Guate_shooter
LA CHP Instructor # 522
First of let me start by saying that we all know that keeping the mags loaded or off-loaded makes no difference what so ever on the life of the mag, it will however make a difference if your life depends on them but that is another subject.
We know have come to an "agreement" that the "shelf" life shortens by the compression and de-compression of the spring underneath the follower. Moving along, we know that cleaning them often internally leads to weakening of the magazine lock or pin, it starts to shave a little more at a time off the lugs that keep it locked as a unit and eventually it will become a B52 (
) when you "TAP" to seat the mag and the bullets fall out the bottom (seen it a few times, unless its a "gaming" all metal mag that was designed to be taken apart frequently for cleaning, but lest stick to factory CARRY MAGS). We also know that NO oil is needed (believe it or not people put oil in them).
What I continue to see with students at the range is that they have one set of mags, that means they off-load their carry ammo and then load them back up with training ammo, no biggie that we waste some time. The big issue that I do see is that you continuously put those mags through hell and back during training, they get stepped on, they get muddy, they get rained on, they get dropped on concrete and its very easy to crack the base-plates. Also on some metal mags the lips get to a point that are so loose that they start to feed two a time, seen a 1911 mag do this already. I have seen Duty Glock 9mm mags with lips so wide they could run 40S&W without issues, but at the end they load them AGAIN with carry ammo and go home
.
Magazines are expendable items, that means they should be replaced and are not part of "inventory". I usually keep my 3 CARRY mags per gun and at least 6 TRAINING mags, they are labeled as such on the side. T I through VI and C I through III, some people use a different color base-plate and simply spray paint works great as well.
I keep my carry mags, the ones that my life depends on in the best shape as possible. They see some use to ensure they work but they dont get abused like red headed step kids.
My training mags get replaced as soon as they start to give any issues, also having a label on each mag allows me to keep track on the one that presented an issue and not mix it with the good ones.
Does anybody else have a magazine OCD like me, or do you guys also find it a proper procedure ?
We know have come to an "agreement" that the "shelf" life shortens by the compression and de-compression of the spring underneath the follower. Moving along, we know that cleaning them often internally leads to weakening of the magazine lock or pin, it starts to shave a little more at a time off the lugs that keep it locked as a unit and eventually it will become a B52 (
) when you "TAP" to seat the mag and the bullets fall out the bottom (seen it a few times, unless its a "gaming" all metal mag that was designed to be taken apart frequently for cleaning, but lest stick to factory CARRY MAGS). We also know that NO oil is needed (believe it or not people put oil in them).What I continue to see with students at the range is that they have one set of mags, that means they off-load their carry ammo and then load them back up with training ammo, no biggie that we waste some time. The big issue that I do see is that you continuously put those mags through hell and back during training, they get stepped on, they get muddy, they get rained on, they get dropped on concrete and its very easy to crack the base-plates. Also on some metal mags the lips get to a point that are so loose that they start to feed two a time, seen a 1911 mag do this already. I have seen Duty Glock 9mm mags with lips so wide they could run 40S&W without issues, but at the end they load them AGAIN with carry ammo and go home
. Magazines are expendable items, that means they should be replaced and are not part of "inventory". I usually keep my 3 CARRY mags per gun and at least 6 TRAINING mags, they are labeled as such on the side. T I through VI and C I through III, some people use a different color base-plate and simply spray paint works great as well.
I keep my carry mags, the ones that my life depends on in the best shape as possible. They see some use to ensure they work but they dont get abused like red headed step kids.
My training mags get replaced as soon as they start to give any issues, also having a label on each mag allows me to keep track on the one that presented an issue and not mix it with the good ones.
Does anybody else have a magazine OCD like me, or do you guys also find it a proper procedure ?
