[alanint]

In any kind of competition, a Luger magazine should be held in a loosely closed fist with your thumb placed along the magazine's length. This allows you to use the "hand finds hand" feature of our body's nervous system. (Try it. Close your eyes and try to touch your index fingers together without looking. They will always find each other, regardless of a visual reference). By having the extended thumb up near the magazine's mouth seek the hand on the pistol's grip, rather than a waving, exposed magazine body, you are much more likely to center and seat the magazine in its well on the first attempt.