View Full Version : How Do You Mark Your Magazines?
Specifically polymer such as Magpul, and GI too?
I want to number them and otherwise be able to easily identify what ammunition is loaded.
I'm using an automotive paint touch up pen, in a dark gray on black Magpul. Doesn't scream hey look at me, and I can still see it.
ColtSeavers
10-12-17, 11:17
Rough up surface with brillo pad/steel wool/whatever. Apply Sharpie/Spray paint identification. Reapply as necessary.
Sharpie
Blue/black for fde
Metallic silver for black
5.56 Bonded SP
10-12-17, 12:05
Specifically polymer such as Magpul, and GI too?
I want to number them and otherwise be able to easily identify what ammunition is loaded.
I have gi, pmag, and lancers. So far the Lancers are the only ones that haven't given me any problems.
The only thing I do to mark my magazines are wrap some tape around them if I have a magazine related malfunction and those magazines are restricted for range use only.
When I do training where I bring my own magazines and my own personal firearms, I put a little bit of green spray paint on my magazines so that they don't get mixed up with other people's. I'll make a little stencil with masking tape so it's a nice clean green line across the magazines.
Ohsheepdog01
10-12-17, 12:56
Strip of orange duct tape on the body to ID as mine in class, paint pen # on baseplate to ID individual mag in case of failure
voiceofreason
10-12-17, 13:17
Sharpie
Smith - 81
Last name - # of magazine
I don't mark the mag as holding specific ammo, but if I load anything into a mag... it's ONLY the exact same round
I look at the tip of the first round to know what I have the entire mag loaded with
Frangible, FMJ, Gold Dot, 7xgr boattail hollowpoint, etc.
once it wears out, feed lips open, doesn't feed reliably...
I add a giant "T" at the end of the above line to show it's now a TRAINING mag
though based on the above post... I might consider wrapping my mags in bright tape for classes.
When I have a (verified) mag problem I stick a round in it -backwards.
It is then thrown in the range bag.
When I get home I determine if the issue is "fixable" (spring, new follower), repair and verify repair as good to go.
If it's roached beyond repair I clean them up and give them to my competitors. (:
Actually these mags become last ditch range mags and are suitably marked.
Specifically polymer such as Magpul, and GI too?
I want to number them and otherwise be able to easily identify what ammunition is loaded.
Walmart paint marker (arts and crafts isle). Haven’t had them in the rain, but it seems to be relatively durable for normal use - handling, going in pouches, etc. So far it’s been resistant to humidity.
For the ammo markings, the above suggestion to stick a piece of tape on the mag then write on it is pretty good.
I label my initials & a number on my mags to help identify them as mine and keep track of any potential bad ones.
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contax_shooter
10-12-17, 14:25
Walmart paint marker (arts and crafts isle). Haven’t had them in the rain, but it seems to be relatively durable for normal use - handling, going in pouches, etc. So far it’s been resistant to humidity.
For the ammo markings, the above suggestion to stick a piece of tape on the mag then write on it is pretty good.
I label my initials & a number on my mags to help identify them as mine and keep track of any potential bad ones.
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I use Sharpie branded oil paint pens and they get washed out when wet rather easily.
Grn3 Pmags, silver or yellow paint marker in the dot matrix on the black mags, sand and MCT, black sharpie.
G.I. mags, any color paint marker.
I always think back to some guy on TOS years back who said sarcastically... he puts the mags in the bath tube and pees on them to mark them with scent. :D
I use silver sharpies on black Magpul magazines. I use black on tan ones. USGI mags I use orange paint pens.
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ColtSeavers
10-12-17, 17:22
Wow, guess i should've been more specific in my first post.
I use silver sharpies on my Battlemags after ruffing them up a bit.
I use gold sharpies on my USGI mags and surefire 60s.
BrigandTwoFour
10-12-17, 18:04
I took some number stencils and a can of spray paint a few years back. Works well enough.
For training classes, I will also wrap with blaze orange tape and write name on it.
https://everydaymarksman.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/p1010684.jpg
bamashooter
10-12-17, 19:05
Sharpie
Blue/black for fde
Metallic silver for black
Same here. And black on any magazine that has enough contrast. Same for silver sharpie.
SeriousStudent
10-12-17, 19:47
I always think back to some guy on TOS years back who said sarcastically... he puts the mags in the bath tube and pees on them to mark them with scent. :D
My day is complete. I remember that from about 10 years back. :cool:
Clear Lancers get black sharpie. GI aluminum and black PMags get silver metallic Sharpie.
https://i.imgur.com/6UySZXa.jpg
Stole one of my wifes silver paint markers... works like a champ
Rattlecan camo, plus initials and numbers in Sharpie or paint marker. Previously, I have used "battle roster numbers", call signs, letters A-G, etc, and some of those mags are still in rotation or semi retired. Markings typically go both on baseplate and the left side of the mag. I still have a few sentimental mags with the markings on green duct tape, and the gray having a brassy hue.
A mag that has a probable mag related malf gets a "T" or a Sharpie/Paint pen stripe in a groove (where it can't wear off). I have also spray painted some orange or red for the same reason. Second strike warrants destruction.
Mags are consumable.
Eurodriver
10-12-17, 22:33
To you guys with mag failures, and I’m not picking on anyone or trying to start a fight, what brands do you use and how do you know it is magazine related?
I have used (green and orange follower) Okay, NHTMG, Colt, and Magpul for a decade and never ever ever had a magazine fail or even wear out. In fact, and this is almost swear-worthy, I would say that I have gone at least 5 years without a single malfunction of any kind with a 5.56mm AR.
So it’s just surprising for me to see. That’s all.
masenomics
10-12-17, 23:13
To you guys with mag failures, and I’m not picking on anyone or trying to start a fight, what brands do you use and how do you know it is magazine related?
I have used (green and orange follower) Okay, NHTMG, Colt, and Magpul for a decade and never ever ever had a magazine fail or even wear out. In fact, and this is almost swear-worthy, I would say that I have gone at least 5 years without a single malfunction of any kind with a 5.56mm AR.
So it’s just surprising for me to see. That’s all.
I live in Colorado and I've actually had a few magpul gen m2 30 round magazines fail without much use, idk maybe it's the cold that got to them but I had a couple magpul polymer mags fail.
I live in Colorado and I've actually had a few magpul gen m2 30 round magazines fail without much use, idk maybe it's the cold that got to them but I had a couple magpul polymer mags fail.
How did they fail? Specs of mags? (Age, color, approx. use, etc.)
masenomics
10-12-17, 23:23
How did they fail? Specs of mags? (Age, color, approx. use, etc.)
They were all fde gen m2 from around 2010-11, I stippled a couple and they were dropped on concrete fully loaded in sub zero temps. so that might have something to do with it.
Plastic mags, Glocks or AR's, soldering iron and melt in my initials and number. Everything else I use a Marsh brand paint pen.
They were all fde gen m2 from around 2010-11, I stippled a couple and they were dropped on concrete fully loaded in sub zero temps. so that might have something to do with it.
Ok, thanks. FDE mags are notorious for cracking, especially when dropped.
To you guys with mag failures, and I’m not picking on anyone or trying to start a fight, what brands do you use and how do you know it is magazine related?
I have used (green and orange follower) Okay, NHTMG, Colt, and Magpul for a decade and never ever ever had a magazine fail or even wear out. In fact, and this is almost swear-worthy, I would say that I have gone at least 5 years without a single malfunction of any kind with a 5.56mm AR.
So it’s just surprising for me to see. That’s all.
I have a few early HK black mags that my unit tried out. These had a lot of (relatively) stoppages that were mag related. Heavy mag plus fairly malleable feed lips equals bent lips after dropping. I've also seen them do a wierd thing with stripper clips/little gray speeloaders, where two rounds will stack on the same side of the mag instead of staggering. You can catch it because the top round will be on the wrong side. It happens occasionally with other mags, also, but these did it somewhat often. You get a couple FTF's in the first couple rounds of a fresh mag, then if you pull it and take a look, the rounds have little or no tension pushing them up. Because of the two rounds stacked wierd, creating friction. If you drop it and it hits the ground, several (like maybe a dozen) rounds get ejected past the feed lips. I've only kept these mags because I believed they may have increased value one day.
Generally, I agree that good mags last, unless they get abused. But they are cheap enough to replace if there is any doubt. You have to realize, I developed my paranoia about mags in a time when it was routine for a junior Soldier to get issued mags that previous people had tried to turn in because they were eff'd. Units or individuals weren't buying brand new Magpuls or whatever on every deployment cycle, and leaders acted like mags had serial numbers or something, instead of treating them as consumable. Plus you got guys doing bounding drills and shit, mags in pouches in front of their body armor or LBE getting slammed in the dirt, repeatedly. Double feeds and crap like that used to be fairly common, and Joe would get a lecture about maintenance, followed by an attempt to DX, resulting in 7 more questionable mags, and his old ones get re-issued to another Private. So we started destroying them so they can't get re-issued.
And the AWB sucked, in part because there was none of this innovation that we have now, where companies are making better, more durable mags. A Soldier who was dissatisfied with his log support couldn't just save up for some PMags.
Nowadays, if you aren't lowcrawling and IMT'ing and shit, a regular gray mag with a Magpul follower will last a long time and treat you right. But I still mark my mags and reserve the right to smash them with hammers. Worn out Army mags are the reason people used to think M16's are unreliable, and yeah, I'm still pissy about it.
ExplorinInTheWoods
10-13-17, 08:00
Blue paint pen for AR mags orange for 308 green for glock initials and mag number. Might use my Troy mags for 300 blackout one day when I start shooting that again.
Black Sharpie for USGI and paint pen for polymer.
ETA: I use blue masking tape to mark certain ammo in the mag, but this isn't common for me.
Averageman
10-13-17, 09:08
I have a number of magazines in the line up for regular training and when I new one goes in it gets my last initial and a number.
If it becomes suspicious I simply throw it in the bucket I take to the range and inspect it when I get home. A white paint pen seems to work fine for anything I need to do.
When I worked in the Arms Room I inspected magazines before and after every trip to the range and removed suspect magazines that were showing obvious damage. On the range I would separate them if someone had an issue and replace as necessary.
Occasionally ordering one hundred at a time brought some resistance.
Evel Baldgui
10-13-17, 12:13
Silver sharpie w/ initials on all, only magpuls, don't own any GI mags
Blue tape on side for social issues ammo
No markings on practice ammo mags
I've gone to adding the tan base plates to my M3 mags as of late for training mags and leaving the black ones on for duty mags. Costs more and I probably won't keep doing it but I like being able to look at a stack of mags and knowing if they are training or duty right away. As for numbering, I take a white sharpie paint pen and mark them with the first letter of my last name and a number.
bikemike555
10-13-17, 18:12
I used number stickers and spray painted over them, then peeled the stickers off. I did them quick and nasty to make them look kind of splattery and I did both sides. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171013/4b4f4d41590119d564509e2175b52567.jpg
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Search results-
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?62295-Marking-Labeling-your-magazine
And here's a thread when you asked a similar question in 2016- https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?182686-How-Do-You-Mark-Identify-Your-Magazines
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?181286-Numbering-Your-Magazines/page3
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?93814-Keeping-Track-of-Magazines
fedupflyer
10-13-17, 20:11
Ok, thanks. FDE mags are notorious for cracking, especially when dropped.
how notorious is notorious?....I have never heard of it.
how notorious is notorious?....I have never heard of it.
It was well-known with older FDE magazines. Something about making them accept the FDE dye is weaker than the black poly. I believe the M3 magazines don't have the problem.
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Dr. Bullseye
10-19-17, 17:17
I am in a 10 round state and use steel USGI mags so these are both for the range and self defense should the situation arise. I mark the face of the mag which faces me when I put it in. This is of course the side with the slot to lock it in place. I mark this with a dab of orange fluorscent paint. This may seem stupid to 30 round guys since it is hard to get confused and put this in backwards but with the small ten round, especially in dim light, this distinction is not so clear, especially under pressure.
I use a white paint pen from the craft store. (Metal pen body with a rattle ball that mixes actual paint).
Radio number and "D#" = Duty mags
"T#"= Training mags
"A#"- My boxes of assorted gen3 pmags
Odds and ends magazines just get the last name in white paint marker
how notorious is notorious?....I have never heard of it.
My first Pannone class saw two brand new FDE mags trashed by on Day One. They were the only mags I saw fail in a generally well prepped group of guys.
I number mine with a silver Sharpie. Pretty simple.
My first Pannone class saw two brand new FDE mags trashed by on Day One. They were the only mags I saw fail in a generally well prepped group of guys.
Yep, heard about it back in 2010 in a Defoor TS class.............
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