate out magazines as they begin to wear.

Magazines Don't Last Forever

A quality magazine can last a long time, but it is still a working part of your firearm. Springs can weaken, feed lips can become damaged, baseplates can crack, and magazines can get dropped, stepped on, filled with dirt, or otherwise take a beating over years of use.

Sometimes a magazine problem is obvious. Other times, you may start experiencing failures to feed or other malfunctions without immediately realizing the magazine is the culprit.

Having several magazines gives you something to compare against. If your firearm repeatedly malfunctions with one magazine but runs perfectly with the others, you've learned something useful before assuming there's a problem with the gun itself.

Extra Magazines Make Range Time Easier

There is also a much simpler reason to own a few: range trips are more enjoyable when you aren't constantly stopping to reload the same magazine.

If you have several magazines loaded before you start shooting, you can spend more of your range time actually practicing. You can shoot a few strings, evaluate your target, make an adjustment, and continue without breaking your rhythm every few rounds.

That doesn't mean you need a backpack full of magazines. It just means having enough that your range session isn't dictated by the one or two that came with your firearm.

Training May Require More Than One

As you get into more structured training, additional magazines become even more useful. Many classes and drills incorporate magazine changes, and having multiple magazines allows you to practice those skills without constantly stopping to reload.

It also gives you the ability to dedicate certain magazines to regular training. Those are the ones you don't mind dropping on the floor, using repeatedly, and generally putting through more wear than magazines you may reserve for other purposes.

Pay Attention to Which Magazine Is Which

Once you own several identical magazines, it can be surprisingly difficult to remember which one gave you trouble.

That's why many experienced shooters mark or number their magazines. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate. A small identifying mark lets you track a magazine if you start noticing repeated problems with it.

If Magazine #3 seems to be involved every time you have a failure to feed, for example, that's a pretty good reason to take a closer look at Magazine #3.

It's a simple habit, but it can save a lot of unnecessary troubleshooting.

So, How Many Do You Actually Need?

This is where you'll get a dozen different answers depending on who you ask.

For a casual range shooter, a handful of reliable magazines may be perfectly adequate. Someone who trains frequently, competes, or takes multi-hour classes will probably find it useful to have more. Your needs may also change depending on the firearm and what you use it for.

Rather than focusing on hitting a particular number, think about whether you have enough reliable magazines to comfortably do the kind of shooting you actually do.

And when you find a firearm you plan to keep for a long time, picking up a few extra magazines along the way usually isn't a bad idea.

At The Machine Gun Nest, we see plenty of shooters spend time researching firearms, optics, ammunition, and other gear while barely giving their magazines a second thought. They aren't the most exciting piece of equipment in your range bag, but they're an important part of keeping your firearm running reliably.

Sometimes the least exciting gear ends up being some of the most useful.