What to use to keep Glock mags from drop damage?

spend the money on knee and elbow pads, the mags will be fine.

I keep 3 or 4 magazines just for range use for just that reason. That said though as many times as I've dropped them they're working just fine

Are people retaining their mags if they dont shoot them empty?

Malamute said:

Are people retaining their mags if they dont shoot them empty?

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Are you asking the folks who responded to this thread, or asking the OP about what will happen at the course?

If the former, in my sport (USPSA) we drop mags on the ground. I would plan to do the same in real life. I'm a civilian. If I'm shooting, it's because something or someone is about to get me RIGHT NOW. If I'm reloading, it's because I need the gun running again RIGHT NOW. Ain't nobody got time for "retaining" mags.

Cooldill wrote,
You could use a cable attached to the bottom of the magazine, the other end attached to your belt. They won't fall on the ground that way.

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Remember, the original 1911 mags came with a lanyard loop on them.

Mags in standard CZ75 typically don't drop free. I believe the original Hi-Power mags were the same way. I believe both were designed as such to keep them from hitting the ground.

I typically let my mags hit the ground. They are pretty durable, but they are consumable items.

JTQ said:

Mags in standard CZ75 typically don't drop free. I believe the original Hi-Power mags were the same way. I believe both were designed as such to keep them from hitting the ground.

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Almost. It's my understanding that this "feature" was about reducing the likelihood of soldiers leaving their empty magazines behind. Logistics are kind of a big deal for a military organization, and it's better if they don't have to constantly buy and send forward and distribute new magazines to replace the ones that got dropped and lost.

It's my understanding that this "feature" was about reducing the likelihood of soldiers leaving their empty magazines behind.

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I agree losing them was the more important consideration than breaking them, also for the 1911, since those were used by calvary.

I believe Glock's first generation of mags wouldn't drop free either, and in typical Glock fashion, they claimed this as a "feature", though I tend to believe it was more of a "hey, we've never made mags before, and didn't know they were going to swell when we loaded them up with ammo", moment, since they've subsequently removed that "feature" from their guns.

Edit to add: Typing while 9mmepiphany was typing. I still believe it was more an error on Glock's part than an intended feature.

More Glock mags! Silly.

I bought five mags specifically for firearms training classes. I don't worry if they get beat up since they aren't used for any other purpose. In fact, it's good to have mags like this as it will give you an idea on how much abuse they can take. Also, go out and buy one of those silver or gold paint pens and put your initials and a number on the bottom of each. Comes in handy.

You could also take this trying dedicated to a further level and get a pistol identical to the self defense one for training classes and lots of range work. That way, you could drop the empty pistol, neglect lubing it and cleaning it, etc and see how well it holds up. Probably best to start with just the mags.

9mm, does Glock still not harden the slide area where the slide catch is? I've always done the overhead rack myself but I do know many who do what you mentioned above.

I'm afraid if you want to practice realistically, you have to drop your magazines and let them fall where they may. If you stop to carefully stow them away in your pocket, lay them on a table or whatever, should you get into an actual gunfight, you will find yourself trying to do it then. This is obviously not good. When "dry" practicing at home, let them fall on a carpeted floor or perhaps a gym mat. But the important thing is to let them fall.

You may scratch them up a little bit on gravel, and when you get home you will want to disassemble and clean them to get the dirt out, but Glock magazines are very sturdily constructed. They aren't going to get distorted or bent just from falling of their own weight. Uncle Gaston had this in mind when he designed them.

Or for the man with five gorilla thumbs per hand, replace them with the absurdly gargantuan Vickers baseplates. Those things wouldn't crack if they fell out a 737 flying at 35,000 feet.

To the OP: are you serious?

Glock mags are some of the most durable and at the same time least expensive magazines in the world.

See if you can really damage one, and if you ever do, replace them.

A dropped magazine falling free of its own weight is going to hit the ground base-first. If it landed on the feed lips, a critical part, that would be different.

If you leave a hole in it to allow access to the retaining pin, perhaps you could take a piece of rubber and glue it to the base plate to act as a bumper.

I am more likely to lose my magazines by getting them "mixed up" with other people's magazines. Etch your initials in the mag at a specific spot. I have never heard of any mag of any brand being damaged while being dropped.

First, I doubt they'll be torn up.

Second, you can drive a car over them and they'll still work.

My advice: ignore it.

I have damaged knees, so I always haul a 3x6 chunk of old carpet along in my truck for classes and static position matches. My various mags look new and some are 40 year old blued steel mags for older classic autos.

If you leave a hole in it to allow access to the retaining pin, perhaps you could take a piece of rubber and glue it to the base plate to act as a bumper.

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That's what I used to do with my 1911 mags back in my IPSC club days. The rubber mat mechanics at work used on top of their tool boxes was perfect. They had rolls of that stuff in shop and scraps laying around everywhere.

It was more to aid positive insertion than to protect the mags during drops, but it worked both ways. Back then GI mags were cheap, so replacing them wasn't much of a problem.

I have about 10 mags that are dedicated to range/training/competion use. They get dropped on dirt, sand, gravel, mud, concrete, stepped on, kicked, etc. and other than a few sctatches and dents on the baseplates, have held up and function just fine. 6 of them have Glock factory orange baseplates to aid in seeing them on the ground, in the mag well, and quickly identifying them as mine. Don't worry about them, they can take it.