JFD Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Say there's a match on Saturday and it's now Monday. When will you load your mags (any division)? I KNOW for a fact that it's repeated cycling that wears our springs. I even discovered seven 20 round AR mags that I fully loaded in 1979, then finally shot in 2004. All worked perfectly and continue to do so. However I had to take a major leap of faith just to load L-10 and Limited mags the night before a match. Before that I would load them the day of the match thinking it was the best way to guarantee proper functioning. Using CMC .45 10 rounders for L-10 and 21 round P-1640 Para mags with Para tubes, springs, followers, and Dawson extensions. I don't know where the idea came from that I can't leave these mags loaded. Please help me out by confirming I'm nuts, or maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I load my match mags the night, or day before. But I do load them 3 rounds down and stuff those in as I prep for a stage. I have two rules, never just add rounds to a mag used on a stage and always try to add 3 to a mag that looks full. This keeps things safe and sane for me. I know the feeling. No matter how well my brain knows that springs only sag from actual cycling work, not waiting to work, I just can't not feel the voodoo here too, so intentional downloading is my offering to Joboo' ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I don't think it matters, just make sure that your mags are full when you come to the line. If it is cold and nasty out I'll load them in the cozy warmth of my home, if not, it isn't a big deal to load them at the range. If you can't load youg mags the nights before, get new mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eerw Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 (edited) I usually load at the match..only because I am not organized enough to do anything ahead of time.. I usually wipe my rounds with a silicone rag to clean off excess one-shot or other gunk... then after shooting a stage..I usually download and reload mags... it isn't unheard of though for me to go through my bag and find loaded mags from who knows when.. Also..depending on what guns..Production now..I have a two sets of mags for the range/matchs and another set for carry...nothing different about them..just so I know where everything is... Edited November 7, 2005 by eerw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtr Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 You're nuts. I usually load my mags the night before, these are major 9 mags for an STI, no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Like you I can't bring myself to load them the night/week before. All the evidence says it's OK, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I did load them on the way to a match once. The lady in the car next to me was putting on makeup while driving, so I figured it would be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay1 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Depends more on law to me than spring wear. I shoot in the republic of IL once in a while and don't load those mags until I arrive at the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I don't worry about it. Recoil springs take several thousand rounds before losing any significant strength. Even w/10 round mags, 1000 cycles is 10,000 rounds, per mag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
folsoml Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I take my mags apart at the end of every match and brush any dirt out that may have gotten in them. I then usually don't even put them back together again until I'm at the next match. I store the parts in a tackle box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heiter Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I'm going to wait until the start of the match to load mine. "Supporting Evidence:" - I was having feeding problems with my Para mags so I decided it was time for new springs of the same type/manufacturer as the old ones. While I was at it, I got talked into trying some Dawson tuned Para followers. I assembled them and the first time I loaded them I went from getting a reloadable 21 in all of them to a tight 20 in some and only 19 in others. I was cussing the supposedly tuned followers for robbing me of 2 rounds but didn't do anything about it. I stored the mags unloaded and then a couple weeks later I loaded them again for another match and I was able to get 20 in all of them fairly easily. In all, these springs have maybe ten cycles on them and they have changed pretty drastically. Makes me want to store the springs loose and not even leave them in the tubes from now on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFD Posted November 7, 2005 Author Share Posted November 7, 2005 See, I knew I was nuts I started USPSA with a 1911 that needed an animal sacrifice to the shooting gods before it had a chance of running for an entire stage. At one point I was blaming innocent mags and would only load them at the match for some reason. The gun seemed to run a little better and I was trapped into the routine. Hard habit to break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I'm with folsoml. I try to clean my mags after a match (though I don't leave them unassembled). That means they're unloaded when I get back to them. I load mags at the match, topping off before my turn shooting. I unload partials and disassemble and clean as needed, and then reload them to the witness mark. Loading and unloading is part of my preshooting and postshooting routines. Loading at the match also means I know exactly what is in the mag that I am about use, and loading to a witness mark and then topping off means I know exactly how many rounds I have in that mag that is going into the gun or onto my belt. It works for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Shooting L-10, I have to load my mags a bunch anyway. But, a habit I developed a long time ago was to only have two types of mags in the bag - fully loaded, or fully unloaded. This prevents me from coming to the line w/ too little ammo. Plus, I've never owned enough mags to fully shoot a match without needing to reload mags, so... I generally load mags before the match, then unload partial mags, clean any that were dropped, and reload all mags to full right after shooting a stage. I'm pretty quick about it - takes about 1 shooter to clean 3-4 mags, and reload all of them. With the dust and grime we have on the range, here, I'd be nuts to *not* clean dropped mags after each stage - that's just asking for a failure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 The more I thought on this, the more I realized just how inconsistent I am in my overall habits on keeping mags loaded. Example 1: I have 4x 15 rounders for my Sig P226 that stayed loaded with factory JHP's year in and year out. I shoot them all empty every 8-10 months or so, clean everything and filler' right back up for another aging session. Example 2: I have 4x Nam era surplus GI 20 round AR mags that are loaded by pairs with hot SMK 69, or 55gr FMJ handloads. These are rubberbanded together and sit right above my AR's in the safe. I shoot these out once a year and just re-fill with my freshly made match grade ammo. In both cases, they always shoot right to lock open and I am trusting them with a lot more than a stage result. Am I being inconsistent, I guess so! I spend so much time working at insuring match function that I guess I lose sight of reality and do attribute some of it to miracles and madness. I am going to stop that now. To that end, I am going to load all my match pistol and AR mags full up in the next couple days and just let them sit. Then I will take them that way to a local match after a couple weeks to see if it makes a difference after the buzzer ;-) More later, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRT Driver Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 After I gear up. That way I know there are the neccessary # of rounds in the mag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 SRT +1 I shoot L10 so I let the stage decide if I am going to start with an 8 rd or 10 rd, is it the bay with grass or powder sand, is it paper or steel. Plus I have enough 10's to get thru a 5 stage local match without reusing a mag that hits the dirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tengu Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I clean all my mags the night before, and load the day of match. Then it's unload, clean, inspect, and reload the mags after each stage for the rest of the day. I've been burned a couple of times too many not to have an imediate feel on all my mags when I'm at a match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I only load at the match. Works for my mags with the springs from 10 years and too many dry fires and matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWLAZS Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Man I never thought of loading the day before. I guess I thought it was against the rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vluc Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 If I shoot Sunday, mags get loaded Friday or Saturday. I've always loaded them a day or two in advance. Shooting a G34, production, have 10 or 11 10-round mags I load up. As an aside, the other glock shooter I shoot with also loads his in advance, albeit that morning or on the drive in. Our non-glock teammates hold us up by loading their mags at the range, delaying our getting out. It is fun to watch their little rituals though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old shooter Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Man, I must be the laziest guy shooting today. I don't load my mags until I read the stage description. That way I usually start with a mag that has the required number of rounds + about 5. The rest have as many as I deem necessary, but not many more. Mike "the night before...maybe I need to start nitting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I am with Old Shooter....I don't load mine till I read and understand the course description...that way I know it is fresh and I have the right amount.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 The right amount to put in a mag is whatever fills it all the way up. I only use mags at full capacity in matches, no downloading for any reason, ever ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer-lock Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I do as much as I can the night before the match, including loading my mags. It just gives me a few more minutes to get organized if there is some snafu at registration or any of the other things that can crap out on match day. There is another thread at: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...ut+an+empty+mag where several people (including me) detail the compulsive rituals we go through to make sure the blaster goes bang when the buzzer goes off. David C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRT Driver Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Some of you guys are lucky. After registration etc, we usually have about 30 min or more before things start going bang. Loading mags makes the time past more quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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