Do you usually load your high cap mag's fully at the range?

ATLDave said:

But then the box is 40% or 80% empty!

Obviously, this desire is driven by OCD-ness, and that cure would be worse than the ailment!

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If it's 80% empty then you're bad at math.

I load all my magazines full at home. The indoor range I use charges by the minute. As far as possible, I don't want to reload magazines on their clock.

Yes, I'm going to load to full capacity when I carry and I want to duplicate carry conditions at the range. Don't you want to know your gun will run the same way you carry it in the wild?

1MoreFord said:

Yes, I'm going to load to full capacity when I carry and I want to duplicate carry conditions at the range. Don't you want to know your gun will run the same way you carry it in the wild?

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No. I want to load a gun suitably for how it will be used. I have enough experience with all my guns to be confident that they will perform properly. Most indoor ranges do not allow carry conditions and exercises such as drawing from a holster. I use the range for target practice, not self defense practice.

If I'm testing loads I'll put 5 in. Otherwise I fully load them. If shooting a carry gun I'll top it off and holster it.

I'm there to shoot, not worry about how much ammo I'm using up.

Addendum.

When proving a new carry gun I do fully load, +1 during the first number of range sessions to verify it runs appropriately. Same when incorporating new magazines.

Else, yeah, drills dictate how many I load.

rpenmanparker said:

No. I want to load a gun suitably for how it will be used. I have enough experience with all my guns to be confident that they will perform properly. Most indoor ranges do not allow carry conditions and exercises such as drawing from a holster. I use the range for target practice, not self defense practice.

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You do what you have to do at the indoor range. I have a membership to a private gated outdoor range where I can duplicate carry conditions and draw from a holster. Much better IMO.

If I'm practicing mag changes I'll only load a few at a time.

Topped up mags +1 because that's the way I carry. Want to make sure they work from fully loaded and that the gun cycles reliably with full mag pressure on bottom of slide. Every time.

Almost all my shooting is for fun. I load five rounds normally. It's easier on my thumb and I don't have to drag out the uplula. I have shaky hands and five shots allows me to relax while reloading and the shakes to stay at a minimum. Now and then I'll do a full mag dump or two with the two guns I keep loaded for protection just to make sure everything is working as it should.

I often load 5 at a time. I personally think the extra mag change practice outweighs the benefits of shooting a full magazine every time just to make sure it works, but if you don't have confidence in your equipment I could understand why you would fully load every time.

bluecollar said:

Topped up mags +1 because that's the way I carry. Want to make sure they work from fully loaded and that the gun cycles reliably with full mag pressure on bottom of slide. Every time.

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So, do you shoot one or two, then drop the mag and re top off every time?

Because once the mag ain't full it's just the same as loading 5 or 10 or whatever.

EDIT: maybe I'll try this with some Bill drills or something, see if my times differ any by loading to capacity between strings.

Not at the range, but I load them to capacity at home before I go. This allows me to dedicate range time to shooting. If I desire I can "hide" some snap caps in those practice mags to get some immediate action drills in.

I don't consider the 17 round magazines that came with my M&P "high capacity" they are the standard capacity magazines that the weapon was designed to use.

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But then the box is 40% or 80% empty!

Obviously, this desire is driven by OCD-ness, and that cure would be worse than the ailment!

Seek professional help.

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I did. My therapist keeps 25 mags for his 1911 and 50 mags for his 17 rounders (....wait for it...)

I get annoyed using range time to reload. What I have found myself doing a lot lately, is a lot of 2 rd mags. I practice drawing and doing a hammer, then reloading and doing another. It just seems to be more flowing that way.

The "high capacity mag." madness in the media in the 80s or 90s must be what prompted the late Bill Ruger to stop selling mags > 5, or 10 rds. (?) to the general public, as he appeased the anti-gun elements.

When my Ruger Mini 14 was acquired in 2008, the only reason it had a 20-rd. Ruger mag. was because the rifle had belonged to the "State of Kentucky", as seen on the silver sticker.
The "normal capacity" Ruger mags were Not yet back into production for the Mini 14 or the 30.

mljdeckard said:

I get annoyed using range time to reload. What I have found myself doing a lot lately, is a lot of 2 rd mags. I practice drawing and doing a hammer, then reloading and doing another. It just seems to be more flowing that way.

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The waste of range time means nothing to me. I go to shoot 200 rounds. That is what is comfortable for me. The range charge is an hour minimum. It takes me about 45 minutes to shoot all my ammo including reloading right there on the line. So absolutely no waste of range time is involved. How am I going to benefit by buying 20 mags or so and pre-loading them?

But wait! I will say that the pre-loaded magazines actually make some sense if you are shooting with a partner and sharing the lane with someone. It is hard to reload without interfering with the person shooting and a pain to stand back way behind the line and load up without a bench in front of you. In that case two people could squeeze in a lot more shooting with preloaded mags.

Actually that is a really valuable plan that just popped out of this thread. Wow! Funny how stuff like that works. Who’d a thunk it?