For my range day I'll usually bring a rifle with 10 or so 30 round mags and at least one pistol with 4 mags

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I carry an Uplula in my range bag and bulk ammo in an ammo can and load at the range.

 

I'm in the process of building out my capacity for the gun range, but I'd like to know the typical number of rounds/magazines people typically preload before stepping into the lane.

TheBum,

I wrote about it here: https://sigtalk.com/sig-sauer-pistols/1-sig-pistol-photography-thread-307.html#post5056058.

rx7sig

 

Welcome from Texas.
If I'm only planning to stay an hour, I take Five preloaded Mags
Plus My Maglula and a full 50 round box of ammo.
Some Ranges if they are Full only let You shoot for an hour
then You have to get back in line.

 

The range I shoot at discourage shooters from bringing mags in already loaded.
If they see you on camera pulling out loaded mags they will ask you not to.
They monitor both ranges closed circuit cameras everywhere with dedicated monitor watchers. OH, while in the store section, you better NOT take a weapon out of your range bag to show your buddy.

All the employees carry weapons and are very well trained.

+100 on the Maglula

 

The range I shoot at discourage shooters from bringing mags in already loaded.

If they see you on camera pulling out loaded mags they will ask you not to.

They monitor both ranges closed circuit cameras everywhere with dedicated monitor watchers. OH, while in the store section, you better NOT take a weapon out of your range bag to show your buddy.



All the employees carry weapons and are very well trained.



+100 on the Maglula

Have they ever given justification for this policy? Is it just that they’re afraid of you shooting up the place? If you’re a licensed carrier, it shouldn’t be a concern.

 

Preload everything if you are paying for the time. If the range is a flat rate it doesn't matter.

 

My Private club allows only 5 rounds in each mag....so I have 3, for every gun....1911s....have bout 10 mags.....

 

I take 3 mags and load odd round counts; usually 3 or 5. The i randomly pick a mag and do shooting drills. 2 to the chest 1 to the head...repeat and reload off slide lock.

So in the upend, I use 3 mags and then reload with no more than 5 rounds. Shoot a total of 150 round and call it quits

 

None. Maglula & unboxed ammo. Takes 15 seconds to load a 15 round magazine.

 

My indoor range is 2 miles from me and I'm a member. I can drive there, checkin, shoot 150-200 rounds, checkout and drive home in around an hour (assuming no wait, depending on how many handguns I take).

I generally take 2, sometimes 3 and typically 3 mags per handgun. Since the bulk of my mags are 10 rounds (stupid CA), the Maglula tops them off quickly. Loading them in the booth allows me to adjust to the light, smell, noise and potential raining brass before I start shooting.

YMMV

 

I used to go crazy buying magazines and at one time had as many as 20 for a single pistol. I would pre-load as many as 10 for a particular gun before a range trip. (Yes, my range charges by the hour.)

However, I made a fundamental discovery that having pre-loaded magazines lead to my shooting too fast and racing through magazines.

At almost 77 years of age I battle with weak hands and my hands would tire causing me to waste a lot of shots.

Now, I preload 2 magazines but that depending on whether I am shooting a 226 with 18 round mags or a 365 with 12 rounds. I place the target at 5 yards and shoot about six rounds at that distance. (My routine with my DA/SA Sigs is to shoot one in DA followed by two in SA, drop to the low ready position, decocker and then repeat. After I see “where I am shooting that day” I may make some adjustments and shoot up to 6 more rounds. After that I move the target to 7 yards and repeat. if my hands are cooperating then I move to 10 yards.

How many rounds I can shoot in one outing depending on how well my hands function. I now find that loading no more than two mags, sometimes three, forces me to stop, reach for my Maglula and a box of ammo and reload the magazines. That pause helps me mentally to slow down and relax a bit as well as resting my hands.

At my age my goal is to be able to place the majority of my rounds in a 4 inch circle at 7 yards. Do I get those crazy fliers that make me wonder if I fell asleep while pulling the trigger? Of course. However, for me, slowing down by preloading fewer magazines and using the 3 shot routine with a pause has vastly improved my shooting.

A long answer to a simple question but perhaps it gives another perspective. Maybe this is an old guy routine, but that’s me.

 

I agree with 45fan about using the magazines you carry. You may discover how uncomfortable you are with one magazine with x number of rounds. That may prompt you to carry more rounds and more magazines.

 

unless the range specifies that you can not come in with loaded mags, i don't see a reason to not preload them at the house.
also, its your range time, use it as you please. don't let others rush you into leaving. if you are always looking at them to see if they are annoyed, you are not looking down range, which is bad.

 

I don't load any magazines before I get to the range because as a veteran I can shoot all day for $10 at my local range. I just load them as I shoot them.

 

The only time I pre-load mags is when shooting a GSSF match. Then I load 11 mags for each gun I plan to shoot. Okay, PPC too.
Other than that, I never know which guns (that I take to any range) will be fired more than any other. So, I never pre-load mags when "just" going to the range.

 

Don't preload mags for the range. No reason for me to unless I go to an indoor range/club where they place time limits on you. My home range is outdoors and there's only a time limit of an hour (usually on the weekends and always on the rifle range). Handgun range usually doesn't get busy enough to warrant a time limit.

 

Why would you put a floorplate extension on a 10-rd. magazine when a 12-round magazine accomplishes the same thing, plus giving you 2 more rounds?
In any event, keep 3 magazines loaded w/your defensive ammo. Buy spares for the range and mark them accordingly. Shoot your carry ammo every 6 months, disassemble the magazines and wipe them down, and refill them. Your carry magazine springs will be fine. The ones you want to keep an eye on are your practice magazines.

I would also encourage you to check your pistol's recoil spring every 500 rounds and replace it every 1000.

 

I preload before going to the range for a number of reasons:
- it does save time - but I do not rush
- pre-loading mags is part of my range prep as I have specific objectives for the range trip, like: (and I write down what is in each mag)
a. testing the mags with different ammo to insure reliability (carry and practice ammo) - at full capacity +1
b. working on my shooting skills (may be with any ammo, or specific)
c. breaking in a new gun - like my P365 where I shot 100 rds NATO first, then others over 1100 rounds now. I number the mags so I will know which one (with what ammo and on what range trip) hiccups if it does
d. zeroing new sights... etc

I deliberately put a minimum of 150 - 200 rounds through a mag before I will use it for SD. IN that 200 rounds, I'll deliberately use 115gr, 124gr, and 147gr both in FMJ and JHP (and at least 2 full mags +1 with the carry ammo at the end) I want to know if the gun, mag, ammo combination is the least bit finicky with ammo. Its just me, but I never use steel case ammo (aluminum yes, never steel). BTW my 12 rd P365 mag is in my off side mag carrier - I have 4 and they have all been tested (as have the 10 rd +1 in the gun). Haven't fired my 15 rd yet, but will and they will go through the same protocol. Just me, but this gives me confidence in my gear. And don't worry what the other guys think