Abstract: A magazine for holding a series of rounds of ammunition and including a spring pressed follower for yieldingly urging a series of rounds toward an upper end of a hollow magazine body, with a holding element connected to the follower for upward and downward movement therewith and for movement relative thereto between an active position for locking the follower in a lower setting to facilitate loading of rounds into the upper end of the magazine body and a released position permitting spring induced upward movement of the follower. The holding element may be actuable between its locking and released positions by rotary movement relative to the follower, and/or by generally horizontal sliding movement of the holding element relative to the follower.