A magazine is the part that holds and feeds ammunition into the firearm; a clip is a simple device that just holds rounds together so they can be quickly loaded into a magazine or internal magazine.

What’s the Difference Between a Clip and a Magazine?

Quick Scoop

Think of it like this:

  • A magazine is like a gas tank that stores and feeds fuel (ammo) into the engine (the gun’s chamber).
  • A clip is like a small rack or holder that keeps loose rounds together so you can dump them into that tank quickly.

Only one of them actually feeds the gun: the magazine.

What a Magazine Is (and Does)

  • A magazine is a container that holds cartridges and feeds them into the chamber using a spring and follower.
  • It can be:
    • Detachable (like the box magazine you see in most modern pistols and rifles).
    • Internal/fixed (built into the gun, like many older bolt-action rifles).
    • Tubular (a tube under a rifle or shotgun barrel that holds rounds in a line).

When you “reload your gun” in most modern contexts, you are usually swapping or refilling a magazine , not a clip.

If it has a spring and actively pushes rounds up into the action, it’s a magazine.

What a Clip Is (and Does)

A clip does not feed the gun directly; it feeds the magazine. Common types:

  • Stripper clip
    • Holds several rounds in a straight line.
    • You insert it into a slot above an internal magazine and push the stack of rounds down into the magazine, then remove the empty clip.
  • En bloc clip
    • The clip and cartridges are inserted as a unit into the rifle’s internal magazine.
    • The classic example is the M1 Garand; when it’s empty, the clip pops out with the famous “ping.”
  • Moon/half-moon clips
    • Used with some revolvers to hold rimless cartridges together for faster loading and extraction.

If it’s just holding ammo together and gets discarded or ejected once rounds are in the magazine, it’s a clip.

Side‑by‑Side: Clip vs Magazine

Feature Magazine Clip
Main purpose Stores and feeds ammo into the firearm Holds ammo together to load a magazine/internal magazine
Has spring and follower? Yes, that’s how it feeds rounds Usually no, it’s just a holder
Directly part of firing cycle? Yes, present while firing No, used before firing to load
Detachable box shape (modern pistols/AR‑15s) That’s a magazine Not a clip
Famous example Glock pistol magazine, AR‑15 magazine M1 Garand en bloc clip, stripper clips for old bolt rifles
Common misuse Called a “clip” in movies/games Used as a catch‑all word for “ammo thing”

Why People Mix Them Up

In everyday talk, especially in movies, games, and online forums, “clip” became a casual slang for any ammo-holding thing that comes out of a gun. Over time, lots of people picked up the habit, even though it’s technically wrong.

  • In casual conversation, most people will still understand you if you say “clip” when you mean “magazine.”
  • In technical contexts (firearms training, law enforcement, military, gunsmithing, serious writing), using the correct term matters and calling a magazine a clip can make you sound inexperienced.

It’s a bit like calling a car’s fuel tank a “gas can” — people might get what you mean, but it’s not really the right word.

Mini Example Story

You’re at the range with a friend:

  • Your friend holds up a detachable box from a 9mm pistol and says, “Hand me that clip.”
  • The instructor nearby gently corrects: “That’s actually a magazine. A clip is what you’d use to load rounds into a magazine on older rifles.”

Your friend still gets to shoot just fine, but now they know the difference — and next time, they’ll sound like they know what they’re talking about.

TL;DR

  • Magazine : The ammo container that feeds the gun, usually with a spring and follower, detachable or internal.
  • Clip : A simple holder that keeps cartridges together so they can be quickly loaded into a magazine (or internal magazine), then usually removed or ejected.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.