By George Emanuel
There is a saying which states, “Two is one, and one is none.” If you have never heard it, let me explain. If I have two of something and one breaks or is lost for whatever reason. I am thus left with one. If I only had one at the outset, I would now have none. A self-defense scenario is not the place where none is an acceptable quantity of magazines to have available.
The weakest part of semi-automatic pistol systems are the magazines. They cause mis feeds, failures to feed, double feeds and every other malfunction you can name except perhaps, failures to fire, extract or eject.
How many should I 
own?
I’ll answer that with a story. I purchased, some years ago, a clone of a very popular semi-automatic pistol from a generally reliable manufacturer. I was assured by the shop owner that ‘original” mags would work just fine in this gun. He was out of the original factory mags at the time so I ordered them. Fortunately, I only ordered two as they in fact did not work in my clone. To make matters worse the people who made my clone had discontinued manufacture of the correct mags and they were no longer available. I was to say the least upset. I had been lied to twice. Once by the dealer, though I believe he actually thought he was being honest at the time of the purchase. And I was lied to by the manufacturer, whom I assumed would properly support their product as it had only been on the market for a year at the time. So, I had the two magazines which came with the gun, and no hope of ever seeing any others.
I traded that gun in on a genuine original. I took a bath no doubt. I made a choice to cut my losses as I knew those two mags would eventually fail and I’d have none. Do you know how much you can sell a used semi-automatic pistol for with no magazines? I will NEVER buy another gun from the clone maker again. They are a very well-known brand, but apparently mine was not the first model they failed to support before, or, after my experience.
Now to get back on track, if you were to purchase 10 magazines for your pistol, there is a possibility that at least one will not function properly. Even if they are all 100% today, over time they will begin to fail through use.
Take a paint marker, or nail polish, or get the fancy numbered floor plates for your mags, and number your magazines physically. This will help you to identify them and to separate the “good” ones from the rest.
But why would I want to separate them? Because the good ones, the ones which feed the bullets into the chamber properly 100% of the time will become your EDC (everyday carry) mags. The ones that don’t function up to that standard may be the ones that save your life. These will be your practice mags.
I see you are scratching your head. Go back and read what I said earlier, all magazines will eventually fail. We need to practice for that eventuality and we practice with magazines that fail. The ability to get your gun back in action after a malfunction is critical to your survival, right?
If you typically carry one magazine in the gun and one on your belt or in your pocket, I want you to set aside 3 magazines that are 100% reliable as your two for EDC and your “spare EDC”. I said mags will fail in time. You are going to shoot your EDC mags at practice to check and verify their function. If one of them fails your range test, use your “spare EDC” magazine until the new one that you order immediately comes in to replace it.
If you take your practice mags to the range and rotate them throughout your drills some are going to get dropped. This can absolutely cause issues. While getting some grit out of one or two is not a problem, a dent or bend in the wrong place can take a 100% reliable magazine and compromise your trust in it.
You should have numbered your mags before you hit the range. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be a blue swan if I can tell which one(s) failed on the range once I have tossed them into my range bag. Hard enough if you do so immediately upon getting home. I am pretty good about cleaning my guns, and generally, my mags get taken apart, the spring and follower removed, a towel (dry) run through them, inspected, spring and follower wiped down and inspected as well. Once that is done I re-assemble them and they are ready for next time. I hope. Don’t ever use oil in the magazine or its parts unless you want dirt, dust, and crud to cling to them. They are dry, or you may die.
When you go to the range use your practice mags. They will malfunction and you will not know when they will do so. This is the beauty of using them. You are not only practicing shooting you are also practicing your Immediate Action Drill, or Slap, Rack, and Roll. You may have to drop a mag to clear a double feed. Learn how on the range and get good at doing it. Unless of course, you’d rather practice while your family is huddled terrified in the corner while you learn.
By all means, use your carry mags occasionally, then put them away unless they have developed problems. I try to avoid letting mine hit the ground so that they continue to function properly. I always have a nagging doubt about mags that have hit the ground.
Buying a new gun is expensive. You’re going to need mags, perhaps ten or more. You are going to have to test your mags and EDC ammunition together with your gun. This is a system and all parts must work together. So, after you buy your new gun. I’d suggest you figure at least and additional $500.00 in magazines and test defensive ammunition before your gun leaves home in your holster.
If you think this is excessive, please, leave the name of the loved one you are willing to sacrifice to your shortcuts in the comments.
A gunfight is not the place to say “Oops”