I'm going to swim against the tide a little and say I keep my mag only half loaded. So a 6 round tube has 3 rounds, 00 buck, chamber empty. I carry a 6 shot side saddle with slugs and a 6 round butt cuff with 00 buck.

This give me 15 rounds total. I don't want a spring fully compressed for a long period of time to give me an issue when I need it most.

Before someone asks if I carry my mags for autoloaders fully loaded the answer is yes. The difference is I shoot my handguns once or twice a month, but shotgun only once or twice a year. I can keep better tabs on the handgun mags.