HOW LONG OKAY TO KEEP MAGAZINE LOADED?

[gunhobbit]

After reading everything above.......
I don't think I'll keep mine loaded beyond forever.

Probably safest that way, yes.

 

[Tex1001]

I like to assume that the nice engineer fellas knew what they were doing.

If all of the magazine engineers know what they are doing, all of the Pro Mags would operate perfectly.

 

[Merc6]

SCCY CPX CPX 1/2 mags after a year of use you can make the 10 round mags 11 round mags. I got the Wolfe spring for my 669 but sold the gun before I installed it. My only other experience/issues with mags are 1911s. usually a completely different issue all together.

 

[Muss Muggins]

If all of the magazine engineers know what they are doing, all of the Pro Mags would operate perfectly.

Who's saying Pro Mag employees magazine engineers . . . ?

 

[ColbyBruce]

If anyone doubts whether springs weaken under a load over time find a Jeep CJ/YJ with the original suspension and look at it.

Magazine springs are fairly inexpensive; I will not risk my life over the price of a spring.

I have a few mags. I have probably acquired 12-15 more since I took these photos.

 

[mrchuck]

My Sig Sauer P-6 is from the Communist Side of Germany way back. All of the magazines with it have been kept fully loaded and ready for armed conflict.
NONE have ever failed.Ever.

 

[mr bolo]

I rotate my magazines, so the springs can rest when not in use

keep three and use them regularly at the range, save three to use when I rotate them

there is no guarantee your magazine will remain reliable if kept loaded for extended time periods, some may go bad, some might not, you never know.

 

[Muss Muggins]

If anyone doubts whether springs weaken under a load over time find a Jeep CJ/YJ with the original suspension and look at it.

Well, find one that's never bounced up and down regularly and has just sat on a lot with a static load and you might have a different opinion . . .

There will soon be lots of scholarly metallurgy and anecdotal asides on each side of the issue posted here . . .

 

[Old cop]

My Glock 23 service pistol was retired w/me in 1997 and I put it in a safe for 10 years w/all three mags loaded. When I finally took everything to the range there were no problems.

 

[Smoke]

MAGAZINES

I've read a bunch of these threads and the best information I've got from them is this,

Springs have a compression limit. If you compress a spring beyond that limit it will deform immediately and it will never work right again. If you compress a spring close to that limit it becomes susceptible to "creep strain" which will eventually cause it to fail.

The majority of gun manufacturers design their magazines so that even when fully loaded the load never approaches that compression limit. The problem is more with the off brand magazines like Pro Mags.

Having said that, magazines are expendable. Buy spares

Even though my research indicates that it's really not necessary, I keep enough magazines on hand for a given gun that I can put them through a long rotation cycle. 1 year loaded /5 years in the box. At that rate they should out last Methusala.

The question of "fatigue limits" and "creep strain" (which apparently is only a factor at 4X the melting point (Degrees Kelvin) of a given metal) is discussed in detail here


Does static tension wear out a spring? | Physics Forums

 

[samnev]

The only magazine springs I've ever seen to have weekend are original WWI and WWII Luger magazines. Many of the original magazines that were weak when received were with some of the Lugers that I bought for my collection.

 

[arrow42157]

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

Just info I have learned, not related to how much time to leave one loaded, well kind of. I inherited a P-08 Luger from my Father, it was made in 1941 all matching numbers even on the magazines they have last 4 digits of serial number and also 1 and the other 2. Number 2 never functioned very good but #1 was dependable most the time. I was going to have springs replaced since that was their problems, lucky for me my local gun smith told me to leave them original and purchase a couple of Mec-Gar after market mags. The P08 runs smooth as a sowing machine with the new ones. I will keep the old ones for my Grandsons to do what they want when I'm gone. The original P08 mags go at auction for hundreds I saw up to $500 if they functioned at all. So if its a gun that might be considered collector worthy leave them original and try to find a reliable replacement.