Written by Richard Dockery, March 03, 2020
I talk with Concealed Weapons License holders every day, and one thing the majority seem to have in common is the fact that their only magazine is the one in their gun. Some seek out extended mags to carry more ammo, and others choose higher capacity firearms for the same purpose. Yet others are of the opinion “… if I can’t get ’em in 6 then forget it”.
A spare magazine can save your life. How? Well if you are among the “get ’em in 6” crowd, remember that you are going to miss…a lot…and you are not necessarily going to be facing a single attacker. In fact, the odds are it will be more. Statistically even Law Enforcement has a 25% hit ratio under pressure. When you find yourself at a gas station at night facing 3 attackers, and you just put your 6 “somewhere”…what is your next move?
…and it is not just about having more ammo, it’s also about malfunctions and equipment failure. A double feed that requires you to pull your magazine will leave you needing a replacement. There are stories of magazine baseplates getting caught on seatbelts and dislodging, damaged magazines causing feed issues, etc…..multiple reasons why you may need to feed a new mag before the one in the gun is empty. If your magazine malfunctions, you now have only the round in the chamber.
Magazines are light and easy to carry. If you face multiple attackers or experience a serious malfunction, a spare can save your life, and insure you can continue to fight when Murphy’s law strikes.
Femme Fatale ARMS & Training is a woman-owned business that provides education and support to an over victimized and underserved segment of our population. We have programs to build confidence and skill without the intimidating aspects that tend to exist elsewhere in this industry. Our goal is customer satisfaction and loyalty. We’d appreciate an opportunity to show you how we are different, yet still, help you to accomplish your education and safety goals.
Femme Fatale Arms & Training is located at 4270 Minton Rd #107 in
West Melbourne, Florida 32904 ????We are open Mon-Sat 11 AM to 6 PM
Call us with questions at (321) 327-3790 or visit FemmeFataleArms.com for more info today.
2 Responses
As an armed self-defender, that 25% hit ratio under stress really bothers me. It seems to me like we (the non-LEO types) are held to a different standard than on or off duty LEOs. We are likely to be (and arguably should be) held accountable for every projectile that leaves our weapon in a defensive encounter – a stray projectile could lead to catching an involuntary manslaughter charge while ending an innocent bystander’s life (yes we should be certain and aware of the backstop, but then there is ricochet and stress, etc). These are just some of the reasons I’ve made it a point to work on marksmanship under pressure – holding myself to the standard that anything other than an acceptable hit is not just not acceptable. I encourage others to work towards similar goals at least as much as one’s resources allows them to.
To your point though, I still carry a spare magazine every day. More so for the malfunction and the multiple threat scenarios.
I completely agree….accurate hits need to be top priority when training and static line shooting does not prepare you to overcome the effects the adrenaline dump will have on your body. In Femme Fatale Arms Defensive tactics class we focus on accurate shot placement while under the constraints of time, pushing distance, while moving fast. If you never train under the burden of external elements you will never truly understand the challenge until you faced with a real world issue.