Carry mags vs training/practice mags

[black22rifle]

Do any of you regularly use and carry certain magazines? I like to distinguish between my carry and my training/practice magazines.

My carry mags are magazine that I have used a little bit to ensure function, but then I keep them as dedicated carry mags loaded with JHPs and have not used them since. They have sat for about a year.

My training/practice mags are mags that are strictly for those uses and are the ones that I use the most.

My entire idea behind this is that is constant loading and unloading are what wear down springs then I want to keep that to a minimum in my mags that matter.

Im just curious what other peoples methods are in regards to different mags. What do you think?

[DirectTo]

I carry only factory mags, but that's my only limit. I don't keep special "carry mags", they're part of my normal range rotation as well.

Now that I've been picking up more Magpul Glock mags my range/practice use of my factory mags has gone way down, so they are getting used relatively less.

[black22rifle]

I also do that. I should have clarified that in my OP. I carry a Glock with factory Glock mags and my range mags are magpul mags.

Don't you think its detrimental to use the same mags you carry as range mags.

[Pappabear]

I like your concept. I've often felt a good idea to do the same for the gun too. I'm not LEO, so not an issue. I think it's smart. Why end up using a mag on its last leg.

[ggammell]

I have dedicated carry mags. I shoot them every so often just to make sure they're good to go but generally training is done with other mags. I shoot a lot on. Crushed stone and gravel range. Mags get beat up landing on then getting stepped on in that garbage.

[SeriousStudent]

I have dedicated range mags, and dedicated carry mags.

If a carry mag shows the least sign of treachery, it's crushed with a hammer and disposed of.

Glock mags are $20 bucks. I don't try and cheap out on parachutes, SCUBA gear, fire extinguishers or other life support gear either.

I do keep a couple of malfunctioning range mags, but they get spray-painted red, and used for malfunction drills.

[MegademiC]

Carry mags stay loaded, and shot once a year to rotate ammo, and keep it fresh. All other mags are range mags, but reliable enough for carry. If I get a malfunction in one, I'll mark it/paint the base plate to use for range only.

[ST911]

I have dedicated range mags, and dedicated carry mags.

If a carry mag shows the least sign of treachery, it's crushed with a hammer and disposed of.

Glock mags are $20 bucks. I don't try and cheap out on parachutes, SCUBA gear, fire extinguishers or other life support gear either.

I do keep a couple of malfunctioning range mags, but they get spray-painted red, and used for malfunction drills.

This.

Using mostly Magpul GL9 mags for training lately, OEM for carry.

[HCrum87hc]

I have 2 dedicated mags for carry and the rest are for range/training use. Once I ensure function, they get loaded and fired once or twice a year to rotate carry ammo. When I go to the range, I just typically leave the carry mags at home (unless I'm carrying that specific gun that day obviously).

[kremtok]

One related thought - If your carry mags have been loaded for over a year, then it might be time to cycle your ammo through and replace it.

[Got UZI]

I have range mags and carry mags. I EDC a Sig MK25 which I used 18 rd Mecgar mags and my range mags are factory 15 rd Sig mags. Its better to have them separate so you don't end up getting a bad one into your cycle.

[p7fl]

I don't own range magazines.
Every year I buy new 1911 and Glock magazines and then shoot the hell out of them in competition.
If the mags run perfectly, they become carry.

[cutter_spc]

Interesting, never thought of this, call me stupid I guess. Don't get me wrong, I don't carry beat up, worn out mags, but never thought about just setting aside a couple of mags just for carry.

[walkin' trails]

I also have separate mags for training. My duty mags are the newest ones I've purchased. They get run enough to ensure they function properly, and I qualify with them once a quarter. I will buy new mags once every couple of years and rotate the old duty mags to training status. When I was a primary range instructor (part time assignment), my mags would see probably five times more use and abuse than the mags carried by the shooters I was training. Furthermore, using dedicated training mags ensures that I always had loaded magazines ready for duty if I had to run out on something from the range. The range I use most is covered in crushed asphalt, and chews up anything dropped on the ground pretty bad (not to mention knees and elbows). If you shoot your carry gun(s) a lot or train in rough environments, having dedicated magazines for carry and training make sense.

[wirides]

This is standard practice for most in our department. Magpul glock mags have definitely taken off for range use. The sketchy ones are great for the range simply for the malfunctions. It's always good to work on those. Best of the best set aside for duty carry.

[Drew78]

I dedicated ccw mags and dedicated range mags. I test my carry mags extensively and cycle carry ammo once per year as stated by others

[PD Sgt.]

With the relatively recent availability of quality aftermarket magazines for Glock (my primary on duty carry) such as Magpul and ETS, I have begun using those for range/training mags. This way I do not subject my carry mags (factory) to excessive drops, dirt, mud, etc. With the aftermarket mags being available at a slightly lower pricepoint I do not worry about what happens to them in classes/training.

[59Bassman]

I compete with pistols very similar to my carry guns. They take the same magazines. However, I do not compete with my carry mags. The wear and tear from competition will take its toll - I've had a couple of my 1911 competition mags split at the welds after a couple of years and thousands of rounds - I'd rather not have that happen in my carry mags.

In 1911's I carry Wilson 47D's marked separate from my competition 47D's. In my CZ-75's I carry Mec-Gar AFC 17's, compete with AFC 19's.

[1986s4]

My newest mags, once proven, become carry mags. The oldest are range/competition magazines. Springs are replaced as necessary. I also keep base plates, springs and followers as spares.

[sasage]

I have been using the Magpul Pmags as training range mags

[donlapalma]

I don't have dedicated training and carry mags per se...but I do keep a round count on all my mags. All mags get used during training but the lower round count / less worn mags get carried after I'm comfortable they're reliable. I do like some of the other ideas being presented here and will have to consider them going forward.

[Beat Trash]

I have dedicated training magazines. They take a beating during various drills when they get dumped on concrete. My carry magazines have been vetted. When it's time to switch out my carry ammunition for fresh ammunition, I do so by shooting the ammo out of the carry magazines.

[buckshot1220]

I keep several mags specifically for nightstand/carry and have a bunch of others unloaded for range trips.

I'll take just about any mag to the range if it is a static range and I'm not running drills or in a competition where the mag will hit the ground. If I'm going to be running reload drills or in something like an IDPA competition I have dedicated mags for that, that have hit the ground multiple times already, so I'm not constantly risking damage to all of my mags but rather just a certain few. I paint or carve an "X" into the baseplate to denote a drill/competition mag.

[armtx77]

I don't have dedicated training and carry mags per se...but I do keep a round count on all my mags. All mags get used during training but the lower round count / less worn mags get carried after I'm comfortable they're reliable. I do like some of the other ideas being presented here and will have to consider them going forward.

I shoot mostly HK handguns and occasionally the g19 gets to come out and play for certain club shoots. I have never had an HK mag crap out on me function wise and I have P30 mags with over 5k a piece through them. I did break a base plate when I dropped a full one onto concrete and it hit just right.

I keep a relatively accurate round count on my mags for the purpose of trying to figure out when one will actually take a chit on me so that I can honestly answer the question " how many rounds until a rebuild or new mag is needed" thus far on HK MAGS, I have no answer.

PMAGS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. I have some that are used for training/range and are marked as such, I have 3 or 4 of the first run, Gen 2 PMAGS that I can almost guarantee, will induce some type of failure. They are just used up, but I like to work them in with new/intermediate shooters. EDIT: and by used up, they will almost always create a FTFeed. Especially in lower end guns. When STAG was popular, those mags would give them hell.

Aside from that, until one acts up, whether an HK MAG or PMAG, I feel comfortable in a carry/EDC or SHTF scenario.

[voiceofreason]

I just use all "good" mags for carry, comp, range. When it begins to malfunction or just get older and needs replacing, I take it out of the lineup and give them to friends as range mags.

I do have 2 no name gun show mags with crap springs that I use for malfunction drills, bases are orange so they don't get mixed in with carry stuff.

I only use top quality mags as I've been told that mags are the weakest link in the reliability chain.

[Five_Point_Five_Six]

Every January I buy 3 brand new OEM mags and new carry ammo. Those mags are function checked for reliability with the old carry ammo plus a few hundred FMJ's then they become my carry mags. The previous carry mags become additional training mags.