Stacking your mags - alternating rounds in your magazine

[MilitaryArms]

I've seen a lot of discussion around the subject of "stacking" mags, or alternating the type of rounds in your magazine. In my recent ballistic test videos I've seen a large number of comments from viewers who recommend this practice thinking it gives them an advantage.

I figured it was time to toss my $0.2 into the discussion.

Alternating ammo in your magazine | The Bang Switch

I would be interested in hearing your thoughts, especially if you're a stacker and feel I'm off the mark with my comments.

 

[cedartop]

I've seen a lot of discussion around the subject of "stacking" mags, or alternating the type of rounds in your magazine. In my recent ballistic test videos I've seen a large number of comments from viewers who recommend this practice thinking it gives them an advantage.

I figured it was time to toss my $0.2 into the discussion.

Alternating ammo in your magazine | The Bang Switch

I would be interested in hearing your thoughts, especially if you're a stacker and feel I'm off the mark with my comments.

Won't have time to read your article till later, but I am fully prepared to shoot from the hip on this one and say it is one of the most ignorant practices out there.

 

[MilitaryArms]

Won't have time to read your article till later, but I am fully prepared to shoot from the hip on this one and say it is one of the most ignorant practices out there.

Darn it, and I thought it was brilliant!

 

[__Doc_]

Why would anyone do this? If you're concerned about that why not carry a mag full of one type and a secondary full of another? That would at least let you know what type of bullet youre shooting

 

[eldirector]

Personally, I think you are spot on.

I've never understood the practice. Do folks really think they are going to keep track of how many rounds they have fired, and which type of round is chambered? What are they going to do if the Bad Guy is standing behind something, but their next round is a HP? What if he is in a crowd, but your next round is FMJ? Are you going to eject it and chamber a more appropriate round?

I've even heard of folks doing this with shotguns. Birdshot followed by buck. Like the first is a warning or something.

Just carry the absolute best round for you and your gun, with spare mags of the same. And boxes full of it for practice at the range. Pick one that hits where you aim, transfers the most energy, doesn't over OR under penetrate. There are plenty to choose from, in most every caliber.

If that is my $0.02, then Full-auto gives you a Buck Fiddy!

 

[the1kidd03]

Why would anyone do this? If you're concerned about that why not carry a mag full of one type and a secondary full of another? That would at least let you know what type of bullet youre shooting

I think the most common thought motivating this practice that I've heard is one of having to shoot through your automotive door (or glass or whatever). A situation where it's not believed to be practical for a mag change.

Good article.

 

[__Doc_]

I think the most common thought motivating this practice that I've heard is one of having to shoot through your automotive door (or glass or whatever). A situation where it's not believed to be practical for a mag change.

Good article.

I completely understand different types of bullets for different situations, but the odds that you have that particular bullet in the exact situation is low.

Your top round is made for penetration (metals, wood etc) but you're in a situation where over penetration matters. oops, better rack that slide.

I think Hornady has the best type of bullet as MAC sort of showed in his video (in my opinion). I'll still carry Critical Duty

 

[sht4brnz]

i'd have a full tube of shot in a pump shotgun and throwing in a slug or buck through the open breach is the only consideration i'd give to changing up loads.

 

[Bigtanker]

Good advice. I never have stacked a mag.

I never thought of the point of impact difference point. Always learning something on INGO.

 

[Shay]

People seem to want to make self defense more complex. They really should be trying to make it more simple.

 

[88E30M50]

Nice article Mac! Stacking has never made sense to me either. I agree with the rotation of ammo, but do have to admit that I have not rotated it out as much since the great ammo shortage of 2013. I used to empty the carry mags at the range, then buy new ammo to replace what I'm taking from the stash, but it's tough to bring myself to expend something I cannot replace if possible. Right now, my carry ammo is about 8 months old but has not tarnished at all so I think it's still fine.

 

[bob190e]

My Grandfather does this with all his pistols including his revolvers. I never understood why. After reading this I called him to ask him why and he stated in case he has to shoot through a car door. I didnt want to get into a debate with him on this topic so I just left it at that.

 

[UncleMike]

Some Police Departments used to alternate ammo in their shotguns.
Buck, slug, buck, slug.
I've even seem "Old Timers" back in the early 70's load .357 Magnum revolvers alternating .357's and 38's.
The .38's were in case they needed to dispatch an injured animal.
They finally stopped when they realized that "Murphys Law of loading" was in effect and whatever type of shot you wanted at any given moment , was not the one that was in the pipe when you needed it.

 

[Robjps]

The only time i've seen it with any real logic behind it was with a 1911. An old man had a HP in the chamber and the magazine was ball. The reason was he didn't trust the HP's to cycle 100%.

Slightly different i have a 3" buckshot shell in the bottom of the tube while the rest are 2 3/4". That was because i ran out of 2 3/4" and slapped a 3" in there and have never bothered to change it.

The Judge lovers are the worst somehow they really think they are going to be Judge Dredd in a gun fight yelling out the round they want birdshot/ buckshot/slug/ 45 colt/ 45acp and know what they are using. Give me a break.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I do this whenever I go hunting. In my shotgun, I keep a low-brass #6 in the chamber, since I'm most likely to see a rabbit. I also see the occasional quail, so my first shell in the tube is a low-brass #8, and since I'm not the best wing shot, there's another low-brass #8 behind that. In case I see a coyote or a rabid dog, the third shell is a 3-inch BB load, and on the off chance that I jump up a deer, I always keep two slugs at the bottom.

My system works pretty well, I just have to be ready to make an instant mental note of how many times to rack the slide based on what kind of game that I see. One time I came around a patch of thick brush and saw a huge buck, but in my excitement, I racked the slide too many times and all I heard was a click when I pulled the trigger and by the time I dug the slugs back out of the snow he was gone. Maybe I just need to train more.

 

[Robjps]

Some Police Departments used to alternate ammo in their shotguns.
Buck, slug, buck, slug.
I've even seem "Old Timers" back in the early 70's load .357 Magnum revolvers alternating .357's and 38's.
The .38's were in case they needed to dispatch an injured animal.
They finally stopped when they realized that "Murphys Law of loading" was in effect and whatever type of shot you wanted at any given moment , was not the one that was in the pipe when you needed it.

The only time i came across this was in riot training and we started with birdshot that we were supposed to bounce of the street into the targets leg and had buckshot for if they didn't stop.

 

[KellyinAvon]

My 12 gauge goes from bad to worse (8 shot target to 000 buckshot) but I carry 115 grain Z-Max in my G26 and G19. The backup 17-round mag has 135 grain Critical Duty.

 

[VUPDblue]

My 12 gauge goes from bad to worse (8 shot target to 000 buckshot) but I carry 115 grain Z-Max in my G26 and G19. The backup 17-round mag has 135 grain Critical Duty.

So I presume that your logic is that "if the first few options in the tube don't work then I'll really give it to him good with the 000". So basically what you are saying is that you know the 000 is a BMF and that it will get the job done. Why not start there and save everyone time, energy, stress, ammo, etc...? I don't get it.

 

[ru44mag]

Thought from the ignorant here. With a marginal round, such as a .380, where there is much debate over whether or not a HP has enough penetration or not, and the FMJ does not make a large enough wound channel. I alternate HP and FMJ every other round. I figure if I ever have to use it, I will probably fire several rounds to the chest. I figure this will increase my chances using my .380. I prefer my 9mm for self defense and use strictly HP for SD. But like I said, I'm kinda ignorant.

 

[WebSnyper]

People seem to want to make self defense more complex. They really should be trying to make it more simple.

That's my thought as well. I train, carry, etc with a single platform of handgun (share mags between them, same holster, etc). Reason: I want the same behavior every time I pull the trigger from myself and the gun. Why would I ever purposely introduce something different that would behave differently on each pull of the trigger.