Magazine Holster

[pattywak]

What rigs do you all use to carry a spare mag? (That is, if you carry one at all.)

I checked out some at Guns and Leather in Hendersonville the other day, but both the Blackhawk kydex and the Galco leather one were both a a little too tall for my 8 round mag for my M&P Shield. It fit into both of them fine, but only had and inch or less above the end of the holster to grab on, making extraction pretty hard.

Edited June 18, 2012 by pattywak

[BigK]

I know exactly what you mean. It's hard to get a grip on the mag with so little of it sticking out. You could try stuffing a paper towel down in the Kydex holster to give the mag some lift.

Leather may not work. I decided to make a couple of leather mag pouches for my Kel Tec to avoid this same issue. The problem I ran into was that getting enough of the mag sticking out for a good grip means too little is still in the pouch. Tightening the tension screw enough to overcome this means it's too hard to pull quickly/easily.

I'm sure someone will come up a better answer.

Edited June 18, 2012 by BigK

[Superman]

I use a Dale Fricke Joab horizontal mag holster. I like it a lot better than the vertical mag holsters.

[pattywak]

Thanks for the response. I realize that having a smaller holster could possibly mean too little held inside of it, but I also figured there are others here who carry lower capacity handguns and have come up with ways to carry an extra mag that works for them.

[pattywak]

I use a Dale Fricke Joab horizontal mag holster. I like it a lot better than the vertical mag holsters.

What gun do you use it for? Have any pictures? I looked into some horizontal mag holsters, and I just checked out the model you suggested and it looks pretty good. It's just kind of a gamble since I can't see a picture of one with a Shield mag in it to see how of the magazine is accesible while in the holder. May have to send Dale Fricke an e-mail.

Are there any advantages to the horizontal vs vertical orientation? I figure the tradeoff is concealability vs accessibility. Also, which way would be the proper way to orient the bullets in a horizontal holder? (I am left handed, so the mag holder would be on my right side.)

Edited June 18, 2012 by pattywak

[Superman]

What gun do you use it for? Have any pictures? I looked into some horizontal mag holsters, and I just checked out the model you suggested and it looks pretty good. It's just kind of a gamble since I can't see a picture of one with a Shield mag in it to see how of the magazine is accesible while in the holder. May have to send Dale Fricke an e-mail.

Are there any advantages to the horizontal vs vertical orientation? I figure the tradeoff is concealability vs accessibility. Also, which way would be the proper way to orient the bullets in a horizontal holder? (I am left handed, so the mag holder would be on my right side.)

Mine is for a glock. Here is a pic, not me but it shows the mag holster the way I carry it. This one has the TDI sheath made onto the holster, need to get one like that.. To me it is more accessible than a vertical holster. And unless you need to tuck your shirt in it is no less concealable. And I dont appendix carry, I use a supertuck holster for my glock.

ETA

The only other one that I know of that I would run is the one by Galco. But I dont think you can remove it without unfastening your belt, which I need to be able to do. The other ones I have seen look more bulky or have a velcro closure which I dont want.

Edited June 19, 2012 by Superman

[Guest Inertia]

I use a blackhawk mag holster (vertical). It works fine with my 8 rd double stack mag. I have about 1 1/2 inches to work with to grab.

[pattywak]

Superman - thanks for the picture, helps me visualize it much better. I just sent an e-mail to Dale Fricke, so hopefully he can help me out. I see you have plenty of room to grab the magazine. Any reason you went bullets down as opposed to bullets up? I've been sitting here pretending to draw my mag from a horizontal holster and a bullets-up orientation feels more natural for me.

Inertia - the blackhawk one is one I tried at the LGS and it almost covered the entire magazine! Not enough room to grab on it for me.

[Superman]

Bullets down just works better for me. I could see bullets up working, and if I practiced it that way enough it would work but bullets down felt more comfortable/natural for me.

[BigK]

I heard the mag draw explained in some classes I've taken and books I've read. As long as you bring the fresh mag to the gun with your index finger along the front of the mag to help guide it in and add tactile input, you're doing it right.

For vertical draw, that means bullets facing front, but with horizontal it depends on how you orient your hand when you draw it. If you draw it out overhanded, you want bullets up to align your finger properly. That's how I'd do it, but it might not be comfortable to you.

[zapfbroad]

I'm left handed & have a vertical/horizontal velcro rig. I sometimes do horizontal..vertically is easier if you have more than 1 extra mag tho. On the horizontal it depends what oclock u want to be on your body. For possible SD situations id recommend any action the predominantly presents the top of your hand to your target so that you provide less visual of what you are doing, if you are close in to someone else you can present knuckles to face sooner with less pressure points exposed. Rear 4-6 o'clock id suggest bullet up mag bottom to right so the rotation can occur as you bring your arm around. And you have better mag control as your palm is up under when extracting in rear.. when going for reload you will have spiked adrenaline & be more apt to butterfinger. If u want 1-3 o'clock I would say probably bullet down & magazine butt to the right. It will require you to draw past the holster but avoid the need to rotate wrist and give you more speed. ideally for speed id recommend a 1-2o'clock positon.

It is ultimately personal preference & you should experiment with what is most comfortable then practice unloaded many many times. Then practice loaded many many times. Then practice loaded & firing on the move under stress many many times.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

[Defender]

I don't always use one, but I have found that a horizontal cell phone holder works well and has the added benefit that it looks like a...cell phone case, lol.

[Caster]

Mine is for a glock. Here is a pic, not me but it shows the mag holster the way I carry it. This one has the TDI sheath made onto the holster, need to get one like that.. To me it is more accessible than a vertical holster. And unless you need to tuck your shirt in it is no less concealable. And I dont appendix carry, I use a supertuck holster for my glock.

ETA

The only other one that I know of that I would run is the one by Galco. But I dont think you can remove it without unfastening your belt, which I need to be able to do. The other ones I have seen look more bulky or have a velcro closure which I dont want.

Good lord, how do you bend over!??!??

[Caster]

I use this to carry my Surefire and a spare magazine for my G19

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/989567/galco-mfp-paddle-single-magazine-and-flashlight-pouch-double-stack-9mm-40-s-and-w-magazine-surefire-g2-g3-6p-z2-leather-black

[Guest nowheretobefound]

When I was "in coat with or without tie uniform" I'd carry a regular vert. Safariland, just because I used Safariland holsters. All other carry I simply use any pocket.

[Superman]

Good lord, how do you bend over!??!??

Yep that dude has a lot going on on the front of his belt. doesnt look very comfortable

[pattywak]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I really was looking for something horizontal because I wanted a little more discreet way to carry, and to me horizontal carry seemed more comfortable for my body type (portly...to say the least.)

As far as my search, I just placed my order of a Joab horizontal mag pouch. Will post a review of all my gear once it gets in and I get some time with it.

I went with the single mag holder because the double mag holder loses the discreet and comfort appeal of a horizontal holder and makes it just as tall as a vertical holder.

Even though I already found one I wanted to try, I still want to hear others chime in about how they carry their mags. For those who carry in the pocket, do you have a holster or just throw it in there? This wasn't a real option for me since I have full pockets usually already. Anyone carry in the back pocket? If so, how has that worked for you?