Hammer and magazine springs

[Alex45ACP]

Does anyone else get freaked out by the thought that you will try to use your autoloader in a true self defense situation, and you will have a failure because of magazine or hammer springs wearing out?

I know that people always say that "leaving magazines loaded doesn't wear the springs down" but I'm just not sure if that's true - I've also heard people say they left their magazines loaded for a while on purpose to make them easier to load

Also what about guns that are carried cocked and locked... isn't it possible that the hammer spring would wear out after a while?

 

[1911Tuner]

Springy

Posted it a while back, but a brief description may help.

I was personally involved with an early 1920s production Colt commercial Government Model that had been discovered in an attic, where it it had been stored since its owner died...6 rounds in the mag and one in the pipe...cocked and locked. The owner died in 1929. I first saw the gun in 1991...still as it was found. After clearing the chamber to check for bore obstruction, the round was loaded in the magazine...chambered...and the gun was fired 7 times to slidelock with nary a hiccup.

 

[Alex45ACP]

Interesting.

Do you think that single stack magazines will have better spring longevity?

 

[1911Tuner]

Single Stack

Alex...I dunno. I haven't messed with enough doublestacks to make a call on that one.

 

[Jim Watson]

I think THINK the magazine spring in a reputable double column service pistol will have a long life span, but maybe not as long as a 1911's which was designed with much reserve. The main thing is to not push the limits on magazine capacity. An 8-round 1911 magazine will not last as long as a 7; I doubt a 17 round Sig-Sauer magazine will be as durable as a 15 (But I'm using those for IDPA and they will not be loaded with more than 11.) The key is to not push the spring beyond its elastic limit... don't bend it, just flex it.

I have found that the first failure in a dying magazine spring, as a Wilson .45 or an inexpensive aftermarket CZ, is that it will still be feeding reliably when it stops picking up the slide stop. Failure to slide lock with known full power ammo has been the first sign of an overcooked magazine spring in those guns of mine.