There is some confusion about this because the term “clip” is also used to describe a device that holds rounds together in a magazine. However, gun enthusiasts generally use the term clip to refer to the removable magazine, and call the rounds themselves cartridges.
Gun magazines are called clips because that’s what they were originally called when firearms were first invented. A clip is a device that holds rounds in place for loading into the barrel of a firearm.
Yes, most people refer to gun magazines as clips. A clip is a device that holds rounds in place in a magazine. When the shooter pulls the trigger, the rounds are fed one-by-one from the magazine into the chamber of the barrel.
There is some confusion over the term “clip” when it comes to guns because the term clip also refers to a device that clips rounds together. Therefore, some people call gun magazines “clips” because they clip rounds together. However, the more commonly used term for gun magazines is “magazines”.