If you find yourself in a situation where you wind up going through your entire magazine, retention will be your last concern.
PFC Johnny Johnson Awarded Medal of Honor for demonstrating extreme courage in the face of adversity.
[i]Amidst persistent enemy machine gun fire, PFC Johnson collected every expended battlefield magazine, even those of his peers, at risk of life and limb.
“I just couldn’t let my buddies wait on resupply like that. Plus, it seemed extremely untidy.”[/i]
Proving what exactly?
There is a big difference in dumping an empty magazine to get more bullets into the gun and leaving all of your magazines behind you.
This is actually the most common method right now. Makes you wanna vomit.
Once upon a time, while working on Clearing, we were taught to IMMEDIATELY take a knee upon a malfunction or need to reload. Regardless of where you were in the stack. So you enter the room as #1 man, attempt to engage Bad Guy in the room, malfunction, go to a knee. Anyone who has done rooms should be cringing right now. But that’s what we were taught. So that’s what we taught.
I am constantly amazed by the way BS will spread thru the organization like wild fire as gospel, but something that works has to be tried, tested, shown in 3 different ways, and briefed to 14 Generals. And once they approve, you have to show someone in writing that he did.
The military as a whole, even the Army 11B and Marine 0311, does a shit job of training soldiers and marines on how to effectively employ their primary weapon system.
That said, cross check everything you learn, no matter who teaches you. Sad to say, but if you want to learn take a civilian class or three.
There are too many people in the military that believe the rank on their uniform magically translates into them knowing something and THAT is dangerous.