How to identify different capacity magazines?

[ngnrd]

I had a pretty good day at the range with the wife today. But, I stumbled upon a minor problem that I want to find a solution for.

I have four magazines for my Ruger P90. Two of them are the original 7-round mags that came with the pistol. And two are newer Ruger 8-round mags I picked up at a gun show this spring. When empty, I can easily tell them apart because the 7-rounders have plastic followers, and the followers for the 8-rounders are steel. The problem is... when loaded, they look exactly the same.

So, I'm looking for a way to mark one pair (or both) so that I can tell them apart - both on the bench, and when inserted into the pistol. I thought about marking them with a drop of paint, but I'm afraid I'd forget what that meant. (Wait... do the blue dots mean seven rounds, or eight?)

Any ideas?

 

[tarosean]

etch a 7 or 8 on them?

 

[ku4hx]

All of our "eight round" KP90 magazines have a cartridge retaining indentations on the lips the seven round magazines don't have.

Because the metal followers were dinging the frame when the last round was fired, I replaced them with the plastic variety. Now they're all seven rounds max and strangely enough I still don't feel under gunned with one less round each.

 

[JTQ]

Or you could replace the plastic followers in your 7 rounders with the metal ones and make all your mags 8 rounders. The dings are on the frame below the feed ramp and are purely cosmetic.

 

[ku4hx]

The dings are on the frame below the feed ramp and are purely cosmetic.

So are the dings in the paint on my truck's doors, but I'd rather they not be there.

 

[JTQ]

ku4hx wrote,
So are the dings in the paint on my truck's doors, but I'd rather they not be there.

That's fine.

My advice was to the OP in the event he got the impression from your earlier post that his 8 rounders may be leading to a problem with his gun. In addition, the 8 round, Devel follower and spring, is the more recent follower/spring combination in the Ruger line-up and would more likely be easier to find rather than the older 7 round follower/spring combo.

 

[Hanzo581]

Write the capacity of the mag on the baseplate with a paint pen.

 

[Onmilo]

Use a yellow paint marker to put a dot on the baseplate of the 7 round magazines

 

[beatledog7]

I use a paint pen to mark mags for various reasons. The marking is not permanent; I can remove it or refresh it as required.

 

[ngnrd]

... the 8 round, Devel follower and spring, is the more recent follower/spring combination in the Ruger line-up and would more likely be easier to find rather than the older 7 round follower/spring combo.

That might be a good solution.

Where would I find these followers? I don't see them listed on Ruger's website.

 

[jmr40]

I use silver sharpies to identify Glock or other dark colored magazines. Since I have a G20 and G21 it is hard to identify them at a glance. I simply write 45 or 10mm on the mag body. Once inside the gun you don't see it. I also put a small dot beside the number to identify the handful of 10 round magazines I have for each of them.

I use a black sharpie to identify SS mags for other guns I own. Keeps Sig and Beretta magazines separate as well as 7 vs 8 round 1911 mags.

 

[Hondo 60]

I used my Dremel to mark the bottom of the mags.

 

[JTQ]

Where would I find these followers? I don't see them listed on Ruger's website.

http://shopruger.com/KV02913-Magazine-Follower-P-Series-45-8-RD/productinfo/62044/

 

[ngnrd]

Ahh... Thanks for the link. I don't know how I missed that - but I did.

 

[MedWheeler]

I need to do something like that, too. I have a newly-acquired P95 that came with one 15-round magazine. I later picked up a second, but, no matter what, I cannot load more than twelve into it. That dozen goes in easy, but the mag will take no more. So, for the time being, I'm considering that magazine a dozen-rounder.

One day, I'll try a loading tool on it, such as a Uplula (sp?). But, I don't own such a device now, nor do I know anyone who does.

 

[JTQ]

You can probably also find them at Brownell's http://www.brownells.com/magazines/...-parts/index.htm?avs|Make~~Model_1=Ruger__P90

The follower from Chip McCormick would also probably work, though you'd need to check with a Ruger guy to determine if the spring from McCormick would work. http://www.cmcmags.com/ConversionKits.html

Wolff has springs http://www.gunsprings.com/index.cfm?page=items&cID=1&mID=52

For what it's worth, if you don't know, the P90, P97, and P345 all use the same magazine, so if you find a mag labeled for one, it will work with the other's.