Will Your Mags Fail You?

By Kippi Leatham

If you’re like most people, it’s not always easy finding time to get to the range. And when the opportunity presents itself, there is the tendency to just want to shoot to improve your pistol shooting skills. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with working on accuracy, speed, the draw, reloads, discipline, etc. However, it’s equally important to make sure all of your equipment is in good working order.

Any time you get a new type of ammunition, whether it’s a different manufacturer, a new lot of powder or different bullet weight or shape, you want to group it, sight it in and make sure it functions in your gun. There’s nothing more important than reliability.

Likewise, when you get new magazines, you also need to ensure they work — in a variety of situations.

Magazine Testing 101

Here is the testing routine I go through when I get new mags, am preparing for a major match, or when I have magazines that just haven’t seen much attention or use from me. Today I’m testing my Springfield Custom 9mm 1911 Single Stack (that I use for competition) with three new 10-round magazines:

Empty Magazine Test

My first test:

• Release the slide forward.
• Seat empty mag.
• Ensure mag drops from the gun easily.
• Test with the gun in an upright position and with the gun tilted at 30 to 45-degree angles.

My second test:

• Lock the slide open.
• Seat empty mag.
• Ensure mag drops from gun easily.
• Test with the gun in an upright position and with the gun tilted at 30 to 45-degree angles.

My third test:

• Release the slide forward.
• Seat empty mag.
• Pull the slide to the rear to ensure the slide locks open.
• Release/drop magazine from the gun.

Partially Loaded Magazine Test

My first test:

• Load all magazines with one (1) round.
• Release the slide forward.
• Seat magazine.
• Load gun — Pull the slide completely to the rear and release. Do not “ride” the slide or lower it gently.
• Fire the round.
• Ensure the magazine locks the slide open after firing the round.

My second test:

• Load all magazines with one (1) round.
• Lock the slide open.
• Seat magazine.
• Release the slide. Do not “ride” the slide or lower it gently.
• Fire the round.
• Ensure the magazine locks the slide open after firing the round.

My third test:

• Load all magazines with one (1) round.
• Release the slide forward.
• Seat magazine and load the gun.
• Fire the round (mag should lock slide open).
• Drop mag and insert new mag.
• Release the slide by retracting with your hand.
• Fire the round (mag should lock slide open).
• Drop mag and insert new mag.
• Release the slide by retracting with your hand.
• Fire the round (mag should lock slide open).
• Repeat until you have gone through all magazines.

My fourth test:

• Load magazines with two to three (2 to 3) rounds.
• Release slide forward.
• Seat magazine.
• Drop magazine out of gun.
• Ensure mag drops from gun easily.
• Test with the gun in an upright position and with the gun tilted at 30 to 45-degree angles.

My fifth test:

• Load all magazines with two (2) rounds.
• Lock slide open.
• Seat magazine and load the gun.
• Fire the rounds (mag should lock slide open).
• Drop mag and insert new mag.
• Release the slide via the slide release lever.
• Fire the rounds (mag should lock slide open).
• Drop mag and insert new mag.
• Release the slide via the slide release lever.
• Fire the rounds (mag should lock slide open).
• Repeat until you have gone through all magazines.

Loaded Magazine Tests

My first test:

• Load magazines to capacity.
• Seat magazine* and load gun.
• Drop magazine out of gun.
• Seat magazine again.
• Fire all rounds.
• Ensure magazine locks the slide open after firing last round.

*I perform this test two times, the first by starting with the slide forward when seating the mag to load the gun and the second by starting with the slide locked open/back when seating the mag to load the gun.

My second test:

• Load magazines to capacity.
• Seat magazine and load gun.
• Remove magazine and add a round to the mag (top it off).
• Seat fully loaded magazine. (Gun is now at full capacity, plus one).
• Drop magazine out of gun.
• Seat magazine again.
• Fire all rounds.
• Ensure the magazine locks the slide open after firing the last round.

Strong Hand Magazine Testing

My first test:

• Load magazines to capacity.
• Seat magazine and load gun.
• Fire all rounds strong hand only.
• Ensure magazine locks the slide open after firing last round.

My second test:

• Load magazines to capacity.
• Seat magazine and load gun.
• Remove magazine and add a round to the mag (top if off).
• Seat fully loaded magazine. (Gun is now at full capacity, plus one).
• Fire all rounds strong hand only.
• Ensure magazine locks the slide open after firing last round.

Note in the video above that this specific magazine did NOT lock back the slide. When a magazine doesn’t work, I make note (in my range log) of the magazine (my magazines are always numbered) and the issue and retest. It may be a magazine issue, or it may be me. Typically for me, this malfunction happens when I shoot strong hand only and support hand only. The mags don’t lock the slide open [usually] because I’m not holding on tightly enough. Don’t let my “man hands” fool you; even after three decades of shooting, I sometimes have a lazy one-hand-only grip.

The slide not locking back and other issues, like feeding problems, could potentially be caused by:

• Magazine problems.
• Light loads.
• Improper grip (I sometimes do this).
• Rubbing the slide / slowing the slide down.
• Malfunctioning slide stop.
• Resting your thumb on the slide stop, causing the slide stop to not operate properly.

Support Hand Magazine Testing

My first test:

• Load magazines to capacity.
• Seat magazine and load gun.
• Transfer gun to support hand.
• Fire all rounds support hand only.
• Ensure magazine locks the slide open after firing last round.

My second test:

• Load magazines to capacity.
• Seat magazine and load gun.
• Remove magazine and add a round to the mag (top if off).
• Seat fully loaded magazine. (Gun is now at full capacity, plus one).
• Transfer gun to support hand.
• Fire all rounds support hand only.
• Ensure magazine locks the slide open after firing last round.

Is Magazine Testing a Waste of Time?

This elaborate testing procedure may sound like a lot of work, and it is! But as a serious shooter and someone who carries and keeps firearms for defensive purposes, I must be 100% confident that my equipment is ready and reliable. It’s never a good idea to find out that your magazines don’t work when you are … competing at a match, responding to a 911 call, being deployed overseas or, God forbid, when you hear a crash through your bedroom window late at night.

I do not incorporate new equipment until I’ve tested it thoroughly. Magazines matter — they are a critical component of your firearm’s reliability. Never just assume your magazines will work, because in the end, your life could rely on them.

Is a Mag Test a Waste of Ammunition?

With just one new 10-round magazine, my testing process will use 68 rounds of ammo — and a lot more ammo with a higher-capacity mag. It’s not a waste of ammo for me though, because even though I may be testing magazines, I’m still trying to shoot well. So always put up a target or two and use the test session as a quality training session!

Is It a Waste of Money?

You get what you pay for. Like firearms, ammo, holsters, etc., all magazines are not created equally. This is why I will always invest in (both in terms of research and dollars) the most reliable magazines I can afford. My ego, my life and my family are worth the extra time and dollars.

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