numbering magazines

[bug_eyedmonster]

Hey Guys,

I have found a problem with at least one of my magazines, but I've got 10 that I rotate (I shoot L10). Many of the guys at the range and my "mentor" have told me to label the magazines but permanent markers still come off with ease when I clean them. I clean my magazines after every match with my guns, and it's getting annoying. Has anyone tried to score or use a punch die set to number them? Will this affect the magazine's performance? I was thinking of using a numbered punch set I have at work, and marking them towards the base so the follower does not have to pass it in case I do dent them, but I'm worried if it will cause any other problems. Your input is greatly appreciated... thanks for you help!

Jerry

[MichiganShootist]

I use enamal paint on the base pads. A friend tells me he's had great luck with finger nail polish (on his mags that is)

If they are well cleaned in advance with denatured alchol the paint sticks well. I would never attenpt to mark the tube.

[Aristotle]

If you want to be super slick, you could bring your magazines in to a trophy shop and have them engraved.

If you want what works, you could get a paint pen. You could also buy stick on stickers purchased from the hardware store.

Another option is to stipple the bottom of your mag base (if it's plastic) with a number.

[CenTX]

You can also bead blast or etch the numbers either on the mag tube or base pad.

[kimmie]

Fingernail polish it is!!! I use bright fuscia. I also used it on my front sights before I got fiber optics.

Donna

[bug_eyedmonster]

Thanks for the info, I happen to work down the street from a huge trophy shop, so I'll see what they say. I have a TON of mags that need numbering, 10 for myself and 8 for my girlfriend for now... when she gets her open gun and I get whatever it is I decide on, there's gonna be more of them too... damn.

Jerry

[IPSCDRL]

I've got one of those cheapie vibrating engraving guns I'm not even sure where I got it but it works great.

I have scored numbers into the metal of several sets of magazines. It doesn't look as pretty as what a trophy shop could do but the price was right.

Michael the cheap Polack.

[Chris Keen]

Maybe just use a paint marker for now, and when you get the time, money, motivation, or all of the above take a few at a time to the trophy shop and get them done right.

Manny Bragg has his basepads numbered, but he also has his name engraved on them "MANNY". I saw this at Area 6 earlier this year, and have been waiting for the right time to get mine done. Maybe this Fall / Winter when the season ends.

[HSMITH]

I use a laser engraving process. Looks great to me and holds up very well.

[HSMITH]

More info....

Don't use the punch set, the mags won't take it. You could easily crack a weld seam, dent the mag enough to have function problems, etc. Scratching numbers in them lightly with a scribe works well, if you don't do it too deeply you can take it off should you ever sell a mag or want to have them professionally done. Another low cost but effective method is to use a P-Touch label maker or something similar, put the label on and a small piece of clear packing tape over the label to protect it. It holds up better than you would think and isn't permanent.

[Chris Keen]

Howard's got that right ..... tried to use a letter punch on a Zippo lighter years ago, and when I did it "caved-in" the outer shell enough that it looked like crap.