How do YOU separate magazines?

Tim

Tim

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I picked up an XD(m) 10mm last week. Love it so far, range report to follow.

BUT, I've already done messed up. I grabbed an XD(m) 9mm magazine and tried stuffing it in there. Luckily nothing bad happened. I am.....organizationally challenged......at times. For those who run different calibers of the same brand gun, where the magazines visually are similar, how do you differentiate?

- paint?
- tape?
- different colored base pads?
- hire a valet?

PS - NOT just throwing all of the magazines in a bag all loose and jumbled together is what sane people would do. Therefore, I need a more appropriate solution.
 
Tim said:
I picked up an XD(m) 10mm last week. Love it so far, range report to follow.

BUT, I've already done messed up. I grabbed an XD(m) 9mm magazine and tried stuffing it in there. Luckily nothing bad happened. I am.....organizationally challenged......at times. For those who run different calibers of the same brand gun, where the magazines visually are similar, how do you differentiate?

- paint?
- tape?
- different colored base pads?
- hire a valet?

PS - NOT just throwing all of the magazines in a bag all loose and jumbled together is what sane people would do. Therefore, I need a more appropriate solution.
Click to expand...

But seriously....

I've used a silver paint pen from the art section of wally world and wrote on the backs and bottoms of mine.
 
Black Sharpie...


You can see the writing up close, and the guy next to you won't think you're a total n00bwad to guns that you have to name the magazines.
 
I number my rifle mags for when I’m shooting with my buddies
B1
B2
B3

Etc...
 
kcult said:
I've put a bit of steam to them when the pages get stuck. Peel right open after.
Click to expand...
Stop “reading” them in the bathroom and they won’t stick together. ;)
 
Mirac said:
Black Sharpie...


You can see the writing up close, and the guy next to you won't think you're a total n00bwad to guns that you have to name the magazines.
Click to expand...

I actually think seeing markings and numbering’s on people’s mags, is a sign that they are not a “n00bwad” to guns.
 
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I mark all my mags because I often shoot with my friends and we all have the same kinds of guns so mags can very easily get mixed up. I don’t really have to be concerned about mixing up my own, because I only own 9mm pistols. I do use some different colored Vickers base pads to identify my range mags.

With rifle, I shoot 5.56 and .300blk. Getting those mixed up could have some pretty catastrophic results, so what I do is use the translucent Lancer mags for .300 and Magpul Pmags for 5.56.
 
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Derek8404 said:
I actually think seeing markings and numbering in people’s mags is a sign that they are not a “n00bwad” to guns.
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... and when you’ve run a stage or in a class it makes ID’ing yours easier!

As to how I do it ... I’ll Testors model paint a streak on the base pads for caliber ID in firearms with very similar mags and then silver Sharpie my initials and month-year put into use on all mags. I do have a few mags that get further markings ... my specially loved HD AR mags that I trust most have red tape around the bottom of the housing and my base pads on the handguns are Kryloned red also.
 
Paint pen here too. Every caliber has a different color, and I don't write giant stuff on the baseplate. Small dots the size of the pen tip.
1 dot = mag 1, 2 dots = mag 2...yeah I know very scientific. But I oc sometimes and I like to be discreet with it (no stupid drop legs or uncle mikes..Safariland ALS @ 4:00 usually against a black shirt), and I don't want a giant red number 2 on the baseplate.

The different colors help the most. Red/45...yellow/40...blue/9mm and so on. Then everything else that matches those calibers/guns gets the same colored dots..mag carriers, holsters, etc.
I do the same thing with rifle mags.
 
Derek8404 said:
Another thing I do is, I have a separate case I’ve got for each pistol that holds mags as well.
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I do the separate carrying case thing as Derek does with two modifications. I have lots of 1911's and use 3 different magazine sizes. I have a big black range bag for full size 45 Auto, a big black range bag with a #2 painted on it for 9mm, and a smaller purple carrier for 45 Officer-size magazines. I do double check the big black range bags before I go to the range to make sure I have the correct pistols in the correct bags.
For my other autoloading pistols I have bags of different colors for different chamberings. Black is 22, green is 9mm, tan is 45 Auto, and 40 S&W is pink. Yes, I do have some pink range bags. I have one bag of the appropriate color for each autoloader (except 1911) that I use frequently. The correct holster and mag carriers stay with the bag when the pistol is in a safe.
 
We had a meet and greet in Havelock two years ago, one member put his 9mm magazine in another member M&P .40, 'I'll use my ammo',
after the first round he stopped and realized wrong caliber. Lesson learned, use the owners magazines in their guns.

I use a Dymo Label manager 160 with small font two lines to label each magazine on the side, labels stay put don't rub when inserted.
M&P 9
JM

P89
JM
 
All of my handguns take all of my handgun magazines, so I'm fortunate (and boring) in that sense. I do mark my new magazines by putting a gold dot (with a paint marker) on the little floor plate peephole. Used magazines don't get the mark, so I can easily tell those that are "riskier" from others.
 
Derek8404 said:
these two condor cases that I found on amazon and I love them.
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Is there enough space for a typical 50 round box of ammo in these? I assume the admin pouch that's below the butt of your pistol is just velcroed in?
 
Tim said:
Is there enough space for a typical 50 round box of ammo in these? I assume the admin pouch that's below the butt of your pistol is just velcroed in?
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Yeah, all the pouches are velcroed in so you can configure it however you like. I just checked and I was able to fit two 50rnd boxes in in.

E3A2E2B7-189B-4F3E-9CFC-20EDB875B4C5.jpeg
 
Those condor bags appear to be exactly what I'm after.

I use the sharpie method on mags for 3 gun matches and to keep them numbered, but I was/am looking for a better organization method than "throw em all in the backpack" without a bunch of bulk.

@Derek8404 , do you store your guns in these or load 'em up before heading out? Moisture issues?
 
Tim said:
Those condor bags appear to be exactly what I'm after.

I use the sharpie method on mags for 3 gun matches and to keep them numbered, but I was/am looking for a better organization method than "throw em all in the backpack" without a bunch of bulk.

@Derek8404 , do you store your guns in these or load 'em up before heading out? Moisture issues?
Click to expand...

That M&P with the Deltapoint is just a range toy so it stays in the bag always and I haven’t ever had any moisture issues.
 
I use a paint pen, spray paint or both to make it over the top obvious which is which when grabbing stuff out of a bag.
 
Jeppo said:
Anybody who can afford to take 2 boxes of HSTs to the range doesn’t have real world issues. ;)
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Do you not test your carry ammo for function in pistol? I always put 100 rounds of my carry ammo my carry gun, when it was new. I carry glocks, so any time i change the springs or mess with trigger/striker I put 100 rounds of carry ammo through. I really do not want to hear the click when I need a bang.
 
Been marking the base plates of my mags since the late 80s in the Army. That way I could track MY magazines because I did do routine maintenance on them. I use numbers and letters on them. If I had two very similar mags but different caliber than different color mag or base plate with letter/number combo. I also have footlockers full of mags.

CD
 
I’ve always marked my mags with a sharpie, I only numbered them just case I have a malfunction but now that I have ARs in 3 calibers I need to start marking them differently until I get around to buying different colored mags to assist with caliber identification.
 
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