Magazines in the Dirt

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Leavenworth

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I have been watching a few YouTube videos on completion shooting and when they eject a magazine for reload they just let it fall to the ground don’t they get beat up doing that ?

Also when at the range to retrieve your brass does anyone use some sort of net off to the side to catch your brass for reloading rather than picking it up off the ground ?
Leavenworth
 
Leavenworth said:
I have been watching a few YouTube videos on completion shooting and when they eject a magazine for reload they just let it fall to the ground don’t they get beat up doing that ?

Also when at the range to retrieve your brass does anyone use some sort of net off to the side to catch your brass for reloading rather than picking it up off the ground ?
Leavenworth
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Depends on the mags. Glocks no problem. Lots of mags have polymer or aluminum integral or add-on base pads, most of which also no problem. All metal with no base plate, like original 1911 mags can get dented damaged hitting hard or inconsistent ground.

Lots of standing brass catchers available. Lots of gun mounted brass catchers available. I have Caldwell AR pic mounted catcher for anything with a top rail, and Akuna catcher for lower rail mounted on glocks Glocks.
 
Nobody really uses anything to catch brass while shooting at a match. Generally it is not considered proper etiquette to pick up brass during a match as it slows it down too much especially if the entire squad was to do so. This is more true for action matches and not as much for precision/accuracy type matches. More often then not brass picking is permitted after the days shooting is done, occasionally between squads if time permits.

Yes your mags can be damaged but as mentioned adding proper pads can help with that so that the base pad take more of the damage. I have had mags last 10+ years if they are quality mags and others only a year or two. Your mileage will very depending on what type of ground they are dropped on, quality of base pad and mag and obviously on how often that particular mag is dropped. To help make them last a good practice is to rotate their use to even out the damage and extend their useful life.
 
Nobody really uses anything to catch brass while shooting at a match. Generally it is not considered proper etiquette to pick up brass during a match as it slows it down too much especially if the entire squad was to do so. This is more true for action matches and not as much for precision/accuracy type matches. More often then not brass picking is permitted after the days shooting is done, occasionally between squads if time permits.

Yes your mags can be damaged but as mentioned adding proper pads can help with that so that the base pad take more of the damage. I have had mags last 10+ years if they are quality mags and others only a year or two. Your mileage will very depending on what type of ground they are dropped on, quality of base pad and mag and obviously on how often that particular mag is dropped. To help make them last a good practice is to rotate their use to even out the damage and extend their useful life.
 
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Leavenworth said:
I have been watching a few YouTube videos on completion shooting and when they eject a magazine for reload they just let it fall to the ground don’t they get beat up doing that ?...
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There's nothing stopping you from handling your magazines into a dump pouch instead of dropping them on the ground. Depending on the stage, it might not even slow you down (e.g. reloading on the move). But you won't see the "go fast" guys doing it.

Yes, it is hard on them. Especially when they are partially or mostly full (it happens), and depending on how and where they land. Bumpers and weighted base pads generally help, but aren't allowed in some categories.

Magazines are a consumable item, and the heart of any semiautomatic firearm. Stock up!
 
Sorry if my post did not come across as that clear . I was talking about collecting brass when shooting at the range not while competing Leavenworth
SVISTI1911 said:
Nobody really uses anything to catch brass while shooting at a match. Generally it is not considered proper etiquette to pick up brass during a match as it alows it down too much especially if the entire squad was to do so. This is more true for action matches and not as much for precision/accuracy type matches. More often then not brass picking is permitted after the days shooting is done, occasionally between squads if time permits.

Yes your mags can be damaged but as mentioned adding proper pads can help with that so that the base pad take more of the damage. I have had mags last 10+ years if they are quality mags and others only a year or two. Your mileage will very depending on what type of ground they are dropped on, quality of base pad and mag and obviously on how often that particular mag is dropped. To help make them last a good practice is to rotate their use to even out the damage and extend their useful life.
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SVISTI1911 said:
Nobody really uses anything to catch brass while shooting at a match. Generally it is not considered proper etiquette to pick up brass during a match as it alows it down too much especially if the entire squad was to do so. This is more true for action matches and not as much for precision/accuracy type matches. More often then not brass picking is permitted after the days shooting is done, occasionally between squads if time permits.
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Funny, I shot IPSC in BC & Saskatchewan from '86 to '96 and everyone picked up a fellow shooters mags, brass and patched targets back in the day this did not slow things down. Personally in attending matches in the last 2 years, I see it as a lack of proper etiquette, unless the match is advertised as a "lost brass" match.
 
Mags are a consumable item. Most mags will function fine even with a bit of dirt and mud in them. Lots of IPSC shooters disassemble their mags between stages if they get really dirty and run a mag brush through them.
 
Garand said:
Funny, I shot IPSC in BC & Saskatchewan from '86 to '96 and everyone picked up a fellow shooters mags, brass and patched targets back in the day this did not slow things down. Personally in attending matches in the last 2 years, I see it as a lack of proper etiquette, unless the match is advertised as a "lost brass" match.
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Yeah a lot of things have changed since the 90's.

It may happen more often at smaller matches, level 1s etc. but the bigger matches with 125 or more shooters, I just don't see it happening during the match proper.
 
Garand said:
Funny, I shot IPSC in BC & Saskatchewan from '86 to '96 and everyone picked up a fellow shooters mags, brass and patched targets back in the day this did not slow things down. Personally in attending matches in the last 2 years, I see it as a lack of proper etiquette, unless the match is advertised as a "lost brass" match.
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These days at some matches, in a squad of 10, you’re lucky if 3 people consistently help patch and reset…if we had to wait for the brass pickers too we’d only get 2 or 3 squads in before dark. Plenty of time to police brass between squads or after the match.

As for mags, they are consumable…They get beat up and that’s all part of it…Once a mag is beat up to the point it becomes unreliable (many thousand rounds usually), it goes into the parts bin. I also have dedicated practice mags and match mags…Older mags get moved into the practice bag when I rotate new mags into the mix…
 
Innavedaw said:
These days at some matches, in a squad of 10, you’re lucky if 3 people consistently help patch and reset…if we had to wait for the brass pickers too we’d only get 2 or 3 squads in before dark. Plenty of time to police brass between squads or after the match.
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Yeah this in a nutshell. We run squads of 10, say right in the safety briefing that if you’re not on deck, shooting, or just shot you should be helping reset. That lasts about 2 stages and then everyone stands around chatting and you have to yell at them to come help. Occasionally people pick up brass and you’re constantly yelling at them to clear the range for the next shooter because they’re not paying attention.
 
Leavenworth said:
Sorry if my post did not come across as that clear . I was talking about collecting brass when shooting at the range not while competing Leavenworth
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You are suppose to, but many are lazy and leave it for others to do so.

Many comp shooters put bases on the mag to prevent them from getting damaged when shooting matches. If I'm shooting PPC on a concrete pad. I'll catch it and toss it forward into the dirt, vs smashing off concrete.
 
Quality mags can take a beating, but eventually it is a good idea to have practice mags and match mags. Keep an eye on them and fix things as needed. You'll spend a metric ton more on ammo than you will on mags, even if you run something like an SV.
And yes, people use nets, or tarps, even at matches, to catch brass. CED makes a nice net with a funnel to a 5 gallon bucket that is portable and easy to setup. We use it at steel night and I've seen them placed at IPSC matches in positions that are common for competitors to all shoot from, without getting in the way. Tarps are often put in out in similar places to catch brass too.
And yeah, back in the 90s when people made their own targets out of old beer cases, for matches, things were different. Now clubs are trying to hammer through as many people as possible due to increased demand at matches. Picking brass can be done after a match is shot usually, occasionally you might be able to get some between shooters, but usually not as you'd likely get in people's way when they are doing their last dry run as the next shooter.
 
Slavex said:
And yeah, back in the 90s when people made their own targets out of old beer cases, for matches, things were different. Now clubs are trying to hammer through as many people as possible due to increased demand at matches. Picking brass can be done after a match is shot usually, occasionally you might be able to get some between shooters, but usually not as you'd likely get in people's way when they are doing their last dry run as the next shooter.
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I shot IPSC from Squamish to Chilliwack from '86 to '90 and I have absolutely no recollection of anything used but authorized targetry , never out of old beer cases. From what I have seen recently young shooters lack the range etiquette that we had 40 years ago. The only question if if it is the lack of training or laziness?
 
Garand said:
I shot IPSC from Squamish to Chilliwack from '86 to '90 and I have absolutely no recollection of anything used but authorized targetry , never out of old beer cases. From what I have seen recently young shooters lack the range etiquette that we had 40 years ago. The only question if if it is the lack of training or laziness?
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the entire reason we have a rule regarding what targets (must be from IPSC BC or an approved supplier) is because people literally made their own targets and tried to run matches with them.
As for range etiquette differences, I'd suggest it's selective memory. My introduction to the sport in the early 90s was presented in such a way I didn't start shooting IPSC until 2000, rude and condescending douchebags were the norm back then. We definitely have fewer of them now, at least locally, but still have too many.
 
I try to be conscious of where the mag will be going as I eject, for example rotate the pistol clockwise just a bit to drop the mag to my left if I'm moving right, so it's far less likely to get trodden on or become a skateboard underfoot on a smooth concrete range floor. The RO will appreciate that too.
 
Get a mag brush to clean your mags. If you want to win, dropping the mags is part of the deal. Hell I even have extended base plates that are heavier so the mags drop faster so I can reload quicker.
 
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