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Thread: Do you "top off" your carry gun?

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  1. #1
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    Do you "top off" your carry gun?

    For those who don't know what I'm talking about, "topping off" is what I refer to as when your magazine is fully loaded, then inserted, the the slide is racked and the magazine is then removed and a round is added to again "top off" the magazine. That said I have seen this cause problems. Most commonly the second round stoppage. This actually seems to cause problems more in the 1911 design than in other guns, possibly due to tighter tolerences. So I'm interested to hear your opinions on this one, and if you carry your gun "topped off". Thanks.

  2. #2
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    all the time

  3. #3
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    Lock the slide back, insert fully loaded magazine, drop the slide, loading the chamber. Take out the same magazine from the gun, add a round, re-insert.
    If it isn't durable, it isn't reliable.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by wichaka
    Lock the slide back, insert fully loaded magazine, drop the slide, loading the chamber. Take out the same magazine from the gun, add a round, re-insert.
    Or like that.

  5. #5
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    Always.

    Never heard of it causing a problem, for anyone. However, I favor traditional 7-round magazines. 8-round mags are at best a compromise (excluding the extended versions) of the original Browning design. Perhaps the instances of problems you have encountered involved 8-round magazines?
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside
    Last edited by Hawkmoon; 7th July 2010 at 15:19.


  6. #6
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    Yes, I always top off. Never had an issue with 1911s, Walthers, Glocks, S&Ws, BHPs.

    Quote Originally Posted by hackman
    That said I have seen this cause problems. Most commonly the second round stoppage. This actually seems to cause problems more in the 1911 design than in other guns, possibly due to tighter tolerences.
    That would seem to defy logic. The process of topping off is physically the same as when you loaded the magazine in the first place (i.e. press down on round in magazine, insert round and push to rear). What about topping off specifically could be causing this? I would say your second round problem lies elsewhere.
    "The 1911 was the design, given by God to us through John M. Browning, that represents the epitome of what a killing tool needs to be. It was true in 1911 and it's true now." - Col. Robert Coates commanding, U.S. Marine Corp Special Operations Command Detachment 1 (DET 1)

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by garrettwc
    Yes, I always top off. Never had an issue with 1911s, Walthers, Glocks, S&Ws, BHPs.


    That would seem to defy logic. The process of topping off is physically the same as when you loaded the magazine in the first place (i.e. press down on round in magazine, insert round and push to rear). What about topping off specifically could be causing this? I would say your second round problem lies elsewhere.
    I've read that the extra round causes extra drag on the slide as it cycles, therefore slowing it down and potentially causing problems. Seems logical. The problem I encountered was a with a friends Kimber pro carry. It just didn't strip the second round of the magazine. It was a standard 7 round mag that came with the gun. And it was a nearly new gun. That only happened once, but I've seen other people say they've encountered similar problems and that they don't carry +1.

  8. #8
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    I saw a member of another forum say this on the subject:
    Depending on the gun, topping off the magazine after chambering can cause problems in three areas.

    The first is a "second round jam". Pressure from the top round of the fully loaded magazine can produce enough drag that the slide does not cycle all the way and fails to pick up the next round, or doesn't have enough "oomph" to chamber the round. I've seen this happen a number of times on the range.

    The second failure mode is a "last round failure to feed". In this failure, excessive pressure on the magazine spring damages it, leaving it to weak to lift the last round in line with the slide. You are left with the slide forward on an empty chamber, and one round in the mag.

    The third failure mode concerns the magazine catch. Pressure from the topped up magazine will cause wear to the mag catch, and can cause the mag to pop out. I've seen this on the range as well.

  9. #9
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    I always "top off"; no problems for mine.
    techoca
    "The purpose of the pistol is to stop a fight that somebody else has started, almost always at very short range."
    Col. Jeff Cooper

  10. #10
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    Yes, and I carry 7 round magazines.

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