Marking magazines

[OnTheFly]

I was at a local indoor match and walked out the door with one less magazine than I came in with.  There were a lot of people shooting the same brand of gun, so I believe it was an honest mistake.  I purchased a replacement magazine, but now I'm thinking about marking them to avoid a similar event in the future.  I would also like a way to distinguish each magazine so I can identify and separate it if any mag started to have an issue.

Dawson Precision has numbered grip tape...

http://www.dawsonprecision.com/ProductDetail.jsp?LISTID=80001786-1388518377

I could make my own and mark the grip tape or side of the magazine with a paint pen.  Though maybe the grip tape is completely unnecessary so I was thinking about just marking the base plates with a paint pen, possibly using a stencil.

Fly

[Lmbass14]

I just use a silver sharpie and number them.  That way if I start having problems, know which mag it was using.

[Supersparky]

Paint pen works great for me.

[NENick]

I have some automotive touch up paint that has worked well for me. Some brown duct tape is wrapped around the bottom of my AR mags, which allows me to keep an eye on them.

[abbafandr]

I mark all my mags with name and a number.  Of course, Glock magazines are so rare there could never be any confusion

[JTH]

I use a silver sharpie.  Every once in awhile you have to re-mark them, but it isn't a big deal.  Tried labels, and the things kept falling off all the time.  (Which isn't surprising, since they were bashing into the ground at velocity on USPSA stages.)  Paint works too, but I'm too lazy to paint something and wait for it to dry. 

[DaveB]

Have them anodized, they will be one of a kind.

[OnTheFly]

Tried labels, and the things kept falling off all the time.

As in a label maker label?  Also, in your professional opinion, does grip tape on the mag help at all?

Fly

[abbafandr]

I use a label maker and so far have had no issues.  Of course my magazines don't go with the velocity of jthhapkido magazines

[DaveB]

Just as long as you are not shooting 30 magazine clips every half second!

[OnTheFly]

Just as long as you are not shooting 30 magazine clips every half second!

I gots to get me one of those!

Fly

[OnTheFly]

I use a label maker and so far have had no issues.  Of course my magazines don't go with the velocity of jthhapkido magazines

I know right?! Thomas's mags break the sound barrier and there is no adhesive known to man that can withstand that.   

Fly

[Gary]

http://www.amazon.com/Avery-Return-Address-Labels-42895/dp/B002Z6I4KA/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1390789523&sr=8-15&keywords=1%22+avery+label

Look around for a label you like with reasonable shipping.

Print your own. 

[OnTheFly]

Look around for a label you like with reasonable shipping.

Print your own. 

I have thought about that, but there is the rare occasion when they get dropped in the snow or mud.

Fly

[JTH]

As in a label maker label?  Also, in your professional opinion, does grip tape on the mag help at all?

If you put the labels on the sides of the magazines, and then you actually USE them, eventually the labels will crumple/fold up---which will bind your magazines so that they don't drop free.  Matter of fact, depending on your magazine type, just putting labels on the sides of them in the first place might be enough to cause that problem.

Don't ever put anything (other than perhaps marks from a sharpie) on the sides of a magazine.  The magazine is a certain width already, made to fit in the magazine well.  Don't change that.  Always mark/label the bottom of the mag. 

As for grip tape---have you ever had issues grabbing a magazine?  I haven't.  I've had plenty of issues performing a reload, but the problem has never been that I couldn't grab the mag.  Some people do put grip tape on the bottoms of their magazines, but I confess I'm not sure why. 

Oh, as for the comments about the velocity of my magazines:  Phbbhbhbhttt!

[abbafandr]

If you put the labels on the sides of the magazines, and then you actually USE them, eventually the labels will crumple/fold up---which will bind your magazines so that they don't drop free.  Matter of fact, depending on your magazine type, just putting labels on the sides of them in the first place might be enough to cause that problem.

Don't ever put anything (other than perhaps marks from a sharpie) on the sides of a magazine.  The magazine is a certain width already, made to fit in the magazine well.  Don't change that.  Always mark/label the bottom of the mag. 

As for grip tape---have you ever had issues grabbing a magazine?  I haven't.  I've had plenty of issues performing a reload, but the problem has never been that I couldn't grab the mag.  Some people do put grip tape on the bottoms of their magazines, but I confess I'm not sure why. 

Oh, as for the comments about the velocity of my magazines:  Phbbhbhbhttt!

So far I haven't had issues with labels on Glock mags, but I have had with Ruger SR22 mags.  But I don't shoot that 22 in competition or self defense, so it's not a big deal.

We're just envious of your superior speed and ability

[JTH]

Humph.   Watch me fumble multiple reloads, and you won't be envious at all!

The "label on the side" thing did work for me for awhile.  But like I said, as you use the magazine the label will get worn, and won't sit flat.  So even if it did originally work (though really, still not a good idea---don't make the magazine thicker than it is supposed to be)  it will eventually start being a problem. 

And when you decide to take it off, make sure to use a good cleaner to get all the glue residue off, too. 

(And yeah, when I switched to labels on the bottoms, dropping the mags on gravel bays destroyed them pretty quickly.  So----sharpie.)

[abbafandr]

Humph.   Watch me fumble multiple reloads, and you won't be envious at all!

The "label on the side" thing did work for me for awhile.  But like I said, as you use the magazine the label will get worn, and won't sit flat.  So even if it did originally work (though really, still not a good idea---don't make the magazine thicker than it is supposed to be)  it will eventually start being a problem. 

And when you decide to take it off, make sure to use a good cleaner to get all the glue residue off, too. 

(And yeah, when I switched to labels on the bottoms, dropping the mags on gravel bays destroyed them pretty quickly.  So----sharpie.)

Can't say that I've seen you fumble any reloads.  (But I did see you shoot a stop plate out of order.......ONCE! )

I have slew of sharpies, but no silver .  I might pick one up, just to be safe. 
I do keep an eye on the label and if I see one looking problematic I replace it to make sure it doesn't cause problems. 
Appreciate the advice.

[Gary]

I have thought about that, but there is the rare occasion when they get dropped in the snow or mud.

Fly

60 or 80 on a sheet, replace them after each event if they get dirty.   You can also laminate the label with transparent tape making it quite durable. 

I sometimes use a Brother label making machine, that prints 1" water proof labels.  I have run these labels through an autoclave and they do not come off, and they do not deteriorate  .   The label maker is about $300 and the labels are about a dollar a foot.   I think they have come down in price over the years, mine is 1990 era.  Are the labels for todays machines waterproof?  ??

[JTH]

60 or 80 on a sheet, replace them after each event if they get dirty.   You can also laminate the label with transparent tape making it quite durable. 

And thicker.

Personally, instead of making/printing labels, and worrying about checking them, cleaning off the magazine, and putting more labels on:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sharpie-Silver-Metallic-Permanent-Markers-2-Pack-Bundle/15026847

BUT----everyone can do what they want, and that's all good. 

I've always got a black sharpie (for range stuff) and a silver sharpie (for equipment stuff) in my range bag.  For my purposes, they handle everything and I KNOW it won't ever bind my mags. 

That actually reminds me that this is the month I need to go through and check all of my equipment (and my backup equipment) for the year, and to clean out and re-stock my competition range bags.  (Amazing what weird stuff gets left in there after a year.)  Between switching between four different competition types (USPSA, IDPA, Steel Challenge, and Multigun) and shooting matches both here and out-of-state, it really gets ridiculously unorganized.

I keep meaning to have separate bags set up for each version....maybe this is the year I finally get around to that.  It WOULD make my life easier...

Can't say that I've seen you fumble any reloads.  (But I did see you shoot a stop plate out of order.......ONCE! )

You know, I think I've only done that twice in my entire life in a match.  I've screwed up in all sort of OTHER ways, just not normally the "out of order" thing.

[grumble grumble]  And I had a mike on Outer Limits this past match, too, which really hurt because the run WAS going to be a decent one.  Even had that "ding" noise of the bullet hitting metal.  Too bad it was the plate holder, not the plate itself.

I DO fumble reloads all the time.  You just can't normally tell because I'm running from one shooting position to another, so I have a lot of time before anyone can tell I don't have the gun loaded yet.