Heard a new (to me) reason not keep mags loaded

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preposterous .
And as to the cover dealies that were referred to in other posts, maybe they are meant to provide protection from drops or clattering around.
 
I keep my carry mags loaded "Minus 2" So I have 10 round capacity and no worries about a mag not working.

Rotating your mags is not a bad idea as is swapping out the springs with a new factory spring every couple years. (toss the old one in the trash)

I personally have never had any issues with a good quality magazine giving troubles even when stuffed full to capacity.

Just some thoughts.

Snowy
 
Sounds like the guy was trying to sound knowledgable even though he was wrong.
 
I'm having an opposite problem. Some of my new hi-cap mag springs make it difficult to load the last 4 rounds, so I'm leaving them loaded a few days at a time to loosen them up a little, and hopefully "break them in".
 
I've only heard that in reference to AR mags...the aluminum ones.
Bingo! Aluminum is the problem here. If a steel wire can support a max of 100 lbs. today, it can hold that weight forever in theory. If an aluminum wire can support a max of 100 lbs. today, it will eventually break. If you hang 80 lbs. of weight from the aluminum wire it will eventually break. Aluminum fatigues differently from steel, a constant load, even below the max force, will eventually cause deformation.
 
Aluminum fatigues differently from steel, a constant load, even below the max force, will eventually cause deformation.
The phenomenon you are describing is creep not fatigue. Fatigue is crack growth under cyclic stress. Creep is increasing strain under constant stress.
 
^ What he said. Unlike steels, aluminum alloys do not have a specific endurance limit in fatigue. Like the spring, the feed lips could only be damaged by using the magazine, not just leaving it loaded.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeepSouth
I have heard (which means I don't know) some of the older aluminum AR mags were pure junk, some even considered "disposable" after the first use. Don't know if there's a connection but it sounds at least plausible

Unless there has been some change my understanding is that all aluminum magazines are considered disposable. That was quite a shock, back in the day when H&K-91 mags were $45

M16 magazines are a Class 9 disposable end item.
 
if you ever find a spring that can bend AK mag feed lips, ill buy them off of you to use as shocks in my car, lol
 
Had a pair of 25 round magazines for my Papoose. Left them loaded in the case for about a year. Unzipped the case and found two empty mags and fifty rounds of .22lr. The plastic lips broke and let the mags empty themselves.

I've found 1911 magazines loaded since Korea and the lips were fine, for hardball.

I like to rotate magazines, however, to ease spring pressure. Keep a few loaded, a few relaxed. Rotate when I shoot the ones empty. Makes me feel better. Probably don't need to do it.
 
I also think it is in reference to AR mags, the steels have been loaded forever, sometimes 6-8 months at a time ( ihave alot) and fire flawlessley. The pmags are polymer and are susceptible to warping that is why they have the covers, again fully loaded, and covers snapped on left unshot for half a year, fired flawlessly. Had some mastermold 20 rnds for a long time and one the rounds wont stay in, the others have feeding and jamming issues.

Oh yeah i forgot I recently read up on lancers new AR mags, they are boasted full steel lips which i beleive supports the arguement on polymer mags being unreliable around the lip area.
 
Not sure if this is pertinent, but I had a revolver in storage for over 10 years, took it to the range and it performed flawlessly with the rounds in the cylinder.

A Smith and Wesson, natch!

But mainly, a quality gun, well serviced, with good ammo, should be reliable when needed regardless of time stored within reasonable parameters.
 
Yeah I have a similar problem with "Spring pressure"
The pressure of the front springs on my F150 keep bending the upper spring mounts out of shape, I have to jack up the truck everywhere I stop to get the spring pressure off the mounts!

Must make a mess in the mag every time he fires and another round slams up into the feed lips.
 
NavyLT...why the Fudd comment? I have read some of your posts and you seem able to chime in with a comment worth merit. No need to FUDD ambush and run...What's on your mind?
 
It's not what you don't know that hurts you -- it's all the things you know for sure that just ain't so.
 
The whole "the spring will get weak" argument is based in truth.

Back when the U.S. Army used the BAR, the magazines it used had springs that would weaken and cause feeding issues, especially at full auto, if left loaded for prolonged periods of time.

Magazine spring technology has evolved over the past 90 years, however.
 
Just got ten new mags for my springer champ loaded. all of them are fully loaded (12) and will stay that way till I shoot 'em out and reload right away.
 
I don't know if I even have to but my only loaded magazines are the ones in my 4 pistols (loaded at two thirds capacity) and I rotate the magazines on the 15th and the 30th of each month.

Again, it may not even matter but it's what I do.
 
In 2001 I was given almost a dozen WW II "bring-back" semi-auto pistols, with all the magazines loaded. P-38, Radom, 1911, Lilliput, Mauser, Walther. Been in that storage for over 50 years.

So, naturally, I went out on the back porch and checked them out before up-dating the cleaning and oiling. Everything functioned just fine, thank you.
 
In 2001 I was given almost a dozen WW II "bring-back" semi-auto pistols
Somebody GAVE them to you? Was this like the family of a veteran who had passed away? Who gets as lucky as to have a dozen bring-backs given to them? I'm seriously jealous.
 
I am here in Afganistan, and our armorers and chain of command has dictated that every week we must remove all the cartridges from all out M16 magazines, take the base plate off, and stretch the springs out.

I have tried telling them that this isn't helping the springs, and might even be wearing them out quicker, but what do I know. I'm just a lowly E-4.

At least I have a Butler Creek Lula Loader/unloader. That make the process much less painful. Oh, and has a note, we have the "newer" Okay brand magazines with the tan colored follower.
 
It does make you wonder why MagPul added the lip saving covers

Pure and simple:

Marketing. Enough mall ninjas expressed doubts about the plastic feedlips that Magpul incorporated the freshness seal to assuage their concerns.
 
The only real reason to occasionally check mags left loaded is if the mag spring isn't oiled, it could rust to the mag body and if it is oiled, the oil could harden and "glue" the spring to the mag body. I now lube my mags with a teflon based dry spray and clean my carry mags when I clean my carry guns.
 
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