Slapping a mag

[Veracity]

Guys,

A recent thread about double feeds caused some of you to mention the hazards of slapping a mag. Although that sounds like a euphemism for something, I'm taking a genuine interest in it.

Please explain this a bit more to me.

I thought one of the immediate action items was to slap the mag. ("Sports") Does the advice about not slapping the mag only apply to when you first insert it into the mag well?

The reason I ask is that I've been slapping the mags in every time I put one in. My mag wells seem to be a bit tight...and it seemed like a normal thing to do.

If this is considered bad form or a problem waiting to happen, please set me straight.

Thanks.

[JBnTX]

The magazine should be seated firmly until it locks into place.
Slapping it in "Rambo Style" can cause several problems.

Slapping it in with excessive force can spread the magazine lips when
they are crushed against the bottom of the bolt carrier.

I've even seen magazines split at the top.
(That might be why your mag well seems tight)

You can also damage the magazine catch/release.

The company that you're in, determines weather or not it's bad form.
Mall Ninja's won't even notice, while experienced more mature shooters might say something.

[RD62]

Proper form is to seat the mag with a push/pull motion. Forcefully seat the mag with a continuous push, and then give it a pull to ensure it is seated and secure.

If you slap the bottom of the mag, it may cause an eruption of rounds into the chamber, especially when reloading from bolt lock and if the mag's feed lips are on the wide end of the spec. Slap it and you may have rounds falling out of the ejection port, a double feed, etc.

-RD62

[RD62]

Oh yeah. Meant to add that you may get a better response on questions of this type in the Training and Tactics forum.


-RD62

[Caeser25]

s.p.o.r.t.s ?

[sierrahotel]

It's an acronym for clearing a jam

Slap the magazine

Pull the charging handle

Observe the chamber

Release the charging handle

Tap the forward assist

Squeeze the trigger

[HES]

About slapping the magazine; there is a difference between slapping the magazine into place and beating it like Ike Turner on Tina. If your magazine distorts or breaks apart from simply slapping (I.e. not beating it like a red-headed stepchild) then you had a POS magazine that was on its last legs anyways. In 9 years in companies I never once saw a magazine break or distort from simply slapping it into place. Does it mean its impossible to happen? Of course not. Nothing (besides my little brother become a productive member of society) is impossible. But the odds of damaging a magazine from slapping it are probably close to winning the lottery.

[Failure2Stop]

Striking a magazine is ok when the bolt is forward. As in during "immediate action"- since the gun went click the hammer fell, therefore the bolt had to be forward. The feed-lips should not touch the bottom of the bolt during operation. If they are, something is wrong. It may be necessary during a tactical/condition 1 reload if you fail to seat the mag or are stuffing 30 rounds into GI mags (which id bad, BTW).

The time to be most concerned with slapping the mag is when the bolt is to the rear- as in during a speed/emergency/dry reload. In this case the top rounds can pop free of the feed-lips when the magazine is forcefully struck. It also requires you to remove your hand from the magazine without seating the magazine, which will eventually lead to the magazine falling out of the gun as you try to slap the mag. That is a prime indicator of amateur status, doubly if you are doing it with your firing hand.