Clean a mag every time it hits the ground?

[RDunn]

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.

Good point. i do this everytime. and at least once a match i find a round that has flipped that i wouldnt have seen if i just loaded the mag back up.

[XRe]

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.

With single stack mags, you actually run a little less risk, just due to the nature of the magazines. The rounds do sorta-kinda stack slightly sideways in them (the mags are wider than the ammo, after all), but there's nowhere near the side to side friction in a single stack mag that you have in a double stack mag of any sort.

That said - you do have the option of using a single stack mag brush on every stage - just push the brush down on top of the follower and pull it back out a couple of times. That will actually get a bunch of the junk out - and it's the only way to clean mags with a welded floor plate. Quick and easy - and better than nothing, for sure. I still prefer to disassemble and clean. When I was shooting L10 w/ a single stack gun, I could get it done within a shooter and a half or so - just got quick at it

[Rambo]

Personally... With the amount of time and money we ALL invest in this sport...

The 10 seconds to clean a mag after it's use is well worth it...if it even has the SLIGHTEST chance to improve reliability.

[joedodge]

start shooting revo with moon clips and never worry ever again.................in all seriousness even in production with my xd when shooting in sand or gravel ranges i would pop the mags apart that hit the ground apart and run a rag with a zip tie on as a pull through cord its just worth it with the time and effort we put forth in this sport it takes one good jam to put you out of the race.

[KentG]

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.

This. So many people, and Im guilty of it in the past, spend a huge amount on a gun that they will never be able shoot to its potential. Most of us cant outshoot a box stock polymer gun with a decent triger and sights. But if spending upwards of 3K for a gun makes someone feel better and more confident. And that confidence translates into better performance so be it, but for the large majority of shooters a uber expensive hand built gun kissed by Jesus before shipping is overkill. IMO, and other opinions may vary.

[mookman]

Guess what,

I looked at this thread on friday and I thought i must clean my mags as a competition today..

Well i didnt, and as a result on the last stage failure to feed , or rather the rounds were stuck halfway down the tube....

Newish tubes , newish springs and followers .

Guess who cleaned 8 mags when he got home.

ME.

[Flatland Shooter]

$25 Match Fees

$30 Ammo Cost

$40 Feeding my gas guzzler to and from the range.

Being a lazy SOB, I fail to clean mags between stages and get to see my squadmates laugh their butts of when I blow the stage. PRICELESS.

[Rotisiv]

That has happened to me!

[BBoyle]

In practice I do not clean them. During a match I do!

[Mo Hepworth]

When I was in vegas I just ran a brush thru them....but after the 1st day I took them apart and cleaned them out. the fine dust is a killer. Large frame mags seem to find more dirt than the small frame mags. Sometimes if I see or HEAR sand / small gravel in them, I turn it upside down...press in the follower and blow in the witness hole in the side of the mag....generally stuff that can cause problems falls out. If I hear cracking of loose material in the mags as I attempt to load it, I put that mag aside. I never have mag issues with my small frame mags. large frame mags usually I run into issues with the dirty mags that have the lips spread out too much. I might take my mags apart after approx. 150rds + or more thru each of them. So roughly every 2200rds, unless they have fell in sand, wet mud or puddles. That is a no brainer,...put them to the side and get a fresh mag.

[waddo29]

I run a RazorCat in open, and a SVI and STI in limited. These guns are way to expensive to be running dirt through them.

[kevin c]

Mudbowl Nats, I just rinsed my Glock mags in the drainage pond - they ran fine.

Vegas and Mesa, I break them down and brush them out. I have to confess I haven't had a Glock mag ever jam on me, though. Maybe it's psychological - can't stand the gritty feel/sound.