Dropping mag

[blacklab]

I'm not sure where to post this so I'll start here. Lets say I'm shooting a stage where I have to take 34 shots and I have 2- 140mm mags that hold 20ea. The way I do it is I'll pick a spot that looks like a good time for a reload (where I have to take a few steps or change directions) and that's when I'll drop the mag. I may have only taken 16 or 18 shots but I drop it anyway, I'll still have a few extra rounds in the 2nd mag for make up shots to finish the stage and I don't have to worry too much about counting how many shots I took. It seems to work pretty good for me but sometimes when another person picks up my mag after the stage and hands it to me they look at me strange because its not empty. One person even ask me why I wasted my time dropping a "1/2 empty mag". So what am I missing? Why do I need to count 19 shots and then drop the mag at a spot that may not be the best? Am I really wasting time by doing it this way?

[Hi-Power Jack]

I do the same thing you do ....   Don't care if mag is empty - matter of fact,

 

I try very hard NOT to ever drop an EMPTY mag - like to have at least 1-2 rounds

 

left in it, so I don't have a slide locked back.

 

And, I doubt you can count 19 shots while engaging an array of targets     

[TennJeep1618]

Assuming you're talking about USPSA Limited division, you're not wasting time by doing that.  If I drop an empty magazine, it is usually due to a risky stage plan, too many extra shots, or a malfunction.

[3gunDQ]

Every dropped mag better have rounds in it  or sooner or later you gunna run it dry and that eats up a lot of time. 

[blacklab]

Ok guys, thanks for the input. I didn't think I was doing it wrong. I guess different people have different ideas on how things should be done. 

[Hi-Power Jack]

Of course, if you're talking IDPA, instead of USPSA, the whole

thing changes.

 

I don't know all the rules of IDPA but I do know they don't like you

to drop a mag with cartridges still inside     

[nate89]

If I drop an empty mag in USPSA, either I messed up, or ran with a risker stage plan than I normally do.  If you watch most production shooters on a longer field course, I would expect 2-4 partial mags on the ground by the end.  

[dsu96]

Rarely drop an empty mag.  If I do, it's likely because I forgot to reload before I went to slide lock. 

[blacklab]

2 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

Of course, if you're talking IDPA, instead of USPSA, the whole

thing changes.

I'm talking about USPSA and 3 gun, mostly 3gun. I also shoot OPEN/UNLIMITED, if that matters. In my tiny little mind I cant figure why a few people think I the mag needs to be empty, unless they shoot IDPA to. I never shot IDPA so I don't know the rules.

[sfinney]

 Do not shoot to empty. Plan your mag changes where you are making a move, between arrays etc., and generally you will be faster.

[balmo]

You're doing it right; don't shoot till dry. Two 20rd mags give you a lot of flexibility where you change mag on a long stage. 

[my00wrx1]

I also like to have at least 1 more mag on my belt than I plan to use. 

[MemphisMechanic]

5-10 rounds left in the first magazine, and 5-10 in the second mag? That's a good way to ensure you never, ever come near running the gun dry.

 

Sounds like you have some never or more inexperienced shooters giving you suggestions.

[Part_time_redneck]

I do the same thing. RL during down time while moving. Determining where to RL is one of the most important parts when making a stage plan. Big time saver. I can't imagine purposely moving into a shooting position with insufficient rounds to finish the array. 

 

A few weeks ago at a local match we had a stage with very little movement. Targets had to be engaged through 2 narrow slits & 2 ports. 15 paper, round count 30. I elected to Barney up with a 170 for 29+ 1. As a result I was about a second slower than what I should have been because I knew a make up would force a RL I hadn't planned for. Had great hits but in retrospect I should have took half, RL and finished. Think HF would have been a bit better. But hey, learning experience. 

 

This was just a departure from the norm for me. If I run the gun dry I made a mistake. As for the folks with the looks and "friendly" advice, I would bide my time and after they RL in the middle of an array ask why they chose to RL there    

[mlmiller1]

Redneck, just a side note but thats not a uspsa legal stage.  You cant have a position that forces more than 8 shots to be fired from it.  You can allow more than 8 but some of those targets should be available from other shooting positions.  30rds needs at least 4 positions be available.....

Not criticizing, I am sure it was a fun stage & all but as for rules, that was outside a little even for a local level 1 match.  Think of a single stack shooter with 8 rd mags....

Edited August 27, 2017 by mlmiller1

[open17]

Where in the OP's post does it say how many "positions or views" there were to shoot from? 

Edited August 27, 2017 by open17

[Flatland Shooter]

In reference to Redneck's stage, "Targets had to be engaged through 2 narrow slits & 2 ports. 15 paper, round count 30."

 

No requirements in the rules how far apart the slits and ports need to be.  With 4 positions, it sounds like a legal stage.

Edited August 27, 2017 by Flatland Shooter

[facelessman]

Sometimes your stage plan is better executed by reloading early. I've shot a few stages where I burned two rounds and reloaded.

 

Just because the dropped mag is empty, doesn't mean there isn't still a round in the gun.

 

...and it's only risky if you aren't confident enough in making the shots you need to make.

[blacklab]

I think I'm just going to keep my reloads on the safe side. Yesterday I was at a 3 gun match and one of the stages had knock down steel plates that were shotgun or pistol. Two of the plates only turned when I hit them with the shotgun and even with follow up shots they didn't fall and I ran the shotgun empty. Fortunately I had my pistol reload planed that I would have at least 3 extra rounds before I had to move so I dumped the shotgun and picked up the steel with my pistol after shooting the paper. It was a lot faster that way them trying to reload the shotgun. However I did learn to keep track of what choke tube is in my shotgun from the whole experience.?

[mlmiller1]

On 8/27/2017 at 0:04 PM, Flatland Shooter said:

In reference to Redneck's stage, "Targets had to be engaged through 2 narrow slits & 2 ports. 15 paper, round count 30."

Oops, I misread that & didnt see "2 ports" part.  Please excuse my screwup. 

[Balwolley]

I am shooting open and I drop loaded mags pretty much every stage, unless I don't have to re-load .  Sometimes I drop a full mag (if I'm running too fast and it flies off my belt lol).  All kidding aside I've had a few times my stage plan required me to only shoot 2-4 rounds before reloading.  That resulted in some funny looks, but it worked out.   Having a couple targets at the start position close to the 180* then the rest were hoser targets down the bay a ways.  I took care of the close targets, put the big stick in then went to work.  

[Part_time_redneck]

On August 27, 2017 at 8:53 AM, mlmiller1 said:

Redneck, just a side note but thats not a uspsa legal stage.  You cant have a position that forces more than 8 shots to be fired from it.  You can allow more than 8 but some of those targets should be available from other shooting positions.  30rds needs at least 4 positions be available.....

Not criticizing, I am sure it was a fun stage & all but as for rules, that was outside a little even for a local level 1 match.  Think of a single stack shooter with 8 rd mags....

I didn't explain very clearly in my quick description. After looking at my post again I see the confusion. 

Almost all targets were available from 2 positions, except for the 2 on the extreme ends of the stage which had to be engaged from the opposite end. At no point was anyone forced to fire more than 8 from a single position. Wasn't a field course, just a quick hoser stage. 

 

[zinger4040]

I have only shot one IDPA match, but I had a ton of penalties because of mag change issues. My own stupid fault for not understanding the rules. I much prefer uspsa 

[Water63]

I like to drop my mag with rounds left in it just like you don't wait until your car runs out of gas before refilling it.

[blacklab]

On ‎9‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 7:47 PM, Water63 said:

you don't wait until your car runs out of gas before refilling it

I like that answer. Next time someone says something I'll give them that response.