What's Wrong with Magazine Disconnects?

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  • CraigAPS

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    I'm looking at getting my first FS semi-auto, and I'm curious as to why I keep seeing in reviews for different guns: "I love that it doesn't have a magazine disconnect" or "I like it except for the disconnect," etc. So, my question is: why is this such a bad thing? From what I understand about disconnects, they will not let the weapon fire without a mag in the mag well. Why is this a problem? I can understand why some people prefer not to have a slide-mounted safety (I bring up the safety issue because most reviews I've read/watched conflate the two issues and make them sound equally bad). I can see things from their point of view about the safety. I get it. But, I really don't understand the disconnect issue. The only scenario that I can think of that could be a problem would be during a SD altercation during which the magazine is ejected from the weapon. I don't know. Maybe that's just my lack of experience/imagination.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    The most common complaint is trigger feel can be effected. I've heard some folks complain about that the pistol would not be capable of firing the shot in the chamber if you were surprised while reloading, but that seems pretty far fetched to me. On the other hand, I know of at least one person who dropped the magazine in a struggle over the gun, then let the person have the gun while they went for a backup. I believe that's also an unlikely scenario, but less so than the surprised while reloading thing.

    Roughly 1/3 of the ADs that result in injury/death I see would have been prevented by a magazine disconnect. It can be an extra layer of safety.
     

    BugI02

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    Personally I dislike the extra layer of complexity involving a crucial function (ignition). I see it as a non-transparent mechanism that could prevent the gun from firing over issues that are difficult to determine and/or clear. It also complicates dry firing as you must leave a magazine in place, which is inherently less safe
     

    SSGSAD

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    will I ever need to fire my pistol while the mag is out?
    who knows. but I'd prefer to have that option available.


    And, you NEVER shoot your gun, dry, ie, until the slide locks back ?????

    I have been carrying a S&W, Model 59, with a Mag., disconnect, since 1979, and in my OPINION,

    there is NO difference .....
     

    SmileDocHill

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    If I'm honest I have to admit it is likely an emotional decision because I don't know the real stats on whether I'll ever need to fire a gun with a magazine out but..... As a basic philosophy I like my EDC to have as few "off switches" as possible and have its design and mechanics be as simple as possible. That said, I simply don't like revolvers. What can I say I'm a walking bag of contradictions.
     

    Drail

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    The biggest problem with magazine discos IMO is that very quickly after they were introduced suddenly almost everyone assumed that ALL semi auto pistols would not fire if the magazine was dropped (just like a High Power). And a lot of them learned of their ignorance of firearms the hard way. And this "mistake" is still being made by many people today. As a retired smith I would never own a firearm with a device that disabled it by sensing or not sensing if a magazine was present. Murphy runs the Universe and he is always right behind you - and he is very very good at his job. As a retired NRA Instructor I have seen LOTS of people who believed that dropping the magazine instantly made any firearm just as safe as putting the safety on. Some of them would argue with you when you corrected them. From a military perspective what would you do if you lost your magazine but still had loose rounds available? Worst case scenario, I know, but the military considers things like this. Just not the French military......... Massad Ayoob for years use to extol the greatness of the mag disco because of documented saves of LEO lives when a perp took their sidearm but could not make it fire because the LEO dropped the mag.
     
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    MCgrease08

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    Let's assume you're being mugged and you draw your pistol on the assailant. He grabs the gun by the slide and a struggle ensues. In the course of tussling over the gun one of you hits the mag release. You now have a paper weight.

    Or maybe you pocket carry and you accidentally engage the mag release while sitting down to dinner because your wife bought you new pants that are tighter than you're used to. Of course you don't know you've engaged the mag release, but an assailant confronts you as you leave the restaurant. You pull your pistol from your pocket and the mag drops free. Again, you are stuck holding a paper weight.

    As others have said, I try to elimate as many potential points of failure as possible.
     

    walt o

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    layer of safety

    Every unnecessary part you add to a machine is another opportunity for something to go wrong.

    Maybe you are too young to remember in the day. Cars did not make it to 60,000 without an over haul Tires lasted less than they do now, and a short trip would entail a flat or two. Addition of the firing pin safety HAS not increased trigger pull on 1911's .The mag.safety may or may not be to your liking but if the gun is maintained it won't fail. why have 3 safety's on a 1911 ?they must make the gun un dependable because of too much engineering ? can remember when plastic guns were something from a freak show or Si-Fi We move ahead with new features every day .thank humans for progress.
    And as for bumping the mag release while in your pocket ,that is what pocket holsters are for
     

    Drail

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    Addition of a firing pin safety certainly has increased the trigger pull on many mass produced 1911s that I have worked on. Yeah, it can be fixed but who needs it? I do agree with you that a pocket is NO PLACE for a loaded handgun.
     

    phylodog

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    Every unnecessary part you add to a machine is another opportunity for something to go wrong.

    Maybe you are too young to remember in the day. Cars did not make it to 60,000 without an over haul Tires lasted less than they do now, and a short trip would entail a flat or two. Addition of the firing pin safety HAS not increased trigger pull on 1911's .The mag.safety may or may not be to your liking but if the gun is maintained it won't fail. why have 3 safety's on a 1911 ?they must make the gun un dependable because of too much engineering ? can remember when plastic guns were something from a freak show or Si-Fi We move ahead with new features every day .thank humans for progress.
    And as for bumping the mag release while in your pocket ,that is what pocket holsters are for

    You must have missed the word "unnecessary" in my post. Try reading it again with a little emphasis on that particular word.

    I'm not against innovation. The advancements in automobiles are easily categorized as improvements. A magazine safety in a pistol is not an improvement, it is a group of unnecessary parts added to a pistol which provide no improvement in performance, reliability or meaningful safety.
     

    CraigAPS

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    Several people have made comments about the trigger. How does the mag disconnect (located in the slide, right?) affect the trigger pull??
     

    M67

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    Personally, I hate them and believe mag disconnects are over engineered and useless.

    If they're in a gun I own......they get taken out

    Better than a warning label bill board or a Hillary hole....but not by much

    Several people have made comments about the trigger. How does the mag disconnect (located in the slide, right?) affect the trigger pull??



    Oh Hi Powers the disconnect is located on the hammer (the plunger and spring is anyway. So with the mag in there's extra pressure on the trigger, making it.....suck.

    On Buckmarks there's a bar that pulls down on the trigger bar if the mag isn't in. When it is in, it does create 1 extra friction area but I didn't notice the trigger pulls being that much different, then again, I took it out before I shot it
     

    Hop

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    All the above + disassembly can get tricky. Try to disassemble / reassemble a Ruger 22/45 with and without a mag disconnect.
     

    walt o

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    Unnecessart is a subjective turn to some un necessary to others necessary
    Seat belts mandated by the gov. are uncomfortable. yet necessary or unnecessary.
    Very 1911 come out that don't need some smoothing out of some parts .That is why we have so many 1911 expert gunsmiths. /Mag safetys = a safe gun on the night stand with 1 in the chamber and mag.out .slip in mag and you are ready to rock & roll , the kids can't get the gun to go bang w/o the mag in. Don't we ALL pratice mag changes as part of our training?s that not another added safety
     
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