Fear & Loading: MagMinder

Those gaudy ties you’ve given dad on Father’s Day over the years are probably collecting dust in a dark, dank drawer corner next to his prized 1957 “Rocky” Colavito, “Specs” Rigney and Larry Doby baseball cards, but you can still make amends. It’s not exactly trendy, but the MagMinder from Gun Storage Solution helps organize some of his gun gear, free shelf space in the safe and will probably be put to use immediately.

It’s not flashy, but it’s the kind of utilitarian accessory that will be appreciated without breaking the bank. The MagMinder can hold three AR-magazines—or six double-stack handgun mags—loaded, up to a maximum weight of 4 lbs. It permanently banishes a teetering pile that sounds like a round of Jenga when you try to grab one in an emergency. With this system, grabbing the outside mag is fast, effortless and quiet.

It’s constructed of powder-coated steel to minimize chances of marring any 5/8- to 7/8" thick shelf or board on which it is mounted. The company recommends padding the underside with folded paper if your anchoring location is thinner, although I didn’t have a problem in my gun safe location that falls slightly below that minimum.

To work, magazines need a wider bottom than their main body to hang upside down. Gun Storage Solution recommends widths of 1 1/8" at the floorplate and 7/8" at the main body. All my PMags and Mission First Tactical versions worked. None of my metal AR-15 magazines will. The odds are good dad’s gone polymer, anyway.

AR magazines go in front to back. Pistol magazines go side to side, so bear that in mind if you’re measuring. Those from my 9 mm and .45 ACP Springfield XDs were secured properly by the system. I gave a 9 mm SCCY version a try and it hung in there, but it rattled enough between the steel rods to be worrisome.

Dust collects between range sessions, even in a safe, so having the open end pointed down during storage is another advantage. They’re also made right here in the United States and the company’s running a special right now for only $14.95. At that price you might as well get him two, because it’s still a lot less than that tie you got him last year—that you’ve never seen again—or that “Ears” Mossi baseball card missing from his 1957 collection.