How long can HK mags be loaded for?

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ajl2121

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Hey all...I just purchased an HK USP .45F with night sights about a month ago. I had a couple questions I was hoping that some people could answer:
1. How long can magazines be fully loaded (10 rounds in CA) without any adverse effects on the magazines or the ammo that is left in there?
2. I noticed that the magazine, when empty, easily loads into the gun and drops very easily as well. However, when the magazine is full, it takes much more force to load and eject from the pistol. Is that normal? If so, how long can a loaded magazine be safely inserted into the pistol without adverse effects on any parts?
Thanks in advance !
 
Hmm...Won't the springs become loose after a long period of being compressed?
 
Unless the springs are heated to hundreds of degrees celsius and left to sit for a while, you've got nothing to worry about. A well-made spring can stay loaded for many many many years.
 
What they said. Too bad you have to use the Kali mags though... the 12 rounders are a little better made. Don't drop those mags you have on the concrete, the base plates will break off after so many drops.

Jason
 
The problem with the HK mags is they are crap, my constantly are depressed after just a few days...(10 rounders) and this causes my slide not to lock back after all rounds have been fired. There are however after market replacement springs for the HK mags, the springs are from midwayusa.
 
So there should be no problem with me keeping all my magazines loaded for several months at a time with a loaded magazine in the pistol? I don't load a round in to the chamber, but like to keep my pistol w/ a fully loaded magazine. I just noticed that it took lots of force to push the loaded magazine in the pistol, and impossible to drop the loaded magazine without pushing the mag up and then pressing the release...Is that normal?
 
The problem with the HK mags is they are crap, my constantly are depressed after just a few days...(10 rounders) and this causes my slide not to lock back after all rounds have been fired. There are however after market replacement springs for the HK mags, the springs are from midwayusa.
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H&K makes some of the best mags out there, it's the California legislature that's crap. If it weren't for that, you could get some good mags ;). The 10 rounders are nothing but politician pacifiers.
Something that might help with the slide not locking back is to take the springs and give 'em a good gentle stretch. I guess you don't have that problem with the aftermarket springs though. You might check out Wolff springs if you haven't already.

Jason
 
Dude...

The problem with the HK mags is they are crap, my constantly are depressed after just a few days...(10 rounders) and this causes my slide not to lock back after all rounds have been fired. There are however after market replacement springs for the HK mags, the springs are from midwayusa.
Click to expand...

I have had no problems with mine. over 10k rounds between my two USP45f's. They have been through classes, dropped, kicked, stepped on, landed in mud, sand, grass, you name it. My 12 and 10 rounders all work fine, and my 10’s are the old, AWB era ones.

HK makes good mags that are just as good, usually better than anyone’s.
 
The insertion and release force for the loaded mags is normal. It's the pressure of the compressed spring pushing the top round up against the bottom of the slide.

One way to avoid this while unloading and a good practice to get into anyway is to lock the slide to the rear before dropping the magazine.

Loading, if the slide is locked back to the rear first, the magazine insertion will be easier, but since you do not want to chamber a round, that is not an option. Just make sure to give the magazine a good upwards slap after insertion to make sure it is firmly seated.
 
How long can you keep your mags loaded for?

Hopefully not that long! Go shoot the darn thing!:D
 
Actually - the springs HK uses in their mags are not very good. I had to get Wolff springs for all of my USPc mags - the slide wouldn't lock back anymore. This was after 9 months on each and every mag.

If U look at HKpro, this issue is common knowledge among HK owners there.

HKs are great. I love my USPc - I'm not knockintg the company. But, don't be surprised if ya needa buy the +10% springs from Wollf
 
I'm still running a few original mag springs that are at least 5 years old. They don't sit in the safe either. Just like everything else mag springs will wear out eventually. No different the the shocks and springs on your car or the tires you ride around on.

HK makes excellent magazines but they require up keep and maintenance just like everything else. When they wear out I replace them with Wolf +10 springs.

As mentioned previously the Cali 10 rounders are the politicians fault, not HK's. That's been well documented already, included the crappy floor plates.
 
I suppose that in order to ensure the longevity of my mags I should alternate a couple of them at a time...Have half of them loaded for a few days then switch to the other half??? The last thing I would want is to have an intruder break in while I'm asleep, and then I have to load every round in the mag first...
 
The folks who sell mag springs, like Wolff Springs will tell you:

1) Keeping a mag spring compressed to near its limits (generally the case with high-cap mags, when fully loaded) is about as hard on a mag as anything can be. Its STRAINING the spring in a way its really not designed to be strained. They recommend downloading a round or two for long-term storage. A 10-round mag probably doesn't need to be downloaded.

(Most 10-round mags use the same springs as their hi-cap cousin/brother and when used in a 10-round mag isn't being pushed all that hard.)

Guys here on the forum who shoot spring-powered air guns know that keeping springs compressed to their limit is the kiss of death to the spring.

2) Working the mag spring will cause wear, but it shouldn't be a big deal. Unless, of course, you're constantly loading a hi-cap to full capacity. Downloadking a round or two for storage makes sense. Especially if its really storage and you're not going to be pulling the gun out of a bedside table when things go bump in the night.

3) Swapping mags and unloading doesn't do anything but spread the wear over more mags. Springs don't heal. You might as well just keep using one or two until you need to replace the springs. Or rotate them and replace more springs at a later date.

(Think of its being like rotating tires on a front-drive car. You can switch the front tires to the rear, or just switch the tires from side to side. If you switch the front to the rear, it'll be longer before you have to replace tires, but you'll have to replace all of them. If you switch the front from side to side, you'll replace them more quickly, but you may NEVER have to replace the rear tires... or may go 50K or 100K miles on that rear set, which doesn't get much work.)
 
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The answer is, until your communist state outlaws 10 round magazines. At that point, you will need to unload your mag to the then legalized limit.
 
Jason G-

Exactly like that.

Mike
Click to expand...
I figured that was probably what you were talking about. It took me forever to dig up that pic :D. They didn't even have one on HKpro (at least not that I saw).

Jason
 
Imagine that.

Mike
Click to expand...
LMAO, you'd think they'd have it though, that picture is a classic! I'm a H&K nut myself, but that pic is priceless. Someone told me that they did it again in a later advertisement photo, kind of like a wink at H&K fans, but I've never seen any other than that one.

Jason
 
Yeah, it's quite funny. Any gunmaker could do it...it's just their marketing company making an error, and no one checking their work. What makes it so hilarious is HK's aura of invincible teutonic tacticality.

Mike (HK P7 lover)
 
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