Magazine lips up or down?

[Barryeye]

I have just read on the Militaria forum here is that the correct way to load BAR magazines into a magazine belt is brass on the bottom. Is the same true of carbine magazines in the double belt pouch?

[DMS42]

I usually load all magazines into pouches with the feed lips down because it is easier that way to take them out and put them into the rifle.

[Tuna]

With any rifle or pistol that uses a magazine that is carried in a pouch the best way for it is to have the base of the magazine pointed up in the pouch.

[Maury Krupp]

FM 23-7 U.S. Carbine, Cal. .30, M1 doesn't specify how mags are placed in the pouch.

FM 23-15 Browning Automatic Rifle, Cal. .30, M1918A2 does specify mags go in the belt "...open end down long portion to the rear..." It goes on to explain the reason is so when the mag is taken out of the belt it will be positioned properly for quick loading into the weapon.

If you think about it that same idea applies to any magazine for any weapon whether something in writing prescribes it or not.

Maury

[emmagee1917]

Any dirt or water that gets into the pouch will have to defy gravity to get into the up-side-down mag.
Chris

[jimb]

Just some food for thought.....Rubber covers were made for carbine mags to keep the sand and dirt out. The mag will not go into the pouch lips down if you have the cover on.

[Barryeye]

Thanks for your input gentlemen. I have owned semi automatic rifles for most of my life and for some reason have ALWAYS put the open end of the magazine at the top of the pouch. Only now at the tender age of 65 have I come to realise how illogical this is.(I have never been in the military) As of today I change. I do own some of the rubber carbine mag covers and can only assume that they were intended for very wet or dusty conditions. Never too old to learn. Barry

[bonnie]

Bottoms up. Do you grasp the magazine bottom with your left or right hand? Magazine pouch on your left side or right side? Always position the magazine in the pouch so that as you pull it out by the bottom and rotate your hand to push the magazine into the carbine, it goes straight in, bullets forward. No fiddling around. All pistol and rifle magazines the same.