Smacking the base of a mag

yep380 · Mar 13, 2017

Just venting a little...

I see, or read about folks smacking the base of a fully loaded mag to get it to seat in the pistol (usually when loading +1). The shield has a very stiff mag spring, so I've read that here.

It makes me cringe.

There is no need to smack the base of a mag. It may look cool, even feel macho, but there is no need; push firmly, maybe rock it a little, tickle the mag release a little if you have to - it'll go in.

The same goes when releasing a full mag; the mag release is going to be stiff, there's a lot of tension on it. Push the mag up a little, then push the mag release.

I'm not saying you need to baby your gun, but there is no reason to smack it around.

rwsmith · Mar 13, 2017

The only time to smack......

Is when you smack rack and shoot in a failure....

Officially called Tap/Rack/Bang

Other than that it sounds like a real waste of time and just not necessary.

You can give your mag a little smack while reloading to make sure your mag is in good, but more than that is not needed.

I shoot a variety of 9mms and the mags all seat differently and not always positively. I saw a guy that was doing great in a proving ground test until his AR mag fell out.

CB3 · Mar 13, 2017

It doesn't hurt anything to smack a mag into place. To suggest that soft mag insertion is right for all situations is incorrect.

If you are just range shooting, a slow and deliberate insertion with rocking, mag release manipulation or other extra steps works fine.

However, in many types of competition and for most people concentrating on self defense reloads--simulating loading during an adrenaline dump--positive mag insertion is done in a hurry without extra steps. Smacking a mag into the mag well, whether with a rifle or pistol, is the standard, accepted practice.

If the top round pops out of your mag when you do this, your mag is not working properly. The base plate on your mag should stop insertion at the proper height; not the mag release. It is better to find these things out in practice than in real life when you will not be acting slowly and carefully.

FWIW, I have been smacking mags home on a variety of guns for 20+ years without problems. I almost never baby a mag into a mag well.

Inserting a mag slowly and carefully is a personal choice, but it has a place and time. So does aggressive mag insertion, and practice makes perfect.

growr · Mar 13, 2017

So, is it OK to smack my clips then?

Randy

PS. small attempt at humor guys and gals....

arhayes · Mar 13, 2017

growr said:
So, is it OK to smack my clips then?

Randy

PS. small attempt at humor guys and gals....

No, you cannot smack clips but mags are acceptable.[emoji6]

Alan

Dpris · Mar 13, 2017

I've forcefully seated mags in numerous pistols for 30 plus years.

Found out long ago that a "soft" insertion doesn't always engage reliably, especially on a fully loaded mag.
I learned to slap it in with enthusiasm when loading & re-loading.

Back when I was a working man, anytime I was walking up on or into a situation that looked like it might turn hairy, if it justified drawing the pistol in advance & I had time, I'd also heel the baseplate smartly with my off hand to make absolutely sure the mag was fully locked in.

That doesn't mean a gorilla-slam, it just means more energy than a shove.

Denis

BB57 · Mar 13, 2017

Over the years I have encountered some pistols where the magazine will appear to be seated and even stay put for a round or two - before falling out. If it also has a magazine safety, the round up the spout is now also useless until you insert another magazine.

If the shot is going to matter, I'll smack the mag to ensure it is fully seated. And, since under extreme stress we all revert to how we've trained, that means I smack the magazine home every time I reload.

It would suck to be dead because I didn't want to offend someone by smacking the magazine home. Consequently, I don't worry about someone disapproving of how I seat the magazine. My life, my pistol, my business. All y'all can do whatever you prefer.

cadmike · Mar 13, 2017

At an idpa event, when I'm on the clock and must perform a reload, I'm certainly NOT going to take the time to "push firmly, maybe rock it a little" or "tickle the mag release". I'm going to slam that mag home and then continue with the coarse of fire as quickly as I can.

Cfuzzkennedy · Mar 13, 2017

If you don't give your mags a good smackin ever once in a while, they'll grow up and become disrespectful little degenerates.

Sorry, couldn't help it.

My shield is firm when loading plus1, but I don't need to smack it.

I also have a CORE that I have never loaded plus1, so I do not know.

moosedog · Mar 13, 2017

Under stress, you will revert to the way you train. If you seat the
magazine like your babying it, you may end up in a gun fight with a single shot. There is definitely a reason to seat it firmly. You will not hurt the gun and it is highly recommended. It is not done to look cool.
I've had more than one shooter/officer have their magazine back out while shooting because it failed to seat completely because they babied it.
It is recommended in Glock's shooting protocol.

Jim Watson · Mar 13, 2017

Seen on another board:
Customer: There is something wrong with my gun, the slide won't rack back to load.
Dealer: (Racks slide firmly) Seems to work all right.
Customer: Well, yeah, if you are going to pull it THAT hard.

LAA · Mar 13, 2017

I often read about failures, and then I keep repeating the fact that I don't have them. That still held true at the desert yesterday. I was smackin all those semi-auto pistol & AR-15 mags. Everyone of them!

Watchdog · Mar 13, 2017

moosedog said:
There is definitely a reason to seat it firmly. It is not done to look cool.

Exactly. I have a Shield .45. Using the 7-round magazine, I have to give it a good little tap to get it firmly seated. An even firmer tap is needed when I have a round in the chamber.

Funny thing, though, I don't have to do the firm tap thing with my Glocks or 1911s...just the Shield.

NCW Ray · Mar 13, 2017

yep380, while your method works just fine when you have a paper target staring at you, it's a bit different when you have a real live person shooting at you. You don't have time to gingerly snap it in place, you give it a good smack and get back into the fight.

Arik · Mar 13, 2017

I'll just smack mine in instead of standing there rocking them gently while tickling the mag release.

Next people will want the ammo to gently push the slide back and carefully release it forward.

There's no need to get a running start or swing the gun like a hammer to get the mag in. But there's also no need to treat it like a faberge egg

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

berudd · Mar 13, 2017

growr said:
So, is it OK to smack my clips then?

Randy

PS. small attempt at humor guys and gals....

If you do, you'll go blind.

Survivor87 · Mar 13, 2017

Took the advice of some of the members here, and when the slide is disengaged and pulled back, of course the mag goes in easily...then slingshot the slide and had zero issues. Which is fine for the range.

Definitely tight though with the slide engaged. I did the tap/smack thing today for the first time. It felt weird having having to do so but if it's common for the Shield and other pistols, then I'm okay with it.

wadcutter1 · Mar 13, 2017

cadmike said:
At an idpa event, when I'm on the clock and must perform a reload, I'm certainly NOT going to take the time to "push firmly, maybe rock it a little" or "tickle the mag release". I'm going to slam that mag home and then continue with the coarse of fire as quickly as I can.

Yep. First IDPA event I attended was one where you start with a empty gun. I inserted the mag firmly, went to rack to the slide, and the mag fell to the ground. After that I'm a firm believer in the smack method. Operations that require finesse aren't a good idea when under stress.

Inusuit · Mar 13, 2017

My mentor when I was new to IPSC competition said "One should seat one's magazines in a manly fashion." Good advice, IMHO. I smack 'em home. I believe I will fight like I train.

I see new shooters in our Basic Pistol class pushing the magazine into the well, the pushing again and/or worrying the base of the magazine. I teach them to smack it home.

T2C · Mar 13, 2017

I seat magazines with authority during training for muscle memory.

I've badly deformed hollow points by slamming the magazine in my S&W Shield when loading for carry. When loading for carry and a magazine loaded with hollow points will not seat easily, I point the muzzle in a safe direction, place my thumbs under the magazine base plate and my fingers over the top of the slide and press firmly. The only handgun I've owned since 1978 that required this technique is my S&W Shield 9mm.

If you don't train enough to be able to mentally separate the two actions, slam the magazine in the weapon each and every time you load it.

Smacking the base of a mag

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