Clean a mag every time it hits the ground?

[Kasteel]

I've been running a Glock 22 in Limited for a couple years, and notice that guys running S_Is generally disassemble and clean any mag that hits the ground during a stage.

My mags with +5 base pads are easy enough to disassemble for cleaning--but I rarely bother.

I ran across a post opining that Glock mags don't need cleaning just because they hit the ground--as opposed to S_I mags.

What experience/opinions does everyone have on the mag cleaning issue?

[Skydiver]

Notice that you also don't have to pay hundreds of dollars for a high cap Glock 22 mag versus a "tuned" S_I mag. Is there even such a thing as a "tuned" Glock magazine?

Some people consider allowing any kind of dirty getting into the chamber and barrel as anathema, and so they go to extremes of cleaning.

After a while, you'll figure out what kind of dirt your gun and magazines can tolerate. For my Tanfoglio's, I've learned that I get feeding issues if sand gets inside the magazine. No problems with water, mud, or clay, but sand tends to be a showstopper for me. One of the ranges I usually shoot at has sand in all of it's bays, so I clean my mags after each run. At one of the other ranges I go to, only some of the bays have sand, so I'll clean my mags after runs in those bays, but not in other bays.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Skydiver

[Maksim]

Depends on the match.

at the local clubs I may clean once after the match

At nationals, and at Area 8 I had to clean after every stage because of the sand in vegas, and fine gravel in VA. This was not even an SVI, but a Tanfoglio.

[Kasteel]

My buddy runs a Tangfolio Witness Limited. Mag disassembly is a pain as his mags require an allen wrench and reassembly requires blue locktite--or so he has been told. How are you two gentlemen dealing with this?

[Maksim]

Hennings basepads, the small screws screw into the basepad.

[Skydiver]

Using the Bondhus hex screwdriver is much faster than juggling an Allen wrench. The $3.00 investment was well worth it.

Screw in the set screws into the basepad, take the base pad off, pop out the spring and follower, run a brush through the mag, reassemble, and then back out the set screw. The set screws are not quite as easy as the Bollen pressure pins, but it works.

[Seth]

The 2011 mag is a dead fish with sand in it. For the 10 seconds it takes to tear one down and put it back together, I do clean my mags just about any time they hit the ground.

Glock mags are more tolerant. Its just the way it is...

[Vlad]

I personally rather shoot a gun that doesn't need me to clean its mags every time, and the hassle of doing it is just part of it. The biggest issue is what if you forget to clean that mag between stages and now you have a death jam on the next stage. Not worth it in my opinion.

[Seth]

Funny, I'd rather shoot a gun that a master craftsman built to perfection and be compulsive about its mainenance than shoot a gun built en mass by the lowest bidder.

[GuyC]

I personally rather shoot a gun that doesn't need me to clean its mags every time, and the hassle of doing it is just part of it. The biggest issue is what if you forget to clean that mag between stages and now you have a death jam on the next stage. Not worth it in my opinion.

Its not all about a jam. Sand destroys machines. I'm not going to feed my $3000 limited gun with sand!

[Vlad]

To each his own I suppose, I don't care if my gear was made by monks fed only fair trade bananas grown by gnomes out of rare earth metals or if it was stamped out by a guy named Geoff with a beer belly. I care if it works and more importantly if it works WITH me to let me put holes in the bits of the paper I intended to perforate.

[Seth]

My guns ALWAYS work. Maybe you should pick better monks.

[Vlad]

My guns always work too, and I don't have to clean my mags, in fact I view it as a bonus when they have sand in them, it makes them fall out faster

[Seth]

Gamer.

[mlmiller1]

There are ranges I shoot where I clean the mags everytime they hit the ground. By the way, I shoot glocks with plus 5s on them. It seems the stock mags will keep running just about anywhere under most any circumstances but once I added the big bases, I found out I had to clean them at some ranges. One of those ranges is my home range, the other one is in Wichita Falls at the Dbl Tap ranch. Something about the dirt at both these places will cause stoppages & I have found this out the hard way. Pretty much if I go to any major match at unfamiliar ranges, I will clean the ones that have been in the dirt. Even though it is a glock, I prefer to not feed it dirt along with bullets. I have arredondos & they come apart really quickly, quick run with a brush through the mag, on the follower & spring & back together. Doesn't take nearly as long when you are off the timer as it does trying to figure out why your gun is jamming repeatedly with the timer running.

MLM

[OffshoreMan72]

I am shooting a CZ TS and found that I have all kinds of problems when I don't clean. It is almost impossible to try to clean between stages so I try to keep enough mags loaded that If one drops into some dirt/sand it goes back in the bag and a fresh one replaces it until I get home. I take a shotgun swab and spray a light coat of Remoil on it and run it through the mags every Friday night before the weekend matches. Seems to be working well.

[sauza45]

When I shoot limited or open with an STI based gun I clean the mags everytime they hit the ground. When I shoot production with a Glock g34 I never clean the mags just

wipe it off on my pants leg. Cleaning the mag is not a big deal, part odf shooting the STI guns. Having said all that I like shooting the STI guns better than G34

even with the mag cleanings.

[LINC]

When I shot a glock I cleaned my mags after a match, until that one day when I reloaded a salt shaker, wasted an excellent run with "glock mags dont need cleaning." It was the last stage of the day, but it will stop working eventually especially if your anywhere near mag length with your bullets. Now I shoot S_I and if they hit the ground you better clean it or you have a 50% chance of it working.

[NewColonial]

Only at Fredericksburg. :-)

[Neomet]

I shoot in the sand and gravel of the desert here in Phoenix. I pretty much need to clean my mags every time I look at them. Back in greener climates, not so much.

[sperman]

Some of the ranges around here are pretty sandy. I probably SHOULD clean my mags anytime they hit the ground, but shooting SS, means I would spend most of the match cleaning mags, and not doing my fair share of pasting or running shooters.

I will shake the loose sand out of the mags. If there is mud or other junk stuck to the mag, it will come apart. Otherwise they just get a quick wipe down before the next stage.

Edited March 2, 2012 by sperman

[D.Hayden]

The only time I think about it.. is at Parma Idaho. or Vegas.. anywhere there's really fine dirt

I used to clean them alot (STI mags), but I probably only cleaned one at a match, once in the last 2 years.. Area 1 3 Gun.. at Parma

[hanexp]

[carlosa]

i don't clean my mags every-time they hit the ground.. and i shoot an STI..

i know.. I'm reckless

i do inspect my magazines after each stage...

if they look incredibly dirty then i might quickly brush them

[CocoBolo]

I think you guys forgot something. I shoot open but this applies to limited guns as well. When you drop a partially full mag there is a chance that a round can turn around bassackwards in the mag, I've had this happen, then you reload it and get going on the next stage and when it tries to feed that round you got one ugly jam.

I don't clean every time, but as a minimum I will unload a partial mag, during loading I can tell if the mag is dirty if it is I either toss it in the range bag section that I will not use it again or clean it. I take a lot of mags to a match, most 5 stage matches I never reuse a mag.

Not keeping mags clean is just as bad as not drop checking your ammo. You are a blow out waiting to happen.

I've seen glocks choke and puke. One range I shoot at is so bad when the wind blows that it locked up my Ghost Holster with gritty sand. Make ready, crap I'm trying but I can't seem to get the gun out, had to go to the safe table, get it out and clean the holster. So conditions can well dictate extreme measures.

Best results are a product of good preparation and following best practices, clean mags, good ammo, and gun that runs consistently. Throw in some accuracy for good mesure.