Last winter we shot a bunch of cool videos with Funker Tactical that feature Daniel Shaw, a retired United States Marine Infantry Unit Leader and Combat Weapons Master Instructor.
In the video above, in his characteristically wry and acerbic manner, Shaw discusses some common myths about America’s favorite sporting rifle: the AR-15.
Questions like, Will gripping the magazine well cause a stoppage? Will resting the mag on the ground while shooting prone cause a failure?
Check out some of the other videos we’ve posted:
IS IT OKAY TO LOOK DOWN AT YOUR HOLSTER WHEN RE-HOLSTERING?
CHEST RIG, PLATE CARRIER OPTIMIZATION: 6 ESSENTIAL CONSIDERATIONS
I don’t think the issue here is can/can’t or correct/incorrect. It’s just a simple fact that all magazines are not created equal, nor are all situations ‘Murphy’ proof. Some mags are monsters to seat firmly while fully loaded. You add adrenaline, darkness, attention focused elsewhere, etc, and that can be enough to slow a reload. In addition, I’ve never been a proponent of the insert, release, tap action. Too likely to have a mag slide out. I load one or two rounds shy, insert, push hard, quick pull to confirm and go. I don’t recall the last time I had a mag fail to seat with that. But then that’s just my way, whatever floats your boat is fine if it works.
Sure you can rest your mag on the ground, but why? You still need your hand out on the fore end handguard for stability, otherwise you will place the balance of the rifle in a fulcrum, like a see-saw. Not a stable firing position. If you are going to get that low you would have a more stable firing platform from side prone with mag off the ground. Just my two cents. Anyone have change?
how many times does he say gun? in 1965 at fort benning ga I made the mistake off calling my m14 a gun. had to stand and hold it up in the air and shout this is my rifle then grab my crouch and shout this is my gun. my rifle is for shooting my gun is for fun…
Son,
I too was in the military (70ź73) and, I too heard and saw the drill associated with calling a firearm a gun.
Like everything else in the military, any advice or rule should be erased from memory. It is probably wrong.
In a combat zone we never loaded our mags at capacity, there is no need. We ran -1 round for the full deployment, and never had an issue with feeding or reliability. Our tactics didn’t rely on resting the M4 on the magazine as it just isn’t as stable as a supported firing position or as using the forearm grip. This had less to do with reliability and more to do with keeping grit out of the magazine and thus causing an issue downrange. We never had issues with the issued mags either.
The Internet is full of poop flinging idiots tonite!
Wow Grant what kind of shity rifle are you shooting buddy ? Either there is something wrong with your mags or your mag well has issues but that don’t load your mag full is total BS, slap it rack it and let em fly. I’ve never had that problem ever . I think you might have sissy hands and can’t load a mag . Any way BS. maybe you need a new BCG. YOU are wrong my friend.
I have to agree with grant. I’m running 3rd gen Pmags and there is very little room for compression. Milspec aluminum mags can take 30 no problem, but the Pmags are a different story. I load 30 and strip off the top 2. You really have to drive them up into the well to seat them. It’s disadvantageous to proper technique to be exerting that much force that direction. The reduction of 2 rounds is worth the trade-off. Grant is NOT wrong my friend.
One myth that should be known is “don’t load your mag full”.
This true but most don’t know why?
Issue is the mag when full can not be loaded with the bolt in closed position.
The mag dosent allow the compression needed to acommidate the bolt, now if the bolt is open then there is no problem.
Load two less than mag capacity and there won’t be any problems.
just push harder. that’s why you give the magazine a slap.
Actually it’s because the GI mags are junk and the full 30 rounds puts too much stress on the springs and eventually causes feeding problems. If you have decent mags, you should be able to load 30. I still load 28 into PMAGs, but that’s because force of habit leads me to consider loading 30 the worst kind of sacrilege, but with anything better than the tinfoil Circle-K junk they issue, it shouldn’t be a problem.
One myth that should be known is “don’t load your mag full”.
This true but most don’t know why?
Issue is the mag when full can not be loaded with the bolt in closed position.
The mag dosent allow the compression needed to acommidate the bolt, now if the bolt is open then there is no problem.
Load two less than mag capacity and there won’t be any problems.
That is absolute horse hockey. You sure as hell can load a fully loaded 30rd magazine with the bolt closed, and then pull the charging handle to the rear and chamber a round with absolutely NO problems. Did it every single time I ever rode a helo
The guy in the video is right- I just rested my AR15 on it’s magazine and fired off some rounds- No event-horizon swallowed the planet. Even better, now my magazine has some tactical operator scratches on it. I’m still too scared to let my AR15 touch any dirt.