Color coding mags

[UglyViking]

Mods please move if this is the incorrect location.

I've gotten to a point where I have numerous different loads of ammo for 556 and 300 and keeping the ammo straight has become a bit of a process of organization. Not a real issue at home but makes me extra cautious at the range and brings some concern from any situation where stress is high. At the current moment I've got mostly black gen 2 pmags and a few old USGI mags so I'm hoping to put some extra identification on them. Currently I mark all my 300 mags with orange paint but I just got some inspiration from diehard and picked up a multi colored pack of electrical tape, unsure how well it will stick to the pmags but I'll give it a shot.

Long and short of all this is I'm curious if there is any universal standard for color coding mags. Below is my current plan, but I'm open to feedback. Hopefully I can either gain some feedback on a better direction, or validation that it's accurate enough and others can use it as a ref.

Blue = Sim/blanks (I've got no use for this but it seems universal enough that I don't plan to use it)​

Red = Tracer​

Green = XM855 or AP (black won't show up well on black mags obviously)​

White = subsonic​

Yellow = 300 blk​

​

My plan would be to stack the colors when necessary. For example, all 300 mags would have yellow tape, subs would be yellow and white, 556 mags for range use would be blank, mags with tracers would be red, etc.

 

[David Mayeur]

Blue is common for Sims. Don't use it for anything other than that. Unlike marking varieties of ammunition, mistaking live ammunition for sim rounds is a safety risk and should not be taken lightly. It is best to paint these magazines blue entirely or use magazines dedicated for sims

There are rubber bands, similar to ranger bands, that can be used to indicate ammunition type.

 

[shoobe01]

If only for you, do whatever. If for others... standards vary more than a bit. For example, I think RED means live (red ammo can has the real ammo when at an FOF/blank/etc training) but SIRT and others make their trainers red! That annoys me. Anyway, if others need to use it, make sure they have no conflicting thoughts about what color means.

Also do not forget darkness, distraction, etc. Color is not great to rely on. And with the consequences of some of yours (.300 in a 5.56!) I'd consider additional levels.

I, for one example example, have dedicated magazines for .300 which are different. Only in the .300 bag, only 20 round Lancers; they feel entirely different from the aluminums I use for 5.56. And since other ammo will fit: we are shooting .300 or we are shooting 5.56 and never the two will mix.

Other methods are also important when mixing systems, like: never pick up a cartridge you dropped. Ever. Good way to accidentally pick up the wrong thing. Not just a good idea, but I have heard first hand stories of a guy (in a foreign army) who picked up a stripper he found. Live rounds from a previous exercise. He's on a blank fire EX. Boom. Actually, set to auto, so Big Bada Boom. Miracle no one was killed.


Agree, while the systems (esp UTM) do not allow firing live rounds, things like blank fire do not have a safety except process so dedicated mags with clear marks are important. Use preferably different mags, but certainly blue marks for all fires-training-projectiles things.

Dyeing mags is a neat solution if you have the time and inclination: https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/ritdye_sand_pmags/

 

[David Mayeur]

Dyeing mags is a neat solution if you have the time and inclination: https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/ritdye_sand_pmags/

I have a few that I've dyed banana yellow and lime green to signify training mags and such. The best thing I could ever do was pick up ranger plates on sale for Gen 3 PMAGs. The point about darkness is true, regardless of where you are. Having a physical alteration is a sure sign that something is different.

 

[UglyViking]

@David Mayeur I was unaware of those so that's something I can look into. Was attempting to keep costs low and tape is both cost effective and easy to replace, hence my thinking. Good to note on the difference between sims and blank, for my purpose I have and need neither so it's mostly just not using blue.

@shoobe01 I hadn't thought much about night so that's a great point. I like the idea of a completely different mag for 300 vs 556, and while that does add a lot of cost, more so than the ranger band idea, it also gives me more mags, so that is a win win. I know magpul makes a 300 specific mag, but even still it's very similar. I might have to see what other reliable brands there are and do a bulk buy for my 300.

Appreciate the advice all. From the sound of it my color coding spec is solid (outside the sims vs blanks, again which I do not need) and the only thing I should look into is an additional mag for the different caliber.

 

[CESwartz07]

The colored electrical tape has worked well for me. Red for duty ammo and blue for training ammo. I also got the idea from die hard 2 lol. I was going to use orange for training ammo which is fairly common, but was afraid it wasn’t different enough from red.


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[shoobe01]

The colored electrical tape has worked well for me. Red for duty ammo and blue for training ammo. I also got the idea from die hard 2 lol. I was going to use orange for training ammo which is fairly common, but was afraid it wasn’t different enough from red.

Try shape and position codes. Move where on the mag the tape is, two two stripes, or double thickness stripes, etc.

Okay, I'll admit I do have some loaded-with-killin-ammo mags, in the safe, gun bag, etc. that I marked to know I leave them alone. Emergency use, anti-Silverado purposes . I did them with red electrical tape around the body near the base. Then found that I often had them stuffed down into pouche/pockets, so added tape cross-wise, so it runs across the floorplate. Think about how you store/see mags.

I wish Magpul made their old school pulls in multiple colors still. I have them on all my 5.56 mags, and even got an orange one in a clearance bin long ago which is on my orange gutted Thermold (for classroom demos etc) but I simply cannot find the blue, or red or any other colors anymore, sadly. If only they'd make white and we could dye them even!

If anyone has some colored magpuls in the back of a closet: I'll take em.

 

[MrMurphy]

Orange electrical tape for training mags has worked well for me.

 

[ohossack1845]

Mods please move if this is the incorrect location.

I've gotten to a point where I have numerous different loads of ammo for 556 and 300 and keeping the ammo straight has become a bit of a process of organization. Not a real issue at home but makes me extra cautious at the range and brings some concern from any situation where stress is high. At the current moment I've got mostly black gen 2 pmags and a few old USGI mags so I'm hoping to put some extra identification on them. Currently I mark all my 300 mags with orange paint but I just got some inspiration from diehard and picked up a multi colored pack of electrical tape, unsure how well it will stick to the pmags but I'll give it a shot.

Long and short of all this is I'm curious if there is any universal standard for color coding mags. Below is my current plan, but I'm open to feedback. Hopefully I can either gain some feedback on a better direction, or validation that it's accurate enough and others can use it as a ref.

Blue = Sim/blanks (I've got no use for this but it seems universal enough that I don't plan to use it)​

Red = Tracer​

Green = XM855 or AP (black won't show up well on black mags obviously)​

White = subsonic​

Yellow = 300 blk​

​

My plan would be to stack the colors when necessary. For example, all 300 mags would have yellow tape, subs would be yellow and white, 556 mags for range use would be blank, mags with tracers would be red, etc.

I use a similar system of color coding.

Black-223/556
FDE/TAN -300blk Supers
Black mag with white paint band labeled "Subs" 300blk
Red Stripe on mag is range only mags

A little different system but I think the concept of color coding is good.... as long as it doesn't get overly complicated. I have found spray paint and a sharpie works better than most tape. Gorilla tape does seem to last the longest. I would imagine most organizations or departments standardize on ammo/caliber used so it may not be necessary to have an elaborate system of colored mags.

 

[niquorice]

I originally used 20rd mags for 300blk since it was easy because all of the ammo came in 20rd boxes. It was also easy to know that all of my 20rd mags were 300blk, with the exception of one uniquely painted 20rd mag which had 77gr 5.56.

Since then I know use Lancer mags (20 and 30rd) for my 300blk and aluminum and pmags for 5.56.

Going beyond rifle mags my training/range use only mags are painted to be hi-viz. On my AR mags this is is the top 2" or so that is usually inside the mag well. Essentially the opposite of what I've seen Will Petty of Centrifuge Training do. This is done for old aluminum mags with feed lips still in spec but say green followers and and a 15yr old spring that's seen God knows how much use.
Pained pistol mags are limited to my old M9 mags while my unpainted modern 17/18rd are used for more legit use.

I have not experienced any issues with painted rifle or pistol mags causing more friction in their respective mag wells or not dropping free. That said if I did it wouldn't really be an issue considering how I use them.

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[Pat Tarrant]

Like others, I like visual and tactile differences. Currently I arrange it Luke this:
75gr HD ammo - painted M3 pmags
75gr practice ammo - black M3 pmags
77gr match ammo - 20rd GI and magpul mags
55gr competition and training ammo - GI and gen2 pmags