Magazine feed question

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eflyguy

New member
The magazines for my XD (original) that I use for USPSA are steel. I have six and randomly rotate thru them.

They get a bit of abuse as we eject and let them fall to the floor (cement at indoor matches), and one of them had a feed failure, just one time. I dropped it and loaded a new one, kept on with the match. They are (or were) not numbered and in the rush to prepare for the next stage, I lost track of which one it was.

I've put hundreds, if not over 1000, of rounds thru them since with no issue. I've carefully measured (I have precision tools for machining) and compared each one to see if I could find an issue. My guess was the one that had the issue had the "lips" (?) bent in some way but I can't find it, even using magnification I can't see any marks on any of them.

So I'm looking for opinions. As it's not happened since, do you think it could just have been a weak load in the previous round that simply did not cycle the action? The ammo we use for matches is not "store brand" but that doesn't mean every round will be perfect.

Just looking for ideas.
 
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RickB

New member
Number the mags, and monitor performance.
I wouldn't blame the mag(s) for such a random occurrence.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
While magazines are obviously a large part of feeding reliability, they are not the only part. Perhaps the round in question wasn’t seated quite properly, perhaps the previous round was slightly undercharged and the slide didn’t cycle fully, etc. As Rick mentioned, number the magazines and monitor performance going forward. As an aside I generally keep a few magazines separate just for carry so they aren’t being dropped or cycled as frequently.


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eflyguy

New member
Thx.

They have since been numbered and it has not re-occurred in likely over 1000 rounds randomly between the 6 magazines. In several thousand since I've owned it, it was the only time.

Was just looking for ideas when visual inspection is revealing nothing.

A single feed issue is not a major issue, until it happens near the end of a timed stage and your remaining magazines don't cover the required number of shots needed.
 
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eflyguy

New member
totaldla said:
If I knew what a "feed failure" was, I might be able to come up with a theory.
Click to expand...

Previous round ejected cleanly, the next one jammed up as being loaded into the chamber and slide was not fully-forward. Had to drop the magazine, cycle the action manually to clear the stuck cartridge, then load a new magazine and cycle again by hand to continue with the stage. All under the clock.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
eflyguy said:
Thx.

A single feed issue is not a major issue, until it happens near the end of a timed stage and your remaining magazines don't cover the required number of shots needed.
Click to expand...

I’m not sure at what level you compete, but if it concerns you that much then one option is to buy another set of magazines entirely. I know some competition shooters that do this periodically. Magazines are disposable in the end. You could remove this set from your competition rotation, devote this set to a practice set, and then buy a new set just for competition and number them and chock it up to a lesson learned.

If you’re looking for some way to determine with absolute certainty which of the 6 magazines failed you I think you’ll frankly expend more effort than your time is worth (and time has monetary value just like magazines). Another option is to additionally replace springs and followers within the current magazines. That might give you some more confidence in them.


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eflyguy

New member
Thx.

We are casual competitors. In both rifle and pistol, it's always been about competence in handling a weapon more than anything. We don't care where we place (but my daughter is now WAY ahead of me!!)

So, again, I'm not stressed over it and certainly not enough to go buy a whole bunch more magazines.

I guess I just wondered if my theory that the single previous round was not loaded correctly was credible, or do other competitors who drop their magazines onto hard floors see this?

One out of thousands probably seems obvious.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
eflyguy said:
I guess I just wondered if my theory that the single previous round was not loaded correctly was credible, or do other competitors who drop their magazines onto hard floors see this?
Click to expand...

I think it's certainly possible the previous round contributed to the failure to feed.

I don't compete regularly, but I do practice and take classes regularly and I've dropped a lot of magazines on concrete. The only time I had issues was with baseplates coming off, which would be pretty obvious here. I've never had feed lips bend as a result of drops. The magazines should be heat treated to prevent this (and I've owned XDs and XDms and found the magazines to be quality). Generally speaking magazines hit baseplate first due to weight and how magazines eject. I guess if you were dropping a lot partially loaded magazines it might be more possible for the feed lips to take impacts.
 
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eflyguy

New member
Thx again.

If I am remembering correctly, the only time they would ever be dropped is while empty - except for this one time when I had a feed issue.

We only do that during matches and if we're still loaded at the end of a stage, we remove the mag and re-holster it, clear the remaining round. The "cool thing" is to catch that round mid-air, but I've never been much good at that. :cool:
 
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TunnelRat

New member
USPSA, to my knowledge, allows dropping partially loaded magazines whereas IDPA generally does not. It’s more or less of a phenomenon depending on which discipline you shoot and then which event in that discipline.


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eflyguy

New member
Did not mean to infer or imply it was against any rules. Just said I don't recall ever dropping a partially loaded/spent magazine. I wasn't DQ'd for that incident so I guess it wasn't a problem.
 
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gwpercle

New member
I can tell you for a fact ... dropping magazines on a concrete floor will damage them ... sooner or later . Heat treating will not protect the lips from damage .
If you drop them on concrete be prepared to replace or repair them .

Put down a section of rubber flooring over the concrete in the area where you shoot/reload ... with the "my magazines should be invincable to concrete " attitude ...you will have damage done to them .
Grass and dirt surface is one thing ... but I never bounced a magazine off a concrete floor ... I would stuff them in pockets .
Gary
 
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TunnelRat

New member
gwpercle said:
I can tell you for a fact ... dropping magazines on a concrete floor will damage them ... sooner or later . Heat treating will not protect the lips from damage .
If you drop them on concrete be prepared to replace or repair them .

Put down a section of rubber flooring over the concrete in the area where you shoot/reload ... with the "my magazines should be invincable to concrete " attitude ...you will have damage done to them .
Grass and dirt surface is one thing ... but I never bounced a magazine off a concrete floor ... I would stuff them in pockets .
Gary
Click to expand...


I’ve been doing this for years and haven’t seen damage beyond scuffing. Now will magazines eventually break if subjected to this? I can see that being possible, but it’s not something that happens quickly or often in my experience (this may be somewhat mitigated by practically all of my magazines having a polymer floorplate and that floorplate being able to flex slightly). This concern, however, is also why I have a separate set of magazines for carry than for the range. I’d love to put down rubber flooring everywhere I go, but if I’m in a course and the ground is concrete then that’s where empty magazines go. Stuffing the empty magazines into pockets reminds of the story of the highway patrol officers that were used to dumping the brass from their revolvers into their hands at the range and when they ended up in a shootout were found to be doing the same thing, to their detriment. Training “scars” can happen.

As for heat treating, you’re right it won’t stop all physical damage. What it should do is help prevent the feed lips from deforming as easily as if they weren’t heat treated.


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