Loading a mag to capacity.

On a defense weapon, I load the magazine full, rack the slide, and holster.
So, is that a download? I only top off for IDPA where it is required.

When Chuck Taylor was amassing hundreds of thousands of rounds through an early Glock, he found that the magazines lasted much longer when loaded with 15 instead of 17.

Fully loaded won't hurt them. I load up, chamber, and then top-off.

I'm with those that won't top off but will load the magazine to capacity and then chamber a round. I also carry a spare mag so that if there is a mag induced malfunction, I can replace the offending mag and stay in the fight.

Many guys function test with carry ammo, but dont test with the plus 1 loading. It may not make a difference, but I think its best to test the way it will be carried.

I generally load to capacity and top off after I chamber a round. I don't buy "extended" magazines though. It is my belief that extended magazines are probably pushing the spring to it's limit, but that "standard" magazines likely are not. For example on my Beretta I opt for the 15rd magazines rather than the 17s, or the Sig I used to have (P226) I would use the 16rd magazines over the 18rd mecgars that were the same size. I imagine when I get a 1911 I'll stay with the 7 round magazines over the 8 round magazines as well.

That isn't necessarily a scientific appraisal but I the reason I believe it is because a magazine that fits flush must be lighter on the spring than a higher capacity magazine that also sits flush, unless there is some kind of special spring that handles extreme compression better I don't think it can be good for the spring to overload those flush fits. Extended magazines with gigantic followers that add several inches to the pistol grip are probably fine, but I like flush fit.

I load the carry mag to full capacity, then chamber a round. Additional mags on double stack autos are down loaded by 1- not for reliable operation, but for ease of insertion for a tactical reload (replacing a reduced capacity mag after firing with a full(er) magazine). I have never seen a quality single stack 1911 have any issues doing this with QUALITY magazines that have been loaded to capacity though- only with the various double stacks. No experience with the 220- I would run factory mags in good condition, and train with them loaded to full capacity before I made any decision. YMMV.

I load, chamber, and top off.

But, I do have a magazine for my Ruger P95 that, for whatever reason, I cannot get more than 12 rounds in. It's supposed to hold fifteen.

I carry magazines fully loaded + 1 in chamber.
Related to detail supplied with question:
Its been heat index of 100+ degrees and I've been carrying Glock 21/22 size pistol IWB along with Kahr PM40 in pocket.
If I worked outdoors (road crew) then I'd have to make do with just the pocket gun.

IME, I've had good mag springs, which were tight when new, loosen up to take the
full load, after being left loaded for a few days. I guess you might call it a "spring
break in". OTOH, some springs are total crap straight out of the box. Then you
need to order new springs from Wolff. SIG is a pretty good brand, I'd give them the
benefit of the doubt. Load up those mags for a couple days, and see if they loosen
up a little.

Have to be careful what you get, too.
I bought two Checkmate 8x45 magazines CM45-8-S-H-RB (don't know if that is the Checkmate ID or a Top Gun Supply catalog number.) that resemble Power Mags but with the hybrid lips.
They HOLD 8 but with no slack in the stack, and cannot be loaded under a closed slide. They feed well when loaded under an open slide to get 7+1 or just loaded with 7.

Looks like I should have ordered CM45-8-S-H-EXT with that little bit longer tube concealed by the base pad.

WrongHanded said:

... Do you down-load a handgun magazine by 1, or keep them full loaded? ...

Click to expand...

Fully loaded. And, like other responders, after chambering a round I top-off the mag in the pistol.

Many types of pistol mags are TIGHT on the last round or two when new/little-used ... but they loosen-up after you "fun-unload" them several times.

As others have stated, I load my magazine to full capacity, chamber a round then top off with a fresh fully loaded mag and load an additional round into the mag that is now down loaded by one round. Having said that, there are some in the community that are big advocates of down loading mags by one round, Ken Hackathorn and Larry Vickers in particular advocate down loading mags by one round. To date, I've had no issues with full mag plus one chambered in any of my carry guns over the years. Over the years I've carried a Springfield TRP, a Wilson Combat CQB Compact, a Sig P226, a Sig P229, a Walther P99, and now an HK P30SK V1, or during the summer months for a slimmer footprint, a Walther PPS M1. Having said that, I have noticed that the P229 takes more effort to seat a fully loaded 15 round magazine with the slide in battery and the same applies to the Springfield TRP with CERTAIN 8 round magazines. Wilson 47D and Tactical Elite mags seat fairly easily as do standard 7 round magazines.

guyfromohio said:

Fully loaded won't hurt them. I load up, chamber, and then top-off.

Click to expand...

That's what I do with all my handguns except one. The "one" won't feed from a full magazine reliably, so it gets treated differently.

For most days, I don't worry too much about fully topping off to have every possible round I can get - most days... I'll admit - I almost never load 17 in G17 or G19+2 mags, simply because my reloaded cartridge boxes hold rows of 5 or 10... There's a great number of days where I carry a G19 with only 10 loaded, instead of 15 or 17 (w/ +2). If you want to add capacity, get extended mags or base plates. I run G17 mags in my G19 quite regularly, or G19's with a +2 or +5 base plate. I run a 15rnd grip extended mag most of the time in my P224 (or at least have the extended mag as the backup).

I also spent a few years where I didn't ever load to full "+1" capacity because I was pulling my pistol and unloading when I went in a lot of places - so I'd put the chambered round back into the magazine, rather than having a completely full mag and one loose round. Doing so makes life easier when a guy throws the loaded mag into a glove box or console, so you don't have to worry about the loose round digging its way to the bottom. I did this whether using a 17+1 full size or a 6+1 pocket pistol. Logistically, it made my day more efficient to just have a full mag and skip the +1.

A guy doesn't need to make life so complicated to be fretting over tactical reloads vs. empty pistol reloads either - if your pistol has issue with full mag reloads, either change the pistol, or don't load full mags. For models which physically allow it, tactical reload should be sufficiently forceful to seat the magazine, even when fully loaded, under the closed slide, and if your particular model doesn't physically allow for this, then the back-up magazines should be loaded accordingly to allow for a tactical reload. Being short ONE ROUND at the end of a mag is a lot lesser penalty than having the pistol malfunction because the mag didn't fully seat. Pretty simple logic.

Equally, if I can't avoid going somewhere which I think might be a higher risk than others, I might be more prone to load more heavily. There's a motorcycle shop in town I visit once or twice a year in a "less than great" part of town. While I might usually only carry a Ruger LCP with 6 rounds and no spare mag as my EDD (Every Damned Day - accentuated for emphasis against what I'd consider my EDC pistol), I'll take a G19 with a 20rnd mag (G19+5) and a back up mag, or a P224 with a 15rnd and backup 15rnd. When I'm with my wife and son, I'm more prone to carry a larger caliber, higher capacity pistol, as I might find myself stuck defending more than just myself - 3 ppl are a larger target, and retreat with a youngster is slower than alone.

Theory and speculation can't out run common sense. If running full mags might cause a life threatening failure in the moment of truth because a full mag wouldn't lock into the pistol, then don't run a full mag. If you cause yourself headaches digging for a loose round in your glovebox, or get sticky soda residue on your loose round because you leave it in your cupholder, then it makes sense to simplify your life and ditch the "+1." The likelihood of a gang attack in the country, a mile off of the road is pretty low, so I'm content with my LCP, whereas my odds of having issues which require more than 6rnds of 380acp are higher when I'm in the wrong part of major metro markets on business trips.

Use your noggin... The answers are all there.

If you have to lock the bolt or slide open to get a full magazine to seat,
if you have to "slingshot" the slide or bolt (pull back and release) to get the first round fed rather than just press the bolt/slide release,
maybe it is time to consider backing off a round or two when loading the magazine.

In the 1990s it was common practice in federal law enforcement when using the Colt AR 9mm carbine and .223 rifles to load the magazines to 90% of full capacity for easy mag insertion and seating on a close bolt and positive feed of first rounds. Typically 27 rounds in a 30 rd mag.

Oh, and somehow loading 31 rounds in a 30 round magazine can be the source of high hilarity ... when you talk about it a month after. In a life or death situation, not so funny to have a gun that doesn't want to feed at all.