[Junglerott]

Shot a local match this past weekend and stunk it up big time. First stage I realized my holster was loose, so I put my mags in my bag and walk over to the safe table. I got everything straightened out and went back to help the squad paste etc. I get called up for my turn and load and make ready with the mag I keep in my cargo pants. Beep ..... I was rocking nice and went to reload, but there was nothing but air. I thought I might have dropped the first one, but as I reached further and further back I remembered where they were.

[spankaveli]

Ouch. Worst I've done is forgot to reload before my next stage. I lucked out on that one and there were unrestored targets so I got a reshoot.

That said, why'd you remove the mags from your belt? It's my understanding that you can have the ammo on your person at the safe area but you can't handle it. Is that incorrect?

[A62335]

You can have ammo on your belt, you just can't handle it in a safe area. Some people remove it before going to the safe area as a fail-safe.

[G-ManBart]

Lots of match mistakes happen that are ammo/mag related. People putting empty or partially empty mags back in their pouches at the end of the stage is probably the #1 thing...they forget to top them off and start the next stage and find the error.

I don't walk around with mags on my belt until I'm in the hole (from spending a lot of time shooting on dusty ranges). I load them up at my bag, get them in the order I'll want on my belt and then work the stage until I'm in the hole. At that point I put each mag where I want it...hard to mess that up even when you're distracted or nervous. R,

[SV-COP]

G-ManBart, on Sep 15 2009, 07:54 PM, said:

Lots of match mistakes happen that are ammo/mag related. People putting empty or partially empty mags back in their pouches at the end of the stage is probably the #1 thing...they forget to top them off and start the next stage and find the error.

I don't walk around with mags on my belt until I'm in the hole (from spending a lot of time shooting on dusty ranges). I load them up at my bag, get them in the order I'll want on my belt and then work the stage until I'm in the hole. At that point I put each mag where I want it...hard to mess that up even when you're distracted or nervous. R,

Not to mention that it is easier on your back and much easier to bend over without those things poking you

[Hank Ellis]

G-ManBart, on Sep 15 2009, 09:54 PM, said:

I don't walk around with mags on my belt until I'm in the hole (from spending a lot of time shooting on dusty ranges). I load them up at my bag, get them in the order I'll want on my belt and then work the stage until I'm in the hole. At that point I put each mag where I want it...hard to mess that up even when you're distracted or nervous. R,

Part of my match strategy is energy conservation. I never understood why you would want to cart around an extra pound or two of lead when you don't have to. Doesn't do anything except burn energy. Like you GMan I keep the mags at the range bag till I'm in the hole. Once the stage is shot it's back to the range bag and dump all my mags in a pile. One at a time reloading and making sure they have the correct number of rounds for Prod and L-10. And there they sit for the next stage.

Getting thrown out of your stage routine has caused all of us problems at one time or another.

[calishootr]

At our range we dont allow magazines in the safe area either, if you have a magazine related problem, find the CRO of the club or the el prez to 'observe' and...maybe help you out with your magazine/gun issues, because as some have posted in the past, we have had people do the 'reflex' thing and take a loaded mag offtheir belt and insert it in the gun atthe safe area....

[DUKE]

The three times I did not double check my mags before the buzzer. Guess what I had an empty mixed in there needles to say that is why you
should carry that extra magazine for situations like these. You bet I triple check now !! I am trying to make it a sub concious check every
stage every time !!! I have learned you cannot check your equipment to much.

[ChristianHE]

On my last stage at the Blue Ridge Mtn 3-gun in KY, I was thinking so much about the first two parts of the stage (shotgun, pistol) that I neglected to put my two AR mags on my belt! got to my rifle, ditched the pistol, reached for an AR-mag... whiff!