Hey Everyone. Any opinions on how long it's okay/safe to keep a loaded magazine in a semi auto?? Will springs lose resistance if kept in there too long?? Should I rotate magazines after certain amount of time?? Thanx in advance for opinions/advice, JG
HOW LONG OKAY TO KEEP MAGAZINE LOADED?
- Thread starter JG1947
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Forever is generally fine. There will soon be lots of scholarly metallurgy and anecdotal asides on each side of the issue posted here . . .
donk52
Member
I second that.
I used to believe the old wives tales about loaded mags having their springs weaken over time.
Back in 1977 I had some SIG P220 mags with spring so overpowered that if fully loaded, the nose of the top cartridge would dive down as the slide went forward.
So I kept them loaded waiting for the springs to weaken, I tried them after a year and then waited some more . . . 41 years later I am still waiting
Those same original magazines do the same thing today after being kept fully loaded for more than four decades.
I have no doubts that quality magazines can be left loaded for the lifetime of the firearm owner with out their being an issue
All the spring manufacturers will tell you different, but they have an ulterior motive, they are trying to get you to buy springs more than once in a lifetime
I'm with Muss Muggins, as long as there is not a "lubrication" or corrosion problem. As Muss said, there will be scholarly input on this side, as well as on the other, and anecdotes on both, also. My anecdote is second hand, from the gentleman my uncle's age who gave me a rather unusual H&R Model 195. He was given a 1911 magazine brought back from the first World War by a vet who thought he was also bringing back a 1911, only the pistol itself somehow disappeared before he could get his hands on it. Anyhow, my friend eventually got this fully loaded (7) mag, and, in the fifties or sixties, stuck it into a 1911 and proceeded to fire all seven rounds without a hitch.
I don't know much about metallurgy, but I'm pretty sure that Colt does.
I don't know much about metallurgy, but I'm pretty sure that Colt does.
Thank you everyone, I guess I get the message
Which is not to say that springs never wear out. I agree with the posters above but I had a Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP, made in 1917 I believe, and in the 1980s when I acquired it the magazine's spring was worn out and it would NOT lift a round all the way into the receiver for a second shot. EVERY TIME. Shoot. Re-rack. Shoot. Re-rack. Etc.
I leave my magazines in guns that I carry or frequently use or plan to use loaded all the time so I definitely agree with the folks posting above. I just wanted to point out that exceptions to everything always exist.
squidsix
Member
If they wore out when static, every car on the road more than a few years old would need springs.
I have fired ammo that was stored in original 1911 mags from 1917 till recently. All the ammo fired, all the mags worked just fine. Locked the slide back when empty in modern pistols. Mind you these were old school music wire mag springs.
I have fired ammo that was stored in original 1911 mags from 1917 till recently. All the ammo fired, all the mags worked just fine. Locked the slide back when empty in modern pistols. Mind you these were old school music wire mag springs.
My Gen 1 duty Glock mags have sat fully loaded since forever. During the monthly audit last week it was noted that the one that sits in the pistol most of the time seemed a bit weaker, in fact the auditor emptied it and counted the rounds to ensure we hadn't lost one.
Still works though, but next time it's due for an annual armourers servicing I might get them to replace it.
Still works though, but next time it's due for an annual armourers servicing I might get them to replace it.
Last edited:
This topic was put to bed recently on spring fatigue. The name of the manufacture escapes me that offered the following info.Spring fatigue comes form being compressed and relieved over and over again.Fatigue does not come form a constant compressed or relieved state.These findings were discussed in great length by some pretty well known other gun forums dedicated to semi autos.
mike campbell
Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Messages
- 542
- Reaction score
- 1,561
Why NOT rotate?
if one ever practices with their gun, why not have 2 magazines? Since we're assuming a magazine has been loaded with SD loads "awhile", and presumably, we're going to practice with the gun someday, why not have at least one additional magazine so that we can unload the SD rounds from mag 1 and load them into mag 2 while we shoot practice rounds from mag 1. Wouldn't it be nice to have 2 mags that we trust to feed our SD rounds?
if one ever practices with their gun, why not have 2 magazines? Since we're assuming a magazine has been loaded with SD loads "awhile", and presumably, we're going to practice with the gun someday, why not have at least one additional magazine so that we can unload the SD rounds from mag 1 and load them into mag 2 while we shoot practice rounds from mag 1. Wouldn't it be nice to have 2 mags that we trust to feed our SD rounds?
My department issued Gen 2 Glock 23 was retired w/me in '97 and I put it, along w/all three loaded mags, in my safe for 10 years w/o touching it. When I finally did take it to the range (finally decided to get LEOSA qualified) it ran just fine, not a single hiccup. This is not something I would do w/my LCP but for service caliber I'm guessing it should be fine.
squidsix
Member
Like I posted earlier . . . 
That's why I switched to a Sleep Number.
gunhobbit
Member
Wouldn't want to disappoint.
In 2011, moving stuff around, I found an ammo pouch of AR15 mags I'd loaded in 1981. Took them to the range and they fed just fine....
Thank you everyone, I guess I get the message
Oh, they're just getting started.
"What's the best gun lube?"
gunhobbit
Member
Bacon grease - that way a good day at the range also smells like a good breakfast.
I leave all my mags unloaded for long periods of time as I have so many of them for my m41 and M46. I rotate them every week that I shoot these handguns. I own at least 12 mags for these two guns and at least 5-6 for my 45APC as well. My 357 is a 8shot wheel gun so NO mags needed for it at all.
smoothshooter
Member
Why not clip off a few coils, going carefully by doing one at a time, shoot a few rounds, and clip more as necessary.
Never understood people's reluctance to try such a simple operation.
Kahr pistols are the worst. I have had to cut a third of the coils off on several magazines to get them to work.
There is no excuse for having to shoot 200 rounds of ammo per Kahr's recommendation, and clip a bunch of coils get their guns to work considering what they charge for a gun.
Neither S&W, Springfield Armory, or Glock requires a break-in period. And their magazines almost always work.
For the rest of the shooting public, if you choose to so butcher a magazine, please make sure you notify the potential purchaser when you sell the pistol . . .
leonardocarrillo
Member
Estoy de acuerdo con usted yo tengo los cargadores de mi SIG SAUER P220 completos desde varios años y nunca tienen problemas.Lo mismo con mi BALLESTER MOLINA calibre .45 que llevan 35 años completos sin ningun defecto.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2007
- Messages
- 27,669
- Reaction score
- 21,363
"Agree with you. I have the Chargers (magazines) of my SIG SAUER P220 complete for several years and never have problems. The same with my BALLESTER MOLINA caliber. 45 that carry 35 full years without any defect."
Gracias
.
Ribwizzard
Member
I worry more about the ammo, than I do the springs.
Bought a Beretta 92 off a busy that needed the money.
It was barely a year old ( I was there when he bought it) and he lived in Florida and the humidity got to it. The copper jackets turned green and stuck together inside the mag. Nothing hard to fix and clean, but sure wouldn't feed correctly if he grabbed it in that condition in a emergency.
So it's always good to rotate fresh ammo or at least inspect them every so often.
Bought a Beretta 92 off a busy that needed the money.
It was barely a year old ( I was there when he bought it) and he lived in Florida and the humidity got to it. The copper jackets turned green and stuck together inside the mag. Nothing hard to fix and clean, but sure wouldn't feed correctly if he grabbed it in that condition in a emergency.
So it's always good to rotate fresh ammo or at least inspect them every so often.
Moisture can be an issue with it corroding the ammo and rusting the spring and magazine, but if stored in a dry environment, a magazine can be left fully loaded for decades, if the spring is of reasonable quality.
smoothshooter
Member
I don't think the term " butcher " applies here.
If clipping a few coils changes the magazine from one that malfunctions to one that works, I am doing the next owner a favor. Believe me, there is still plenty of tension left.
There is no reason for magazine spring tension to be as high as some of them are nowadays. Especially in single-stacks.
The Kahr magazine springs I have modified were 3 times the length of the magazine body when the parts were disassembled and laid alongside each other.
We will agree to disagree. Not knowing anything about magazine manufacture, I like to assume that the nice engineer fellas knew what they were doing. Too many times I (and others, I'm sure) have been the ultimate victim of a previous owner's Dremel tool . . .
I asked my PhD Metallurgist friend about keeping magazines loaded. Here is his reply:
As is usual with situations like these, there is no easy answer. As far as I can determine, these are the factors involved.
Gun magazine springs are generally made of spring steel. These are fairly high-carbon steels (0.50-0.60% C) and have other alloying elements like Mn, Cr, and V. The Cr and V affect the ability of the steel to attain hardness under heat treatment (hardenability to us metallurgists).
Apparently, spring steels vary in quality (one factor of which is chemical composition), which may be a reason for the difference in observed behavior.
Another reason for varying behavior could be the heat treatment. Generally, items like springs are heat treated in batches. After heat treatment, a certain number are tested, and if they pass the specifications, the batch is considered OK. This statistical testing scheme can fail to catch the ones that are too soft or too hard.
Therefore, if you got a gun magazine spring made of good material that was heat treated properly, you will probably not see weakening. But if you have a spring that was not manufactured to high quality standards, you could see weakening. I suppose that cheap magazines would have lower-quality springs.
The links below discuss gun magazine springs.
Magazine Springs - Quality Spring, Affordable Prices
What You Should Know About Magazine Springs | Gun Belts Blog
Spring Steels :: Total Materia Article
My own experience is with Ruger 10-round magazines for the 10/22 and the Butler Creek 25-round magazines. The 10-round magazines have a coil spring, much like a clock spring. After about two to three years (perhaps about 10,000 to 15,000 rounds), I notice that the rounds do not feed as forcefully as they once did.
For the Butler Creek 25-round magazine. I've noticed that there is also a decrease in the force of the feed. The above indicate that the springs are weakening with use.
As is usual with situations like these, there is no easy answer. As far as I can determine, these are the factors involved.
Gun magazine springs are generally made of spring steel. These are fairly high-carbon steels (0.50-0.60% C) and have other alloying elements like Mn, Cr, and V. The Cr and V affect the ability of the steel to attain hardness under heat treatment (hardenability to us metallurgists).
Apparently, spring steels vary in quality (one factor of which is chemical composition), which may be a reason for the difference in observed behavior.
Another reason for varying behavior could be the heat treatment. Generally, items like springs are heat treated in batches. After heat treatment, a certain number are tested, and if they pass the specifications, the batch is considered OK. This statistical testing scheme can fail to catch the ones that are too soft or too hard.
Therefore, if you got a gun magazine spring made of good material that was heat treated properly, you will probably not see weakening. But if you have a spring that was not manufactured to high quality standards, you could see weakening. I suppose that cheap magazines would have lower-quality springs.
The links below discuss gun magazine springs.
Magazine Springs - Quality Spring, Affordable Prices
What You Should Know About Magazine Springs | Gun Belts Blog
Spring Steels :: Total Materia Article
My own experience is with Ruger 10-round magazines for the 10/22 and the Butler Creek 25-round magazines. The 10-round magazines have a coil spring, much like a clock spring. After about two to three years (perhaps about 10,000 to 15,000 rounds), I notice that the rounds do not feed as forcefully as they once did.
For the Butler Creek 25-round magazine. I've noticed that there is also a decrease in the force of the feed. The above indicate that the springs are weakening with use.
