Easiest/quickest way to swap out magazines?

[Dolvio]

I've only had my DSA carbine a few weeks now. After several hundred rounds it is beginning to loosen up a bit, but I still can't seem to find the best way to quickly and easily swap mags.

Right now I hold the carbine by the handguard in my left hand (right handed shooter) while grasping the mag with my right and depressing the mag release with my right thumb...ejection port facing me. Loading a new mag in the same manner.

Is there a better way?

[kalliste]

What works for you works - but...

...you should not lose your strong hand grip on the pistol grip when manipulating the rifle, changing positions, changing magazines etc. You can pull the magazine off whilst pressing the mag catch with your thumb - rock it forward, the reverse action to inserting it. (And you should replace the empty mag in your pouch/pocket and fasten the pouch/pocket immediately or at least before you move.)

[Dolvio]

I found this with a bit of searching. I'll leave it up here as a reference for other poor lost noob souls.


"A RH shooter uses his left hand to grasp the magazine and hit the release w/ the inside of the thumb. Practice!"

I'll work on it...as it allows you to keep the rifle shouldered and right hand on the bang switch.

[Dolvio]

Originally posted by kalliste
What works for you works - but...

...you should not lose your strong hand grip on the pistol grip when manipulating the rifle, changing positions, changing magazines etc. You can pull the magazine off whilst pressing the mag catch with your thumb - rock it forward, the reverse action to inserting it. (And you should replace the empty mag in your pouch/pocket and fasten the pouch/pocket immediately or at least before you move.)

Thanks kalliste. It seems so obvious now. I'm just not known for my dexterity. I'll work on it.

[Dolvio]

I assume with use the mag release spring will soften up some and I could even use my trigger finger to release.

Right now it is still really tight...the mags have to be yanked out even with the lever fully depressed...is there a way to do some light sanding to make them drop free easier without damaging the rifle?

[Bryan 45]

Another right handed shooter here. I can reach the mag release on my DSA with my trigger finger, without shifting my grip.

I actuate the mag release at the same time my left hand goes to the mag carrier on my belt. Some of my used DSA mags will fall right out, most will not. When the left hand gets back up to the rifle with a new mag, I knock the mag out with the back of my hand, which puts it in position to insert the new mag.

[MAINER]

My L1A1 drops mags by just engaging the mag release. The inch mag release is the best in my opinion.
The small slanted metric must have a reason behind their design, but I don't know what it is.
I've replaced my metrics with Izzy style , from Gunthings. They work a bit better for me.
If I were shooting competition or preparing for Zombie attacks, I'd put Inch releases on all of them.

[Slo cat]

I also like the inch mag release and install them on all my metric rifles (except for my Izzy's, as I want to keep them in a correct configuration). It is a bit nicer if the inch mag release is checkered.

http://www.parkcitiestactical.com/album/00001410/MagRelResized02.JPG

Best Regards,
Slo cat

[Dolvio]

Thanks for the great pic Slo cat. Is there any major gunsmithing involved in swapping out from the metric release? Or just a matter of finding the parts?

[Slo cat]

The Inch mag release fits just fine on a metric FAL. But you need to get an inch mag release retaining screw and spring. The Inch screw has a thick head that protrudes well above the receiver surface. It serves as an additional pivot point for the mag release. You can see this in my pic.

I've heard of some placing a BB in the mag release spring hole so that the metric spring can be used. If you have a wide-foot bolt hold open, sometimes this interferes with the full range of movement of the inch mag release. Sometimes not. A file can fix this if it is a problem.

Best Regards,
Slo cat

[Tak]

Originally posted by Dolvio
I found this with a bit of searching. I'll leave it up here as a reference for other poor lost noob souls.


"A RH shooter uses his left hand to grasp the magazine and hit the release w/ the inside of the thumb. Practice!"

I'll work on it...as it allows you to keep the rifle shouldered and right hand on the bang switch.

That's the way to go. It seems to be the most natural and efficient way to do it in my opinion.

[Dolvio]

Originally posted by Slo cat
The Inch mag release fits just fine on a metric FAL. But you need to get an inch mag release retaining screw and spring. The Inch screw has a thick head that protrudes well above the receiver surface. It serves as an additional pivot point for the mag release. You can see this in my pic.

I've heard of some placing a BB in the mag release spring hole so that the metric spring can be used. If you have a wide-foot bolt hold open, sometimes this interferes with the full range of movement of the inch mag release. Sometimes not. A file can fix this if it is a problem.

Best Regards,
Slo cat

Do you have a good source for these 3?(screw, spring, lever) parts Slo(that you'd be willing to share)? Or is it more a find them as you can type deal?

Then it's just a matter of backing out the metric screw/spring...dropping the metric lever/release and then installing the new stuff in reverse order? That screw goes through the bolt release as well?

*Sorry I'm not much of a tinkerer or a gunsmith. Just trying to figure out if it's something I could figure out or if I'd be better off leaving it be or finding help.

[Dolvio]

Does that pin right behind the screw have to come out as well?

[Slo cat]

Gun Parts Guy sells the inch mag retaining screw and spring. See http://estore.websitepros.com/832529/Detail.bok?no=338

The Inch mag release installs just about like the metric one does, just a different screw and spring.

The pin to the rear of the mag release retaining screw is for the ejector block. One normally does not touch this pin. There is another one just above it. Don't mess with these.

Best Regards,
Slo cat

Originally posted by Dolvio


Do you have a good source for these 3?(screw, spring, lever) parts Slo(that you'd be willing to share)? Or is it more a find them as you can type deal?

Then it's just a matter of backing out the metric screw/spring...dropping the metric lever/release and then installing the new stuff in reverse order? That screw goes through the bolt release as well?

*Sorry I'm not much of a tinkerer or a gunsmith. Just trying to figure out if it's something I could figure out or if I'd be better off leaving it be or finding help.

[Dolvio]

I think I'm going to take a shot at swapping it out. Have you ever dealt with these guys or heard anything good or bad?:

http://www.marstar.ca/ac-FN-FAL/index.shtm


*IF I were to order from these guys...I'd need 3 parts right:

CIA-050
CIA-051
CIA-052

Am I forgetting anything? Thanks for all your help.

[Slo cat]

Originally posted by Dolvio
I think I'm going to take a shot at swapping it out. Have you ever dealt with these guys or heard anything good or bad?:

http://www.marstar.ca/ac-FN-FAL/index.shtm


*IF I were to order from these guys...I'd need 3 parts right:

CIA-050
CIA-051
CIA-052

Am I forgetting anything? Thanks for all your help.

Yes, these are the parts you need.

In total, the Marstar parts are more expensive than the same GPG parts. Why do you want to go with the more expensive parts? Do you live in Canada?

I talked with a Canadian who owned a FAL. His was grandfathered. He could not take it out of his home. He could not shoot it. He could not sell it. The only thing he was allowed to do was to take it out of his safe and look at it, then lock it up.

Best Regards,
Slo cat

[Dolvio]

Oh I was just snooping and found their diagram (marstar). I'm not Canadian, so hopefully my FAL will actually get some fresh air from time to time.

I definitely don't want to pay higher prices...I was just a little confused by the GPG pic. Is that the checkered thumb mag release in the GPG pic? In the marstar diagram it looks more like yours.

[Slo cat]

Originally posted by Dolvio
Oh I was just snooping and found their diagram (marstar). I'm not Canadian, so hopefully my FAL will actually get some fresh air from time to time.

I definitely don't want to pay higher prices...I was just a little confused by the GPG pic. Is that the checkered thumb mag release in the GPG pic? In the marstar diagram it looks more like yours.

The Inch mag release is factory serrated. The checkering @ 25 lpi is an aftermarket enhancement. Here is a photo of both:

http://www.parkcitiestactical.com/album/00001410/BeforeAfter10.JPG

For checkering services on your FAL parts, see
http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=220644
:biggrin:

Best Regards,
Slo cat

[dominus]

I have smallish hands, so IMO there is no easy way to swap mags. That being said, practice helps immensely. I bought the L1A1 partially because I liked the mag release better. Then I put a met bolt hold open so it's stay open after the last round fired. So go figure. That's the great thing about the FAL, if you're not obsessed with keeping it all original, you can make it how you want it. I'd recommend the Inch mag release.

[Dolvio]

Another great pic Slo cat. Thanks for taking the time to explain all this.

They should put the mag release in a better position in their pic (gpg).

Ok, I'm going to order that set..*and I'm definitely going to order one of your checkered versions.

[Dolvio]

Man, if only the rest of life were this easy. Present a problem and find out there is an easy solution. Two weeks later I've got my Gun Parts Guy mag release on (until Slo cat's upgrade arrives) and it works like a champ. Thanks FALfiles!

[Pluribus]

Right handed shooter here. I have my pretty rifles and, my fighting rifles. On the fighting ones, I'm not particularly concerned with rough use and thus, make a mag change in the following aggressive manner. This is for metric rifles with a commonwealth mag release or, of course commonwealth.

Starting from bolt lock:

Maintain strong posture with right hand on PG and butt still pressed firmly into shoulder, muzzle slightly depressed, acquire fresh mag and then slide fresh along left side of lower beginning forward of the PG and into mag release which, will drop the empty mag. Insert fresh mag, thumb down the bolt release and, resume operational posture/firing.

If you don't want rub marks on the mag/lower or run the risk of denting your mags on the ground then, don't do it.

[CDN_SAFN]

No experience here myself, but there was a great series of pictures and video used for intimidation/propaganda purposed of the Gurkhas getting ready for the Falklands. Aside from them viciously grinning while sharpening and playing with their khukris and of course more modern weapons, there was a great video of them going through a rapid fire exercise with their FN's, and their method of mag change was pretty much how Kalliste (my bad if I got your ID wrong) described it. The only difference being that they had the new mag between thumb and index finger, and pulled the spent mag out between their ring and middle finger. They operated the mag release with their thumb and it dropped just enough to disengage, but not drop free. They were damn fast. They were also doing it almost at a run. I'm sure that came from extensive practice and drilling, but still...

Oh, and yes, the FN in the hands of a Gurkha did look abnormally large, but they didn't seem to have any problem at all managing them. Again, this was a propaganda/intimidation campaign using and boosting the Gurkhas' reputation, but they were still doing what they were doing for the cameras.

[Dolvio]

Mag release received and installed. Thanks Slo cat!

[Kyrottimus]

I guess I'm lucky I have large hands and long fingers. I've never found it difficult to swap mags out with my left hand (I'm Right handed). Then again, my right index finger is long enough to reach the mag release without moving my hand from the grip, so I just do it that way.

[W.E.G.]

According to Rule .308, magazine changes should be leisurely,
due to the significant effect of the preceding 20 rounds.