Mags

These mags are going into the garbage right after I finish this post.

Here's why.

Any of us who shoot semi-automatic weapons - be they rifles or pistols - have most likely heard something along the lines of, "your weapon is only as reliable as the magazines you use."

I'm here to tell 'ya that's totally, utterly and completely true.

The 2 rounds on the left were double-fed into the chamber. All of these mags do the same thing, actually -- they spit the last round or 2 into the chamber together. I assume the lips of the mag opening don't do a sufficient job of holding that last round in. Anyway, you can see the big dents in the casings (made by either the bolt or the gas tube when it came forward and impacted on the casing).

The round on the right was the one that scared the crap out of me (as you can probably imagine). This was also a double-feed, but this round never made it far up enough for the bullet to get fed into the chamber -- it evidently got hit by the bolt coming forward while the bullet was pushed up against the surface of the chamber ramp. The other round must have held it wedged there, and the bolt hit it hard enough to force the bullet back into the casing.

Dang.

I don't know if that could have caused the round to explode. If so, not only could it have seriously hurt (or even killed) me, but - at the very least - it could have damaged or destroyed a rifle that - with the scope, light, bells, whistles and everything on it - would set me back about $2500.

Dang.

So, if you shoot an AR-15, don't use mags that don't have green followers. Personally, I now use Bushmaster's proprietary mags exclusively: http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/magazines/8448670.asp

I know at least 2 of my friends who own (or who will own) an AK-47 variant and a Mini-14 (or Mini-30 .... dang, now I've forgotten). I don't know what to tell you about your mags. Ask around, do some research, and buy the best ones you can afford.

The same goes for pistols. Good mags are worth their weight in gold.

At best, a lousy mag will cause malfunctions and will be irritating. At worst, it could cause your firearm to be destroyed, or you could get really, really hurt.

Considering what a new pistol or rifle costs - and what you'd pay for reconstructive surgery to reattach your hand - good mags are cheap by comparison.