7 rd Shield Magazine Questions

[S&W-Admirer]

As I stated in a previous thread, I recently bought a new Shield after owning an early one that I later sold.

I remember a fully-loaded 7rd magazine being hard to seat in the pistol but the new one seems a little easier. It is still pretty difficult. My question is: Has anyone experienced early magazine spring fatigue or magazine release damage with fully-loaded 7rd magazines carried in the Shield?

Also, one of my magazines has brush or sanding marks on the spine toward the bottom and top. Looks like someone was minimizing the weld. Is this normal? The other three do not have these marks.

 

[Mark IV]

I didn't give it much thought at the time (yesterday) but now that you mention it, I recall my 7-rounder also being noticably more diffcult to seat. Not sure what's up with that.
And, I just took a look at the the 8-rounder in front of me now, and it also has abrasions at the bottom and top of the back of the magazine. But, the marks at the bottom run up and down and seem to have obliterated any sign of the weld, while the one near the top runs side-to-side, and actually runs UNDER the weld. (I'd have to go out to my trunk to check my other 2 mags)

 

[redwing57]

You might pull out the mag springs to compare, but I've heard the 7 and 8 rd mags use the same spring. So the 7 would be stiffer by more compression to start with.

 

[rock_castle]

I've kept my two 7 round mags and three 8 round mags fully loaded for almost three years and haven't had a single issue. I probably shoot each mag every other month.