Who Put An Almost Empty Mag In My Belt?

[Azone41]

I unload and ALWAYS put the unloaded mag in my pocket, holster the gun and pick up any other mags go back to the bag and clean and reload my mags for the next stage. I have never grabed an unloaded mag during a stage ( Knock on wood). I do however sometimes forget to turn on my dot (HA HA).

[dajarrel]

Another problem that can occur by not reloading completely every stage happened to me at A4 last year. I had reloaded on the previous stage and when my dropped mag hit the ground, it hit just right to compress the spring and the top round flipped around backwards.

I picked up my magazines and proceeded to reload as you are supposed to do, talking with my buddies about the stage, putting round upon round over that backwards bullet. and sure enough, on the next stage, I had the jam from hell. Rounds absolutely refuse to enter the chamber backwards.

Lesson learned. Unload, clean, reload. It really doesn't take that much time.

FWIW

dj

[Micah]

I number all of my magazines, and after using one, it's not used again typically for that match (I know that not all mags are as inexpensive as Glock mags!)

[Gary Johnson]

Cures for this malady??????????

Ruler across the knuckles?

[Entropy]

You could always carry the last mag around in your teeth and grunt "arr maaety" as the RO calls out your hits!

[Mog]

My second monthly match way back in July! Shot the first stage, unloaded the mags that I'd used/dropped during that stage and reloaded them, then replaced them in my belt. Next stage, shoot 3 IPSC targets 2 each, mandatory reload, shoot three more. No sweat, draw, fire, drop mag, pull mag, look at mag as it's moving towards the gun (single stack no mag well), realize the mag is light, look closer, the mag is empty, drop the mag, pull the second one, finish the stage.

Been thinking about that since, but can't figure out how I managed to reload all the other mags except that on. Now I'm pretty anal about checking every mag in my belt while I'm "in the hole". Then I check 'em again while on deck.

[kz45]

I did the 1 in the mag reload today, thought that it felt light, but it didnt register till i went to slide lock. good thing i practise reloading, think i'll drill me a 10 round hole

[HoMiE]

When in doubt, I empty all my mags and reload them. I must have OCD because I constantly check, unload/reload with 10 rounds shooting Production.

[JFD]

I know I shouldn't, but I tend to put the partial mag in my "starter" pouch. I'm only saved because my pre-stage routine has me pulling a round from my barney mag to add that 21st round to my starter mag. At that point a partial mag is obvious. If I don't need 21 rounds, then it's obvious at LAMR anyway.

I put a partial mag in my main "reload" pouch in practice last week and sure enough I didn't remember it until the mag was halfway to the gun during a later reload. At that point I once again confirmed the importance of having a spare reload mag on my belt.

[LPatterson]

I have now acquired extra mags which all get loaded before the match and go on the belt when I am the on deck shooter. After I shoot any used mags gets dropped in the babybuggy and unused mags go back in the gun bag. As long as the match is less than 250 rounds I don't have to worry about partial mags.

[racerba]

Cures for this malady??????????

Pre-stage routine.

I check all my mags at the LAMR command to make sure all my mags are full. It only takes a couple of seconds.

[Thomas Moore]

not only do i have a preshot routine i also have a postshot routine. i do the same thing everytime before and after the shot.

[No.343]

I think that the answer is to empty the mags and clean them after every stage. That way there are no partially filled mags unless I am almost out of ammo.

[G-ManBart]

I do a combination of things. When I unload and show clear I always remove the mag and tuck it behind my belt/pants in the very front where it can't be forgotten. After the gun is in the holster I'll hold that mag in my hand as I walk with the RO. I'll get my dropped mag(s) and brass back and keep all of that in my hands until I get to my ammo/brass bag. I dump the brass in my bag and then empty and wipe off the ammo from the dropped mags. After those rounds are wiped off I drop them in the ammo bag. I then unload the clean mag I removed at the end of the stage into the ammo bag. At that point I clean any dropped mags and reload them all. The last thing I do at the start of a stage is take out the first three mags in my mag holders and check that they're loaded the way I want them to be (sometimes you'll want them downloaded a bit). I also check that the mag holders haven't loosened up at the same time. Doing all that it's pretty unlikely that I'm going to grab an unloaded or partial mag. Once it's a routine it's hard to mess up.

I also like to do my mag emptying, cleaning and loading at my truck so I'm not distracted by anything. When I'm in the hole I'll walk back to my truck or where my gear is and check my mags, put them in the order I want and then go back so I'm standing by when I'm on deck.

[Derwoodski]

routine routine routine, no matter which one you use, use it religiously, exactly the same, EVERY time. For me before when i am at the match getting ready to start, I load up 4 mags with 10 (shooting production) that go onto my belt, and one with 11 that goes in my strong side front pants pocket. At the end of the stage, the mag from the gun goes in my weak side front pants pocket, ULSC, holster, get dropped mags, sign score sheet, I go immediately to my bag, unload all mags that I used (mags in belt stay there), clean if needed, shift mags on belt to front ammo pouches ( to rotate mags). Load mags back to 10 for the belt and 11 for the strong side front pocket, then and only then do I go back to pasting setting etc. If the stage dictates partially loaded mags....I will down load just prior to LAMR. Partial mags NEVER go back in the belt unless i made them partial to shoot the stage. It is habit know...I don't even think about it.

Edited June 18, 2007 by Derwoodski

[Polytech]

I wear a maxpedition rolly polly bag on my shooting belt, all the mags that have hit the dirt or left the gun go back into that pouch until they get reloaded and placed in my mag pouches and strongside pockets. When not in use its rolled up on the belt and I don't notice it.

Polytech

[sidnal]

A few months ago I was going to AZ to take care of some business. Thought it would be fun to shoot the Tuesday steel match at Rio so I took my prod rig. 3rd stage w/ 3 plate racks. Reloaded after the first plate rack...bang...slide lock. Reload...bang...bang...slidelock. Reload... ended leaving up 4 plates, no more bullets...felt like a real dumb*ss. Bad enough to do that in front of my friends, even worse to do it while visiting.

Used mags go in a pocket, never on the belt. XRE has a good method...develop a procedure for dealing with used mags and follow it every time. For me that includes NOT putting them on my belt.

[revchuck]

There are advantages to shooting Revolver.

When I shoot an auto, it's either a 1911 with eight or ten round mags, or my Beretta or CZ in Production. The first thing I do after I sign the score sheet is go back and reload magazines. The folks I shoot with know this and don't bug me about pasting and shagging brass until I'm finished. I haven't screwed up this way...yet...

[bwit]

I use a small cordura bag on my rig at the left behind the last mag pouch. It resembles the brass bags that come with some range bags except it hangs from the belt better [doesn't swing a lot] and is closeable if you wish. It normally stays round and open by itself and is for any partially filled mags and extra ammo so I can load mags while watching the next shooter or whatever I may be doing. I-shot makes them and they are reasonable. They are also great for putting mags in rather than dropping them if the stages are muddy.