What exactly is a mag disconnect?

[railroader]

If you are shooting a match mag disconnects are a pain in butt. The range officer will tell you to drop the mag, eject the live round then drop the hammer to make the gun safe. Because of the mag disconnect you can't drop the hammer so you have to reinsert an empty mag after you show it to the range officer so you can drop the hammer. Reinserting a mag after you make a gun safe kind of defeats the purpose if you know what I mean. Mark

[ar15barrels]

If you are shooting a match mag disconnects are a pain in butt. The range officer will tell you to drop the mag, eject the live round then drop the hammer to make the gun safe. Because of the mag disconnect you can't drop the hammer so you have to reinsert an empty mag after you show it to the range officer so you can drop the hammer. Reinserted a mag after you make a gun safe kind of defeats the purpose if you know what I mean.

Exactly.
The only handgun I own with a magazine disconnect is my Smith & Wesson model 41 and it drives me nuts not being able to unload, show clear and drop the striker.

I need to take it apart one day and get rid of the magazine disconnect.

[sig22018]

This is just one more reason I think it is stupid to require them. People should learn not to point guns at other people. This will make people think a gun won't fire without a mag. Then they pick up an old gun that doesn't have a disconnect, drop the mag, and think its safe to point at their friend and pull the trigger.

+1 pepsi

[tony stark]

not necessarily, a bad thing

One of the advantages explained to me was that a handgun could be stored, with the mag removed and a round chambered.
Only one that could use it is the person that has the magazine.
I'm not saying I like them.

[Army]

It's when gun-writers fail to learn about the firearm they are writing about.

[909 in 916]

I`ve owned handguns for years yet it never crossed my mind to ask this question before. Could someone here explain it to me, please?

I didn't read the thread but i'm sure it's been answered already.............but just in case (hahaha), it's a safety feature that prevents the gun from shooting when the mag is out of the gun.

[xs2k]

Do all XD models come with the mag disconnect?

[jammer2k]

Do all XD models come with the mag disconnect?

I can say with confidence that my 4 year old XD 40 does NOT have a mag disconnect, haven't handled a new one recently but have my doubts as to Springfield adding this 'feature'. The only gun I own that has this is my FN 5.7, wouldn't mind figuring a simple way to disable that though.