I hope folks read more than just the title. So im watching a show with a gun exchange and the person has to reload and you can see they are nervous to get the new magazine in so they can fire again and it made me think. Do any guns have two magazine where you can either manually switch to the other magazine or maybe automatically do it when the first one is empty. With the idea that if you need to fire while in the middle of changing out the empty magazine you could. I feel like this seem obvious enough that someone must have tried it. I mean considering the crazy gun things I have seen. Since im not aware of anything I figure if it has been done it had an issue or was just not useful enough to make worth it. So for the folks that are really into guns, especially wierd protoype ones. Has there every been anything like this?

  • Zak@lemmy.world
    45·
    2 months ago

    Yes, the Kel-Tec KSG bullpup shotgun has two magazines and a manual control to choose between them. In addition to twice the capacity of a single tube magazine of the same length, it offers the user the option to switch between two types of ammunition - a more significant advantage for a shotgun than most firearms due to the variety of ammunition available.

  • RiverRock@lemmy.ml
    12·
    2 months ago

    There are at least a few. There’s the little villar perosa submachine gun from ww1 that everyone remembers from Battlefield 1, although that’s basically two guns in one body. As far as something modern that truly is just one gun with two magazines, the Keltec KSG shotgun uses two tubes side by side that can be toggled between with a switch. Not only does it double the gun’s capacity without adding any extra length, but it also allows you to load each tube with a different kind of shot and switch between the two at will. Adds a good amount of weight though.

    • MrWildBunnycat@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 months ago

      There was another one in Battlefield 1 - an experimental machine gun with two magazines, but only one could be engaged at a time. You would pull one out slightly and push the other one in. The idea was to be able to switch between two different types of ammo for increased versatility (e. g. regular ammo against infantry and incendiary for anti-air). As with most weapons featured in Battlefield 1, I think this was a prototype that never saw any real action.

  • PenguinCoder@beehaw.orgEnglish
    5·
    2 months ago

    It’s not really worth it. A lot more complexity for the trigger and firing mechanisms, barrel alignment; etc. Weight is also a concern with any carry weapon. There were a couple of weapons in history that tried a dual mag setup

    MP40I
    The Burton
    AF2011 (More double barrel but does fire simultaneously)

    There’s also the DIY jungle style

    coupled magazines, refers to detachable box magazines, and thereof, that are fixed together side by side, for example, with tape, or purpose made magazine clamps, also called magazine couplers. The spare magazine may be pointing downwards in relation to the one fitted to the weapon, as to keep the feeding lips clear for insertion into the weapon.

    In general these days, belt fed weapons are used for more capacity where needed.

    • HubertManne@piefed.socialOPEnglish
      2·
      2 months ago

      I got turned on the mp401 which was what I was thinking. The whole point to me is to people to fire while reloading if you need to whereas the tape two together is just about faster reloading which allows it faster every other magazine swap. Im going to check out the burton so thanks for another thing.

        • HubertManne@piefed.socialOPEnglish
          2·
          2 months ago

          luckily the search still found it. Its actually pretty much exactly what I was thinking but with a pistol.

      • burntbacon@discuss.tchncs.de
        11·
        2 months ago

        If you’re going to be firing while reloading, you aren’t going to hit much. Practicing your reload can get it to a speed where the time of the loss of your ability to fire is almost indistinguishable from the time it takes you to get your gun accurately back on target after a shot.

        • HubertManne@piefed.socialOPEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          yeah im not looking to use practical things myself it was more an idle thought while watching a show. Curious though. Would you never fire a shot unless you where accurately back on traget. Like to dissuade someone from motion who was armed?

  • Semester3383@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    2 months ago

    …But what happens when your second magazine runs out? What then?

    Let’s say that I have a gun that normally has a seven round magazine. I add a second magazine. Now I’ve got 14 rounds! …But why not just make a 14 round magazine? And now when I run out, I have to change two magazines. (FWIW, normal capacity for a semi-auto 9mm is 13-18 rounds, and 15 is about average. 7 is the OEM capacity of all traditional .45ACP 1911 pistols.)

    IMO adding a secondary magazine, rather than increasing the capacity of an existing magazine, adds needless complexity. Added complexity increases the odds of failure. I hate to say that this is a skill issue, but, well, changing a magazine quickly is a skill that you should practice if you want to be proficient in practical shooting. (By “practical shooting”, I mean things like IPSC, IDPA, USPSA, PCSL, three gun, steel challenge, self-defense, and war. You shouldn’t need to worry about rapid magazine changes for hunting or long range competitions.)