1006...They don't make em like they used to...

[Ethang]

I bought this thing about 9 years ago and this magazine has remained loaded every day since then.. I don't know how long it had been loaded before I bought it, but likely a very long time.. today I pulled it out and the baseplate was hanging on by a thread...broke the rest of the way as soon as I touched it.. you would think it would have lasted longer without failing...

 

[scottr]

Plastic is Not forever. Fortunately it does last a very long time. You say nine years, but it's likely 30+ years old.

I've had one Third Gen floor plate break, a .45 when dropped at the range. And a SIG 9mm floor plate also, that one on concrete. Out of dozens of plastic floorplates.

 

[stansdds]

No, plastic does not last forever and that makes me wonder how many plastic receiver pistols will last as long as steel or aluminum receiver pistols.

 

[lunger]

I would think it was dropped on a hard surface in its past life.

I have had one that cracked in a similar fashion and did not notice it right away.

 

[Engine49guy]

Some things are just better made out of metal.
Reminds me of motorcycle helmets where if you drop it once from table height onto a hard surface your supposed to throw it away.
Im not buying a metal motorcycle helmet but not gonna pack any of those magazines when deploying to a hostile alien planet either.

 

[StephenWhoDat]

Same thing happened to one of my original 4506 mags.

 

[Brian Parrish]

I concur with the drop theory.
I always practice my reloads and clearance drills by dropping the spent mag straight down. I would be surprised to learn that failure was possible simply from being loaded even after 30 years. Is there a way to know?