Does anyone else engrave their magazines? FOLO UP

News Shooter

News Shooter

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My middle aged eyes have a great deal of trouble differentiating magazines. I tried a paint pencil but it rubs off so I bought a cheap electric engraver. It works well. I'm not so much worried about putting the wrong magazine in the gun, but picking the right ones out to go to the range. More than once I've wound up with an M & P magazine and a Walther gun.
 
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I've though about something. I have so many damn Para Magazines, it's a bitch working out which ones I need when I go to the range.

I was actually thinking about getting those plastic storage bin things. The ones that you can stack that come in colors and have one for each model. 10, 12, 13, 14...


But I like the engraving. I might do a mixture of both...
 
WAY too much work for an inferior result. If a Sharpie doesn't cut it for you, try my approach: A label maker.

I started with the old Dymo plastic strip labels, which worked fine. Now I use those label printers.

Large type and plastic protecting the lettering. Very visible and, if you place the label in the slight valley of a pistol mag or the bottom of a rifle mag, no contact with the frame. I have all my SVI mags labeled with my name and the caliber.
 
I use two different markers, depending on the color of the mags.

Sanford Sharpie Ultra fine Point (black) for use on SS mags.

Pilot Silver Marker Extra Fine Point (silver) for use on blued mags.

Use alcohol to clean off area on mag first and it lasts a long time.

Engraving damages the mags and may result in places to rust. The markers can be cleaned off with appropriate solvents if needed (Hoppes #9 doesn't seem to bother them).

P.S. I do like Scriv's idea of using the labeling machine. I may give that a try too. Also clean with alcohol first.
 
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BTW, I got the Sharpie and Pilot markers at a local Staples (or it could have been OfficeMax), so you should be able to find them relatively easily.
 
Chris, in that case, I recommend the "Lacquer Stik Fill in Paint" that Brownell's sells. That's what we commonly use to highlight the etchings on C&Rs, Glocks, etc.
 
I use the paint markers that are sold in the craft stores such as Micheals and AC Moore. It has survived the rough treatment of my dive gear without washing off. All the baseplats of my handgun magazines are marked with these pencils.

My AR15 and M1A magazines are marked with a lablemaker. In the case of the magazines used in CMP comp., I mark them with 2 and 8 to signify the rounds in the magazines.
 
Glue Foam on the Mags

I have some Mags that a friend Glued high densitiy Foam on the ends. He is a packageing enginner an avid Pin & Plate shooter and does this to all his guns.

The reason. When you drop a Mag that has live rounds in it they will bounce on the foam when they hit concreate. Anouther advantage is that you wont cut your hand when you slam the clip in the gun.

If you use diffent color foam you can color code the mags for whatever you like.

He does the same with reloads.

Fingernail polish over the primers.

Red: Hot load/ P+ Bowling Pins etc..
Blue" Steel Plates
Green: Soft load
Pink??[shocked]


etc....
 
P Touch or other label maker works great I mark and number my mags so if I have a problem, I know which one it was.

For Sharpie marking, I use the "Metalic" fine point and do the marking on the base pad. 10-1, 10-2, 15-1, 15-2, 20-1, 20-2 etc to identify capacity and mag number.

Staples has the label makers and the Sharpie pens.

regards,
 
After having a few mag failures in two different guns, I realized the value of having them marked. This way I can take note of "suspect" mags to address later. No markings and they all look alike and you repeat "history"!

So, as long as you own more than 1 mag/gun, I think it's a smart move to mark them.
 
I have had a few problem mags before (Chip McCormick 1911 mags are trash) but I give those away or sell them. Speaking of which, anyone want to buy a slightly used 8 round 1911 mag? Guaranteed to hold 8 rounds!
 
vellnueve said:
I have had a few problem mags before (Chip McCormick 1911 mags are trash) but I give those away or sell them.
Click to expand...

I've never had any trouble with my CMC mags... and I've used them in a variety
of different 1911s, too. I prefer wilson's but CMC is fine for the money. Bunch
of other folks use them at the pin shoots and haver zero problems with
them.


-Mike
 
I use the S&W branded ones that came with my 1911, plus two unknown manufacture 8 rounders that I got from the used mag box at Kittery. All work fine although occasionally the slide doesn't lock back on an empty. But the CMC one has problems just feeding right at times.
 
Chris said:
I dumped all my old 1911 mags and now strictly use Wilson mags. So does S&W Performance Center. Never had a single mag issue since.
Click to expand...

I thought they used Mecgar mags for their 1911s? I've had no problem with any of these mags.

OT- I don't mark my magazines. I've got a boat load of them too. If any of the mags I have are suspect I'd isolate them for repair disposal. I've been very fortunate and haven't had many mag related problems.
 
I went to Staples

and bought the brother PT-80 label maker $29.95 some AAA batteries for $4.95
and a tape refill for $9.89.

So for about $50 I'm all set and I have spent much of this beautiful afternoon making labels. They are perfect.
Thanks for the suggestions[smile]
 
News Shooter said:
and bought the brother PT-80 label maker $29.95 some AAA batteries for $4.95
and a tape refill for $9.89.

So for about $50 I'm all set and I have spent much of this beautiful afternoon making labels. They are perfect.
Thanks for the suggestions[smile]
Click to expand...

Happy to have helped.
 

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