Magazine Staggering...

[hakr100]

No, they haven't been drinking. Yet. I'm awaiting delivery of the 15-22 I ordered and I keep coming across references to the importance of "staggering" rounds when loading them into the magazine.

Say what?

That's nothing I've done before with any of the magazines I've filled for other firearms.

What does it mean? How is it done? Is there a video?

I'm serious.

 

[mn_doggie]

Check the notable thread sticky at the top of the forum.

There is a posting on videos and if you scroll down you'll find stuff on mag loading.

So your Mini 14/30 became an EBR.... 15-22....

 

[gdnagle]

Here's the link but there is lots of information in the thread you might want to read especially about cleaning.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-15-22/125703-m-p-15-22-instructional-video-series.html

 

[hakr100]

Thanks. I looked at the vid several times, but there was no explanation of just how one gets the rounds loaded in the magazine to stagger. I saw the part of how the rounds should look once they are in the magazine, but...how did they end up alternating from the left to the right in there, as it were?

 

[tomcatt51]

but...how did they end up alternating from the left to the right in there, as it were?...

They do it on their own due to the magazines design. The only "trick" I've found to keep them staggered is to not pull the follower down any more than necessary to get the next rd in.

When you see they're not staggered, unload to that point and start over. I've tried being lazy and ignored that I had non-staggered rds in a mag and been rewarded with a stoppage...

 

[Road Man]

When you load each round do not pull all the way down on the "assist" button allowing the round to fall in using the force of gravity alone. To load the rounds to stagger pull down on the "assist" button only enough to relieve some but not all of the spring pressure. Press the round into place against the remaining spring pressure and they will stagger.

You will be able to see the first few rounds in the slot on the center rear side of the magazine and verify that the rear end of the bullets are staggering. As you load more rounds you will be able to see the bullet tips and you will see the front of the bullet staggers.

When properly loaded the bullets form an X in the magazine, not a V. That is to say that when the front of the bullet staggers to the left, the rear of that same bullet staggers to the right. As you load the magazine the bullets simply alternate which side of the X they are. The key is to not completely pull down on the spring. it is that upward spring pressure that forces the rounds to seek the most compact arrangement.

 

[hakr100]

Aha! Thanks, guys.

 

[RED ZMAN]

Load your mags, pull down on the follower, shake the mag a bit, all staggered.

Throw in another round if needed.

 

[DSLKSL]

Harry Says

I know what you're thinking, punk. You're thinking "did he fire 24 shots or only 25?" Now to tell you the truth I forgot myself in all this excitement. But being this is a .22LR , the most powerful handgun ,,,wait I mean the best AR 22lr in the world and will blow you head clean off,well it will take a few mags, you've gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?

 

[hakr100]

No one told DSLKSL about the new CCI Depleted Uranium .22LR rounds from that trusted internet supplier, www.unobtanium.comm?

Only $699.97 for a box of 20, but they're on backorder.

 

[johncal]

I know what you're thinking, punk. You're thinking "did he fire 24 shots or only 25?" Now to tell you the truth I forgot myself in all this excitement. But being this is a .22LR , the most powerful handgun ,,,wait I mean the best AR 22lr in the world and will blow you head clean off,well it will take a few mags, you've gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?

Did I shoot 24 or did I shoot 25 with 1 FTF? Do you feel lucky? Do I feel Lucky?

 

[GhostMutt]

Did I shoot 24 or did I shoot 25 with 1 FTF? Do you feel lucky? Do I feel Lucky?

I always feel sorry for my 15-22, when I get done with that last round and the empty, sad almost hollow feeling of the bolt hold open feature is applied. I must load more...must load more. So very addictive. Agree with all the posts about just clearing enough room with the load assist, not pulling all the way down and staggering by applying slight right/left pressure on each successive round, makes round 25 all that much easier to get in

 

[Skyhighatrist]

I just got a 15-22 (Ca legal so only 10rds ) and granted I've only fired 150rnds or so through it, but I did not stagger any rounds and had no issues whatsoever! I have the 10rd long mags which come as standard without load assist.. (Great thinking smith and wesson because you can't even install your own as the follower will not lower all the way as they are pinned inside!!). Even after several mag dumps.. No issues! I use a little tool to pull the follower down and load away, and since I'm loading sooooo much (what with only having 10rds at a time and one mag at the moment) I really can't be bothered with making sure each round is staggered! Like I say though.. I had no issues at all, it was flawless! I'm assuming not every 15-22 is created equal though, as some people have had serious issues with this, as well as with the bulk Winchester ammo that I use, and yet I had none!

My advice is to just go for it! Load a few mags without being super careful and see what happens! You might get a finicky 15-22 and have to take care when loading, or you might be lucky and get one that eats anything and doesn't care whether the mag looks pretty or not!

On a side note.. Smith and wesson were so kind as to send me a load assist button for free which I had requested...(before I realized that I couldn't actually add it without illegally altering my mag!). At the moment I'm working on adding it without having to lower the follower, which is tough.. But I'll get there in the end!