Pros and Cons of Single Stack vs. Double Stack Pistols

Posted By TGM_Staff On Monday, October 10, 2022 02:57 PM. Under Concealed carry, Featured, Opinion, Product Spotlight, Self-defense

*In this image, both single and double-stack pistol magazines are visible.*

By Marcie Young | Contributing Writer

Getting information about the pros and cons of single stack vs. double stack pistols should probably be your first step if you are planning to purchase a handgun.

Choosing one type or the other is tightly connected with your intended usage of a semi-automatic pistol.

First, the ammunition magazine is a device that stores the cartridges; while using a spring action, it moves a new round into the chamber. There are several magazine types, but the most common types for removable box magazines are single stack and double stack mags.

The single stack magazines layer cartridges in one column, while double stack magazines hold rounds in two staggered columns.

How It Started

Historically, ammunition magazines started with the introduction of repeating firearms equipped with fixed tubular magazines in the late 1800s, soon to be replaced by integral box magazines. However, in the first decades of the 20th century, they gave way to new detachable magazines that became the most popular way to reload semiautomatic pistols and other small arms.

That said, let’s go back to handgun magazine types and why you should insist on one type, and not the other.

Initially, pistols with single-stack magazines were standard due to ease of manufacture and dependability. The fact that the majority of pistols retained the single stack magazine until the end of the 20th Century tells us that magazines are perhaps the most crucial part of the reliability of a firearm.

*Here’s an example of a modern semi-auto pistol with a double-stack magazine and accessory light. (Image by Matt Weissinger, via Pexels.com.*

For decades standard, issued military sidearms were single stack pistols with a capacity of 6 to 10 rounds in a magazine. As a result, the civilian market was overwhelmed with smaller semi-autos using simple and reliable feed patterns of single-stack magazines.

Early double stack magazines were hard to make feed reliably. Still, the first successful double stack design, the FN Model 1928, is credited to Dieudonné Joseph Saive, a Belgian small arms designer who was the FN’s chief weapons designer and a J.M. Browning assistant.

However, only with the arrival of the famous “wondernine” semi-automatic pistols during the 1980s did the double stack magazines spread out and became the favorite type for “combat” and “duty” style semi-autos around the world.

These high-capacity 9mm handguns have staggered column magazines that typically hold anywhere from 13 to 20 cartridges.

*Superb example of a pistol with a double-stack magazine is this Sig Sauer P229. (Dave Workman photo)*

Despite technological advances, the differences between the modern single and double-stack magazines remained the same. Double stack magazines indeed became more reliable, and their polymer-framed platforms now offered a much thinner grip profile. Still, everything else remained unchanged, primarily including the price tag.

Price

Price depends on brands and quality, but the single stack magazines are generally cheaper than double stack mags due to their simplicity, but which magazine one purchases depends upon the model and brand of pistol for which the magazine is designed. This is not a “one-size-fits-all” proposition.

Size and Comfort

Additional weight and thickness of loaded double-stack mags require larger guns that can cause issues with concealability and all-day comfort. On the other hand, the single stack mags are very suitable for a compact concealed carry weapon (CCW).

*Selecting a pistol often depends upon hand size and the intended purpose. (Photo by Vitaliy Izonin via Pexels.com)*

Recoil

Considering the overall gun weight as one of the major factors responsible for the recoil, the handguns with double stack mags are known to have a milder recoil (heavier gun and wider frame gives more surface area to grip) due to their heavier weight. However, as the number of rounds in the magazine is reduced during the course of fire, the overall handgun weight will also be reduced, and this can have an effect on felt recoil.

Best Use of the Single Stack and Double Stack Pistols

Most civilians purchase handguns for the defensive role, but semi-automatics can be used for other applications such as target shooting, plinking, or hunting.

While picking a single stack or a double stack magazine is mainly based on your personal preference, there are other factors to consider and questions you have to answer.

If you plan to carry a concealed pistol daily when discretion is the keyword, the best solution is a slim single-stack pistol.
The single stack is preferable also if you have average or small hands.
Depending on your everyday attire or your climate zone, you will be able to choose single stack pistols with a smaller grip, lighter weight, and smaller overall profile or double stack guns with markedly increased capacity.
If you live in a state that allows open carry, and you shouldn’t care whether people know you’re armed, your options improve. Pistols with double-stack capacity might be more appealing, as they offer more comfortable shooting, less recoil and more shots between reloads.

*The Colt Commander in .45 ACP is the classic example of a pistol that uses a single-stack magazine*. (Dave Workman photo)

Final Thoughts

Since concealed carry is expanding, let us clarify one dilemma. Many people think the essential feature of concealed carry (CCW) is the length of the handgun. However, the truth is that the width of a sidearm’s frame is more critical for concealed carrying than your handgun’s overall length.

Speaking of single stack vs. double stack pistols, both types have advantages and disadvantages, so you might have to make compromises or buy handguns for different scenarios.