Hellcat high capacity mags, worth it, or range toys?

[sawinredneck]

Nutshell: I'm back to EDCing my Hellcat due to recent events, when I do venture out I carry a sling pack with a few extra magazines. In the past I've put the 50rd drum on my Christmas wish list "Just because" but now I'm seriously looking into throwing a couple of the 33rd sticks, or a single 50rd drum into my sling pack, any advice either way?

[elmacgyver0]

I thought I was bad when I recently started carrying something that holds 14 rounds.

[sawinredneck]

Well, I seem to be getting more paranoid in my older age. It's pretty strange that all the things I heard about in the 90's, but didn't really talk about, are being done in the open now.

[sawinredneck]

Colion Noir pretty much sums it up, oddly just came across this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpS7TrULtFA

[Jeff Michel]

Any of the drum magazines for handguns I've messed with are pretty much hit and miss as far as reliability. Opinions vary a great deal on the necessity of additional magazines. According to several friends in the law enforcement line of work told me the majority of altercations are limited to three rounds at three feet in three seconds. Thankfully I have no first hand experience. FWIW I usually carry a Glock 22 or a Hellcat Pro. Since I really dislike carrying, the extra weight would a hassle and I always felt 15 rounds would be plenty to get me in or out of trouble. If carrying a sidearm becomes bothersome, you will be less likely to carry one. Other's opinion will likely differ, just keep carrying.

[FergusonTO35]

I've known more than a few people seriously considering an SBR, AR pistol, or Shockwave type shotgun as their EDC but this is the first time I've heard of someone thinking about carrying a drum mag for a small pistol.

[sawinredneck]

Any of the drum magazines for handguns I've messed with are pretty much hit and miss as far as reliability. Opinions vary a great deal on the necessity of additional magazines. According to several friends in the law enforcement line of work told me the majority of altercations are limited to three rounds at three feet in three seconds. Thankfully I have no first hand experience. FWIW I usually carry a Glock 22 or a Hellcat Pro. Since I really dislike carrying, the extra weight would a hassle and I always felt 15 rounds would be plenty to get me in or out of trouble. If carrying a sidearm becomes bothersome, you will be less likely to carry one. Other's opinion will likely differ, just keep carrying.

I completely agree, but times are changing, quickly. Five years ago I was perfectly content carrying a Ruger LCR in .357, but the riots and political environment changed and I chose a lesser caliber over capacity. Just very recently I opted, for health reasons, to go with a much smaller caliber and capacity gun, Kahr CW380. Recent events have changed my opinion.

[rintinglen]

Capacity has become in the 21st century what the Magic Bullet was in the latter part of the 20th: A sine qua non without which the hapless CCW owner is trading his life away. That was bologna and this is bologna.

For years the FBI reported that the average officer involved shooting involved 3-4 rounds at 7 yards or less. Now folks are afraid to step outdoors unless carrying enough ammo to fight the Battle of Gettysburg. Carrying a reload for a 6 or 8 shot pistol makes sense, in a just-in-case fashion. Carrying 4 or 5 reloads worth of ammo is merely exercise. Go to the gym instead.

[Hannibal]

Well, I seem to be getting more paranoid in my older age. It's pretty strange that all the things I heard about in the 90's, but didn't really talk about, are being done in the open now.

You ain't kiddin'.

Need a 'LIKE' button.

[sawinredneck]

I've known more than a few people seriously considering an SBR, AR pistol, or Shockwave type shotgun as their EDC but this is the first time I've heard of someone thinking about carrying a drum mag for a small pistol.

Funny, but not, I was seriously considering purchasing a Drako for a "backpack gun" as I have a surplus of 7.62x39, but as I was looking they proceeded with the "assault weapons ban push" and prices tripled overnight. I ended up with a Springfield XD tactical 5" for that duty. But it's too large to fit in my sling pack, which I feel mor comfortable carrying than a messenger bag or a full backpack.
Please keep in mind I'm half crippled up, broken back, limited mobility and range of motion. The messenger bag works really well, but I feel like a freak of nature carrying it, the sling bag I don't mind, but it's considerably smaller.
If you think I'm a paranoid freak, please, just come out and tell me! I get it, things right now have me wound up!

[MrWolf]

Funny, but not, I was seriously considering purchasing a Drako for a "backpack gun" as I have a surplus of 7.62x39, but as I was looking they proceeded with the "assault weapons ban push" and prices tripled overnight. I ended up with a Springfield XD tactical 5" for that duty. But it's too large to fit in my sling pack, which I feel mor comfortable carrying than a messenger bag or a full backpack.
Please keep in mind I'm half crippled up, broken back, limited mobility and range of motion. The messenger bag works really well, but I feel like a freak of nature carrying it, the sling bag I don't mind, but it's considerably smaller.
If you think I'm a paranoid freak, please, just come out and tell me! I get it, things right now have me wound up!

I'm all screwed up also with a bad back, neck, etc..319027 I wear an Overland concealed carry vest about nine months a year carrying my 357 Sig (may switch to my 10mm) plus a spare mag. The other three months or so I carry a S&W 380 Ez in the front bottom right pocket of my Duluth Firehouse Cargo pants. We do have some other options besides a messenger bag. Here is a pic of the vest - not of me.

[sawinredneck]

I've seen the vests and jackets, but I've always been afraid they would sag on the carry side and look funny? If you understand what I'm saying?

[txbirdman]

I've seen the vests and jackets, but I've always been afraid they would sag on the carry side and look funny? If you understand what I'm saying?

I’ve got a vest and it has both right and left hand holsters and mag holders. I wear the pistol on 1 side and 2 mags on the other which offsets the “sag” to 1 side anyway.

[shdwlkr]

If it were me I would have the 13 round mag in the hellcat and 15 round mag(s) as backup as if I were to get into trouble the extra mags would be nice to have. I have looked at a friend's hellcat pro and don't know if I like it or not. But yes with the way things are changing and speed at which things are changing then it is good to have options

[dverna]

IMO a drum is silly, but spare magazines are not difficult to carry.

I carry a spare magazine when carrying the Kahr but not when carrying the Glock.

When going to large urban areas, I put a spare magazine in the vehicle as well. On my last trip added a pump shotgun and box of 00 buckshot.

[sawinredneck]

IMO a drum is silly, but spare magazines are not difficult to carry.

I carry a spare magazine when carrying the Kahr but not when carrying the Glock.

When going to large urban areas, I put a spare magazine in the vehicle as well. On my last trip added a pump shotgun and box of 00 buckshot.

I've seen you say that before, and I get it, but I have a hard time leaving a firearm in a vehicle, hard lessons learned doing so!
A good example, my wife just informed me that we need to go to Kansas City this weekend for my sons computer, so how much is enoug and how much is too much to take along? We recently had to make a mad dash from Wichita to just outside of Detroit MI, 2k miles in four days. This was before the Israel mess, I took the Hellcat and several extra mags in the sling pack. As we weren't really staying anywhere long, I was fine with this. A couple years ago we spent a week in Corpus for vacation, still BLM going on, and I took the Hellcat and the XD SC with spare mags for both. My theory is if I had to use one, I'd still have one to protect my family. This is where the idea for the Drako came up.
I'm genuinely curios what the answers will be. Being partially disabled changed my perspective, I firmly believe it's the mans job to protect his family, being limited in movement really shows how fragile we can be, so I may be overcompensating in other ways?

[sawinredneck]

If it were me I would have the 13 round mag in the hellcat and 15 round mag(s) as backup as if I were to get into trouble the extra mags would be nice to have. I have looked at a friend's hellcat pro and don't know if I like it or not. But yes with the way things are changing and speed at which things are changing then it is good to have options

I'm not a big fan of the Pro, I don't see where it gives a great enough size difference vs my XD SC to justify one. Yes, it's slimmer, but the Hellcat as is, is just excellent IMO.
I have two of the 11rd mags, my point was to keep this gun as small, and comfortable as possible, but I also have four of the 13rds as well. I haven't bit on the 15rds yet, but maybe that's where I need to head next.

[sawinredneck]

I’ve got a vest and it has both right and left hand holsters and mag holders. I wear the pistol on 1 side and 2 mags on the other which offsets the “sag” to 1 side anyway.

Thank you.

[shdwlkr]

The pro my friend has only has 2 more rounds than what the plain hellcat has and I just don't see the advantage to the pro if I were to buy either

[M-Tecs]

Before the summer of love my carry gun was a S&W J frame or a Ruger LCP. Since the summer of love I switched to a Sig 365 XL with a 12 round in the gun and a spare 15 round mag. A 33 round stick makes the gun unwieldly and much easier to be taken away. 50 round drums are worse coupled with reliability issues.

The bigger issue for me is for SD suppressive fire is not a good idea. For military operations suppressive fire is widely used. For SD it's a legal rabbit hole.

[shdwlkr]

I have to agree a 33 round stick or 50 round drum is just plain no value to the average person. If feel you need something like that join the military and you can get a lot of trigger time

[sawinredneck]

Before the summer of love my carry gun was a S&W J frame. Since the summer of love I switched to a Sig 365 XL with a 12 round in the gun and a spare 15 round mag. A 33 round stick makes the gun unwieldly and much easier to be taken away. 50 round drums are worse coupled with reliability issues.

The bigger issue for me is for SD suppressive fire is not a good idea. For military operations suppressive fire is widely used. For SD it's a legal rabbit hole.

Very good points! I appreciate the insight!

[FergusonTO35]

Funny, but not, I was seriously considering purchasing a Drako for a "backpack gun" as I have a surplus of 7.62x39, but as I was looking they proceeded with the "assault weapons ban push" and prices tripled overnight. I ended up with a Springfield XD tactical 5" for that duty. But it's too large to fit in my sling pack, which I feel mor comfortable carrying than a messenger bag or a full backpack.
Please keep in mind I'm half crippled up, broken back, limited mobility and range of motion. The messenger bag works really well, but I feel like a freak of nature carrying it, the sling bag I don't mind, but it's considerably smaller.
If you think I'm a paranoid freak, please, just come out and tell me! I get it, things right now have me wound up!

I don't think you are a "paranoid freak" or anything. Just making the point that I had never heard of someone considering long stick or drum mags for carry with a pocket size gun.

[Handloader109]

I've a couple of glock 30 and 33 round mags I put in my ruger charger pistol or the other sbr but they are range toys. Keep to the one or two extra round std extended mags. Keep the shortest std in gun to help conceal. But I get it. Whenever I go back to MS, I carry a few extra mags.... I can't use them if they are sitting at home and I ain't gonna wish I had them. 6 or 7 rounds is fine if you have one guy, but what if two or three? Would like to make to home.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[charlie b]

I guess I don't go to the same places you guys do. I've never felt the need for more than 20 rounds. When I carry my 9mm I only have the 17round mag in the pistol, no spares. Frequently I was satisfied with 15 (SP101 and two speed strips).

[txbirdman]

I try to always carry a spare mag. Not so much for the extra ammo but as a means of clearing a serious malfunction in case tap; rack; fire doesn’t work.

[sawinredneck]

I try to always carry a spare mag. Not so much for the extra ammo but as a means of clearing a serious malfunction in case tap; rack; fire doesn’t work.

Another good point that's often overlooked.

Another reason I didn't go down the Draco, or even SUB2000 rabbit hole, which might apply in this case as well. I came to realize that the police might see me, with that weapon, and automatically assume I was the threat. Then if I were in the wrong area, a gung ho DA might try to hang me as "I went out looking for trouble, or went to start a fight" and that helped me realize it probably wasn't a good choice. Having an "extra high capacity magazine with 1oo bullets in the chamber" might not look well in a courtroom?

As for where I go, I really don't travel all that much and thought the Hellcat would be my end all be all EDC, as my health has declined, it became harder to do so comfortably, there's an entire thread on my choice to get the Kahr 380, even after changing some of my outfits to suit it better. Most times the Kahr, with 8rds and a spare mag is enough, but I've seen some crazy stuff recently that has changed my reasoning.
A few weeks ago we went to dinner as a family, chain restaurant that we enjoy, and can usually get seated quickly, we were sitting not far from the bar. A scuffle breaks out at the bar and this 50 something white male stands up, pumps his fist in the air and screams "WHITE POWER!!!" I immediately pushed my stool away, stood up and placed my hand firmly on my gun! An employee came over trying to calm me down and I was just screaming "He needs to leave NOW!!!!" I was in utter shock, never could have imagined something like that happening and who was I going to have to shoot first? Him if he came back in or the people he just pissed off that went on a rampage because of his stupidity? Fortunately he was promptly removed and nothing came of it, but how can you be prepared for something like that?
I honestly don't go looking, but I seem to have a knack for ending up in strange situations.

[M-Tecs]

A few weeks ago we went to dinner as a family, chain restaurant that we enjoy, and can usually get seated quickly, we were sitting not far from the bar. A scuffle breaks out at the bar and this 50 something white male stands up, pumps his fist in the air and screams "WHITE POWER!!!" I immediately pushed my stool away, stood up and placed my hand firmly on my gun! An employee came over trying to calm me down and I was just screaming "He needs to leave NOW!!!!" I was in utter shock, never could have imagined something like that happening and who was I going to have to shoot first? Him if he came back in or the people he just pissed off that went on a rampage because of his stupidity? Fortunately he was promptly removed and nothing came of it, but how can you be prepared for something like that?
I honestly don't go looking, but I seem to have a knack for ending up in strange situations.

Unless you are LE or the restaurant owner you have no business inserting yourself into that situation. I strongly recommend taking another carry course and brushing up on when you can used deadly force. If you felt the situation was truly dangerous you and or family should have left as quickly and as discreetly as possible.

Prepared for what??????? A couple of guys got into a fight and one said something you didn't like. If that rattled you, how are you going to respond to a real deadly force situation????

People get into fights all the time. Same for saying things others don't like. It got strange you jumped up, put your hand on you gun and started screaming "He needs to leave NOW!!!!

[sawinredneck]

Unless you are LE or the restaurant owner you have no business inserting yourself into that situation. I strongly recommend taking another carry course and brushing up on when you can used deadly force. If you felt the stituation was trully dangerous you and or family should have left as quickly as possible.

I did not insert myself, I took a defensive position besides my wife, but remained standing. I never left my table and just watched to make sure nothing was going to happen. As for exiting quickly, both lanes of exit were occupied, the culprit was on the patio with a woman being lectured and there was a crowd at the front door that would have been difficult at best to get through. I assure you I had assed the situation and looked for an exit strategy, a defensive position was my best choice. The employee approached me because I had stood up so quickly and took a position, he was seeing what was going on and making sure I wasn't making things worse, I wasn't and everything was handled calmy, as calm as it could be handled, and we finished our dinner. I never drew or revealed my gun, just made sure it was ready! The manager came over later and even apologized to us for the incident.

[Hannibal]

I carry a Glock 21 and 1 spare mag. If I get into something that won't take care of then I figure I'd be screwed no matter what.

[M-Tecs]

I did not insert myself, I took a defensive position besides my wife, but remained standing. I never left my table and just watched to make sure nothing was going to happen. As for exiting quickly, both lanes of exit were occupied, the culprit was on the patio with a woman being lectured and there was a crowd at the front door that would have been difficult at best to get through. I assure you I had assed the situation and looked for an exit strategy, a defensive position was my best choice. The employee approached me because I had stood up so quickly and took a position, he was seeing what was going on and making sure I wasn't making things worse, I wasn't and everything was handled calmy, as calm as it could be handled, and we finished our dinner. I never drew or revealed my gun, just made sure it was ready! The manager came over later and even apologized to us for the incident.

Defensive positions generally involve cover and or concealment. Standing fully exposed next to the wife while screaming "He needs to leave NOW!!!!" not so much. If shooting did break out, where do you think the return fire would be directed?

If shooting did start in that type of situation, how do you know who the real threat is? Maybe the guy with the gun had been just stabbed and was just defending himself???

Too long to post but it's a good read about how things can go sideways. I am aware of several other "good guys" getting shot by mistake.
https://heavy.com/news/johnny-hurley/
Johnny Hurley was a Colorado Good Samaritan who was mistakenly shot by an Arvada police officer after heroically gunning down an active shooter who had already ambushed and murdered a police officer.

I have my wife trained if I say "condition red" she needs to immediately move away from me and seek cover. Last thing I want is her beside me if some is going to be shooting at me.

Once that's done, she is trained to call 911 with my description and statement I am one of the "good guys" while staying on the line describing event to 911 until the LE arrives and takes control of the situation.

[sawinredneck]

Defensive positions generally involve cover and or concealment. Standing fully exposed next to the wife while screaming "He needs to leave NOW!!!!" not so much. If shooting did break out, where do you think the return fire would be directed?

If shooting did start in that type of situation, how do you know who the real threat is? Maybe the guy with the gun had been just stabbed and was just defending himself???

Too long to post but it's a good read about how things can go sideways. I am aware of several other "good guys" getting shot by mistake.
https://heavy.com/news/johnny-hurley/
Johnny Hurley was a Colorado Good Samaritan who was mistakenly shot by an Arvada police officer after heroically gunning down an active shooter who had already ambushed and murdered a police officer.

I have my wife trained if I say "condition red" she needs to immediately move away from me and seek cover. Last thing I want is her beside me if some is going to be shooting at me.

Once that's done, she is trained to call 911 with my description and statement I am one of the "good guys" while staying on the line describing event to 911 until the LE arrives and takes control of the situation.

I wasn't worried about him as much as the crowd that was in the restaurant, it was a very mixed crowd. I wanted to make sure he wasn't coming back into the restaurant and I was watching the tables around to see who was reacting to what he'd said. I was concerned a race riot was going to break out! Thus my exclamation that he needed to leave, NOW!
I was against a wall, there was a short pony wall of fairly thin material between us and the bar, my wife and son ducked down on our table. There was no cover to be had, there was no easy exit, if I became the target, so be it, better me than them.
I'd have much rather been seated anywhere else, but you aren't really given options when staff seats you.
As I said, he was moved outside quickly, didn't return and fortunately no one either heard it, or wanted to make an issue of it.
As my wife and son are Asian, I took great offense to it, and me being a white male, may have easily become the target of an attack, it was a no win place to be.

[stubshaft]

If the high cap mags and drums are so great, why don't the LEO's carry them? I still carry my S&W 642 or 36 with a speed strip in my other pocket. Back in the day when I had to be armed, I carried a S&W 59 with two spare mags in a ******* Shoulder rig. Didn't care for the cartridge or the added weight!

[charlie b]

I agree with M-Tecs. You possibly made the situation worse. Yes, by standing like that you are inserting yourself into the disturbance. And even looking like you are going to draw a weapon is escalating the situation. If you had drawn it you could have been charged with assault. Especially if you yelled out anything to anyone.

It was a verbal encounter that did not involve you. Stay calm and be alert. Don't escalate or you can be considered "part of the problem" and taken off to jail with the rest of them.

It does kinda explain why you feel like you need to be armed with a ton of ammo.

[MrWolf]

I’ve got a vest and it has both right and left hand holsters and mag holders. I wear the pistol on 1 side and 2 mags on the other which offsets the “sag” to 1 side anyway.

I do the same thing. My other recommendation is to wear a collared shirt under the vest. The weight can cause the vest to dig in a little. Nothing major but easier to wear a collar. I can basically carry what I want with the vest and have even gotten compliments on it. For some reason folks do not assume it is a carry vest, unlike wearing a carry belt that is kinda easy to see what it is for.

[shdwlkr]

here is what I take from sawinredneck's comment about the resturant event. 1 he nor his family were in danger, 2 his reaction might have just elevated the event. If it had seen me I would have watched and seen how the owner(s) dealt with the situation. He could have maybe left with his family. From classes I have been in the first thing to do if things get out of hand is get out of there and let those who are trained to deal with situations handle it. If you have no way out then you might want to get into defense mode. I have no desire to become part of the problem which sawinredneck could very easily have become Just my thoughts

[FergusonTO35]

here is what I take from sawinredneck's comment about the resturant event. 1 he nor his family were in danger, 2 his reaction might have just elevated the event. If it had seen me I would have watched and seen how the owner(s) dealt with the situation. He could have maybe left with his family. From classes I have been in the first thing to do if things get out of hand is get out of there and let those who are trained to deal with situations handle it. If you have no way out then you might want to get into defense mode. I have no desire to become part of the problem which sawinredneck could very easily have become Just my thoughts

This 100%. Never, ever intervene in a physical fight between others. You have no idea how it started, who the aggressor is, or how far any of them are willing to go as far as hurting others. You also don't know if any of them have weapons at the ready, even if they aren't using them at present.

[sawinredneck]

And this goes on.
Again, I didn't say anything, other than to the employee that approached me, I was loud, because I was angry, and fearful. I told the employee the person needed to leave now, I told the employee what he had done, the employee dropped his head in shame and shook it. It was taken care of from that point by management.
I was pocket carrying my little Kahr, so I had my hand in my pocket on the gun, which in that instance would be useless had things gone south. So I made no obvious defensive move.
Yes, I stood up, I looked at exits and was trying to formulate a plan to get my family out, but the employee approached quickly and all was taken care of.
Respectfully, as none of you were there, you didn't have to make these decisions, nor are you really aware of the actual situation. I didn't add anything to the situation other than to make sure the offender wasn't returning inside, from my table, and asses to make sure no one else escalated anything either. As I've stated time and again, I am of limited mobility, my best bet was to be upright so we could move quickly if things did get heated. I wasn't looking to instigate anything, I didn't instigate anything, and sat back down and finished our dinner, and as I said, the manager came over and apologized to us for the event. Had I done anything as dramatic as is being portrayed here, I'm certain we would have been asked to leave the restaurant.
It's easy to judge someone's actions afterwards, but it's something completely different to be in that situation. Trust me, I've been on both ends of a gun, more times than I care, and I don't like either end of it!

[sawinredneck]

As the progression of this thread has upset me so, I can't use the words I'd like to, I had separate conversations this evening with both my wife and son. My wife, very antigun and antiviolence, my son, pushing 19 and pretty level headed, about the events of that evening. Both agreed I did nothing inappropriate, or exaggerated the situation. Both felt I was acting in their best interest and did nothing to escalate the situation.
To read this, it would seem like I pulled a gun on an unarmed idiot and threatened to shoot him. None of which happened. At no point did I interact with anyone other than the employee, at no point did I pull a gun, at no point did I threaten anyone. At no point did I even leave my table.
I'm sure it doesn't matter at this point, but I'm going to say it. Imagine being in a restaurant half full of black people, never mind the other races, like my wife and son, and some idiot stands up and screams "WHITE POWER!" Tell me you aren't instantly filled with fear? Tell me you aren't angry? Never mind half, or better, of the people waiting to get into the restaurant
are black as well.
Anyway, mods close this, it's turned into a hot mess. Ban me if you think it's in the best interest, but this is ridiculous.

[Electrod47]

Drum magazines on pistols......they are all crap. Period.

[onelight]

For me ,if I had room to carry a drum I would carry a bigger pistol than my Hellcat , I shoot bigger guns better (:

[Finster101]

If I felt like I needed to carry a couple hundred rounds on me, I would either move or stay in my fortified bunker.

[Anchorite]

Interesting to read the responses in this thread. Many of you must think you’re going to be engaged in a running gun battle with some gang-bangers wearing hamas t-shirts. Unless you’re confronted directly, and I mean you are the guy being held up, your response should be to get the flock out of the situation and NOT engage and try to be John Wick.