Should you Slap your Magazine?

[@Winkmeister]

When I first read the title I thought you were speaking of tapping the mag so that the bullets are brought rearward, prior to inserting the mag in the rifle-- which I'd heard at some point was to optimize cartridge pickup when the bolt moves forward.

[@henrywilson3773]

I would like to advise that it is not wise to tap a magazine inserted into the rifle with an open bolt. I did this during rifle qualification in the army and lost a round through the ejection port and it cost me an expert qualification. As stated in the video, if you're going to tap a loaded magazine while inserted in the rifle, do it on a closed bolt.

[@jth052]

When initially loading, firmly inserting the mag, then 'push/pull' is usually sufficient. The slap is the immediate action drill, as Scott says. For malfunctions within short range, transition to pistol is preferred, then fix the rifle when feasible. Without a pistol option, the slap-rack-ready is the quickest fix which addresses the most common malfunction(s), failure to feed, failure to fire, failure to eject. Whatever gets rounds downrange as quickly as possible.

[@edallen5711]

Pretty sure that the Marine Corps would not teach you to slap, tap & rack if it would cause a malfunction. The purpose of the slap was to ensure that the magazine was fully seated. If it is not fully seated, then you will lose the entire magazine at some point. Also, hitting your hand/helmut with the back of the magazine was to ensure that all rounds were seated to the rear of the magazine to reduce the possibility of the tip of a round extending beyond the magazine well and, possibly, causing a different malfunction.

[@edc9957]

Could've also commented on the wisdom to tap the back of the mag to help seat the rounds to avoid cartridges sticking in the mag itself, or if this has any adverse effects.

[@miket5740]

That’s how I was taught in the Army in the back as you load rounds in them and then on the bottom as you insert the magazine.

[@the_langss]

@@miket5740 That is exactly what I was told to do in the Air Force, Both before I went to Vietnam, and after I arrived there from the people that were doing it every day....

[@epickett63]

I even tap my mags on pistols as well...

[@SocialStylesAust]

Slapping (to ensure the magazine is seated) and tapping (to ensure the rounds are at the rear of tha magazine) appears to be a US centric practice. In other militaries, we are taught never to do either as they do induce malfunctions and also make you look like you have been playing too much COD . We are taught to attempt to pull the mag out after insertion as it is more effective, faster and reduces any risk of the round jumping. With regard to tapping we are drilled on loading the mags properly to ensure the rounds do not move forward. Interestingly, in my 30 years of service, I have not had a malfunction due to a round being forward and have only seen it when someone did not take care when loading their mags. Also, interestingly, tapping a magazine on a hard surface can actually move the rounds forward due to the physics of it (every action has an opposite reaction).

[@miket5740]

When you tap the mag the purpose is to insure its locked into the mag well and the mag catch has a complete lock on the mag. So when you slap the mag the rounds don’t come out because your seating it against the mag catch.

[@steamman9193]

Navy trained and you slap your mag and send your bolt forward because it’s a weapon of war and you need to be able to hit it and not have it malfunction. If you can’t bash a weapon of war throw it away because it’s useless

[@matthewtE]

So, ONLY "love" tap it when the bolt carrier is closed?? I like to make sure the mags are seated securely when doing speed qualification drills. Thank you for sharing your tips!

[@PDXLANDBARON]

A Drill Sgt always said sligshot the weapon on the first round to load. This gives more force than letting the catch release. Cover the BCG with LSA and your weapon will never need sports, words of wisdom from a guy with a CIB.

[@mydoggone]

Last week I did tap rack and the magpul gen 2 over inserted causing a jam. I have since switched to magpul gen 3 to hopefully not have this happen again

[@markasteelsr.5990]

The way I always handled them I would not slap the magazine. I would make sure that the mag is locked in place with a gentle pull.. Thats me, I handle one of my STAG/ARMS left/handed AR15s often.

[@jadyndenton8141]

My drills always told us to insert then slap the magazine then when ready to fire switch the safety to semi I never had a issue

[@jadyndenton8141]

Never open bolt but on safe then when given command then fire whats the reason exactly they did that? Bc every time my rifle fired

[@martysharmaine68]

Slap like now!

[@Friedbrain11]

I will not tap the mag after it is inserted. That goes against my training in the military.

[@ericbergfield6451]

The physics of the mag-slap make sense, but the 720p resolution of this video does not...