autoloader magazine spring endurance...

[Remchester]

i heard that autoloader magazine spring can lose its pressure
if it is kept loaded for long time, is it true? my father who were
in special force in korea told me he kept m1911 colt loaded for
months. im just wondering. you guys probably have spent
alot more time with ur guns than my dad.

TELL ME!!!!

i read a story about a person who kept an autoloader for home
defense. after firing the first shot in the chamber, the pistol
didnt cycle a round because the magazine spring lost pressure.

 

[cerberus]

Wolffspring

Look at the FAQ Item #5
http://www.gunsprings.com/resources/welcomeNOF.html

Their spring experts

 

[mete]

If it's properly made it will last longer than you will. Do you worry about the valve springs of your car that see a huge number of cycles and not have a problem ?

 

[1911Tuner]

Springy Stuff

Howdy Remchester,

Good springs will last for decades under compression. It's cycling that weakens them. Springs WILL take a set after a short time in compression, but once that small amount of set is taken, the spring won't set much more for a long time unless it sees several hundred...or thousand cycles.
Testing Wolff magazine springs, I've seen that, after the initial set...they'll
lose a little free length after about 300 cycles. That's over 2,000 rounds
through one magazine...and the magazine is still working fine.

Just a little rule of thumb to remember. When a dead-nuts reliable
pistol starts choking on the last round, it's time to get a new mag spring.
As far as I'm concerned, Wolff is the only game in town for magazine springs.

I was personally involved with a commercial 1911 pistol that had been
stored in an attic after the death of its owner in Condition One...6 in the box, one in the spout...for over 60 years. I cleared the chamber to check the bore...gave the pistol a quick once-over, topped off the mag, put the pistol in battery and fired it. 7 rounds went bang and the slide locked on empty.

Hope this clears it up for ya.

Tuner