When to load mags?

[Bigpops]

In an effort to avoid the "ah Crap" scenario, I follow a checklist of sorts to make sure we have everything required for the match. Most of our shoots require at least a two hour drive. To help prepare I like to load our mags up early and usually do it the morning of.

Would there be any harm in loading them up the night before?

[rupie]

check your state laws, in Iowa if you have loaded magazines you better have a concealed carry permit.

[SoonerPast]

I like to be ready too. I always have my mags ready. Magazine spring life, it has been said by many, many, is a function of the number of compression/release cycles. Not a matter of how long the spring remains compressed or released.

[Micah]

I prefer to load them up at the match...that way I am able to visually inspect each round (oal and primer to be specific). I do not believe that you would be damaging your mags if you load up the night before though.

[Bigpops]

check your state laws, in Iowa if you have loaded magazines you better have a concealed carry permit.

Even if they are seperated from the gun?

Thanks for the info.

[Bigpops]

I prefer to load them up at the match...that way I am able to visually inspect each round (oal and primer to be specific). I do not believe that you would be damaging your mags if you load up the night before though.

I hear ya! I like to do the same thing at my reloading table because of the bright light. The eyes need it!

[Shawn Knight]

I prefer to load them up at the match...that way I am able to visually inspect each round (oal and primer to be specific). I do not believe that you would be damaging your mags if you load up the night before though.

+1

[-JQ-]

I think OH has probs with loaded mags...without permit too

KY didn't care...

I usually load then when I get there...

YMMV

[vluc]

I load my Glock mags at least a day, more often several days, before a match. Rounds get inspected as they go in, after having been inspected after being made (never know when a bad one will sneak in).

Been doing that for almost 8 years now with no mag problems (and did it my first two seasons with my SIG). Matter of fact finally changed the original springs on most of my 10 round Glock mags last season, and I pack ten mags per match. I have twice as many 17 rounders but tend to not use them in production as the possibility of a counting error is there. As a CRO, I count shots too!

[Bigpops]

I load my Glock mags at least a day, more often several days, before a match. Rounds get inspected as they go in, after having been inspected after being made (never know when a bad one will sneak in).

Been doing that for almost 8 years now with no mag problems (and did it my first two seasons with my SIG). Matter of fact finally changed the original springs on most of my 10 round Glock mags last season, and I pack ten mags per match. I have twice as many 17 rounders but tend to not use them in production as the possibility of a counting error is there. As a CRO, I count shots too!

Thanks for the info. Good to know as the Mrs shoots a Glock.

[jrguar]

I typically load mags after registering at the match and waiting for the general walkthrough. Plan to arrive at a match a little earlier and relax a bit while stuffing mags. Then after you sign your scoresheet after each stage make that your time to stuff mags for the next stage, then feel free to help score/tape targets/set steel....

[Chris Keen]

I typically load mags after registering at the match and waiting for the general walkthrough. Plan to arrive at a match a little earlier and relax a bit while stuffing mags. Then after you sign your scoresheet after each stage make that your time to stuff mags for the next stage, then feel free to help score/tape targets/set steel....

+1

[badchad]

Magazine spring life, it has been said by many, many, is a function of the number of compression/release cycles. Not a matter of how long the spring remains compressed or released.

I'm pretty sure that isn't true. My carry gun mags that I keep loaded go soft a lot faster than my match magazines that I load only when I'm at the range. Also I used to shoot airguns and there was a test of what happens if you left your spring piston gun cocked for a long time. The results were the longer the gun was cocked, the weaker the spring got.

[h2osport]

I typically load mags after registering at the match and waiting for the general walkthrough. Plan to arrive at a match a little earlier and relax a bit while stuffing mags. Then after you sign your scoresheet after each stage make that your time to stuff mags for the next stage, then feel free to help score/tape targets/set steel....

+1

+2 you are going to be reloading the mags several times throughout the day, so why the hurry to load them the night before. I usually get to the range with enough extra time to sign in, gear up and load mags. Probably about 10 minutes before shooters meeting

Randy

[Joe4d]

I dont reload at a match, I load the night before. My mags are color coded and hold either 19, 20 or 22. I dont care about spring life. Springs are cheap I change them every spring. I shoot a stage and my used mags go in a pouch on the side of my mag. My new mags come from a mag bag inside my bag. I have pretty much eliminated human error of having less than full or mags that wont reload on my belt. I also shoot over alot of sand so dont reuse mags that have hit the dirt.

[h2osport]

I dont reload at a match, I load the night before. My mags are color coded and hold either 19, 20 or 22. I dont care about spring life. Springs are cheap I change them every spring. I shoot a stage and my used mags go in a pouch on the side of my mag. My new mags come from a mag bag inside my bag. I have pretty much eliminated human error of having less than full or mags that wont reload on my belt. I also shoot over alot of sand so dont reuse mags that have hit the dirt.

That is too many mags for me to keep track of. At our next match we have 6 stages. 2-20rd stages, 3-24rd stages, and 1-6rd stage. That would mean I would need 9-10 mags loaded to shoot the match. Shooting single stack I would need more like 17-18 mags. I would rather take 2 boxes of ammo and 6 ss mags.

Randy

[PINMAN44]

Pops I usually load a few mags the night before.

[Seth]

I load em after registration and top them off and stow them in my shooting bag after every stage. I learned that from G-man Bart and it not only makes the belt more comfortable, they're always topped off and I have to handle them before hitting the line.

[Sarge]

check your state laws, in Iowa if you have loaded magazines you better have a concealed carry permit.

Even if they are seperated from the gun?

Thanks for the info.

In Ohio I am pretty sure a loaded magazine that fits a gun in the same car constitues a loaded gun if it is the same compartment of the vehicle. We were preached at to keep the magazine out of reach if its loaded. That is if I remember my CCW class correctly.

[SA Friday]

OK, all you MDers need to stop traveling with loaded mags and the gun in the vehicle. It constitutes a loaded gun in the eyes of this Socialist state. Bad ju-ju, don't do it. Doesn't matter if the gun is bagged, in a separate bag, or whatever. Loaded mag and gun in same vehicle = loaded gun.

Got this from Rob B, and he was Baltimore PD for a few years.

[Canuck223]

My mags are always loaded. Only time I leave them unloaded is if they need to be taken apart for cleaning.

[slip knot]

I always put 10 rounds in my mag as soon as I get to the range,

then top them off after I see the stage that I am going to shoot.

[MemphisMechanic]

I used to carry more than a dozen mags, and not need to load more than once for virtually any match.

Then I started returning home with mags missing. Even marked and numbered, you sometimes miss one.

So I started carrying seven mags. In production, I usually have one in the gun, and five on my belt. I have one spare in my range bag, that lives in a specific pocket. Now if I leave a mag behind, I come up one short when it's time to LAMR.

So I only have to do a mag inventory at the end of each match.

[boo radley]

No idea/opinion on the legal issue, but I like to arrive at the match with the magazines already loaded. That way if there's traffic, or an unexpected line at sign-in or...whatever, it's one less thing to worry about, and more time to check out the stages.

[boz1911]

Magazine spring life, it has been said by many, many, is a function of the number of compression/release cycles. Not a matter of how long the spring remains compressed or released.

I'm pretty sure that isn't true. My carry gun mags that I keep loaded go soft a lot faster than my match magazines that I load only when I'm at the range. Also I used to shoot airguns and there was a test of what happens if you left your spring piston gun cocked for a long time. The results were the longer the gun was cocked, the weaker the spring got.

That's been my experience also. I used to load first thing in the morning before a match that evening. In my opinion the springs went bad much sooner than when I started loading at the match. Yes springs are cheap but when they fail at a major match you're screwed.