Grab and Go Magazine Pouches - Be Prepared. What do YOU use?

[Emptymag]

10/11/23 EDIT: I renamed this thread since the reviewed items in the OP are no longer available for sale.

Don't scramble looking for ammo and magazines in an urgent situation.
Have a means of carrying extra ammo on you if you have to go to arms for any reason.
What's YOUR solution for having more rounds on hand without resorting to plate carriers and chest rigs, or shoving mags into your pocket?
A mob is kicking in doors! QUICK! What do you grab???

EDIT: New links
4 mag pouch https://www.midwayusa.com/product/939189814?pid=189814
8 mag pouch https://www.midwayusa.com/product/939488989?pid=991707



I finally picked up one of each of these to try out.
I grabbed an assortment of mags the other day to see what would fit and figured I'd take pics while I was at it.
Hopefully it helps someone who may have been thinking about getting these.

I like to have a few mags in some sort of "grab and go" configuration for each rifle.
Last year I snagged a few of the USGI 6-mag bandoliers and they are great for USGI AR15 mags, but I still needed something that would hold AK47 mags. Both of these work for that purpose.

MidwayUSA 4 Magazine Pouch (left) and MidwayUSA 8 Magazine Pouch (right)

(Clicking the names should link you to the product pages)





(back)




The 4 mag pouch is a very simple carrier that is pretty straightforward. The only real "features" it has is the (narrow) shoulder strap and the fact that the cover flap can be folded down and held in place BEHIND the mags using the Velcro strip to have the mags "ready to grab".
It also has a large Velcro area on one flap that you can add your own patch to. Not super-useful, but it could be if you use patches to identify the bag's contents, or just want to add your own personal touch.
Additionally, there are 3 rows of MOLLE webbing on the back.

Simple and constructed well enough for my intended purpose.
I wouldn't pay full price, but if you catch them on sale or clearance, it's a hard deal to beat.


The 8 mag pouch is a much nicer design and is priced accordingly, although still a good value when they are on sale.
Instead of 4 individual pouches, there are 4 double mag pouches that have a wide band of elastic that runs across them to keep them snug, in addition to the cover flaps (with pull tabs) that secure with Velcro.
Each pouch has a drain hole in it and the closure flaps are adjustable in length by moving where they attach by Velcro in the back.
The cover flaps can be tucked in behind the mags, or even removed entirely if so desired.
The shoulder strap is basic, but wider than the one on the 4 mag pouch.

This mag pouch is slightly more heavy duty than the 4 mag pouch.
Again, I wouldn't pay the regular price, but when on sale, it's a good value.

These are not "chest rigs" - they are simply carriers for mags.
The shoulder straps make them handy to carry and they both "fold" slightly in the middle and conform to your body when wearing them on your side. There are no provisions for adding additional securing straps, but some could easily be fashioned if desired.

I'm happy with both and I may get another one or two in the future when I see them on sale.

Pics of each with mags inserted to follow...

[Steve in PA]

I bought several of the 8-mag pouches for us to use when we deploy our rifles at work (LE). We only put 4 magazines in the pouch. When we deploy the rifle, the just throw the pouch over our shoulder. The pouch is good to go!

[Emptymag]

I bought several of the 8-mag pouches for us to use when we deploy our rifles at work (LE). We only put 4 magazines in the pouch. When we deploy the rifle, the just throw the pouch over our shoulder. The pouch is good to go!

Yeah, for that purpose, what are the odds you will actually need EIGHT mags?
More than likely that's how I'll load them up too.

Spoiler alert: It seems only one steel AK47 mag will fit in each of the double mag pouches.
You MAY be able to force two in, but I didn't want to tear anything, and if they are in there that snug, it's going to be a chore to get them OUT.

[Emptymag]

4 mag pouch...

Loaded with assorted mags - flap closed.
There's enough Velcro to allow for closure with various height mags









LEFT to RIGHT:
Pmag, USGI, C-Products 28 rd 7.62x39 AR mag, 30 rd AK47

[Emptymag]

4 mag pouch...

Loaded with assorted mags - flap tucked behind mags.

There's a strip of Velcro along the back which allows you to neatly and securely fold the flap down to keep it out of the way if you want the mags to be accessible without needing to pull the flap off.



Folded down...

[Emptymag]

4 mag pouch with some other mags I wanted to check for fit.

Left to right:
(first pouch empty)

Two (could fit three) 17 rd S&W 59/5900 Series 9mm mags (for Camp 9 Carbine)
Two 32 rd Metalform 9mm AR15 mags
and lastly, two 20 rd 9mm AR mags

The 20 rd mags fall down inside too far, but that could be remedied as simply as folding up a paper towel and placing it in the bottom of the pouch.

[Emptymag]

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[Emptymag]

8 mag pouch...

Loaded with assorted mags



Note the wide, solid green, elastic band that runs across each pouch - it does a decent job of holding the mags in.





Mags in pouch as shown above in first photo - left to right:
ONE 30 rd AK47 mag, TWO C-Products 28 rd 7.62x39 AR mags, TWO USGI mags, TWO Pmags

[Emptymag]

8 mag pouch with other types of mags...



Again, the 20 rd 9mm AR15 mags are too short and would need something placed in the bottom of the pouch to prevent them from dropping in too far.




You can fit in a different number of mags depending on how you orient them in the pouch.
Side to side...




or back to back...




Mags used were again, left to right...
Two (could fit three) 17 rd S&W 59/5900 Series 9mm mags (for Camp 9 Carbine)
(second pouch empty)
Two (could fit three) 20 rd 9mm AR mags
and lastly, Three 32 rd Metalform 9mm AR15 mags

[Ronin]

Thanks for the review EM. Just bought two of the 8 mag version and one of the 4. The 8 mag are on sale for $13 right now. The 4 mag version is on sale for $7.59 in black, and the multi-cam is on clearance for $4.91.