Do You Really Need a Magazine (mag) Holster?

A concealed carry magazine holder or a holster with a mag pouch gives you an opportunity to carry more rounds. Many concealed carriers love this idea because they worry about entering situations when one magazine of ammo will not offer enough security.

What if you face an active shooter who has multiple magazines? What if you know you won’t return to your home or vehicle for an extended period? Events like these could make carrying an additional mag useful.

So, do you really need a mag carrier? It depends. If you decide to carry one, make sure you do so safely. That's the most important thing to consider.

Should You Carry an Extra Magazine?

First, let’s examine whether you need to carry an extra magazine. Your gun and magazine capacity might influence your decision. Popular concealed carry weapons offer a lot of diversity. Whether you need a mag carrier might depend on the gun and magazine you carry.

The M&P Shield M2.0 has a maximum capacity of 8+1 rounds. It’s easy to imagine a scenario where you would need to fire more than 9 rounds. These situations don’t happen often, but they do happen. Carrying an extra magazine keeps you prepared.

The Glock 19 comes standard with a 15-round magazine. You can get upgrades that carry as many as 33 9mm rounds. If you own a Glock 19 with an extended magazine, you have nearly three times the number of shots as someone carrying an M&P Shield M2.0. You can still imagine situations when an additional mag would come in handy, but they seem much less likely. For most people, 15 or 33 rounds are sufficient for everyday security.

How Should You Carry Your Extra Mag?

You’ve decided that you want to carry an extra mag. Now, it’s time to think about the safest, most effective way to do that.

Whatever you do, don’t stick a magazine in your front pocket and go about your day. That’s a recipe for disaster. (Also, it can get very uncomfortable.) As the mag encounters others objects in your pocket, it and the rounds inside can suffer minor damages that add up to significant failures. Pulling a magazine from your pocket will also take time. Imagine how you would need to contort your body to retrieve a magazine from your pocket while you’re in a crouched position. Hopefully, you’re not wearing “skinny jeans.”

The good news is that you have easier and safer options for carrying additional ammo should you need it.

The Pros and Cons of a Holster With Mag Pouch

Carrying a holster with a mag pouch is much safer than keeping an extra mag in your pocket. That’s the first benefit. Some people also like knowing that their spare mags sit right next to their gun holsters. Realistically, though, where you keep your mag holster depends more on training than anything else. If you practice using a holster with mag pouch, it starts to feel natural. Other options will feel just as natural over time.

Some people really don’t like having their spare magazines so close to their gun holsters. If you position the mag pouch behind the holster, it can get in the way when you need to draw your weapon quickly. Keeping an additional magazine right next to your gun also adds more weight to your carry. Over the course of a day, even a small amount of additional weight can become annoying.

Holster With Mag Pouch Pros:

• Some people prefer the all-in-one design.
• It’s much better than carrying a mag in your pocket.
• Depending on the material, mag pouches can protect ammo from moisture.

Holster With Mag Pouch Cons:

• They add weight to your carry.
• The mag pouch can interfere with drawing your weapon.
• The mag pouch always stays with your holster instead of letting you choose different positions.
• You almost exclusively have to carry them outside of your waistband, which can reduce concealment.

Concealed Carry Magazine Holster: Pros and Cons

Concealed carry magazine holsters offer several advantages over holsters with mag pouches. But they also have some potential drawbacks for carriers to consider, too.

Most people prefer concealed carry magazine holsters because they’re separate from their gun holsters. It often makes sense to keep your gun in one position and your extra ammo elsewhere. That way, you never have to worry about the magazine holster interfering with your draw. A little training can get you used to replacing spent mags with holstered mags quickly.

Concealed Carry Magazine Holder Pros:

• You can distribute the weight of additional mags across your waistband.
• Better concealment from IWB holsters.
• Designs made to fit specific types of ammo.
• They don’t get in the way of your gun holster.
• Adjustable design to carry diverse magazines.
• You can choose between a horizontal holster or vertical holster.

Learn more about our horizontal mag holsters and vertical mag holsters.

Concealed Carry Magazine Holster Cons:

• Some people simply prefer holsters with mag pouch carriers.
• It’s easier to forget your concealed carry magazine holster when it’s separate from your gun holster.

Get Your Reliable Mag Carrier From Rounded

If you decide you want to carry additional magazines, invest in a reliable mag carrier that meets your needs.

We make our magazine holsters from durable Kydex material that will last a lifetime. Plus, we manufacture all our products in the United States to ensure their quality. We even offer a lifetime guarantee for our products. That how certain we are that they will exceed your expectations.

Our concealed carry magazine holsters are made for 9mm single stack, 9mm double stack, 40SW single stack, 40SW double stack, 45ACP single stack, and 45ACP double stack magazines. We also have an OWB Kydex magazine holster for HR and rifle mags.

Purchase a Rounded holster today.