Practically everyone who owns a handgun or pistol has magazine holders to carry their extra mags. You have to right? If you are carry a pistol, you should at least have one other spare magazine with you. This is necessary if you need to reload your handgun or it your loaded magazine malfunctions and you need to perform a magazine swap during a double feed (type 3 malfunction).
The same applies to other critical weapon malfunctions where you need to change out the weapon magazine. Pitbull Tactical's Universal Magazine Carrier (Gen 2) allows shooters to easily carry a wide variety of spare magazines. They gave us a few of their carriers to test, share, and review. Let's talk about what these carriers do well and how they are designed.
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About CCW Magazine Carriers
Magazine carriers are important. This is even more true when it comes to pistol magazine carriers while carrying concealed weapons. CCW magazine carriers must be low profile, securely attach to your belt, and keep magazines easily accessible for reloading your CCW weapon. Pitbull Tactical designed their Gen 2 Universal Magazine Carrier with this in mind for performance and concealability. The universal design fits single and double stack magazines from .380 to .45 ACP and fits on standard 1.5 inch belts.
Pitbull Tactical's Universal Mag Carrier
Concealability and Usability
Concealability is a key factor when it comes to selecting a CCW magazine carrier. The best CCW mag carrier designs are low-profile, lightweight, and comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. They are also flexible enough to mount in a variety of places such as inside the belt or waistband (IWB) or outside the belt or waistband (OWB). What you don't want is extra bulk in the design of the holder which will print on your shirt or reveal the fact that you indeed have spare gun magazines attached to your belt.
The Pitbull carrier was created with the best CCW mag carrier design principles in mind. The design is manufactured in the USA using a lightweight, thermoplastic casing which is also heat resistant with flame retardant properties (No, we did not try to test the melting point). The clip attaches inside or outside the belt, and while inside, the silicone exterior provides a little bit of cushion. Magazines can be drawn easily using your right or left hand which multiples carry options for either strong side (carried behind a CCW weapon and cross drawn with your support hand) or weak side on your support hand side. All of these great features come in a small, versatile package and at a price point of around $20 USD (remember - MADE IN THE USA!).
Magazine Carrier Limitations
While the upsides of the Universal Mag Carrier are numerous, there are a few limitations. The silicone expanding strap system works well and allows the carrier to expand laterally to accept numerous types of magazines including single and double stack styles from .380 (like the Glock 42) all the way up to .40 and .45 ACP. It might also fit 10mm, but we didn't have a magazine available to try. One limitation is inverted retention when holding heavier magazines like a double stack 9mm (Glock 17), .40 (Glock 22), or .45 ACP (Glock 21) magazine. If the magazine carrier is held inverted and shaken, these heavier magazines can fall out. Lighter magazines like the single stack .380 caliber Glock 42 magazines remain tightly inserted in any position.
Heavy Magazine Retention VS Other Open Top CCW Mag Carriers
While the retention of heavy double stack magazines is a concern, practically every other type of open top CCW magazine carrier also has this problem like CrossBreed, Blade-Tech, DeSantis, and other top holster brands. Pretty much the only CCW magazine carriers which do not have this limitation have set screws for increased retention or closed tops. That being said, we were trying to think of a time we had been carrying a CCW weapon and been upside-down. The answer was never, so this is an acceptable limitation. Double stack magazines still sit securely in the carrier during standard movements like running, crouching, and climbing. See our inverted magazine carrier movement tests in the next section below.
Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2 Pros
Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2 Cons
Inverted Retention Testing with Hi-Cap Magazines
We wanted to test how well the Pitbull Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2 held magazines while inverted. We designed the following tests to measure the carrier's retention capability while carrying fully loaded Glock handgun magazines.
Inverted Glock Magazine Test Setup
The inverted retention test was setup with the Pitbull Tactical Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2 securely attached to a study 1.5 inch belt upside-down. The magazines tested were lighted tapped on the back to ensure the loaded rounds were seated properly and the magazine was fully inserted into the carrier before the start of each test. The belt was worn tight to the body with no movement to ensure the magazines could not be moved apart from the impact of the movements.
Loaded Glock Magazine Specs and Weight
Magazine 1: Glock 42
- Model: Glock 42
- Type: Single Stack
- Capacity: 6 rounds
- Caliber: .380
- Weight: 3.547oz / 100.57g
- Carrier: Tan Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2
Magazine 2: Glock 30
- Model: Glock 30
- Type: Double Stack
- Capacity: 10 rounds
- Caliber: .45 ACP
- Weight: 10.096oz / 286.21g
- Carrier: OD Green Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2
Magazine 3: Glock 17
- Model: Glock 17
- Type: Double Stack Hi-Cap**
- Capacity: 17 rounds**
- Caliber: 9mm
- Weight: 10.469oz / 296.78g
- Carrier: Black Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2
**Hi-Cap = High capacity magazines used for the test were allowed by law and in used conjunction with local law enforcement authorities
Retention Testing Results
The lighter Glock magazines 1 and 2 did well in the inverted retention tests. The heavier high-capacity Glock 17 magazine (magazine 3) had the most trouble and fell out of the carrier on both the running and jumping tests. The tests were reiterated multiple times with the results found in the table below.
While the weight of the Glock 17 magazine is similar to the Glock 30 magazine, it appears the smaller diameter and longer length of the Glock 17 magazine contributed to it sliding out of the carrier more easily during inverted high-impact movements.
| Magazine 1: Glock 42 .380 | Retained - No Movement | Retained - No Movement |
| Magazine 2: Glock 30 .45 ACP | Retained - Slight Movement Out | Retained - Slight Movement Out |
| Magazine 3: Glock 17 9mm Hi-Cap | Not Retained - Retested 3x: Fell Out at 39, 60, and 73 Steps (0 Step Start Each Time) | Not Retained - Retested 3x: Fell Out at 39, 38, and 49 Jumps (0 Jump Start Each Time) |
Retention Testing Conclusion
From the inverted retention movement testing results above we can conclude several things:
- The Pitbull Tactical Universal Magazine Carrier Gen 2 can indeed carry magazines while inverted
- A CCW reinforced or similar belt should be used to secure and hold the magazine carriers on the body (this is also important for weapon holster stability)
- Lighter weight magazines have good retention in the carrier - both upright and inverted during impact movements
- Heavier weight magazines may have intention problems if carried inverted while engaging in high-impact movements
- The silicone retention straps perform better than most open-top magazine carriers while carrying magazines inverted
Based on these results and the fact that we don't plan to spend much time upside-down (if we did, we would bring a lightweight Glock!), the Pitbull Tactical Universal Magazine Carrier Gen 2 is a great choice for carrying CCW weapon magazines for every-day-carry (EDC).
Tactical CCW Belt Carrier Fit
A well-supported concealed carry belt is essential for carrying weapons and spare magazines. This is because the belt provides a stable platform for carrying and drawing them from the beltline. The Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2 works best with standard 1.5 inch belts CCW belts. The CCW magazine carrier can be used as an outside the waistband (OWB) and inside the waistband (IWB) mag carrier.
As a CCW Outside the Waistband (OWB) Magazine Carrier
As an outside the waistband (OWB) CCW magazine carrier, the Pitbull Tactical Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2 works well to secure magazines to the outside of 1.5 inch size CCW belts. The carrier attaches snuggly around the belt and the bottom clip secures around the belt to prevent any lateral movement. Magazines can be easily inserted and removed with minimal effort thanks to the insertion ramp in the top of the carrier.
As a CCW Inside the Waistband (IWB) Magazine Carrier
As an inside the waistband (IWB) CCW magazine carrier, the Pitbull Tactical Mag Carrier works to better conceal magazines. This allows for carrying mags closer to the body on the inside of the belt and inside the waistline of the pants. When carried in this fashion, many users choose to up size their usually fitting pant size to accommodate for the CCW weapon and magazines.
CCW Mag Carrier Use with 2" Riggers Belts
The Universal Mag Carrier did work with 2 inch patrol and rigger style belts. However, one thing to note is that the carrier's belt clip cannot fully hook around the bottom of the rigger's belt (as seen in picture 3 below). This can potentially cause problems when firmly seated magazines are drawn since the carrier can potentially move on the belt. A potential fix is to squeeze the belt so the hooks engage on the belt's bottom edge. Cutting or modifying rigger's belts is not recommended since it compromises in the belt's integrity and structure.
Universal Mag Carrier Fit Chart for CCW Handguns
The Pitbull Tactical Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2 is setup to be "one carrier to fit all your mags" with no gimmicks or adjustments. It comes ready-to-use out of the box. Here are some of the magazine types, handguns, and calibers we tried the Pitbull carriers with for fit, retention, and usability:
| Glock 42 | .380 | Single Stack Magazine | Yes |
| Beretta 84 Cheetah | .380 | Double Stack Magazine | Yes |
| Glock 43 | 9mm | Single Stack Magazine | Yes |
| Glock 19/17 | 9mm | Double Stack Magazine (Hi-Cap)** | Yes - *VTR |
| Glock 23/22 | .40 | Double Stack Magazine (Hi-Cap)** | Yes - *VTR |
| Glock 36 | .45 ACP | Single Stack Magazine | Yes |
| Glock 30 | .45 ACP | Double Stack Magazine | Yes |
| Glock 30/21 | .45 ACP | Double Stack Magazine (Hi-Cap)** | Yes - *VTR |
| Ed Brown 1911 | .45 ACP | Single Stack Magazine | Yes |
| Sig P220 | .45 ACP | Single Stack Magazine | Yes |
*VTR = Vertical retention limited with added weight from high-capacity, double stack magazines
**Hi-Cap = High capacity magazines used for the test were allowed by law and in used conjunction with local law enforcement authorities
Universal Mag Carrier Gen 2 Features:
- Magazine Carrier Style: Concealed carrier for CCW magazines
- Fitting: Flex band expands to fit single and double stack magazines
- Calibers: Fits magazines from .380 to 9mm to .40 to 45ACP to 10mm
- Magazine Carrier Colors: Black, Tan, and OD Green
- Material: Molded "thermoplastic" casing (heat/flame resistant)
- Expansion Retention Material: Flexible, reinforced silicone on the sides of the carrier
- Belt Securing Method: Durable thermoplastic belt clip
- Belt Sizing: Secures to any 1.5" belt
- CCW Carry Method: Inside-waistband (IWB) or outside-waistband (OWB)
- Made in: Post Falls, Idaho, USA
- Price: Lower priced - $
- Weight: Weighs >3oz
The Carrier In Action
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CCW Magazine Carrier FAQs
Yes, Glock magazines work well in the Universal Mag Carrier. All major handgun and pistol brands like Beretta, Sig Sauer, Smith and Wesson (S&W), Heckler and Koch (H&K), Springfield, Ruger, Colt, and others will all fit in the carrier.
Yes, the Universal Mag Carrier can accept any magazine. The silicone strap system expands based on the inserted magazine's size making it able to hold any pistol magazine.
Both, the Universal Mag Carrier works both inside the waistband and outside the waistband very well. This allows for carry versatility while using only one CCW magazine carrier.
The CCW magazine carrier is designed to work with standard 1.5 inch width belts. The carrier hooks around the belt's width and provides a stable magazine carrying platform.
Partially. The Universal Mag Carrier can stay on the belt, but the hooks at the end of the clip cannot easily engage on the belt's bottom edge. This can allot the carrier to move during magazine draws.
The CCW mag carrier is made out of heat resistant, molded thermoplastic which is long-lasting and high-quality. The reinforced silicone strap is also very durable.
Yes, the Universal Mag Carrier securely holds magazines. The open top design does this through the use of using reinforced silicone straps on the sides of the carrier which help tension magazines in the carrier.
It is not recommended to carry CCW pistol magazines inverted. The weight of the magazine can cause it to drop out of the carrier while moving. That said, the Universal Mag Carrier can hold lighter magazines while upside-down or inverted.
Yes, Pitbull Tactical magazine carriers are good quality and are made in the USA.
Have More Questions?
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