SSP/ESP guys. how often do you use the 3rd mag?

[ProGunGuy]

I've noticed that i rarely use the 3rd mag in matches. I used to keep the 3rd mag in its pouch, but after a few times of my mags falling out and getting penalize for it, i have stopped doing so unless needed.

So how often do you use the 3rd mag??

[Not-So-Mad Matt]

I don't remember ever using the third mag -- except when the Course of Fire more-or-less demanded it, which has only happened a few times that I can remember.

I don't remember ever dropping the third mag though, either.

[thermobollocks]

Whenever the steel's too far away or I get a nasty jam.

[motosapiens]

I've only done 10 or so idpa matches, and I've never used the 3rd mag in ssp.

i recently switched to cdp so now i get to use it a couple times each match. I figure that means I'm having more fun than the high-cap crowd.

[RexKramer]

Not very often, unless you get a diabolical stage designer that gives you 12 18rnd stages for a match (like at EFGA thank you KO! ). You'll want that extra reload on your belt incase you do a couple extra shots. Always good for a malfunction, of course. Or if the stage description requires it.

[v1911]

I'd look into the reason as to why the mag keeps dropping.

Shooting ESP I haven't had to use the 3rd mag. Shooting CDP, using the 3rd mag is common. Be that as it may, it's always good to keep the 3rd in case of malfunctions.

[PROBIKE101]

my third mags name is barney i use ten rd mags so i use barney to give me division capacity at 11

[Shokr21]

my third mags name is barney i use ten rd mags so i use barney to give me division capacity at 11

so is one of the mags on your belt not loaded to 10 rounds?

I would also look at why the magazine is falling out. check out kytex gear, $15 a pouch and the mag isn't going anywhere.

[RexKramer]

I'd look into the reason as to why the mag keeps dropping.

Shooting ESP I haven't had to use the 3rd mag. Shooting CDP, using the 3rd mag is common. Be that as it may, it's always good to keep the 3rd in case of malfunctions.

Almost felt bad watching those CDP guys having to do an extra reload to fire one more shot just to shoot the 18rnd stage clean. Almost... until they say to me real men shoot .45...

[Rob Tompkins]

Every time I set up an 18 rnd stage

Not very often, unless you get a diabolical stage designer that gives you 12 18rnd stages for a match (like at EFGA thank you KO! ). You'll want that extra reload on your belt incase you do a couple extra shots. Always good for a malfunction, of course. Or if the stage description requires it.

That would be me.

At our local matches 50% or more of our stages will be 18 rnds - most of those with movers activated by steel. I also create many opprotunites for Tac loads to be advantagious (if you don't mess them up ). Show up at one of our matches with only 1 on the belt, you're not going to be happy.

If you're dropping mags you need to check you gear.

[Craig N]

The only time I go to my 3rd mag is when I do a RWR/TR somewhere along the way or I'm having a really bad day with Steel.......that kicks my butt some times.

[RexKramer]

Every time I set up an 18 rnd stage

Not very often, unless you get a diabolical stage designer that gives you 12 18rnd stages for a match (like at EFGA thank you KO! ). You'll want that extra reload on your belt incase you do a couple extra shots. Always good for a malfunction, of course. Or if the stage description requires it.

That would be me.

At our local matches 50% or more of our stages will be 18 rnds - most of those with movers activated by steel. I also create many opprotunites for Tac loads to be advantagious (if you don't mess them up ). Show up at one of our matches with only 1 on the belt, you're not going to be happy.

If you're dropping mags you need to check you gear.

I hear ya. An example from this wknd:

Forgive the low speed/high drag shooter.

The basic stage description, three shots to each target:

"Turn and drop your "groceries" on the activator, tactical sequence on the three targets. One shot each then two more per target while retreating. Tac reload along the barrier. Shoot two plates on the star, second one activating a disappearing target that needs 3 rounds. One more swinging plate on the star and then three into the threat along the wall. Nice and easy, down about 300. Ok not that bad, but definitely wasn't clean."

Fun stage I have to say. If you shot the first three targets "clean" (and that's a bold statement) and didn't tac reload, you would be out of ammo after dropping the second plate which would activate the disappearing target on the right. You either needed to do a tac, which I did, or shoot a couple more shots at the at the first three to do a slide lock reload at the barrier. Also, you can see I was so wound up about hitting the disappearing target I went to aim for it after shooting the first steel. It wouldn't appear until after shooting the second plate on the star.. oops..

[PROBIKE101]

my third mags name is barney i use ten rd mags so i use barney to give me division capacity at 11

so is one of the mags on your belt not loaded to 10 rounds?

I would also look at why the magazine is falling out. check out kytex gear, $15 a pouch and the mag isn't going anywhere.

YES IT ONLY HAS 9 RNDS,DONT MISS YOU WONT REALLY NEED THE LAST MAG UNLESS SOMTHING GOES REALLY

WRONG IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN,TRY TO CLEAR YOUR JAMS WITHOUT DROPPING YOUR MAG.

[PROBIKE101]

ALSO,if you drop mags,try holding them in your wasteband,they normally dont move there,and run your ammo through a

chamber checker as part of your pre match set up.this will keep jams to a minimum

Edited March 26, 2013 by PROBIKE101

[Shokr21]

my third mags name is barney i use ten rd mags so i use barney to give me division capacity at 11

so is one of the mags on your belt not loaded to 10 rounds?

I would also look at why the magazine is falling out. check out kytex gear, $15 a pouch and the mag isn't going anywhere.

YES IT ONLY HAS 9 RNDS,DONT MISS YOU WONT REALLY NEED THE LAST MAG UNLESS SOMTHING GOES REALLY

WRONG IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN,TRY TO CLEAR YOUR JAMS WITHOUT DROPPING YOUR MAG.

You do know that's not legal right? I'm really nitpicking, but the mags have to be loaded to capacity or division limit.

If you need to "barney", do it like the original Barney and pull an extra bullet out of your pocket, and stuff it into the mag after gassing up your heater.

[v1911]

my third mags name is barney i use ten rd mags so i use barney to give me division capacity at 11

so is one of the mags on your belt not loaded to 10 rounds?

I would also look at why the magazine is falling out. check out kytex gear, $15 a pouch and the mag isn't going anywhere.

YES IT ONLY HAS 9 RNDS,DONT MISS YOU WONT REALLY NEED THE LAST MAG UNLESS SOMTHING GOES REALLY

WRONG IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN,TRY TO CLEAR YOUR JAMS WITHOUT DROPPING YOUR MAG.

You do know that's not legal right? I'm really nitpicking, but the mags have to be loaded to capacity or division limit.

If you need to "barney", do it like the original Barney and pull an extra bullet out of your pocket, and stuff it into the mag after gassing up your heater.

I thought the Barney mags came about for CDP shooters with 8 round mags. Since you couldn't squeeze a 9th round into the mag, you used a Barney or reloaded an extra round after the "load and make ready" command.

I load my 1st mag to 11 rounds in ESP. The mags on my waist are loaded to division capacity of 10. My SO even asked to be sure I was loading to 11 on my 1st mag. Is this not legal? With everything else I get nickel and dimed for, I figure they would have put the slap down on me for an illegally loaded mag.

[Shokr21]

no you're good having 10 in the mag and 1 in the tube to start a stage.

the other guy is not topping his 10rounders off before he starts, but rather stripping the 10th round off his third mag to "barney"

[ProGunGuy]

my third mags name is barney i use ten rd mags so i use barney to give me division capacity at 11

so is one of the mags on your belt not loaded to 10 rounds?

I would also look at why the magazine is falling out. check out kytex gear, $15 a pouch and the mag isn't going anywhere.

there is a balance between retention of the mag and the force needed to remove it. what was happening was that every once in a while it would fall out if it got caught by the garment when doing a reload, or on a prone stage. As it was not really needed, decided that unless the stage calls for it, i don't carry the extra mag.

I am too lazy to look up the rule book, but i don't think there is anything in it that requires the 3rd mag be carried

[Racinready300ex]

my third mags name is barney i use ten rd mags so i use barney to give me division capacity at 11

so is one of the mags on your belt not loaded to 10 rounds?

I would also look at why the magazine is falling out. check out kytex gear, $15 a pouch and the mag isn't going anywhere.

there is a balance between retention of the mag and the force needed to remove it. what was happening was that every once in a while it would fall out if it got caught by the garment when doing a reload, or on a prone stage. As it was not really needed, decided that unless the stage calls for it, i don't carry the extra mag.

I am too lazy to look up the rule book, but i don't think there is anything in it that requires the 3rd mag be carried

It's not required to carry a 3rd mag as far as I know. Although there is a rule that says you must carry the same way for the entire match. This means if you start with only 2 mags, then you can only use 2 mags all day. If you switch to 3 mags for one stage because it will work out better for you that should be a FTDR.

[hkguy]

i go to my third mag speed loader on nearly every stage. If i get to my 4th speed loader then im starting to get worried, but then again im a revo shooter.

When i did shoot SSP, i would rarely get that 3rd mag out but like others have said, you should check/adjust your gear, if nothing else a $15 blackhawk mag pouch will solve your problem. The third mag is nice to have in case of malfunctions or for high round count stages.

[BBBB]

Can someone quote the rule that states that you must carry the same number of mags for every stage. There is a rule that states you must load your mags with the same number of rounds for each stage but I was unaware that you could not choose to leave your last mag off your belt on a particular stage if desired.

[Racinready300ex]

3. Competitors may mix carry methods (one in a pocket

and one on the belt) but they must use the same method

of carry for the entire match. Changing their carry

method to fit the CoF will result in a FTDR.

I would say changing from 1 mag to 2 mags would count as "changing carry method".

[eliminator]

I Barney off the second mag on my belt. Someone may ding me for it but I'm not going to hold up the match while I put another round in. There is no competitive advantage.

2 on the belt or one on the belt in different stages is not addressed in the rule pamphlet. I say it's fine.

[Paul-the new guy]

3. Competitors may mix carry methods (one in a pocket

and one on the belt) but they must use the same method

of carry for the entire match. Changing their carry

method to fit the CoF will result in a FTDR.

I would say changing from 1 mag to 2 mags would count as "changing carry method".

I wouldn't... Carry method now what or how much you are carrying.

Even when I shoot ESP with Hi-Cap mags I "barney" up. It give me another minute to make sure I have the COF down in my head and another chance to get a practice draw.

[BBBB]

Racinready300ex

I see your point based on how the rule is worded but I suspect the rule is not often applied in this manner. I have been to plenty of matches where ESP/SSP competitors chose to only use only one spare mag on a particular stage without penalty. At last years nationals there was a stage where you had to pick your loaded mags up from a coffee table and pretty much all the ESP & SSP shooters on my squad started with one mag even though they definitely needed two for other stages. In fact some of them put both mags on the coffee table and only picked up one without penalty. Perhaps there has been some sort of ruling on this particular issue on IDPAforum.com.