[Justin]

When you buy a new magazine, what do you do to make sure it works? (Other than the obvious-loading it up and shooting it empty a few times.)

[RANash]

There really is no other way. However, I always clean and lube them as soon as I take them out of the package.

[Jim K]

With a new pistol, I always say that it must fire 200 consecutive rounds (without a failure of any kind) with the carry magazine and carry ammo, before it should be carried.

With an auto pistol, the magazine becomes part of the gun, and a new magazine is a new configuration. So, back to the 200 rounds again. I am always puzzled by folks who worry endlessly about gun failures but then use untried magazines or untried ammo for carry.

If you are carrying a gun, you are presumably willing to use it if necessary, otherwise you wouldn't carry it. And if you do need to use it, a magazine-caused failure can leave you just as dead as any other failure. Of course, you might have time to explain to the ER doctor that it was a mag failure, and not the fault of your super brand gun. I am sure it will make a difference when they pull up the sheet.

Jim