Mixed Magazines

Isk · December 7, 2011, 02:08 PM

I have read of people who mix up the ammo in their SD/HD guns. Some start with a few hollow points and then throw in FMJs in case they need to penetrate some kind of cover.

I have always simply loaded all 15 rounds of my Glock 19 mgs with high quality HP ammo. Do others mix their ammo? Is this common knowledge and something that I should be doing?

yustinus1973 · December 7, 2011, 02:12 PM

Well i just speak for my self. But i do not mix ammo in my mags, in the way you are saying. But if there are people out there that do i guess to each his own.

BarryLee · December 7, 2011, 02:44 PM

While I have heard of folks doing this I personally do not see that much benefit. I mean who can anticipate which shot from your gun needs to be a specific type of bullet. I guess I could see doing this in a revolver for woods use, maybe. It would also add this is just one more variable to deal with if the gun is giving you trouble.

Stonefly_Soldier · December 7, 2011, 03:18 PM

If I'm going to use multiple types of ammo I choose my revolver for the day so I can manually select the round I want(a little nail polish on the rim helps for ID)

wingspar · December 7, 2011, 03:20 PM

I’ll mix ammo in a mag at the range, but absolutely Not for HD/SD.

BigJimP · December 7, 2011, 04:46 PM

No, I don't mix it .....I think that's taking the concept of Defense to an extreme.../ and way, way overthinking the issue.

Your concern is 'defense' ....not a major gunfight ...and shooting thru cover...vs just leaving the area...come on man...

Isk · December 7, 2011, 05:05 PM

BigJimP,

That's kind of why I asked. Shooting through cover just didn't seem to be a very relevant concern.

federali · December 7, 2011, 06:35 PM

I think mixed ammo got its start when autoloaders were undergoing growing pains with the new JHP ammo and were very prone to stoppages. Gradually, gunmakers learned how to make guns that were more reliable with JHPs while ammo makers learned how to make JHPs the fed more reliably. Anybody remember JHPs with exposed lead at the tip that dragged on the feedramp?

Anyway, the way around the problem was to load a hollowpoint up the snout and follow it with FMJ ammo. In that way, worries about failure to feed were pretty much eliminated. I don't think the practice is valid or needed unless you have an autoloader that won't reliably feed anything but ball or FMJ.

Yung.gunr · December 7, 2011, 07:24 PM

I don't do it around town or in my HD gun. I do mix rounds when I am going into snake country. I will put a couple JHPs and then a snake shot or two in the mag for my XD. I guess I figure I can fire off the JHPs if encountered by a snake then get to the snake shot if still needed.

That's my logic anyway...

ohen cepel · December 7, 2011, 07:40 PM

For HD, no, I don't see any use in it. I will be more worried about not being shot to be worried about what the next round in the mag is. Looks neat in a movie but not practical in real life.

I have loaded snake shot in the first 2 cylinders of a carry revolver while in snake country. Different situation there though.

Dragline45 · December 7, 2011, 08:08 PM

If I want to carry two types of ammo ill carry an extra mag. I want consistency from shot to shot, alternating rounds in a magazine take away from just that.

FairWarning · December 7, 2011, 08:25 PM

No, just one tried and proven load at a time, although I carry a few different loads.

ClydeFrog · December 9, 2011, 03:55 AM

1) Metaphors
2) Medications
3) Pistol Magazines

Really, I've heard a few(not a lot, a small #) of pistol shooters/armed citizens who load different rounds in the same defense pistol magazine.
Do I do it?
No.
What I would suggest for some pistols is to load spare or 2nd/3rd mags with a high quality, factory made FMJ or ball type round for use in lethal force incidents. Mixing ammunition isn't very practical or smart in my opinion.
In my state state mandated re-qual(Glock 19/9x19mm), I had different 9mm ball rounds going off. It wasn't easy to deal with for me.

Train & carry the same size/weight and be able to feel/know how your protection firearm handles BEFORE you use it on duty/concealed use.

Clyde

Brian48 · December 9, 2011, 09:42 AM

I can see some people making the tactical arguments for this, but I've never bothered. If one really feels they need the penetration, then they should stick to fmj.

FireForged · December 9, 2011, 10:42 AM

I do not overintellectualize the issue.. I use Federal AE FMJ all the time.

RC20 · December 9, 2011, 12:40 PM

You can change the line of debater more correctly to Mixed Loads, not mixed magazines.

Also, the raging debate as to what is more effective (I will use 124 gr or its close size vs the 147 gr in 9mm).

My take is I load 124 as that is been recommended as the best possible load for the 9mm by the experts for home defense (i.e. it give the best possible performance expansion wise and penetration wise out of the 9mm). I use a well ranked SD load that has been 100% reliable in my gun and I work on my target shooting skills so I can pick where in the center of mass I will hit (if I have a good shot at a full upper body area, I am going to center in the upper body as I believe that gets you far higher possibility of a lethal round in the heart, lungs, blood vessels as well as possibly never centers).

However, there are proponents for the 147s. It seems to give you more penetration but less reliable expansion as you need to be over 1000 fps for that.

My brother decided to mix 124s and 147s as that gives him one of each school every two shots.

He is not trying to select any round if shooting, he just has both and uses them the same and covers both contentions. Interesting approach but I believe in 124s and am sticking with that.

December 7, 2011, 02:08 PM	#1
Isk Senior Member Join Date: June 28, 2011 Location: Alaska Posts: 206	Mixed Magazines I have read of people who mix up the ammo in their SD/HD guns. Some start with a few hollow points and then throw in FMJs in case they need to penetrate some kind of cover. I have always simply loaded all 15 rounds of my Glock 19 mgs with high quality HP ammo. Do others mix their ammo? Is this common knowledge and something that I should be doing?

December 7, 2011, 02:44 PM	#3
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	While I have heard of folks doing this I personally do not see that much benefit. I mean who can anticipate which shot from your gun needs to be a specific type of bullet. I guess I could see doing this in a revolver for woods use, maybe. It would also add this is just one more variable to deal with if the gun is giving you trouble. __________________ 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

December 7, 2011, 03:20 PM	#5
wingspar Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2009 Location: Oregon Posts: 258	I’ll mix ammo in a mag at the range, but absolutely Not for HD/SD. __________________ Gary Will Fly for Food... and more Ammo

December 7, 2011, 06:35 PM	#8
federali Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2011 Location: Nassau County NY Posts: 378	Mixed Ammo-- I think mixed ammo got its start when autoloaders were undergoing growing pains with the new JHP ammo and were very prone to stoppages. Gradually, gunmakers learned how to make guns that were more reliable with JHPs while ammo makers learned how to make JHPs the fed more reliably. Anybody remember JHPs with exposed lead at the tip that dragged on the feedramp? Anyway, the way around the problem was to load a hollowpoint up the snout and follow it with FMJ ammo. In that way, worries about failure to feed were pretty much eliminated. I don't think the practice is valid or needed unless you have an autoloader that won't reliably feed anything but ball or FMJ. __________________ Int'l Assoc. of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors

December 7, 2011, 07:24 PM	#9
Yung.gunr Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2010 Location: Phoenix area Posts: 1,442	I do it...... I don't do it around town or in my HD gun. I do mix rounds when I am going into snake country. I will put a couple JHPs and then a snake shot or two in the mag for my XD. I guess I figure I can fire off the JHPs if encountered by a snake then get to the snake shot if still needed. That's my logic anyway...

December 7, 2011, 02:12 PM	#2
yustinus1973 Member Join Date: June 22, 2011 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 40	Well i just speak for my self. But i do not mix ammo in my mags, in the way you are saying. But if there are people out there that do i guess to each his own.

December 7, 2011, 03:18 PM	#4
Stonefly_Soldier Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2011 Location: Colton, WA Posts: 168	If I'm going to use multiple types of ammo I choose my revolver for the day so I can manually select the round I want(a little nail polish on the rim helps for ID)

December 7, 2011, 04:46 PM	#6
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	No, I don't mix it .....I think that's taking the concept of Defense to an extreme.../ and way, way overthinking the issue. Your concern is 'defense' ....not a major gunfight ...and shooting thru cover...vs just leaving the area...come on man...

December 7, 2011, 05:05 PM	#7
Isk Senior Member Join Date: June 28, 2011 Location: Alaska Posts: 206	BigJimP, That's kind of why I asked. Shooting through cover just didn't seem to be a very relevant concern.

December 7, 2011, 07:40 PM	#10
ohen cepel Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 1999 Location: Where they send me Posts: 1,013	For HD, no, I don't see any use in it. I will be more worried about not being shot to be worried about what the next round in the mag is. Looks neat in a movie but not practical in real life. I have loaded snake shot in the first 2 cylinders of a carry revolver while in snake country. Different situation there though. __________________ He who dares wins. NRA Life Benefactor Member

December 7, 2011, 08:08 PM	#11
Dragline45 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2010 Posts: 3,513	If I want to carry two types of ammo ill carry an extra mag. I want consistency from shot to shot, alternating rounds in a magazine take away from just that.

December 7, 2011, 08:25 PM	#12
FairWarning Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: GA Posts: 1,149	No, just one tried and proven load at a time, although I carry a few different loads. __________________ Mauser Werke, Schmidt-Rubin, Colt, Walther, HK, Weatherby, Sig Sauer, Browning, Ruger, Beretta, etc, etc....a few friends of mine

December 9, 2011, 03:55 AM	#13
ClydeFrog Junior member Join Date: May 1, 2010 Posts: 5,797	3 things you should never mix... 1) Metaphors 2) Medications 3) Pistol Magazines Really, I've heard a few(not a lot, a small #) of pistol shooters/armed citizens who load different rounds in the same defense pistol magazine. Do I do it? No. What I would suggest for some pistols is to load spare or 2nd/3rd mags with a high quality, factory made FMJ or ball type round for use in lethal force incidents. Mixing ammunition isn't very practical or smart in my opinion. In my state state mandated re-qual(Glock 19/9x19mm), I had different 9mm ball rounds going off. It wasn't easy to deal with for me. Train & carry the same size/weight and be able to feel/know how your protection firearm handles BEFORE you use it on duty/concealed use. Clyde

December 9, 2011, 09:42 AM	#14
Brian48 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2001 Location: Boston, People's Republic of MA Posts: 1,616	I can see some people making the tactical arguments for this, but I've never bothered. If one really feels they need the penetration, then they should stick to fmj. __________________ Proud to have served.

December 9, 2011, 10:42 AM	#15
FireForged Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 1999 Location: Rebel South USA Posts: 2,074	I do not overintellectualize the issue.. I use Federal AE FMJ all the time. __________________ Life is a web woven by necessity and chance...

December 9, 2011, 12:40 PM	#16
RC20 Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 7,014	You can change the line of debater more correctly to Mixed Loads, not mixed magazines. Also, the raging debate as to what is more effective (I will use 124 gr or its close size vs the 147 gr in 9mm). My take is I load 124 as that is been recommended as the best possible load for the 9mm by the experts for home defense (i.e. it give the best possible performance expansion wise and penetration wise out of the 9mm). I use a well ranked SD load that has been 100% reliable in my gun and I work on my target shooting skills so I can pick where in the center of mass I will hit (if I have a good shot at a full upper body area, I am going to center in the upper body as I believe that gets you far higher possibility of a lethal round in the heart, lungs, blood vessels as well as possibly never centers). However, there are proponents for the 147s. It seems to give you more penetration but less reliable expansion as you need to be over 1000 fps for that. My brother decided to mix 124s and 147s as that gives him one of each school every two shots. He is not trying to select any round if shooting, he just has both and uses them the same and covers both contentions. Interesting approach but I believe in 124s and am sticking with that.