Although all of the FTF's (probably 3 or 4 total) I've had with my Hi-Power have been user error (failure to fully insert the mag until it clicks), there are some situations where a mag could fail without rendering the gun unusable. I remember a recent post about a follower jamming in place, causing no rounds to rise when the top round is fed into the chamber. Changing to a spare mag would be an immediate fix in this situation.Liko81 wrote: About carrying extra ammo; it's always a good idea to have at least one spare mag of defense rounds, but not for your stated purpose. If your gun FTFs in a defense situation, in all likelihood you're dead or otherwise incapacitated before you can fix it, certainly before you can load a fresh mag. Therefore, buying quality mags (I personally don't buy anything other than factory anymore after some bad experiences with Pro-Mag) and maintaining them is key in a defense weapon.
As far as factory mags are concerned, I agree mostly. A factory mag is made to original design specs (presumably, if no error has been made in the manufacturing process), and is usually the best choice. I will say that I have found Mec-Gar mags to be superior for me. I do realize that they do OEM for FN, but it seems to me that their own branded mags for the Hi-Power are better-finished and function better than the factory FN mags. I've gone to them as my sole carry mags (flush 15-rounders instead of the factory 13-rounders), and have been very satisfied with their quality and reliability.