Extra magazines on a backpack hunt

[MNScrambler]

For those of you with rifles that take magazines, how do you handle bringing spare ammo on a backpack hunt? Do you keep one extra loaded magazine handy and put the rest of your rounds in something else? Or do you like having more than one extra magazine? Trying to figure out if one spare one is good enough.

 

[colonel00]

Hmm, I have a Tikka but never even considered an extra magazine. I can carry three rounds or possibly four with one in the chamber and three in the mag. After that, I carry extra ammo in my AGC bino pouch. How much ammo are you planning to take and what gun are you shooting that you feel you need an extra magazine?

 

[MNScrambler]

I just picked up a Tikka as well. My other rifles have always been Winchester model 70's, so this whole magazine thing is new to me. I usually bring about a dozen rounds with me I guess. Just curious what most guys do. Is it handy to keep a few extra rounds loaded up in a magazine in your backpack belt pocket, or am I over thinking things?

 

[colonel00]

That's hard to answer as it sounds more like a personal preference and comfort thing. Personally, if I blew through 3-4 rounds at an animal I'd probably chalk that up as one for the animal. If I haven't scared the crap out of him in 4 shots then I imagine I would have time to just reload the magazine in the rifle or better yet, just keep feeding bullets into the chamber as necessary.

 

[larryschwartz]

that ^^^^

If you are used to hand feeding the round into the chamber on your old rifle, then just do the same when your magazine runs out on your Tikka, if it works that way.

 

[Piscatory_4]

Is the tikka mag a top load or front load? If top load you could shove 3 in the mag and start blasting away again. An extra mag is handy but you will have to keep track of the empty one...

 

[MNScrambler]

It loads from the top, but you have to drop the mag to reload it them pop it back in. Maybe I only need to worry about this when flock shooting coyotes!

 

[Vids]

I don't see any need for carrying an extra magazine, except for maybe coyotes like you said. I approach it with the attitude that I should concentrate hard on making one great kill shot and not even worry about follow up shots unless they become necessary.

 

[bcimport]

No extra mags with me. I can always stuff one up the pipe if I have to.

 

[GKPrice]

Tikka mags are "load from the front" and you cannot load the mag while in the rifle - I carry 2 extra mags because if there is no mag in the rifle you lose rigidity in the action and it is very difficult to load one at a time W/O it in place - for me, it is much quicker to pull a loaded magazine from a leg pocket and pop it in than reload an empty one - ANY detachable magazine system is out of commission without one in the gun, if you don't believe me try a group without a magazine in the rifle so I have always carries AT LEAST one extra, even when I used ABolts

 

[colonel00]

I don't think anyone was suggesting to try to load single rounds with the magazine removed. For me, I was just stating that if I went through all the rounds in the magazine then I could just load rounds into the chamber as needed. I don't see why anyone would remove the magazine and then attempt to load rounds into the chamber without a magazine.

 

[njdoxie]

No extra magazine.....3 rounds in magazine, 1 in chamber, 3 in cartridge holder on stock, 7 total

 

[Jimbob]

I had an extra mag for my old Abolt, kept in pants pocket ready to go. Needed it once on a moose calf (in Ontario we hunt calves). Spooked a cow and calf when walking and they started running from my right to left. I shot 4 times and missed and all was quiet. I put in the second mag and they came running back from my left to the right. Dropped the calf on the next shot. 180 yds running through the trees with no rest resulted in 4 misses before I connected. I was very happy to have the second clip ready to go.

Now in my tikka I just have one clip. I might get a second some day but now that I am older and wiser I shouldn't be needing it.

 

[JG358]

Full mag in the rifle and another mag worth of ammo in my pack. I dont see much point in having a spare mag on a backpack hunt as I can always single feed if I loose my primary mag.

 

[StrutNut]

I always seem to follow Custer's rule: "There is no such thing as too much ammo". This rule has served me well. If you are in a life threatening situation and are needing assistance those 3 shots bursts will end in a hurry without more ammo. Yes, for my magazine fed rifles I always carry and extra mag just in case something happens to the first one like fall out of the gun somewhere or for the quickness of being able to reload as you just never know. The plan is still to just come back with 1 round spent.

 

[MNScrambler]

These are all great thoughts to consider!

 

[GKPrice]

I don't think anyone was suggesting to try to load single rounds with the magazine removed. For me, I was just stating that if I went through all the rounds in the magazine then I could just load rounds into the chamber as needed. I don't see why anyone would remove the magazine and then attempt to load rounds into the chamber without a magazine.

If the only one you had with you had been lost there's not a lot of options

 

[GKPrice]

full mag in the rifle and another mag worth of ammo in my pack. I dont see much point in having a spare mag on a backpack hunt as i can always single feed if i loose my primary mag.

o k ..... (personally) I am a big believer in "Murphy's Law"

 

[Jimbob]

Just cause you have two don't be dumb. My brother-in-law's hunting partner was shooting at a cow and calf, finished off the first clip and THREW it over his shoulder as he went for his second one. When the shots stopped both moose were down but he could not find his first clip. HA HA He thought he was Rambo or something HA HA

 

[tipsntails7]

Just cause you have two don't be dumb. My brother-in-law's hunting partner was shooting at a cow and calf, finished off the first clip and THREW it over his shoulder as he went for his second one. When the shots stopped both moose were down but he could not find his first clip. HA HA He thought he was Rambo or something HA HA

Better shot selection may have been wise as well...,