One mag or two

Sorry I am going to bombard you guys with questions before my first match Sunday.
Do you load two mags with 5 rounds each so you don't have to regrip the pistol for the second string or is the time between strings to long to maintain the grip?  I have read that you should only use one mag as a different mag could effect accuracy on the fires shot.  I don't shoot good enough that I would know.  Don

Since I don't shoot consistently enough for the mag to make much difference I go full tilt and load six.  I feel that anything that keeps me from having to think is a good thing.  Some on the other hand, like the break that loading mags gives them.  Look!  A shiny thing!

STEVE SAMELAK wrote:Since I don't shoot consistently enough for the mag to make much difference I go full tilt and load six.  I feel that anything that keeps me from having to think is a good thing.  Some on the other hand, like the break that loading mags gives them.  Look!  A shiny thing!

Oh look a black plastic Nelson conv mag.  Darn things won't even stick to my magnet bag in my gun box.  Don

STEVE SAMELAK wrote:Since I don't shoot consistently enough for the mag to make much difference I go full tilt and load six.  I feel that anything that keeps me from having to think is a good thing.  Some on the other hand, like the break that loading mags gives them.  Look!  A shiny thing!

I don't think you're permitted to load more than 5 rounds. Isn't the load command "with 5 rounds in the magazine, load."  ??

I could be wrong. But I just thought it was 5 rounds. no more and no less.

Tim:H11 wrote:

STEVE SAMELAK wrote:Since I don't shoot consistently enough for the mag to make much difference I go full tilt and load six.  I feel that anything that keeps me from having to think is a good thing.  Some on the other hand, like the break that loading mags gives them.  Look!  A shiny thing!

I don't think you're permitted to load more than 5 rounds. Isn't the load command "with 5 rounds in the magazine, load."  ??

I could be wrong. But I just thought it was 5 rounds. no more and no less.

I may have been unclear AGAIN... not six rounds but six mags.

STEVE SAMELAK wrote:

Tim:H11 wrote:

STEVE SAMELAK wrote:Since I don't shoot consistently enough for the mag to make much difference I go full tilt and load six.  I feel that anything that keeps me from having to think is a good thing.  Some on the other hand, like the break that loading mags gives them.  Look!  A shiny thing!

I don't think you're permitted to load more than 5 rounds. Isn't the load command "with 5 rounds in the magazine, load."  ??

I could be wrong. But I just thought it was 5 rounds. no more and no less.

I may have been unclear AGAIN... not six rounds but six mags.

Oh! That make totally more sense! sorry haha. If I had the mags I'd load 12 after the SF was over.

For NRA slow fire you can load more then 5, cmp you have to load 5

Magload wrote:Sorry I am going to bombard you guys with questions before my first match Sunday.
Do you load two mags with 5 rounds each so you don't have to regrip the pistol for the second string or is the time between strings to long to maintain the grip?  I have read that you should only use one mag as a different mag could effect accuracy on the fires shot.  I don't shoot good enough that I would know.  Don

The thinking /theory/ fact is that different mags affect accuracy for 50 yards slow fire. On timed and rapid it shouldn't make much difference. Additionally it's been taught to shoot 4 in slow fire, release mag, load 5 in the mag, re-insert the mag, and shoot the remaining 6 shots. That way you only go out of battery once. I try and do this but mostly forget how many I've shot.

I maintain six magazines (.22 only). They're numbered, and I leave space on each sticker to mark failures to feed. At present, I only have one with any marks, so I use that magazine in slow fire. It's good for maintenance, and it gives me a little peace of mind when I insert a no-marks magazine in Rapid Fire. When I had Gun Troubles with my Ruger and later my Springfield, my shooting went all to hell all the time because I kept thinking about malfunctions.

I always load five cartridges per magazine. I can't say that I exactly keep count in Timed and Rapid. I'm sure that if you quizzed me on the spot, I'd be able to tell you. But mostly, I don't pay attention to how much time is left or how many shots remain. I don't want to distract myself counting. I've never missed due to time, and I've only shot one "skidder" (and even that was still a 9). Running the very slight risk of losing 10 points to time is much preferable to consistently rushing the last shot and blowing 8 points in every 300 (turning 4 10s into 8s).

In Slow, I eject and reload after the fourth shot. I can't say I do it for any particular reason other than it makes me happy. If I forget, there's no great disturbance in the force. I might try loading 10 sometime and see if my scores improve, but I don't think that it makes any huge difference.

I never break a grip between strings. You can relax your hand muscles without breaking the grip if you find it tiring to maintain grip pressure in between strings. And you can relax your arm and shoulder muscles when you rest the gun. After a while, you might find you can maintain grip pressure easily in between strings.

I think you'd be fine with 4 magazines in a 900. There's usually plenty of time given to top off. I've never run anything less than 6 simply because I'm always the last guy done with SF in my local 300 leagues, so I never have any time to reload magazines. Having six lets me load before the match starts and relax for the rest of it.

Stop stressing! Forget about details. Your first few matches are some of the best you'll ever shoot. There's no pressure, there's no average to live up to, no expectations. If you're the New Guy, nobody's going to care even if you *gasp* hold up the line.

Just forget about it all and have fun.

Then there is this:


I quit doing this because my box got too heavy with 3 guns and all the mags.

- Dave

I just finished packing for today's match (all mags for the match pre-loaded & checked), 50 stinking pounds!!

I use two. I would not want to be pressured between strings in timed, and rapid either counting, or loading a new mag... Also I feel that the mags might feed different if I loaded 10 rounds for slow fire, instead of 5. Also if you only have one, and something happens it it your done... Its always good to have back up.

I still use 3 mags just in case I have a mag failure.  Then my loading routine of loading 2 mages won't be disrupted.  Plus it came in handy during a TF alibi when I had another jam.  I was able to clear the gun pick up a full mag and finish the string with lowest shot being an 8. I was most impressed that I shot the correct # of shots.

On slow fire I load 5 rounds but I only shoot 4 shots before I load the 2nd mag so I don't have to manually drop the slide on the new mag.

- Dave

dronning wrote:I still use 3 mags just in case I have a mag failure.  Then my loading routine of loading 2 mages won't be disrupted.  Plus it came in handy during a TF alibi when I had another jam.  I was able to clear the gun pick up a full mag and finish the string with lowest shot being an 8. I was most impressed that I shot the correct # of shots.

On slow fire I load 5 rounds but I only shoot 4 shots before I load the 2nd mag so I don't have to manually drop the slide on the new mag.

- Dave

+1 I always use 3. Hopefully 3rd one never gets used.

I use 2 mags unless I'm shooting my M107. I only have 1 mag for it thats reliable.....Actually my Colt .38 wadcutter 1911 also only has 1 good mag......