If you have more than one belt, than the belt you wear the most when carrying/training/working/using a rifle.  
Chest rigs and leg rigs do not count, only belt real estate for this question.

2 belts.  One with 2 mags, one with 4 (for run N gun where you have to carry all your ammo).

I carry 1 20 round pmag as an emergency reload just behind my pistol mags.

  Weight on the belt adds up real fast and real estate shrinks quickly . i wear  it all day and take a plate carrier on and off through out the day. The 20 doesn't hit the bottom of my plate carrier or poke and pinch me.

20 round quick reload on belt.  more on chest

-On a simple range day i usually have two single mag pouches and most of the time just use 1.
-When hunting with a load bearing type rig 1 or 2 extra or extra loose shells in two pouches.
-Carrying is not legal in Italy
-When doing army reserve things IF i am using a shooting type belt i usually have a single compartment triple mag pouch with a flap, maybe with 3 mags, maybe with 2, maybe with a smoke if i am only carrying pistol. If i am carrying a load bearing belt with existence gear i carry 3 to 6 magazines in two magazine pouches with maybe extra ones if i am carrying armor.
-Usually 2 extra when doing some competition.

Definitely a variable amount and a different way of carrying those each time, not that good for muscle memory .

On belt used in conjunction with a pc? 1 mag.

On a stand-alone system? 3-5

One belt.

I have a 2 pistol 1 rifle mag carrier on my belt, of the esstac flavor.

If I'm just wearing the belt, I'll usually throw a spare 30 in there. If I have my PC on, I'll drop a 20 rounder in there. It doesn't pinch or bind on my PC as bad.

If I need more mags than the one on my belt, I can always shove one or two more in the admin/dump pouch.

Keep it simple, keep it light

I use two rifle magazines on the belt.

My philosophy is that I want 5 magazines that are quick access and if I need more than that I'm going to bring a small 24 hour assault pack and carry my extra magazines in it (bumps me up to 8 magazines total if I do that).  

So, I carry three on the carrier and two on the belt.

I also want to be able to sit in a vehicle in kit if necessary.  I don't want my belt magazines to interfere with my plate carrier even if my torso is in an extreme bend angle.  

To that end, I use the Esstac horizontal magazine pouch and the Unobtanium sled drop leg platform.  Both make it easy and quick to pull my magazine no matter how much I have on me or what kind of bend my torso is doing.  

I carry two pistol magazines on my belt.  

I recommend 0 or 1.

My 2 extra rifle mags are on my PC but I can also put one on the belt if I want (Esstac pouch). 20rd is best there, for the reason stated above.

Really I got it for range use (like annual re-quals) where I don't always wear a PC.

I'd never put more than 1 on a belt unless that belt *is* your load-bearing gear.

Work belt only has 1 rifle mag on it.  Same goes for my teaching/SHTF/food riot belt

I have two rifle mags and two pistol mags.

For me it’s not so much about the weight but it’s an additional mag to work with. Less down time to swap and reload mags.

If I don’t want to use the second mag then I can cram two more pistol mags into that rifle mag carrier or anything else. Or I can just leave it empty and save weight.

I also find if I do rifle to pistol transitions I can swing the rifle behind the back magazine and it stays in a more comfortable place for me until I bring it back into play.

One for a quick reload.

Keep the back of your belt clear.

I have 4 but options of 4 or two. Double Kywi and a Tactical Tailor Fight Lite double that can be used for water bottle or other stuff.

3--1 quick access and one Velcro flap double pouch.  Works for competition and half of a shtf load out (on the PC).  I want a mix of quick access and security.  
It is kind of heavy, so the belt also gets suspenders.

Suggest the question is dependent on the configuration of the Reloading Devices for one's firearm.

M1 Garand rifle clips are very compact.  5-rd clips for many service rifles not far behind, both of which fit into same cotton cloth bandolier/ammo pouches. 10-rd AR-type charger/stripper clips are different but fit into cotton GI bandolier rigs of different types.

All of these very different firearms have different "ideal" ammo platforms, as do other magazine-fed firearms.

In most cases, the military or possibly the aftermarket has figured out how to carry ammo.

IMHO, and not being an expert, I carry a single open-topped AR mag pouch, if toting an AR.

If toting a different rifle, that might vary.

When toting a lot of ammo one one's belt, strongly suggest multi-point suspenders to carry the weight.

I keep two rifle mag pouches and two pistol mag pouches on my battle belt. I always carry at least one rifle mag on my belt; sometimes two, depending on what I am doing. I like having the option for more.

I have three pouches on my belt, two vertical and one horizontal. If I am using my PC or chest rig, then I only have the horizontal with a 30 to not interfere with the PC or chest vest. I could probably go with all 20's and not have an issue if anything is being worn on the chest but haven't tried the idea out yet.

Pic to illustrate and before any questions I shoot rifles lefty and pistols right.

People seem to often forget about the option of carrying clipped-up ammo in bandoliers.   Seldom required except under "certain circumstances", but option is there.

Bandoliers can be packed inside 100- and 200-rd pouches and attached to outside of pack, etc., as well as slung over the shoulder.  

While it takes time (and opportunity) to reload mags with clipped ammo, the trade-off is that the clipped-up ammo is considerably less bulky and a bit lighter than same amount in mags.  

Obviously, not a substitute for loaded mags in many situations, but possibly a useful adjunct in some circumstances.

If it is felt that loaded mags are desired, then a simple GI magazine carrier can be used, thus not requiring any changes to the belt.

Belt  has 1 20 rd, 2 pistol mags, med, dump pouch & pistol in holster.

Yeah, no

I used to have 2 G-Codes, but I switched to a JSTA Pouch with 1/1 Kiwi Inserts for Rifle/Pistol - I wanted something to carry NODs, and re-evaluated the actual need to have 180 vs 150 on body.

This would be my answer as well, basically verbatim.

Interesting reaction.  What, specifically, is inappropriate about my optional suggestions?

You answered your own question in the post. Seldom required. Takes time. It's also not on the topic of a belt load. It's also more cumbersome than think you imagine. But at least you've progressed from enbloc clips in 1940s web gear to Vietnam era load carriage.

20 rounder on belt. 3x on pc

First layer is grab rifle.

Second layer rifle + grab belt

3rd layer is rifle + belt + pc

Your needless and personally insulting remarks are not appropriate to a Tech forum.

Wasn't an insult. Merely an observation on your preferences. And also explaining,  once again,  why your preferences are antiquated.

I run 3, but I don’t have a plate carrier or chest rig.

On my belt, two rifle mags, two pistol mags.  Rifle and pistol mags separated from each other as I've had one too many instances of grabbing a pistol mag when I need a rifle mag and vice versa.  All in single stack pouches.   Pistol in holster also.

On belt: 1+1 optional for a maximum of 2.

Assuming this is for something like a shooter's belt or duty belt type setup, with the caveat that I last wore such a belt "for real" about 12 years ago:

I'd say 1, maybe 2, but with the total of belt-carried magazines probably not exceeding 4 for both pistol and rifle. I'm not as skinny as I was those 12 years ago but I find that having the belt buckle, then 2 pistol mags, then 2 rifle mags pretty much fills up my entire off-side of my belt and starts making its way around my back if I add anything else. And I don't like having double-thick magazine pouches on my belt when it's that kind of rig. Talking a "belt webbing" in the British style changes that a good bit, though, with 2x 3-mag pouches on my left, starting just behind the point of my hip and moving aft.
So I'd tend towards a total of 3 mags, either 2x pistol and 1x rifle, or 1x pistol and 2x rifle, all on my left side. More mags will go on the chest rig or PC/placard.

Part of the point of having a mag on your belt is so you always have some ammo with you even if you are walking around somewhere with just your belt. It's so that even a low state of combat readiness still involves having projectiles available for your weapon. Even if you weren't wearing your plate carrier when something happened and you didn't have a mag in your gun, as long as you were wearing your belt then you have some ammo to work with. So I guess one metric to use when deciding how many mags you should have on your belt is how much ammo you think you would need before you could get to another source of ammo and gear. If you will always be within a short sprint's distance to another source of ammo and gear, then one 30 round mag on the belt is probably plenty. Alternatively if your job is to be something like an IAR gunner and you can't avoid the responsibility of running around with 10+ mags readily available on your body, then distributing some of that weight to your waist could be helpful to your back and shoulders.

As a side note, this is one reason why low round count mags are good for more than just complying with gun laws, they have tactical value in a deployment environment. A 10 round rifle mag is around the size and weight of a cell phone and is easy to lazily toss into a pocket, ensuring you still have some ammo to work with even if you weren't wearing any of your gear at all. Put one in the support side cargo pocket of your pants, if you wear a big winter jacket then leave a mag in one of the pockets somewhere, put one in all of your packs and bags, if you work at a defensive position or checkpoint then leave one lying around within arms reach of wherever you normally stand or sit around, if you work from a vehicle/bicycle/ATV/truck/tank then leave a mag in it somewhere. They are a convenient way to distribute your ammo all over the place and make sure you are never sitting there with an empty rifle unable to do anything helpful.

As a side note to the side note, what are people's opinions on mag holder buttstocks and grip cores that hold a few rounds? Perhaps they aren't tactically ideal, but they represent further layered ways to make sure the rifle is never separate from ammo. A 10 round mag in the stock means that in the absence of any support gear around, if you have the rifle with you then you have a mag. Having 3 rounds in the grip core means that in the absence of any mags around at all, you can put rounds into the chamber one at a time and still shoot bullets because if you have the rifle then you have bullets in the grip. Ensuring the rifle always has bullets to shoot even with no mags around is probably a better strategic use of grip storage than an oil bottle or bolt.

The Israeli method of carrying a mag or a stock pouch is probably a better option than 3 rounds in a grip core.

Had one of those on my m4 so I always had a mag, even while not on post. This works well for walking around in PT gear. Granted, stateside isn't deployed and I don't claim to be an expert

I dislike the weight/bulk they add so I don't use them.

I'd rather have the oil bottle.

I think it's better to just keep a loaded mag in the rifle all the time.
Better than 3 rounds, and they're already where they're supposed to be.

I guess the idea is that it just extends how long you still have a projectile weapon capable of doing modern rifle things and not an awkward melee weapon, even when you have no mags with you.

One solution to the dilemma of what grip core to put in the magpul grip is if magpul made a vertical foregrip that took the same grip cores. Then with a storage stock the batteries, oil bottles, and spare rounds can all be happy.

I do four.  I keep them at about 7-8 o' clock, so they don't bang into stuff and I don't lay on them.  Normally I keep the front one's flap tucked in, so the mags are exposed and I just tighten the shock cord a little, Tactical Tailor has a barrel lock cord that's easy to adjust.  Its every bit as fast to draw as a HSGI taco I used to use.



I don't suspect I'd ever need a martial load with more than four on the belt and one in the gun.  Makes more sense to me than spreading the load to different pieces of gear, but my PC's all have a triple shingle on the front if I ever wanted to for some reason or another.

Attaching a spare mag to the gun itself is a smart way to turn the whole rifle into an extended duration grab-and-go package. Also makes sure the rifle is always with ammo even in places where you have to carry without a mag inserted. But that doesn't contradict the idea of magpul's 3 round grip core as conceptually just being another layered way to make sure the rifle is still a viable projectile weapon in a pinch even with no mags around and you aren't down to a clumsy melee weapon. You can keep the rifle with a mag inserted and a spare attached to the stock and 3 spare rounds in the grip.

Three.

I currently have one rifle 2 pistol, but I kinda want to reverse that.

I like this idea. Any suggestions for a left hand friendly M4 type that would hopefully work with a SOPMOD stock? I have a Redimag but it's a small bit of weight and I really don't want to spend that much to much all of my rifles this way

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Well, again you can't ask this kind of question in a vacuum.  Most of you have answered up in some kind of short-term, emergency, every day carry, or at least in the truck kind of set up.  If that's what the OP's frame of reference is, OK.  But when you ask "how many rifle mags do you carry", I am thinking, if I'm carrying a rifle, things have gotten really sporty, and, I am rarely in any kind of urban setting these days.  So my default setting is for woodland patrol, and in that case, I will probably have at least 8 mags on the belt kit.

So my thinking may be antiquated, the same as Raf's, but that doesn't mean it's entirely invalid.  If he is out in the boonies, and likes his M-1, hey drive on.  If I am out in the boonies with my AR, with 8-12 mags, that's a bare minimum, IMHO.  I was laughing because I could only choose 6.  And yes, I have humped that load.  

If you guys are in a mostly urban setting, and thinking of short-term, "active shooter" events, then maybe your 1-2 mag load outs will work.  I get that.  But you seem to discount any other scenario where you might be toting a rifle.  Even however remote that possibility might be.   Yes, I know that's still considered crazy talk in some quarters, but frankly I never thought I'd see the crazy at this point.  Not to go all GD on ya, just saying some folks have different outlooks on these things.  If that is of no concern to you, carry on.

If you have a role operating some sort of asset, then you don't need to walk around with 8 mags on you. For example, crewman on armored vehicles or artillery systems don't need to wear as many mags as a squad designated IAR gunner. They can walk around and work their artillery system with a 10-rounder loaded, another 10-rd in a cargo pocket, one 30-rd on the belt, two or three more on the plate carrier, and then ten more mags in box.

Im curious why you think .mil guys will be using ten rounders so much

However many Joe Biden and the Trans Army say I’m allowed to have.

Obey!

Personally, I never much cared for stock-mounted mag pouches because unless the mag is removed from the stock pouch, it can sometimes make weak-side shooting a bit problematic, depending on the length of the stock, the length of the magazine/pouch assembly, and the "proper" cheek weld location on the stock.   I suppose a 20-rd mag in a shorter pouch "might" work for weak-side shooting with mag still in its' stock-mounted pouch, depending on the length of the stock and so forth.

It may be that some stock pouches intended for 30-rd mags may allow a more compact configuration with use of shorter 20-rd mags, thus rendering my personal objections to stock-mounted pouches moot.  I'll need to take a re-evaluation of this sort of rig, and TYVM for making me reconsider.

 Some will disagree, and that's fine.  It's an option I choose to forego, and YMMV.

If carrying a spare mag on the gun I prefer the BFG Readi-Mod route over a mag on the stock

I'm a huge believer in modularity.  "Let the mission drive the gear."  As a civilian you have lots of different missions, everything from "close protection" to "full on "Chinese mutant zombie combat."  The later could be urban/rural/suburban. You have to rank them and prepare accordingly.  I spend the majority of my training time on CCW gear.

I spent years writing about "line gear," but now think more in terms of "mission gear," and the order I would put it on based on threats/goals.

Example layers

CCW gear
add PC w/three mags
add battle belt
add magazine bandoleer

The most important thing is you think about shit and practice.

Back to the question of this thread.  One mag, back clear.  If you have to take your shit off to get in a vehicle you are probably wrong.

I don't. I recall there being rules about no outside magazines. But they just make a convenient way to have ammo around. If your job is to bring your rifle while you go do some work on a rocket launcher or vehicle or something, having a 10-rd flush magazine instead of a 30 loaded makes the whole rifle as easy to keep out of the way as if it were unloaded but while still having ammo loaded. They are just a convenient ammo availability option.

Edited.

And you can keep a 30 rd mag in and sling it behind your back just as easily. And you dont have to divide 10 rds into anything.