Loaded Gun - Switching Magazines - OK?

BarryLee · January 17, 2020, 10:56 AM

Ok, I understand that chambering a round in a semi-auto handgun can potentially cause bullet setback. My question doesn't include removing the cartridge from the chamber only switching magazines.

I often carry a GLOCK G26 with 12 round magazine. However, at home I might like to remove the 12 round magazine and insert a 17 round version. Then switch back and forth multiple times.

So, might switching magazines cause some issue I am not aware of?

Carmady · January 17, 2020, 11:04 AM

Yes.

It's the same thing as having an LCP loaded 6 + 1 and firing 6, then swapping in a loaded mag for the empty mag while the pistol is in battery with a live round in the chamber.

Edit:
Yes, it's okay to do it (as asked in the title).
No, it doesn't cause any issues (as asked in the text).

BarryLee · January 17, 2020, 11:22 AM

Thanks

veprdude · January 17, 2020, 11:28 AM

What exact issue does mag swaps with one in the chamber cause? A fully loaded mag shouldn't care if the chamber is loaded or not.

HighDesert · January 17, 2020, 11:42 AM

Swapping mags without being empty is highly recommended in a competitive shooting situation and is done regularly. Swapping when empty loses you time, so absolutely no issues with this practice.

BarryLee · January 17, 2020, 11:44 AM

None that I'm aware of, but just asking. I'm not sure I would have thought of bullet setback if I had not read about it here. So, just making sure.

veprdude · January 17, 2020, 11:57 AM

I don't see why inserting and reinserting magazines would cause bullet setback. And if it does either change ammo brands or buy self defense stuff with cannelures. That said, I try to cycle my carry ammo every few months by shooting it at the range. This solves two problems- any bullets that get dented, dusty, dirty, pushed in or out get used up and the handgun is tested with these ammo carry conditions.

**44 AMP** · January 17, 2020, 02:19 PM

Ammo in the magazine does NOT get bullet setback. (the exception is with "elephant gun" class rifle rounds, where recoil can slam the bullets into the magazine wall with enough force to drive the bullet deeper in the case) This does NOT happen in handguns.

Setback, if it happens, happens during feeding from the magazine into the chamber.

The only possible issue swapping loaded magazines is when the slide is closed, A little more force is required to lock the mag in place because the top round is pressing on the slide. This is true with ALL box magazine fed arms. It takes a little more force to seat and lock a loaded magazine than it does an empty one.

As you as you ensure the magazine is properly locked in place, there is no issue.

wild cat mccane · January 17, 2020, 02:41 PM

The base of the magazine stops the mag from hitting and ruining your extractor. Glock has a built in stop on their mags.

Without the base plate acting as a stop, yes. Your extractor would be broken.

Kevin Rohrer · January 17, 2020, 05:20 PM

What causes issues is when people use handguns w/o the proper training.

TunnelRat · January 17, 2020, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wild cat mccane

The base of the magazine stops the mag from hitting and ruining your extractor. Glock has a built in stop on their mags.

Without the base plate acting as a stop, yes. Your extractor would be broken.

It's not just on the mags with Glocks. It's a combination of the stops on the mags and in the magwell itself. I wish more designs copied it.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

**44 AMP** · January 17, 2020, 10:30 PM

Quote:

The base of the magazine stops the mag from hitting and ruining your extractor. Glock has a built in stop on their mags.

Without the base plate acting as a stop, yes. Your extractor would be broken.

Where the heck does this come from???

First, it has nothing to do with the OP (and therefore off topic) and second,
it is not true.

wild cat mccane · January 18, 2020, 11:19 AM

It is absolutely true that your mag base plate and mag well funneling (thanks TunnelRat) stops the magazine being pushed past the mag release tab and slamming into your extractor when an mag is forcefully pushed in.

It answers the original question, because I detailed what the problem would be and provided the mechanism that foils the issue.

Nope. By design, the only thing you could be wearing is the mag release. That's not going to be a real problem, but we did see it happen in pistol examples like the Kel Tec PF-9 when gen2 first came out.

So, I guess I kinda answered it the best in here

Carmady · January 18, 2020, 02:34 PM

The OP's question was about swapping mags while a round is still in the chamber.

That means the slide is shut, in battery.

The extractor is safe, no way the mag or top round in the mag could contact the extractor, baseplate or no baseplate.

If you look up the mag well with a flashlight while the slide is in battery the extractor is nowhere to be seen.

wild cat mccane · January 18, 2020, 03:05 PM

Just asked about swapping magazines.

Last sentence.

jmr40 · January 19, 2020, 06:59 PM

One potential problem that I can think of, but it is easy to check. Some magazines loaded to full capacity and inserted with the slide closed will not reliably feed the 1st round. Some will. It depends on the individual firearm and magazine.

If you are inserting a 12 round mag and loading the 1st round leaving 11 in the magazine and then later insert a fully loaded mag with 17 rounds it would be a good idea to verify at the range that the gun will function for the 1st round.

Some of my AR magazines won't work that way. One of the reasons many advise downloading by 1 or 2 rounds.

FireForged · January 19, 2020, 07:53 PM

All this hubbub over some guy wanting to put a longer magazine in his gun while ( around the house). I would have expected someone to simply suggest that he not worry about the 5 rounds to begin with. I doubt that any self defense action is going to hinge on him having a 17 round mag rather than the 12 round mag.

If the dang full magazine obviously seats properly while in battery, I wouldn't worry about it. Of course it goes without saying that you should always follow the guideline of the manufacturer, when and if such a guideline exists.

USNRet93 · January 22, 2020, 07:56 AM

When I shoot my Glocks, I often rack the slide, then remove the magazine, add one more round, re-insert the magazine..it hurts nuthin...

January 17, 2020, 10:56 AM	#1
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	Loaded Gun - Switching Magazines - OK? Ok, I understand that chambering a round in a semi-auto handgun can potentially cause bullet setback. My question doesn't include removing the cartridge from the chamber only switching magazines. I often carry a GLOCK G26 with 12 round magazine. However, at home I might like to remove the 12 round magazine and insert a 17 round version. Then switch back and forth multiple times. So, might switching magazines cause some issue I am not aware of? __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

January 17, 2020, 11:04 AM	#2
Carmady Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2013 Location: on the lam Posts: 1,735	Yes. It's the same thing as having an LCP loaded 6 + 1 and firing 6, then swapping in a loaded mag for the empty mag while the pistol is in battery with a live round in the chamber. Edit: Yes, it's okay to do it (as asked in the title). No, it doesn't cause any issues (as asked in the text). Last edited by Carmady; January 17, 2020 at 12:34 PM.

January 17, 2020, 11:22 AM	#3
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	Thanks __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

January 17, 2020, 11:44 AM	#6
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	None that I'm aware of, but just asking. I'm not sure I would have thought of bullet setback if I had not read about it here. So, just making sure. __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

January 17, 2020, 02:19 PM	#8
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,791	Ammo in the magazine does NOT get bullet setback. (the exception is with "elephant gun" class rifle rounds, where recoil can slam the bullets into the magazine wall with enough force to drive the bullet deeper in the case) This does NOT happen in handguns. Setback, if it happens, happens during feeding from the magazine into the chamber. The only possible issue swapping loaded magazines is when the slide is closed, A little more force is required to lock the mag in place because the top round is pressing on the slide. This is true with ALL box magazine fed arms. It takes a little more force to seat and lock a loaded magazine than it does an empty one. As you as you ensure the magazine is properly locked in place, there is no issue. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

January 17, 2020, 11:28 AM	#4
veprdude Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2019 Location: Texas Posts: 428	What exact issue does mag swaps with one in the chamber cause? A fully loaded mag shouldn't care if the chamber is loaded or not.

January 17, 2020, 11:42 AM	#5
HighDesert Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2014 Posts: 128	Swapping mags without being empty is highly recommended in a competitive shooting situation and is done regularly. Swapping when empty loses you time, so absolutely no issues with this practice.

January 17, 2020, 11:57 AM	#7
veprdude Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2019 Location: Texas Posts: 428	I don't see why inserting and reinserting magazines would cause bullet setback. And if it does either change ammo brands or buy self defense stuff with cannelures. That said, I try to cycle my carry ammo every few months by shooting it at the range. This solves two problems- any bullets that get dented, dusty, dirty, pushed in or out get used up and the handgun is tested with these ammo carry conditions.

January 17, 2020, 02:41 PM	#9
wild cat mccane Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 3,620	The base of the magazine stops the mag from hitting and ruining your extractor. Glock has a built in stop on their mags. Without the base plate acting as a stop, yes. Your extractor would be broken.

January 17, 2020, 05:20 PM	#10
Kevin Rohrer Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2010 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 1,049	What causes issues is when people use handguns w/o the proper training. __________________ Member: Orange Gunsite Family, NRA--Life, ARTCA, and American Legion. Caveat Emptor: Cavery Grips/AmericanGripz/Prestige Grips/Stealth Grips from Clayton, NC. He is a scammer

January 18, 2020, 11:19 AM	#13
wild cat mccane Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 3,620	It is absolutely true that your mag base plate and mag well funneling (thanks TunnelRat) stops the magazine being pushed past the mag release tab and slamming into your extractor when an mag is forcefully pushed in. It answers the original question, because I detailed what the problem would be and provided the mechanism that foils the issue. Nope. By design, the only thing you could be wearing is the mag release. That's not going to be a real problem, but we did see it happen in pistol examples like the Kel Tec PF-9 when gen2 first came out. So, I guess I kinda answered it the best in here Last edited by wild cat mccane; January 18, 2020 at 11:26 AM.

January 18, 2020, 02:34 PM	#14
Carmady Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2013 Location: on the lam Posts: 1,735	The OP's question was about swapping mags while a round is still in the chamber. That means the slide is shut, in battery. The extractor is safe, no way the mag or top round in the mag could contact the extractor, baseplate or no baseplate. If you look up the mag well with a flashlight while the slide is in battery the extractor is nowhere to be seen.

January 18, 2020, 03:05 PM	#15
wild cat mccane Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 3,620	Just asked about swapping magazines. Last sentence.

January 19, 2020, 06:59 PM	#16
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,803	One potential problem that I can think of, but it is easy to check. Some magazines loaded to full capacity and inserted with the slide closed will not reliably feed the 1st round. Some will. It depends on the individual firearm and magazine. If you are inserting a 12 round mag and loading the 1st round leaving 11 in the magazine and then later insert a fully loaded mag with 17 rounds it would be a good idea to verify at the range that the gun will function for the 1st round. Some of my AR magazines won't work that way. One of the reasons many advise downloading by 1 or 2 rounds. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

January 19, 2020, 07:53 PM	#17
FireForged Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 1999 Location: Rebel South USA Posts: 2,074	All this hubbub over some guy wanting to put a longer magazine in his gun while ( around the house). I would have expected someone to simply suggest that he not worry about the 5 rounds to begin with. I doubt that any self defense action is going to hinge on him having a 17 round mag rather than the 12 round mag. If the dang full magazine obviously seats properly while in battery, I wouldn't worry about it. Of course it goes without saying that you should always follow the guideline of the manufacturer, when and if such a guideline exists. __________________ Life is a web woven by necessity and chance...

January 22, 2020, 07:56 AM	#18
USNRet93 Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2018 Location: Republic of Boulder, USA Posts: 1,475	When I shoot my Glocks, I often rack the slide, then remove the magazine, add one more round, re-insert the magazine..it hurts nuthin... __________________ PhormerPhantomPhlyer "Tools not Trophies”

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