I own 4 Magpul PMAG Gen2 clips and was wondering how long you can safely store ammo in the clips? Does it degrade the springs at all?

Nope. I've never seen a PMAG Gen2 clip, but clips do not have springs, so it won't harm them.

Leaving a PMAG magazine loaded does not degrade the springs either. Springs loose tension from being compressed and then decompressed, not staying in a steady state of compression.

Springs degrade by increasing compression cycles. Storing a magazine loaded is no different than storing one empty.

The grammar police may now correct the OP.

I answered his question too!

Typing is just one of many things I no longer do as fast as I used to.

Cycling the magazine is what wears the spring (loading and unloading), static loads do not. So, Storing magazines loaded will not hurt them.

Now, to avoid flaming in the future, These are clips:



They are used to load a magazine, internal or external. Sooner or later you will get blasted by someone for using the incorrect terminology. Better to fix that now and save yourself some grief in the future.

And then there's this . . .

Attached Images

	colyer clip.jpg (8.8 KB, 143 views)
	remington clip 2.jpg (28.7 KB, 131 views)
	Remington clip.jpg (42.4 KB, 121 views)
	remington extra clip.jpg (39.4 KB, 111 views)

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

To answer the OP question, about storage of a specific brand of ammunition feed device: If you actually read the directions on the package that particular item came with.......there is no problem so long as you keep the included dust cover latched. This takes stress off the feed lips, which the manufacturer considers a good idea.

Naturally, you wouldn't do this in magazines carried for possible immediate use. This doesn't appear to be your situation.

That's why you type at a slower clip?

Geez guys or gals, take a breath or a shot of tequila

I grew up in New England and I am nearing retirement age. When I was a kid we called the 5 round "ammo holder" a clip.

The Magpul PMAG magazines come packaged in a plastic bag with little info on it, besides Magpul's website address. Went to the website, no info.

Searched this forum multiple times and nothing came up, so thank you for enlightening me on magazines.

And those are stripper clips btw...

You can store bullets in a magazine forever, it won't hurt.

[quote These are clips:
[/quote]


And here is a clip with a spring.

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CSM, U S Army(Ret) 1963-1990

And here is a clip with a spring. [/QUOTE]

LOL, well technically the spring just "holds" the ammo from falling out of the clip...

The springs are not the issue. Any magazine manufactured since about the middle of the 20th Century uses springs that will last longer than the average user.

With polymer magazines, what you want to be aware of is the phenomenon where polymers subjected to constant tensile forces gradually change shape. As WR Moore pointed out in Post #8, this is why the manufacturer includes a cover to help alleviate that stress.

If you want to load some magazines up and leave them that way for decades, get some aluminum or blackened stainless steel magazines since they experience less dimensional change over time when subjected to constant tension.

Oh, and don't let the terminology police get under your skin. As Muss Muggins pointed out in Post #7, even the manufacturers use the term "clip" and "magazine" interchangeably.

Sorry you didn't get a more congenial welcome.

Magpul does not mention anything about the dust cover alleviating stress on the feed lips. They simply state that the covers are " designed to minimize debris intrusion and protect against potential cartridge damage during storage and transit."

Maybe that was the intention but they can't prove that it works? I don't know, but they aren't saying that is the purpose of the covers.

Most of us were giving the OP a tongue in cheek response to his use of the word clip. Using the correct vocabulary is important... case in point, "assault rifle". I can't say why Remington referred to their magazines as clips, but perhaps it is because packaging is designed by marketing and graphic design folks who may not be knowledgeable on the difference. The terms should not be used interchangeably because there is a difference.

For example, look at an SKS... It uses a stripper clip to load the fixed magazine. It doesn't use a magazine to load the clip, nor a magazine to load the magazine... correct use of terms is important.

Not sure why it is so important to use the correct vocabulary in a friendly gun forum.

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USAF Retired/VN Vet

"Clipping!"

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642-1, M&P15 TS

Because this is written communication... People come to forums to learn. When trying to learn, proper terms are important. Use of proper terms insures that we are all talking about the same thing. There are clips for loading AR-15 / M-16 family of magazines, you know... Without using proper terms, newbies will be out shopping for clips and muzzle thingies!

It looks to me like the responses that may appear to be less than congenial are an attempt to educate the OP in a humorous way. None of these posts required a flame proof suit. It's all about personal interpretation and I hope the OP recognized that intent when reading these posts.

It shouldn't have any problems unless there is a specific problem with your mag. I have them loaded for years

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

I've seen these clips for sale in a magazine.

Attached Images

Remington clip.jpg (42.4 KB, 528 views)

...and that shoulder thing that goes up to shroud their barrels with.

To echo others in this thread, constant compression and decompression weakens the springs, not simply one or the other. I’ve had loaded PMags for years and I’ve never had a problem when I finally use them.

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Some Might Say.

Remington really messed that up....10 Shot? 10 round capacity perhaps, but getting off 10 actual shots out of that magazine\clip is a ****-shoot.

Appreciate your keeping us straight

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USAF Retired/VN Vet

Thanks for the information on magazines all !

Takes alot to ruffle my feathers on a forum. I defer to more experienced shooters on this forum than I and ya'll answered my original question.

Cheers...

As long as we're being specific...
This is incorrect. Springs do lose power by remaining in a compressed state. It is measurable and I have proven it. Take a look at these pictures:

I took two identical springs:


I then completely compressed one and left the other uncompressed, for a year:


After a year, I checked them again:


As you can see, the one on the top is smaller.

The real question here is, does leaving a spring compressed significantly decrease the power? The answer to that is, no. Leaving a magazine fully loaded will not degrade the spring enough to cause a malfunction.



Further, Magpul has specifically denied that the cover for their mags was to reduce pressure on the feed lips. They have and continue to state that they are to keep the mags free from debris. I have a bunch of PMAGs and I keep them loaded all the time. I have never experienced this deformation of the feed lips that so many have told us to be wary of. In fact, I have yet to have a PMAG malfunction in any way.

That said, I'm moving to Lancer mags.

Attached Images

	Smaller(small).jpg (108.2 KB, 496 views)
	Uncompressed Length Beginning(small).jpg (79.5 KB, 499 views)
	Compressed Beginning(small).jpg (266.4 KB, 499 views)

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Freedom isn't free.

Oh yeah, one more thing about springs...

I'm a Metrologist. As such, I have calibrated thousands of torque wrenches. A torque wrench WILL NOT be accurate if left set to its highest torque for a significant amount of time i.e. several months. This alone is proof enough to know that a spring left compressed will lose strength. I did my test anyway.

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Freedom isn't free.

Could you align the springs in the second photo in a similar orientation, like they were in the first photo (end of the actual metal in the same position for each spring) . . . ?

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Interesting that the spring weakened in the right third or top...seems to be uniform the other two thirds...

I suspect there is compressed and then there is over-compressed. Is it possible that the compressed spring where all the coils are touching and left that way for one year is over-compressed? That shorter spring also seems to have developed a curve over it's length. A slight curve is obvious in the picture of that spring compressed.

We started using PMags as our duty mags some time back. Of course the mags of the basic load stayed loaded unless we moved to a training exercise, where they got unloaded.

Over time (several years) we started seeing cracks in the feed lips, about in the same place one sees cracks in metal AR mags. Now I have no idea how the individuals may have treated their mags, abuse may have been an issue. I didn't see any in my mags. I expect the same thing can happen to virtually any magazines of any material given the right circumstances.

That said, any loaded PMags I've got have the cap on them. If I see any degradation that might in any way result from this practice, y'all will be the second to know.

BTW-yes, springs do take a set/let down slightly after being loaded. This generally isn't a problem, the designers factoring this in when they design the springs.

Alas, this picture is 4 years old so, no, I cannot. However, the springs are different lengths regardless of orientation. The one on the top is indeed shorter.

It's a reasonable thought. That's not the case here.

When talking about springs used in guns, most of the time, when they are used, they are completely compressed or nearly so. I haven't tested it, but stands to reason that the amount of loss will be proportional to the amount of compression.

This test is obviously not comprehensive, but it was done to demonstrate a point; springs do compress over time if left in a compressed state. Working the spring will accelerate this and will cause far more loss than just staying in a compressed state.

Again, the take away here is that while a spring will compress by remaining compressed, the effect is not enough to make a difference to the operation of a gun or magazine. Leave your mags filled up and your hammers cocked, angst free.

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Freedom isn't free.

The magazine vs. clip reprimand reminds of one of the first things you could "say" wrong in basic training. Never call your weapon a gun. It's a rifle or weapon. And heaven help you if you call it a gun. Or you will be marching around (forever) reciting the following......This is my weapon, this is my gun ,one is for shooting , one is for fun. If you'd like to see the hand movements that go with that exercise watch the movie Full Metal Jacket. LOL. Circa 1968 for me.

Well, I'm glad you've recognized that you're an "old timer" and hopefully the internet police will not sentence you to a "re-education camp"! oh and please pay your fines to the internet police with bit-coin, they don't like that green paper stuff old timer!

Ah ha. I see what ya did there.

My friend used to back off all the valve adjusters on his motorcycle each season before he put it up, so the springs wouldn't 'take a set'.
I told him he had way too much time on his hands.
I ran the same equipment as him and I just hammered the bejeezis outa it and called it 'good'.
When bikes started with shim & bucket adjusters, he gave it up.

The coil springs on my 66 Chevelle SS 396 got shorter after some years of being compressed also.

Jim

Never store your switch blade in the closed position, just say'in.. LOL

I have a few that have been stored like that for years, literally, and I recently checked them and they were fine. Go figure.

(And if they weren't, I'd not have lost much sleep as I never carry them anyway.)

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642-1, M&P15 TS

That's why I don't come here much any more. I've had weapons in my hands since I was six. I sure know what I'm talking about even if nobody else does. Seems they do know but like to belittle anyone that doesn't talk like them.

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Si vis pacem para bellum.