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Cathy’s Tip of the Week

From the April 22,1968 edition of “Tropic Lightning News”.

  

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 10th, 2015 at 00:00 and is filed under Black Rifle, History. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

12 Responses to “Cathy’s Tip of the Week”

  1. TC LT says:
    May 10, 2015 at 01:18

    All this time I never realized! I just need to use another magazine. *California sighs

  2. Terry B. says:
    May 10, 2015 at 01:25

    This was a common tip back when the issue 20 rd mags were still the norm.

    Short loading was probably applicable in Vietnam with the early issue magazines in the harsh jungle environment.

    FWIW, I routinely loaded mine for many years with 20 rounds and never had any issues. Occasionally a mag spring would go bad and lock up but it was usually obvious as soon as you tried to load the first rounds.

    I still have some colt 20s to this day. I don’t leave them loaded because of their age. But when I do some shooting I put a full 20 in them and they still function flawlessly.

    For several years after the 30 rd mags started being issued people would swear that you should only load 28 rds in them too. But I never short loaded them either.

    Of course, YMMV.

    TLB

  3. Matt says:
    May 10, 2015 at 01:50

    Loading 28 in a GI mag is a sound practice, but not because of feed issues. Rather it is to ensure the magazine will lock in on a closed bolt. Full mags can be difficult to lock securely. My experience with the 20 rounders is limited, but I always heard the Vietnam-era advice of 18 rounds.

  4. Joe says:
    May 10, 2015 at 08:52

    “I don’t know about you but when I gas up my death stick I want a full tank.”
    -Pat McNamara

    In 2015 there are enough excellent magazine options out there to make 28 in 30 to the exception rather than the rule.

    • paul says:
      May 10, 2015 at 12:39

      I had two gen 1 pmags that would not lock into the mag well if I put 30 rounds in them – had to load 28. Not a big deal, but it happens.

    • CAP says:
      May 10, 2015 at 19:37

      Amen. My pmags hold 30 rounds with ease. Its actually easy to put 31 rounds in by mistake if I dont pay attention while loading them. Then I wonder why my mags won’t lock into the rifle…

  5. COL REMF says:
    May 10, 2015 at 12:59

    Two thoughts, second as important as the first:
    1) Given followers and springs in use at the time, duh.
    2) Cathy was cute, and I hope she’s a grandmother retired to someplace pleasant.

  6. AbnMedOps says:
    May 11, 2015 at 04:04

    20 rounders are nice for going prone, tight spots, etc. I liked having them available in the mix.

  7. Disco says:
    May 11, 2015 at 14:00

    She looks like the girl from China Beach.

    That said, I wonder if she has any other tips of the week. Or a local newspaper column where she espouses sound advice.

  8. Roboknee30 says:
    May 11, 2015 at 19:21

    http://www.25thida.org/TLN/

    Looks like there are a few additional posts from Cathy here. It is interesting to look back into these old postings to see what kind of info was of interest.

  9. Daniel says:
    May 12, 2015 at 16:28

    The IDF usually has people load 29, it definitely helps after the mags have been out in the desert for a while.