Posted: 11/8/2004 5:34:05 PM EDT
| What does the term "drop free magazine" mean? |
| "Drop Free" meanx that literally the magazine drops out of the magazine well when the magazine release is depressed. The first generation of Glock magazines did not have a steel liner. When they were loaded the polymer magazine walls "swelled" and the friction between them and the magazine well prevented them from dropping out. This was designed as a saftey mechanism to prevent accidental loss of a magazine if the release was accidentally pushed. |
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And, of course, in European Mil/LE communities it is considered positively Philistine to allow a magazine to drop to the ground, even in combat situations. Or so I have read. The American market may have lent ideological impetus to Glock's later development of the "Drop Free" or "Fully Metal Lined (FML)" magazines. There have been four generations of Glock mags. First was the original, non-drop-free mags. Second, the "preban" drop-free mags. Third, the "postban" drop frees. And finally, the LEO/Govt/Mil-marked mags. Of course, now there is probably a legitimate fifth generation, which includes drop-frees that seem to be taking on the name "no-bans." Incidentally, it's not a very good idea to load Glock mags before long-term storage. Over time, the baseplate will bow outward under the pressure exerted by the spring. If anyone knows a solution for this, please share! Hope you learned something. |
