How to Carry a Magazine Holster
Jan 8th 2021
Depending on your concealed carrying firearm, you may find it useful to carry a spare magazine.
Extra magazines give you a boost of confidence, especially if your firearm has a low magazine capacity. They also reduce the risk of being stuck with an unusable weapon if you have a magazine-related failure.
Having another one ready to go keeps you in the fight.
However, just like with your handgun of choice, you shouldn’t simply stick your spare magazines into a pocket. Instead, carry each magazine in a magazine holster, also called a magazine carrier or mag carrier.
What are Mag Carriers?
A mag carrier is a retention device intended to hold the magazines for your concealed carry firearm. They come in many forms and are made out of the same materials as concealed carry holsters. Nylon, leather, and Kydex are the most common.
Nylon
Nylon magazine carriers have the same disadvantages as nylon holsters; they are not resistant to moisture, have poor retention, and are marketed as universal, meaning that they are not designed for any specific magazine model. They are more like magazine pouches seen on tactical vests and equivalent gear, making them unsuitable for concealed carrying.
Leather
Leather mag pouches may be softer and have a more comfortable texture, but just like with leather holsters, they require break-in and maintenance. This is especially true if carried inside the waistband where they will be in contact with sweat. Leather absorbs moisture, which can damage your firearm.
Kydex
The best material for mag carriers is Kydex, a durable thermoplastic material that provides the tightest and safest retention of your magazines, just like your Kydex concealed carry holster. Kydex magazine carriers are affordable, fully waterproof, require very little maintenance (even less than Kydex gun holsters), do not shrink or stretch, and are robust enough to resist abuse such as impacts and abrasion.
What Types of Mag Carriers Exist?
A Kydex magazine carrier must be molded to the exact shape of your carry magazines. There are even Kydex speedloader carriers if you prefer to carry revolvers in your EDC.
Magazine carriers exist in multiple configurations. The simplest one is the single magazine carrier; it holds a single magazine. These carriers are lightweight, narrow, and easy to place anywhere on your belt.
If you’d like to have more ammunition on your body at all times, you can use a double mag carrier instead, also called dual mag carriers. These carriers are a little wider, but they let you carry two mags at once. Kydex dual mag carriers are contoured for extra comfort, particularly for carrying inside the waistband.
Nothing stops you from buying multiples of either type and carrying as many spare magazines as you want. However, keep in mind that the more spare mags you have on your belt, the heavier your EDC becomes and the harder it becomes to carry them concealed effectively.
You should carry only one or two spare magazines if your pistol takes double-stack magazines and no more than two or three if your pistol takes single-stacks or has a low capacity.
These numbers aren’t a hard rule; experiment with your particular firearm, magazine, belt, and cover garments until you find the right balance of concealability and equipment.
Inside or Outside The Waistband?
There are two primary ways of carrying magazine holsters: Outside the waistband (OWB) and inside the waistband (IWB). Similar to OWB and IWB gun holsters, there are OWB and IWB magazine holsters. Specific holsters even offer integrated magazine carriers on the same unit.
IWB
IWB mag holsters offer the best concealment. When appropriately concealed, the only thing that remains visible is the belt loop. Although it isn’t impossible to spot, most people won’t give it a second thought.
However, IWB mag carriers must be in a comfortable position, so they do not dig into your body. Test your mag carriers in various situations, such as standing, sitting, or bending down.
OWB
OWB mag carriers offer the most comfort. Best suited for open carry, these mag carriers keep your magazines on the outside of your body, making them immediately accessible and easy to reach. They are a great choice if open carry is legal in your jurisdiction.
In contrast, they are more challenging to conceal. The only way to effectively conceal anything OWB is to carry a layer of clothing over your waistline.
OWB magazine holsters are not as large and conspicuous as gun holsters, allowing you some leeway - for example, a loose T-shirt over your waistband. OWB mag holsters can be just as challenging to carry as OWB gun holsters, especially in hot weather or inside buildings.
It is preferable to carry your magazines the same way you carry your handgun. If you IWB carry, your magazine carriers should also be IWB. Similarly, if you can carry outside the waistband, you can use OWB magazine holsters as well.
Where Should I Carry My Mag Holsters?
If you carry your extra magazines in belt-mounted carriers, use the same clock position terminology as with handgun holsters. Twelve o’clock corresponds to the position directly in front of you, 3 o’clock is on your right hip, 9 o’clock is your left hip, and 6 o’clock is behind you, over your spine.
If you are right-handed, your dominant hand is the right hand, and your off-hand is the left hand. Your gun holster should be within comfortable reach of your dominant hand, and your spare magazines should be reachable with your off-hand.
A typical configuration is to carry your holster on the strong-side hip (3 o’clock position) and your spare magazines at 9 or 10 o’clock. If you appendix carry, magazine carriers situated at the 10 or 11 o’clock position may be the most comfortable, as they keep your handgun and spare magazines roughly in the same place.
If you prefer pocket carrying, there are also specially shaped pocket carry magazine holders. Remember not to use that pocket for any other purpose, such as carrying your keys or a cell phone. It will reduce the risk of snagging or knocking ammunition off the feed lips.
You should adjust your particular configuration depending on your clothing and everyday carry habits until you find one that is both comfortable and easy to conceal.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of the carry method you prefer, always use a robust and sturdy gun belt. Carrying extra magazines means taking extra weight, which a traditional fashion belt is not designed to support. Your setup is only as secure as your belt; if your pants are sagging down or your holster and carriers do not feel comfortable, you may need to adjust your setup further.
If you’re looking to add magazine carriers to your EDC setup or high-quality Kydex holsters for your concealed carrying guns and magazines, Incognito Concealment has the products for you.
We offer IWB and OWB Kydex holsters for all of your favorite concealed carry handguns and spare magazines, which you can customize to your specifications. These can include belt loop size, left- or right-handed, and optional cuts for pistol red dot sights or rail-mounted attachments.
You can order our products in one of several colors and patterns, such as classic Tactical Black, Flat Dark Earth, Forest Digital, Tiffany Blue, or Coyote Brown. Our items are 100% hand-crafted here in the United States, covered by our lifetime warranty. We also offer a 10% discount for our customers currently serving as military, law enforcement, or first responder personnel.
For any questions, inquiries, or requests for information, please call us at (586) 333-4240.
