Should I hold in my magazine release when I insert a mag?

[geologist]

I just read on the internet (so it must be true ) that it is better for your pistol to hold down the magazine release button when you are inserting a mag into your pistol.

Once the magazine is fully inserted, release the button.

I have never heard this before.

The article also said not to slap the bottom of the magazine when you are inserting it. I thought a firm tap on the bottom of the mag was OK?

Is this internet gun expert on the level? He was writing about 1911's but I'd like to extend these questions to pistols in general.

 

[Furync]

I allways thought slapping your mag in was a Hollywood thing. I heard that if you slap it in all the time, the "lips" of the mag will bend and start having a hard time feeding. Kind of logic when you think about it. This applies to all magazine fed firearms IMO, not just pistols.

 

[maurice]

It does need pressure sometimes to press it in, but you should not have to hold the mag release in????? It should catch and hold in when you have it in far enough.

 

[gorky]

I am not the guy to answer it but I am sure the guys that are REALLY into IPSC and have 50k rounds through their guns can give you a good answer (I have NEVER seen someone dilly dally a mag in while holding the mag release while at a match or practice session).

 

[hoochie]

i dont, never heard of that either. No need in my g17 or P99.. just goes in. After i engage the mag release buttom, i return my thumb to its "grip" postion.

 

[geologist]

I have NEVER seen someone dilly dally a mag in while holding the mag release while at a match or practice session

Good point!

 

[eh class]

I've never held in my mag release,just try to get the mag change done as quick as I can without missing ( I have seen some guys alot better than I am that miss the gun and send the mag flying from time to time)

 

[Slavex]

holding in a mag release with a 1911 (or any pistol really) is a good way to get a jam and not seat your mag properly. On 1911's where people are using longer than normal mags (single stack 10 rounders say), if your slide is locked back, and you insert the mag whilst holding the mag button, you will be jamming the mag up too far. Possibly damaging the mag, and most certainly getting it jammed all to hell. Not sure why anyone would want to hold the button down, it sounds rather dumb to me. But there is a possibility that with ISU type pistols it's needed??????

 

[omen]

But there is a possibility that with ISU type pistols it's needed??????

Definitely not.

This is all nonsense, some gun-expert-wanna-be came up with something new to make it seem like (s)he knows something no one else does.

 

[nairbg]

The mag release in my 1911 moves a tab that engages a notch in the magazine. This engagement limits the long-axis travel of the magazine in the grip in both directions; preventing it from falling out, of course, but also from moving upward further than designed. By the looks of things in there, this tab-in-slot mechanism positions the magazine precisely for the stripping of a round from the magazine and into the chamber. Vertical overtravel caused by bypassing the tab-notch location looks to create the possibility of mis-feeding, and possibly of magazine damage.

Looks like a bad idea to hold the release in, on this 1911, anyway.

 

[Ceska]

I just read on the internet (so it must be true ) that it is better for your pistol to hold down the magazine release button when you are inserting a mag into your pistol.

Once the magazine is fully inserted, release the button.

That's what you get for reading on the internet.
Anyone with even a couple of years experience in magazine changing will spot this piece of internet gold for what it is.

 

[sunray]

"...read on the internet..." More internet clap trap.

 

[iamcanadianeh]

You would think that it would be mentioned in a instruction manual or two if thats the way it was supposed to be. Until then, I'll just keep my thumb off the mag release when loading.

 

[pmt]

It's a mag RELEASE button, not a mag insertion button.

 

[Slavex]

It's a mag RELEASE button, not a mag insertion button.

pure gold!!!!

 

[mebiuspower]

It's a mag RELEASE button, not a mag insertion button.

This just in. The sky is blue and the sea is green.

 

[texdores]

Mag release buttons on ISSF pisolts?

holding in a mag release with a 1911 (or any pistol really) is a good way to get a jam and not seat your mag properly. On 1911's where people are using longer than normal mags (single stack 10 rounders say), if your slide is locked back, and you insert the mag whilst holding the mag button, you will be jamming the mag up too far. Possibly damaging the mag, and most certainly getting it jammed all to hell. Not sure why anyone would want to hold the button down, it sounds rather dumb to me. But there is a possibility that with ISU type pistols it's needed??????

Hi Slavex,
I shot ISSF ( formerly known as ISU) for about 20 years and never ever saw a need for depressing the mag release button other than extracting the mag. Changing the mag is not of any importance in any of the ISSF disciplines, as it is not part of the time alloted for any series.

 

[Slavex]

I didn't think it would be something ISU guys would do, but thought I'd throw it out there and see. I can't see any reason at all for doing what was suggested, and think that the braniac that wrote what Geologist quoted was actually unfamiliar with firearms, beyond what he'd seen in movies.

 

[BenJiMan]

It's a mag RELEASE button, not a mag insertion button.

could not say it any better or any clearer

 

[USP]

I just insert the mag, till theres bout 1/4" or alittle more still showing then give it a good whack to make sure its seated...

Some of the polymer mags need a good hit to make them lock in place...