[QuikClik]

one of my older .30 magazines wasn't feeding properly and my local gun store clerk said it was a weak spring, probably from being kept full. I have asked this question of many and it's a hung jury - any opinions? :rolleyes:

[TheFrontRange]

I have five mags for my semi-auto rifle...three are usually empty while I keep two partially-filled to 20-25 rounds (30-round magazines). I know there's debate on all sides of the mag-spring-fatigue issue. I just rotate out my partially-loaded ones from time to time. I do the same thing on my handgun magazines.

[Redlg155]

This is from the FAQ's from a company that should know... Wolff (http://www.gunsprings.com/Resources/FAQ.htm#5) .

5. Should I unload my magazines, rotate magazines, load with fewer than the maximum rounds? How often should I change magazine springs?

Magazine springs in semi-auto pistols are one of the most critical springs and the subject of much debate and concern. Magazines which are kept fully loaded for long periods of time, such as law enforcement applications, will generally be subject to more fatigue than the weekend shooter's magazine springs which are loaded up only when shooting. Magazine design and capacity also affect the longevity of the spring. Older designs where maximum capacity was not the goal such as the 7 round 1911 Colt magazines will last for years fully loaded. There was a lot of room for a lot of spring which reduced the overall stress on the spring. In recent hi-capacity magazines, the magazines were designed to hold more rounds with less spring material. This puts more stress on the spring and will cause fatigue at a faster rate. Unloading these magazines a round or two will help the life of the spring. Rotating fully loaded magazines will also help the problem somewhat but is not always practical. In applications where the magazine must be kept loaded, a high quality magazine spring such as Wolff extra power magazine springs, will provide maximum life. Regular shooting will verify reliability and regular replacement of magazine springs will provide the best defense against failure from weak magazine springs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just to be safe I routinely rotate mine. I keep half my range magazines loaded and the other half resting. After my bi-weekly range sessions I rotate the magazines.

For my carry gun I just purchase new springs yearly.

Good Shooting
RED

[BigG]

Mine are usually fully loaded unless they're empty. A factory mag for a name brand weapon is usually up to the stress.

[Art Eatman]

It all depends on the quality of the steel in the spring. True "spring steel" won't lose any capability with compression and time--as long as it's not stressed beyond its design limits.

There's not a magazine spring in the whole wide world that's subject to the abuse of any valve spring in a motor. Aside from 1,000 or more cycles per minute for over 2,000 hours (60 million cycles) in a modern car, think about cars being parked for months--at least two springs are fully compressed in a four-banger.

Art

[Smoke]

Gotta go with Art.

All my mags, handgun and rifle, are loaded to the manufacturers stated capacity.

[Gewehr98]

Will have much problem feeding their payload of 30 rounds after sitting loaded the last several years. Depends on the quality and design, like Art said.

[Navy joe]

I agree that leaving the mags downloaded by a couple is a good practice since at full stuffing some mags are pretty much testing the limits of the springs design. On the other hand, consider what would happen if springs really "wore out". Every antique car would be sitting on the ground from spring failure. Springs will wear out under cycling, as Art pointed out, valve springs take a lot of cycles. If you take a good race spring for a Chevy small block that provides 125 lbs of seat pressure you can run it through a 20 race season and expect to see 110-115 seat pressure at the end of the year. By no means "wore out" but costing a few hundred RPM before valve float. Gun springs ain't never seen the like of that torture.

Now as to mags, that's a "loaded" question. Some are, some aren't. Got over 100 mags floating around this joint, can't afford to keep that much ammo in them.

[Logistar]

This might be off topic BUT.....

Why don't new "post-ban" mags use double stack and just limit how far down the cartridges go?

In other words, take a Beretta 15 round mag.... The 10 rounders (post-ban) only hold 10 rounds but the spring gets fully compressed because the sides have that "indentation" than kinda keeps it single stack (or close anyway).

Wouldn't springs last longer if the new 10 round mags were double-stack BUT the bottom of the mag was made so that it would only allow 10 cartridges? That way the mag would be the same as the 15-round mag with only 10 rounds in it.

Obviously this idea must be flawed since the manufacturers aren't doing it. Anyone know why not???

Logistar

[cratz2]

Well, I don't see any use in keeping a magazine full unless you're planning on needing it in the near future. having said that, I kept 5 Colt magazines full for about 5 years and they still work 100%. Two came with my 1991 back in 1992 and I bought three more at the time. I loaded them up that day and unless I was inbetween magazines at the range, they were full until I read about rotating magazines around 1997.

As a test, when I bought many McCormick PowerMags a while back, I loaded up 8 rounds. One has been full since I received them. I'm going to keep it full with no rotation for 10 years.

My guess is it will be completely reliable. We'll see... ;)

No real experience with rifle magazines other than AR. They are kept loaded. But generally the same should apply with pistol mags.

[Navy joe]

Logistar, the gun companies do the single stack thing so there is no way you can make it hold more than 10 rounds. Example is Colt AR mags. When I bought my pre-ban new in '94 it was supplied with two 5rd mags in keeping with is designation as a "sporter" Legal for hunting where .223 legal and all that. Well, their version of a 5rd mag is a 20rd body with an internal block and a rivet in the hole that is normally in the baseplate for disassembly. So what I have here is two pre-ban mag bodies that are 20rd mags now. Legal for me to do since the mags are pre-ban. Very illegal if you did it today.

[No4Mk1*]

Magazine springs will last long enough that relative to the price of ammo which is cycled thru the magazine, the cost of the replacement spring should be negligible. Whether the spring lasts 3 years or 30 years should not make a significant impact on your shooting expenses. To be sure the magazine works properly, you should always practice with what you carry/rely on.

[EJ]

I rotate and keep partially loaded--
Paranoid--- :uhoh:

[Ledbetter]

My home defense guns are a Marlin Camp 45 and a MilSpec 1911A1. I keep all my .45 mags loaded, usually to 90% capacity. That's about 80 rounds. I expect to, and do, replace these mag springs regularly, but no more often than usual (every 3-5000 rounds).

I don't keep loaded magazines at home for my M1A, for example. Or my .22 semi-auto target pistol.

If your defense program incorporates a certain gun, have loaded mags for it. Otherwise, why? I am of the opinion that spring life is affected most by repetitive cycling, not lengthy compression times.

[greyeyezz]

Unless your expecting a home invasion by drug lords, there's a price on your head or you live in the worst neighborhood imaginable i see no reason to keep mags loaded. The double's always loaded though.:p

[SteyrAUG]

The solution is more mags and to rotate them.

For every rifle I keep 20 mags (10 being the standard kit)and 10 are loaded. For every handgun I keep 10, 5 being the standard kit.

For my primaries I keep 10 rifle mags and 5 handgun mags loaded. Twice a year I shoot all of them and then reload the alternate mags.

This insures I get 200-300 rounds per primary rifle and 75 rounds per handgun twice a year in addition to my non specific range time.

[sm]

Agree with Art.

Lost a loaded Colt mag...found it ten yrs later...slapped into a Gun and all rds fired. Old Federal FMJ...mag had rusted though.

Valve spring good analogy Art.

[Gewehr98]

Unless your expecting a home invasion by drug lords, there's a price on your head or you live in the worst neighborhood imaginable i see no reason to keep mags loaded. The double's always loaded though.

Having fended off not one, but two, home invasion attempts in my old home of Citrus Heights, CA, I still haven't shaken off the practice of keeping the house AK-47 and 870 Police loaded to full capacity. :(

[Kahr carrier]

I keep mine fully loaded ,but rotate them every month.:)

[Still Learning]

I rotate my magazines at least monthly and usually weekly.

[QuikClik]

Thanks for all the replies and especially votes in the poll. It would seem the consensus of opinion is partial or perhaps 80% so I pulled a few out of each of mine.

I forwarded a link to this thread to Mr. Gun Talk himself for his opinion.... ;)