Where do the empty mags go?

[DG-41]

Quick question for those In The Know:

You're in a firefight, in theatre. You empty a magazine, and change it out for a full one. Where does the empty one go?

"Back in your TacVest" is the range solution, not the Real World solution - those are precious seconds wasted.

What is current approved practice?

DG

 

[mudrecceman]

RecceDG,

I am not even Army anymore but...I think your answer may be...dump pouches.

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/54844.0.html

 

[Yrys]

WOW,

an amazing analyse of the 2 pouchs!

I'm usually staying in my lane, (civy here), but got some questions if someone
doesn't mind answering them...

Why do you have to retrieve the mags?
Is there an amry issue pouch?
What colours are TW AR and OD?

 

[Inch]

WOW,

an amazing analyse of the 2 pouchs!

I'm usually staying in my lane, (civy here), but got some questions if someone
doesn't mind answering them...

Why do you have to retrieve the mags?
Is there an amry issue pouch?
What colours are TW AR and OD?

The mags you're issued are the only ones you've got, if you drop them on the ground and leave them, you've got nothing to load your ammo into. They don't come preloaded like in the movies. 

TW is Temperate Weather and AR is Arid Region, both used when referring to the specific colour of Canadian Disruptive Pattern (CADPAT). OD is short for Olive Drab, plain old army green if you will.

 

[MJP]

You retrieve magazines to rebomb them up after a fight.  You usually have lots of extra preloaded ones in your vehicle, but if your light that luxury isn't there.  That and a section of troops drooping all their mags cuts into your stash quite quickly.  There are time when you will drop them in close contact just to get fire down range faster.

 

[1feral1]

We use drop pouches, which save time to dump the empty mags. This pouches uses the MOLLE system, and fits happily between mag pouches on the front of the ECBA issued.

In a 'panic' here, I've been known to dump them in a cargo pocket in my pants. If firing from a LAV while on the trot, one can dump his mag onto the floor (from the hatch), and have others on standby, pre-placed up top, along with other useful tools. The ones on the floor of the LAV can be bombed up by someone down below who's doing nothing but sitting there on those nice cushy padded bench seats.

We don't leave mags behind like on Combat with SGT Saunders dumping Thompson mags on every episode. Been watching the whole series on pirated DVDs of course  ;D

Cheers from Baghdaddy,


Wes

 

[jbeach95]

TW is Temperate Weather and AR is Arid Region, both used when referring to the specific colour of Canadian Disruptive Pattern (CADPAT). OD is short for Olive Drab, plain old army green if you will.

The "TW" in CADPAT (TW) is "Temperate Woodland."

 

[mudrecceman]

The "TW" in CADPAT (TW) is "Temperate Woodland."

Must be the fuel vapours?

;D

 

[Inch]

The "TW" in CADPAT (TW) is "Temperate Woodland."

My bad.

 

[KevinB]

Retaining empty mags is a luxury.

Reloads are broken down into two types -- Tactical and Emergency.

Emergency Mag Changes: conducted under fire when you run out of ammo -- bolt locked back.
  1) Drop empty - at the same time your weak side hand is bringing a new mag up.
  2) Insert mag - push pull and Hit bolt catch with the weak hand
  3) Keep shooting

Tactical Mag Changes: not immediately underfire - some ammo left in mag - but you think a change is a good idea.
  1) weak hand bring up new mag and place it at a 90 to the old mag

  2) remove old mag - rotate hand and place new mag on - push and pull

some guys like to run the bolt to ensure they still have a round in the chamber (and lose it if there was one) -- other press check.
  3) retain partial mag in dump pouch.



* ONLY FULL MAGS GO BACK INTO POUCHES
Partials go in the dumper.


** IF you have time - empties can be retained- either by having a buddy jam them in your day pack or you can put them in a pocket.
dont use the dumper - since if you need a mag out of the dumper - and you get an empty yoru screwed...

 

[The Bread Guy]

I guess I really AM aging myself when I say I can remember being told, "if in doubt, throw empty mags down your shirt".

Good info - thanks!

 

[KevinB]

Tony -- that worked fine prior to the univeral adoption of body armour.
Which really only kicked in with the CF in the last few years.

 

[HollywoodHitman]

There is a magical land.....far, far away.......where sunshine, flowers and a never ending supply of cleaning supplies exist. This is the fabled land, where magazines, expended in battle, go. This wonderful land, known in some circles/religions known as "THE DUMP POUCH" provides everything that the discerning magazine hopes for when expended. The tranquility of this realm which some may compare to the womb, provides security and a safe place for the endangered empty magazine to go....the hope, the desire of the magazine to once more be used by it's master, overpowering in it's origins is hard to explain. The simple instinctive desire of the magazine, to hold the golden brass and copper of THE round which takes the life of the heathen enemy...The xanadu, the paradise of the modern round....The magazine and it's place of re-birth, the dump pouch.....the place where used magazines go, hoping for a chance at re-use......

I will not leave my current job for one of story telling or writing fable and lore.....

Cheers,

HH

 

[seamus]

The cargo pouch on your pants is the only spot you really have to put empty mags in heavy exchanges. The reason for this is it is an easily reached in a time restricted world. I had a drop pouch but it was too hard and time consuming to use. Plus the drop pouch is just extra crap you don't need going into combat.

 

[GK .Dundas]

Tony -- that worked fine prior to the univeral adoption of body armour.
Which really only kicked in with the CF in the last few years.

    That and the fact that they now issue more then two magazines. I can still remember a Warrent wandering around looking quite confused and muttering "Why would anyone need more then two magazines?"(pre C-7)

 

[TheHead]

Storing them safely away is the typical range standard.   

During firefights in Afghanistan I saw a lot of mags laying on the ground 

 

[Strike]

One would argue that you should train as you fight.  IOW, when running let's say the 9mm serial, why put the mags away when you can just as easily go back and get them after the serial?  It also helps in muscle memory.  Guess it all depends on what type of shooting you are doing.

There are more than a few stories of cops dying because they took the time to put away their mags ('cause that's how they did it in the range and it became habit) and got shot in the process.

 

[KevinB]

Strike -- I am with you --
  ALL training should be geared to provide positive muscle memory.


With the BHP mag safety - they dont always eject empty mags.
 

 

[Avor]

One would argue that you should train as you fight.  IOW, when running let's say the 9mm serial, why put the mags away when you can just as easily go back and get them after the serial?  It also helps in muscle memory.  Guess it all depends on what type of shooting you are doing.

There are more than a few stories of cops dying because they took the time to put away their mags ('cause that's how they did it in the range and it became habit) and got shot in the process.

I am the master of purposeful bad habbits, just so I dont die like that.

During our FTX 2, the last thing that happened to us was an assualt on the FOB. I took up my position and let at it. But I did things I wasn't trained to do,

- I left my pockets open, so I get at things, put things away, like gloves, mags and candy much faster
- I droped my mags beside me so I could reload as fast as I could, I just pick them up later
- I swear I was the only person who got down, disturbing my fireing position when re-laoding

 

[RecceByForce]

Recently while doing gunfighter training we just dropped empty mags on the ground using the mag release. In a close contact every second counts so I would rather drop the mag then spend even one second fumbling around with it. Once you consolidate you can send someone back to round up the mags.