Carrying magazines - best practice?

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Watching YouTube videos i see people load their magazine from a box or ammo wallet before they set out on a stalk.
I tend to load mine before leaving home (stalking is within 15 miles) and just carry in my pocket to slot into the rifle when I arrive.
What do you do? What is consider best practice?
 
When going out stalking, I carry my ammo in an elasticated cartridge wallet separate from the magazine, though both items are in the same Haversack, Respirator, S10.

The only concerns I can see are:

1. Legal. The law states:

19 A person commits an offence if, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the proof whereof lies on him) he has with him in a public place...​


[F5(a) a loaded shot gun,

(b) an air weapon (whether loaded or not),

(c) ...any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm, or

(d) an imitation firearm.]

Firearms Act 1968

An Act to consolidate the Firearms Acts 1937 and 1965, the Air Guns and Shot Guns, etc. , Act 1962, Part V of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 and certain enactments amending the Firearms Act 1937.
www.legislation.gov.uk www.legislation.gov.uk

2. The longevity of the magazine follower spring. With modern materials, and considering the times involved, I don't think that this is an issue worth considering.

I don't see a problem with either approach. Some might say that your method - mag & ammo completely separate from the rifle and in your immediate possession - is better from a public safety viewpoint. I find that having everything together makes life easier and brain farts less likely.

maximus otter
 
I carry my cartridges in a wallet or ammo card. I make sure every loop is full when I take it out of the cabinet, toping up from ammo box as required. I normally have the wallet on my belt, but if travelling any distance then is in my bag separate to my rifle.

I only put rounds into the magazine when I am on my stalking grounds and away from buildings etc. I only chamber a round when I expect to take a shot.

An ammo wallet or card makes a very good and simple check on ammo. When I unload every slot should be filled. If i have taken a shot, one will be filled with an empty case. This means that no rounds are lurking somewhere.

I tend to unload the rifle once I am no longer trying to shoot something - usually beast is on the grass, its dead and I am going to gralloch it. Rifle is no longer needed. Empty it, clear it etc whilst your hands are nice and clean, and if you have a slip, back in the slip.

Then get on with the extraction.
 
maximus otter said:
1. Legal. The law states:

19 A person commits an offence if, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the proof whereof lies on him) he has with him in a public place...​


[F5(a) a loaded shot gun,

(b) an air weapon (whether loaded or not),

(c) ...any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm, or

(d) an imitation firearm.]

Firearms Act 1968

An Act to consolidate the Firearms Acts 1937 and 1965, the Air Guns and Shot Guns, etc. , Act 1962, Part V of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 and certain enactments amending the Firearms Act 1937.
www.legislation.gov.uk www.legislation.gov.uk
Click to expand...
I can't see any relevance to carrying a load magazine in your pocket there.
 
slider said:
Watching YouTube videos i see people load their magazine from a box or ammo wallet before they set out on a stalk.
I tend to load mine before leaving home (stalking is within 15 miles) and just carry in my pocket to slot into the rifle when I arrive.
What do you do? What is consider best practice?
Click to expand...
Legally there is a difference between a LOADED shotgun and a s1 firearm where with that, the s1, you have ammunition WHETHER LOADED OR NOT says the law. As SHAKEY JAKE notes with regard to s1 the law makes no distinction between being loaded or not loaded. Note that for the Firearms Act 1968 s19 that a private car used on a public road or elsewhere where the public have access IS a public place. However "daft" that idea may seem that is the law.

However I will make this point. If in the extremely unlikely event that you car catches fire do you think the firefighters would prefer that you had exited the car with your cartridges or that your cartridges were still in the car (be that in the rifle or in a box or a belt pouch) or were in your pocket and not in the car? And ditto if "took short" I'd prefer that my firearm had no ammuntion with them when I am away from the car.

So to answer the OP I consider that best practice is that the ammunition is kept separate from the firearm such that if I need to quit the vehicle (be that after emergency or for a "comfort break" that there is no suitable ammunition with it in the now unattended vehicle. Notwithstanding s19 of the Firearms Act we also have to consider our wider responsibility to others of what if the rifle (in whatever circumstance) was taken from the now unattanded vehicle?

FIREARMS ACT 1968 s19​

A person commits an offence if, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the proof whereof lies on him) he has with him in a public place

(a) a loaded shot gun,

(b) an air weapon (whether loaded or not),

(c) any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm, or

(d) an imitation firearm.]
 
Last edited:
I recently read (can't remember where) that it is an offence to carry a loaded magazine that is separate from the firearm?

This is a PITA as my permissions require using public roads for very short distances to reach various fields. I do unload the rifle every time we're going on the road. Since reading that article I also unload the cartridges from the mag and carry the empty mag and wallet of cartridges in my smock pocket.

Was I dreaming about reading that? Any clarity will be gratefully received.
 
Jelen said:
I recently read (can't remember where) that it is an offence to carry a loaded magazine that is separate from the firearm?

This is a PITA as my permissions require using public roads for very short distances to reach various fields. I do unload the rifle every time we're going on the road. Since reading that article I also unload the cartridges from the mag and carry the empty mag and wallet of cartridges in my smock pocket.

Was I dreaming about reading that? Any clarity gratefully received.
Click to expand...
I've heard this but not seen it in any documents to say that.
 
enfieldspares said:
So to answer the OP I consider that best practice is that the ammunition is kept separate from the firearm such that if I need to quit the vehicle (be that after emergency or for a "comfort break" that there is no suitable ammunition with it in the now unattended vehicle. Notwithstanding s19 of the Firearms Act we also have to consider our wider responsibility to others of what if the rifle (in whatever circumstance) was taken from the now unattanded vehicle?

​

Click to expand...
To be clear, the loaded magazine is carried in my pocket, not thd rifle.
Consequently the magazine, along with the rounds in my belt wallet, will exit the vehicle when I do.
 
slider said:
To be clear, the loaded magazine is carried in my pocket, not thd rifle.
Consequently the magazine, along with the rounds in my belt wallet, will exit the vehicle when I do.
Click to expand...
Same as you.

Load magazine at home from ammo pouch on my belt, magazine in my pocket - so separate from rifle.

Frankly its one less thing to forget and also aids with being able to get the rifle loaded quickly when you arrive (if needed).
 
PEA said:
Can't really see it being to much of an issue. The average bobby wouldn't know anyway.
Click to expand...
It does become boring when you have do it 10 times a night with a 5 shot mag, especially when you drop a cartridge into the several centimetres of mud, feathers, sweet wrappers etc on the floor.
I wouldn't gamble on them not knowing either. It only takes one that wants another notch on his truncheon.
 
I leave home with rounds in an ammo wallet and load the magazine only when I reach the ground.

As above sure I read somewhere that if your magazine contains rounds it is classed as a loaded firearm....but could be wrong.

But either way I follow this advice as its sensible.
 
Jelen said:
It does become boring when you have do it 10 times a night with a 5 shot mag, especially when you drop a cartridge into the several centimetres of mud, feathers, sweet wrappers etc on the floor.
I wouldn't gamble on them not knowing either. It only takes one that wants another notch on his truncheon.
Click to expand...
Magazine filled and in your picket is fine for me
 
Interesting post, over on this side of the water, the government slipped in a couple of laws during Covid times that now mean ammunition must be stored in a lockable container whilst in the vehicle. I have a cash box for longer distance trips, arguably a lockable glovebox will also suffice.
 
Nickb said:
I leave home with rounds in an ammo wallet and load the magazine only when I reach the ground.

As above sure I read somewhere that if your magazine contains rounds it is classed as a loaded firearm....but could be wrong.

But either way I follow this advice as its sensible.
Click to expand...
The whole "loaded" side of things is nonsense in the respect that its an offence as per below in C if you have the ammunition with you.

Frankly for me if the ammunition is separate from the firearm then it cant be considered "loaded" and thats the important bit. If the magazine was charged and in the rifle (albeit a round not in the chamber) then that is a definite no no.

FIREARMS ACT 1968 s19​

A person commits an offence if, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the proof whereof lies on him) he has with him in a public place

(a) a loaded shot gun,

(b) an air weapon (whether loaded or not),

(c) any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm, or

(d) an imitation firearm.]
 
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