Keeping your magazine loaded

[ramx50]

I wanted to know if it is a good or bad idea to keep your Magazine fully loaded all the time or if it will weaken the spring, and if so how long can you leave a Magazine fully loaded before you empty it and let the spring relax.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Yes, load them up and keep them that way. It won't weaken the spring. Spring experts claim that loading and unloading does weaken the spring. Since metallurgy is not my strong suit, I'll take their word for it.

Ltc. Santose had some mags loaded up from his days in 'Nam . . . he found them a few years ago and they worked just fine. So, I'd say 30-40 years shouldn't hurt them any.

 

[ramx50]

Thanks for the info

 

[Executive]

I've heard similar stories of 30-40 year stored magazines functioning flawlessly. It is far more important to make sure that the rounds you are using function reliably with your pistol. It may cost a few dollars but shoot at least 150 rounds to be sure. Then load up your mags with your chosen and tested defense round.

Chris

 

[PatMcD]

I have a Gun Digest from back in the 1990's. One of the articles was about a guy who still had his .45 he carried in WWII. The mag was still loaded from way back then. He took it out and shot it with no problems at all.

 

[Chris]

The metal in the spring is engineered to go from point A to point B. So long as it remains in that range, no damage is done. Compress it or extend it too far and yes, you will do damage.

The only other thing that weakens a spring is cycling it. which is why you need to replace springs in your guns every so often. It's not from the pounding, but the number of cycles it has seen.

 

[Pilgrim]

My Dad has a P38 that was last loaded during WWII. Mags still seems fine.

 

[C-pher]

The metal in the spring is engineered to go from point A to point B. So long as it remains in that range, no damage is done. Compress it or extend it too far and yes, you will do damage.

The only other thing that weakens a spring is cycling it. which is why you need to replace springs in your guns every so often. It's not from the pounding, but the number of cycles it has seen.

Correct.

One of the best analogies I've heard was this.

Take a paperclip. Like it is, it's fine. Bend it so the large part is up and it looks like an S. Again, if you leave it like that...it won't break.

Now, bend it back so it looks like a paper clip again. And then bend it back so it looks like an S. Do this over and over and it will break apart.

You can apply that concept to your magazine spring.

 

[Chipperman]

Cycling is the main cause if wear, as stated above. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that loading a magazine to its stated capacity could overcompress.

The classic example is the M16 mag. They are supposedly 20 or 30 round mags. Loading them up to that capacity will cause premature failure, however, because of over compression. That's why everyone recommends downloading M16/AR mags a couple of rounds.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Hardly everyone recommends downloading mags. It was the "wisdom" once, but from those that should know, the real reason had nothing to do with mag springs.

As Ltc. Chuck Santose reported, he had some fully loaded M16 mags from his military career in Nam that sat for 40 years until he found them one day. They worked just fine. Lots of other similar stories.

 

[Admin]

The classic example is the M16 mag. They are supposedly 20 or 30 round mags. Loading them up to that capacity will cause premature failure, however, because of over compression. That's why everyone recommends downloading M16/AR mags a couple of rounds.

I think the main concern was a mag loaded to the max 30 rounds would not always load/seat easily in the mag well. You would have to hit pretty good on a closed bolt to get it to lock in sometimes. We made it practice to load 28.

 

[Chipperman]

If you have poor quality springs and overcompress, they will fail prematurely. Some M16 mags did have poor quality springs. Combine that with a follower that pivots too easily and you will have a jammo-matic.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Derek, according to Ltc. Santose, in VN they frequently loaded mags without using stripper clips first and oftentimes jammed 21 or 31 in the respective 20 and 30 round mags . . . causing problems when loaded into the gun. According to him, they then mandated that everyone download the mags in the hopes that nobody would exceed the true capacity.

All I know in this matter is what I've read and been told, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[Nickle]

I think the main concern was a mag loaded to the max 30 rounds would not always load/seat easily in the mag well. You would have to hit pretty good on a closed bolt to get it to lock in sometimes. We made it practice to load 28.

Use green followers and you use all 30 rounds. I do it ALL the time.

ETA - Put a green follower in some (most) of the 20 round mags, and the capacity is 18 rounds.

 

[Len-2A Training]

There is a mod you can make to the green followers for the 20 rd mag so you get full capacity and better action. Not certain where I saw the mod however, it was a few years ago.

 

[Nickle]

Len, that mod will defeat the purpose. The green follower is longer, to tip less, therefore jam less. I'll give up 2 rounds in combat to prevent a jam every time.

 

[JonJ]

We use 20round mags in our AR's. We just started rotating the mags on a monthly basis. There are 2 sets, "A" & "B". The set that isn't used is stripped and then reloaded when the new month comes.
The "Gunny" who's in charge keeps them at 18 rounds, no more.

 

[Admin]

The "Gunny" who's in charge keeps them at 18 rounds, no more.

This is where the saying "If it aint broke, don't fix it" comes in to play.

 

[adweisbe]

There is such a thing as overcompression with springs (that isn't a technical term) where the spring is compressed so far it is actually being crushed. Careful design prevents this from happening, but a certain fantastic plastic manufacturer that loves too many rounds in the magazine has been accused of trading spring life for capacity. Some shooters have recommended downloading one or two rounds when practicing to extend spring life. I think it originally came from the book of Glock by Massad Ayoob, but I could be wrong.