How come people will buy a whole bunch of mags for their centerfire pistols or rifles, but often only use the two magazines that came from the factory for their rimfires?
Time spent loading mags is time not spent shooting; the ideal, of course, would be to have a sufficient number of mags that you could load enough for a whole range session the night before. That's a little improbable but, hey, goals are something to strive for.
Also, if you have only two magazines and one breaks while you're at the range (remember: if you're using your guns enough, they will break,) you're pretty hosed. If you have eight or ten, you'd hardly notice if one went down.
RELATED: ToddG on rimfire practice. Specifically, what it's good for and what it ain't.
I'm always looking for good buys on MKII mags. Slightly off topic; have you used an Ultimate Cliploader for the Ruger MKII? It works on most of the ruger mags and I believe even Browning Buckmark.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HoErjZVjqI
In my case, one mag for my SW 422.
ReplyDeleteSpares are $59. I'm looking at a Ruger 22/45, where spares are $19.99.
Lots of good magazines are a good thing and I always factor in the cost of about ten when I'm making a purchasing decision.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I've yet to understand is marking your magazines. Good for keeping your magazines separate from other folk's, but if one of mine malfs, I just mark it. Depending on the malf, it may get a second chance, but three strikes and it's gone.
Al T.
"One thing I've yet to understand is marking your magazines. Good for keeping your magazines separate from other folk's, but if one of mine malfs, I just mark it."
ReplyDeleteIt's not as big a deal with rimfire mags (in this case, it distinguishes mine from Shootin' Buddy's) but with centerfire mags it can help, especially at school. On the firing line of a handgun or carbine course there may not be time to whip out a pen and mark a mag, but there should be time to make a mental note that that Type III happened with mag #6 so you can take appropriate action at the next break. :)
Ultimate Cliploader works wonders, and makes up for a lack of mags--Loads a 22/45 mag in about 5 seconds. I've got higher priorities in gun budget than a boxload of .22 mags.
ReplyDeleteSevesteen,
ReplyDeleteI guess everybody has different priorities. For my 22/45, I got the two that came with the gun, a third new for $20, and three more used mags out of the bargain bin at the local gun store for $8/pop.
For my Papoose & 980, I just keep an eye out for any used mags at a gun show. It's a rare show that I can't walk away with less than two for a $10 bill.
Og, not only is the Ultimate Cliploader so awesome you can forgive its shitty name, that video had ONE SEXY DUDE in it ;)
ReplyDelete(i.e. Thanks for the link)
My .22 Training gun is a S&W617, what's this "Magazine" thing you're talking about?
ReplyDeleteShould I get a subscription to it? Do they publish online? ; ]
Here's another endorsement for the Ultimate Cliploader. Now combine the "cliploader" and a box of mags and we can spend, I mean shoot ten times as much on the same range session.
ReplyDeleteTime spent loading mags is time not spent shooting; the ideal, of course, would be to have a sufficient number of mags that you could load enough for a whole range session the night before.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to do that with my .22. I can do it for some of my centerfire pistols, since mags are cheap and plentiful. I simply can't justify spending $30 per mag for a .22 Bersa that only costs $250.
What do you use to mark your magazines? Because anything I try either isn't very visible in the first place or wears off. I'm on the verge of just buying an engraver.
ReplyDeleteSilver metallic Sharpie.
ReplyDeleteI am that lazy. For all of my 22's I have at least 10 mags.
ReplyDeleteFor my AR's I have 25 mags for each.
I have made mag pouches for all.
I shoot a lot, and it's very enjoyable not to have to reload at the range.
The cost of extra mags? Damn the cost...I wantum.
See Ya
Laughingdog, I've found that Elmer's Painters work well too. A Painter is sort of like a big magic marker with paint instead of ink. The work very well for "witness marks" on scope knobs and other assorted things that should be tight. They come in different colors and are about 4 bucks at Wal-Mart.
ReplyDeleteAl T.
"I've found that Elmer's Painters work well too."
ReplyDeleteI'll need to keep an eye out for those. How sensitive to low temps are they?
I can't find spare mags for my rimfire rifle (Mossberg 702) at a decent price. At the prices I've found, 4 mags would equal the purchase price of the rifle.
ReplyDeleteTam, no idea. I'll mark up a mag and leave it out tonight. Other wise we may have to wait another couple of years for 20 degree weather. :D
ReplyDeleteAl T.
"I'll mark up a mag and leave it out tonight."
ReplyDeleteActually, I meant the marker itself. :o
I try and keep one in my range bag for marking defective mags and targets and such at the range, and it gets cold during long outdoor range sessions here in far-off frozen cold north Yankee land...
I add an extra mag or three for my MkII and 10/22 whenever Brownells or Midway has a sale on 'em. Have 8-10 reliable ones for each and another 4-6 "range worthy" ones.
ReplyDeleteMags for the 2 pre-war High Standards and 1929 Woodsman are another matter. At $40-50 each I think 2 each is the max.
Magazines? I stick my stinkers in the glovebox. Got to empty that sucker out one of these days.
ReplyDeleteBut I do have that many magazines. You don't?
ReplyDeleteAfter you've tried the ultimate cliploader you'll never go back to busting your thumbs. Once you get it tweaked right you'll be able to load the mags faster than getting a new one out of your range bag.
ReplyDeleteI smashed mine a couple months back and I ended up ordering a replacement as soon as I got back home from the range the next time after trying to do without.
Agreed with your point. I have a minimum rule that I keep 8 mags for every gun or enough to load a 50 round box of ammo. Most of my guns I have double that.
ReplyDeleteWhat is nice about it, is that say I take out one of my P7's, I have 40 mags for it or if it is a 210 I have now 30 mags for it. I don't even carry loose ammo to the range, I just bring all of the mags and shoot until empty and go home. With the Ruger MK1, I just went out and bought 15 old style mags to add to the 8 I had and have 25 for my two S&W 41's.
For you residents of the frozen north, I think the pens would freeze up. I checked the MSDS .pdf for the paint pens and it specifically mentions protect from freezing. :(
ReplyDeleteAl T.
Practice? Practice for what?
ReplyDeleteWhat are the goals to achieve from the shooting? What level of proficiency do you want to achieve, have achieved or want to maintain? How many rounds do you need to shoot to achieve the goal?
One thing about stopping to refill two or three magazines: You can actually think about what you did rightly or wrongly in the last one or two strings of fire.
If proficiency in self-defense is the goal, drawing and firing just one shot or two shots from all manner of different positions and while moving will be more useful than a bunch of bangity-reload, bangity-reload. Bad guys can be in front, to the side or behind. There is the issue of cover and concealment.
At some point, "practice" seems to become more "entertainment".
Just some thoughts...
Art
Practicing shooting, which is only one tiny component of "fighting", of course.
ReplyDelete"At some point, "practice" seems to become more "entertainment"."
Why, yes, it is. I'm pretty sure all those people taking karate or fencing down at the "Y" aren't doing it because they think they'll be in a duel at the grocery store tonight. ;)
As a side note, I just realized that its been months since I last practiced being attacked by tiny metal pigs and chickens or bowling pins. I need to fix that. :(
ReplyDeleteYou are correct of course. Off to MidWay to get a handful of 10/22 and MKII mags on the list.
ReplyDeleteDixie, I hate to say it but check Wally World. About this time of year some of the stores run clearances on hunting stuff, and that often includes magazines. Last year about this time I saw one with 702 mags for ten bucks.
ReplyDelete"Slightly off topic; have you used an Ultimate Cliploader for the Ruger MKII?"
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone make anything like that for the Advantage Arms Glock magazines?
I hate loading those things. They don't even have the little button on the side to pull the follower down.
As a result, I end up cutting my thumbs loading the .22 magazines. It's so bad, that I haven't used my AA kit for years.
I guess everybody has different priorities.
ReplyDeleteAnd different budgets, and different collections. I've only been shooting a few years--I still need a .22 rifle, a centerfire rifle, a shotgun, a full-sized .357, a rifle safe, a single-stack 9mm or bigger carry gun, more mags for my wife's P3AT. I could also use some 9mm bullets and small pistol primers...All with an uncertain income that used to be based on General Motors.
"And different budgets, and different collections."
ReplyDeleteOf course. I didn't mean it as a criticism.
I have guns for which I only have one magazine, too. I just decided that it would be worthwhile for me to make sure I had plenty for my two most commonly used rimfires.
"... I hate to say it but check Wally World."
ReplyDeleteI do. As odd as it sounds, all Wally Worlds in my area carry the 702, but not spare mags. However, the ones in urban areas (which don't carry the 702 most of the time) usually have the mags.
I'm gonna go check and see if their website has any.