Magazine failures.

**Dave in PA** · July 7th, 2009, 06:52 PM

So Friday night I was getting ready for the IDPA match on 4th of July. I went through my mags for my Beretta. I had bought a bunch of them, all new including two "military contract" ones. I have one that came with my -92 and a dozen or so MDS Italian ones. (MDS is apparently the magazine side of Beretta in Italy) and the two unmarked cheapies.

At the begining of stage 2, I attempted to "load and make ready" but the mag wouldn't fully seat. I tried with a locked slide and then said, forget it, and just stuck the offending mag in my pocket and loaded one of my reload mags. (I should have found the second mag, but didn't think much about it at this time)

Fast forward to stage 5, after shooting to slide lock, I reload.......what the.... the mag wouldn't seat the last quarter inch. Dump it, well yank it out because I had been trying to hammer it in with my left hand. Grab my 2nd mag and take out the last three steels targets.

After scoring, I stripped the rounds out of both offending mags and compared them side by side with a Beretta mag. The mag catch holes didn't line up. I stripped the mags of followers, springs, floorplates and dumped all the parts in the trash can.

Valuable lesson learned at the range, make sure all of your 'go to' mags function flawlessly before you get in a situation where you need them. Btw, the source of the spare mags, including the cheapies was CDNN Investments.

**jsatt4** · July 8th, 2009, 07:46 AM

Sounds like CDNN sent you a 9mm Beretta 8000 (Cougar) magazine in place of a 9mm Beretta 92 magazine.

Unfortunately, there are no external markings on the mags to distinguish them. They both say PB 9mm, etc. The only way to tell for sure is to try to insert it.

Never at a USPSA match, but, "been there, done that." :-)

**hzox221** · July 8th, 2009, 10:12 AM

That is why you practice before a match. Just a little dry fire practice would have helped in finding out your mags do not fit your gun.

**jsatt4** · July 8th, 2009, 11:04 AM

Douggie!

Shooting this Sunday? Hope to be there with Jim Welty.

**hzox221** · July 8th, 2009, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by jsatt4

Douggie!

Shooting this Sunday? Hope to be there with Jim Welty.

I should be there Saturday, definately Sunday, I am running the shotgun side match for Dave.

**Dave in PA** · July 8th, 2009, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by hzox221

That is why you practice before a match. Just a little dry fire practice would have helped in finding out your mags do not fit your gun.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I am using the monthly IDPA matches as my practice. I do dry fire, but I never really thought about running all the mags through my Beretta, as all the ones I have used have performed flawlessly. (except for the two cheapies) I have about 14 or 15 mags for that gun. I actually spend more time sorting through my 1911 mags. I have two 1911s and a dozen or so mags for them. One of them has been choking on the last round in the magazine. The ammo is truncated cone 230Gr, so that profile may have something to do with it. Or it could be weak springs in a couple of the mags. Although I have had none of the problems with my RIA 1911 with the same mags.

**hzox221** · July 8th, 2009, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Dave in PA

Fortunately or unfortunately, I am using the monthly IDPA matches as my practice. I do dry fire, but I never really thought about running all the mags through my Beretta, as all the ones I have used have performed flawlessly. (except for the two cheapies) I have about 14 or 15 mags for that gun. I actually spend more time sorting through my 1911 mags. I have two 1911s and a dozen or so mags for them. One of them has been choking on the last round in the magazine. The ammo is truncated cone 230Gr, so that profile may have something to do with it. Or it could be weak springs in a couple of the mags. Although I have had none of the problems with my RIA 1911 with the same mags.

After awhile you get to know each mag like a child. I have 12 mags for my SVI, I tend to only use the same four over and over. I know the history and exact set up of each one by memory.