how do you remember # remaining in magazine?

[7weight]

I’ve been shooting a rotary mag for the past few years in my Hatsan and FX rifles, and about 75% of the time, I’m reminded to swap mags only after a dry fire — some might refer to it as the ninth trigger pull. While I do not consider myself an idiot, I’ll be forced to reconsider that long-held belief if this continues to be case.

So how do you guys know/remember when to swap mags?

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

So how do you guys know/remember when to swap mags?

When it goes PFFT instead of THWACK!!!     

[avator]

LOL Paul...
I know with my Urban mags I used paint markers to mark the last three positions... blue, red then yellow. I chose yellow for the last position because it is easier to see than the blue or red for my old eyes.

[Sfttailrdr46]

  Its easy I count and if I forget some of my magazines will not allow cocking to complete so I know I'm out of pellets and as Paul said others just go Pfft when I forget to count or get distracted and forget how many shots I have taken

[Insanity]

It would lower your mag capacity but you could use something like hot glue to plug the last shot off. If you use something like hot glue it can be undone later down the road.

[N2stuff]

Here's what I did for my Wildcat in 22. A silver sharpie. If you have a 25 then a black sharpie. I just start with the silver at the top and when it comes back around it's time for a full mag.

[Back_Roads]

 Some good tips, I have trouble remembering how many are left in a single shot tray

[Ol'DeadEye]

Well, my Mrod has numbers on it, but I can't read them without digging out my reading glasses.   
Bolt won't close on an empty mag.   
So I sometimes load a copper coated pellet at position 9. 
Otherwise, "When in doubt - Swap it out".

[UlteriorModem]

Some good tips, I have trouble remembering how many are left in a single shot tray

LOL 

[jarmstrong]

with my Taipan Veteran and Zbroia Kozak, both rotary mags, I can feel the lack of resistance when the cocking lever closes on an empty magazine

[Tweeter]

with my Taipan Veteran and Zbroia Kozak, both rotary mags, I can feel the lack of resistance when the cocking lever closes on an empty magazine

+1

Also on most of the multi-shot I've owned there was a way of telling how many shots I had left.  On my Air Arms I know that when I can only see 1 pellet left in the mag then I have 2 shots left (one is hidden behind the breech when the mag is in the gun).  I did the same with my wildcat and taipan.

[KnifeMaker]

In the Rainstorm II I was thinking of plugging the last chamber of themag with 1/4? brass rod to prevent the bolt from closing. I wold loose one shot, but being a slug shooter, it really doesn't matter.   

[Ribbonstone]

Can't remember missing the count while hunting....seldom get that many critter-shots at a sitting, and I'm not going to lose count with just 2-4 shots fired in anger. If I drop the critter(s), I'll reload the mag right after cheching the critter is really down and not playing possum.  If I miss and it runs off, I'll often not reload so long as I KNOW the number of shots left is adaquate for the nest possible encounter.

(So you...may be quietly mentally mumbling &^^& like "5 left...5 left..."as I creep though the woods....but you gotta be thinking something while you try to be outwardly quiet.)

Never lose count shooting groups from a bench...likely becasue I pre-think the number of shots I want per group and how many shots a mag. holds (which is often NOT evenly divied by 5 or 10). 

But I often lose count when plinking, having fun with friends,or just generally shooting whatever drifts past on a stream.

So yeah...when I just lose myself in the fun of tin can bounching or paintball splattering, I'm likely to get either a "blank" or that sudden bolt forward stop of an empty mag (that doesn't allow closing the bolt on an empty mag).


Don't know there is a good cure.  If you lose yourself in the moment,are just about as likely to NOT look at a magazine witness mark as you are to lose your ability to count.

[Nomadic Pirate]

In the Rainstorm II I was thinking of plugging the last chamber of themag with 1/4? brass rod to prevent the bolt from closing. I wold loose one shot, but being a slug shooter, it really doesn't matter.   

The Evanix magazines when you have the flat spot on the drum vertical on the sides is when you down to your last shot, ...easy to see as the magazine rotates into that last position.

[AlanMcD]

I tried counting on my Daystate, but eventually I realized that all I had to do was to listen carefully as I cocked the gun.  There is a distinct sound (not loud, but noticeable) that the mag makes as it advances.  After the last shot, that sound is not there and I know the mag is empty.  If in doubt, and the dot is visible, then I pull the mag to verify it.

[Dbez1]

Here's what I did for my Wildcat in 22. A silver sharpie. If you have a 25 then a black sharpie. I just start with the silver at the top and when it comes back around it's time for a full mag.

Great idea!

[KnifeMaker]

In the Rainstorm II I was thinking of plugging the last chamber of themag with 1/4? brass rod to prevent the bolt from closing. I wold loose one shot, but being a slug shooter, it really doesn't matter.   

The Evanix magazines when you have the flat spot on the drum vertical on the sides is when you down to your last shot, ...easy to see as the magazine rotates into that last position.

Yu will not find that flat to be so easy to see as you get older. I don't shoot with reading glasses on. LOL

[Nomadic Pirate]

In the Rainstorm II I was thinking of plugging the last chamber of themag with 1/4? brass rod to prevent the bolt from closing. I wold loose one shot, but being a slug shooter, it really doesn't matter.   

The Evanix magazines when you have the flat spot on the drum vertical on the sides is when you down to your last shot, ...easy to see as the magazine rotates into that last position.

Yu will not find that flat to be so easy to see as you get older. I don't shoot with reading glasses on. LOL

LOL 

[shinyknight]

I love the Benjamin mag. I can tell when I'm low and need a swap. On my impact there is no number. So I keep shooting till I can't cock back the prob anymore. Most PCP with a mag won't let you push the bolt or lever forward when it's out. They should so what Benjamin do and just write the number on the side.

[miksatx]

On my marauder type I put a white dot on the piece that blocks the pellet probe on last shot. Pic with mag in varmit PCP has 2 shots left.