The magazine is critical to making your semi-auto pistol work. Unfortunately, I see students in the defensive pistol classes I teach perform these "stupid magazine tricks" all the time. They are surprised when they have problems: I am not as I've seen it before and I'll see it again.
Here are some of the stupid magazine tricks to avoid:
1. Avoid crap mags - The magazine is the heart of the auto-loading pistol. If you use cheap, crappy mags, you've just made your pistol less reliable. For best results use the factory brand magazines that came with the pistol, other factory mags you've purchased, or "Mec Gar" brand mags. Mec Gar is the OEM manufacturer for many pistol companies and their mags tend to be in spec. (For 1911 shooters Wilson mags are the gold standard).
2. Always test your new mags before you rely on them - I have a pair of new Mec Gar mags that fit too tight in my Browning High Power and will not eject without being forcibly pulled from the gun. It would suck to find that out when I needed to reload.
I’ve also had mags that would not work reliably when fully loaded and mags that would not latch properly in the pistol. Test all your mags to make sure they work before you trust them.
3. Clean and maintain your mags - I'm amazed how many students don't know how to take apart their mags or why they need to be maintained. While I don't disassemble my magazines as often as I fieldstrip my pistol, I do take them apart on a regular basis and clean them out. Make sure they are dry before you reassemble them. Any solvent or oil attracts dirt.
4. Don't use full-size mags in a compact pistol - I see students who like to run a compact gun, typically a Glock, with a full-size mag as a spare mag. The idea is they'll have more ammo on tap if they need to reload. The problem is a full size mag can easily be over inserted into a compact pistol. This causes feeding problems and can actually break the ejector. It's more likely to cause a problem when you are under stress and really jam the mag into the well. Don't do it. Use mags designed for your gun and that fit flush or mags that have a stop installed to keep them from being overinserted.
5. Avoid “+ 2 floor plates” - These aftermarket magazine floor plates replace the standard factory floor plate and allow you to load an extra two rounds per magazine. I've seen these “+ 2” floor plates pop right off the gun in use. One time was when the mag was dropped with rounds remaining during a reload. The other instance is when the mag was smartly inserted into the pistol. I've heard other instructors report similar problems. Stick with standard floor plates. An extra two rounds do you no good if the mag falls apart and all your rounds scatter to the ground.
If you carry a gun, or keep a defensive gun in the home, be serious about making sure your equipment works, that you know how to use it, and you know how to keep it in good working order. Many things that seem like a good idea, like +2 extenders and full-size mags in a compact gun, are actually counterproductive to your goal of having an effective defensive handgun.
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