v 15.4 - 3 / 5 / 2008
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Magazine Information
What's the difference between FML/DF/NFML/NDF magazines? The original Glock magazines were designed to stay in the gun if the magazine release was pressed and there were bullets still in the magazine. They did this by making the magazines without the metal lining running all the way to the base of the magazine. These are Non-Fully Metal Lined (NFML) magazines also known as Non-Drop Free (NDF) magazines. In current magazines the metal lining extends the whole way down the magazine tube. These will drop out of the gun even when full of bullets. They are called Fully Metal Lined (FML) or Drop Free (DF) magazines.
See Glockmeister for details and pictures: In his 1998 Glock Annual article entitled, "How To Become a Glock-Master!," Chuck Karwan states that the original Glock NDF-NFML magazines were designed to swell slightly when fully loaded -- thus preventing a fully-loaded magazine rom exiting the pistol if it were improperly seated or the mag catch accidentally engaged. The original G17 would drop a mag freely only after it contained 10 rounds or less. An empty mag did not always drop free without a little help by shaking the pistol. Karwan goes on to state his preference for and laud this system because a fully-loaded or nearly fully-loaded mag would stay where it belonged -- in the pistol. Only when the mag was sufficiently empty to require a tactical reload would the mag drop free with ease. He asks, "What could be more logical?"
According to Mr. Karwan, Americans didn't appreciate the advantage of the Glock
system because of the legacy of the 1911 pistol, where fully-loaded mags fall
from the pistol when the mag button is pressed. In spite of the practical
superiority of the Glock NDF-NFML mags, Americans (particularly police
agencies) clamored for "drop-free" mags and Gaston Glock made them happy with
the DF-FMLs. I might add that even the DF-FML mags don't always drop-free
without some help. [JT]
How do I disassemble a Glock magazine?
How do I get the 10th round into the magazine?
Are there any good aftermarket magazines?
Swedish Magazine The Swedish magazine is a standard non-fully-metal-lined (non-drop-free) first generation high capacity G17 magazine. The only difference is the three-crown marking of the Swedish Government. The Swedish Armed Forces were, I believe, the second country to adopt the Glock 17 as their service sidearm, and the first country other than Glock's homeland (Austria) to adopt it. As you can see, the three-crown marking is at the base of the magazine, near the floorplate.  
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