Mag storage loaded/unloaded

[henry1954]

Being a new MP15OR owner, I was wondering if storing mags loaded was a problem? I've always heard an unloaded gun is an expensive stick.

My main reason for buying the gun is for home defense and shooting at the range.

 

[JaPes]

I've had a couple Magpul P-Mags fully loaded and the magazine cap on it for the past two years. No problems. The magazine cap pushes down the rounds just a little bit so the pressure doesn't deform the magazine lips.

 

[11e40]

loaded magazines, no problem. they will outlast you loaded.

 

[Warren Sear]

loaded magazines, no problem. they will outlast you loaded.

Well, what if he is NOT loaded?

 

[Dad1]

Loaded for sure, they make terrible clubs!

 

[BillyJack2012]

10 loaded, 15 unloaded. No rational, strategy or thought for any of it.

 

[Black69]

tvI once found a 351 Winchester in the back of a walk in safe that had been put there in the mid 60's from a court case. This was in the County Court house. We took this and placed it into evidence in the early 90's at our Sheriff's office. There were two loaded magazines with the rifle. We unloaded the magazine and cleaned all the green brass and the next day reloaded the magazines with nice clean polished brass. The magazines were tight and just like new. No loss of pressure of any kind.

 

[gdnagle]

Here a reply I received from Magpul

"Thank you for your inquiry. The factor that truly wears out quality springs is compression cycles, not constant compression. However, we use a high-quality stainless steel springs in our PMAGs and if one ever does happen to wear out any USGI spec spring can be swapped out for the factory one.

Regarding the question of how long, we've had magazines fully loaded for over four years now with no Impact/Dust Cover on and have experienced no feed lip or spring issues. With the cover installed storage life is considered indefinite. There have also been PMAGS reportedly tested to hundreds-of-thousands of rounds (military vetting), and we know positively of ones that have gone tens-of-thousands, so usable life is quite excellent too.



_____________________________________

DANIEL HUNTER TECH SUPPORT SPECIALIST



MAGPUL INDUSTRIES CORP.

[P] 303.828.3460 x144 [F] 303.828.3469

[email protected]

magpul.com | magpuldynamics.com "

Long story short doesn't hurt to keep them loaded, I have some that have been loaded over 40 years and still worked when I found them. these were metal mags no polymer back then. It pays to ask the manufacture, but sometimes you can still get wrong info from them.

 

[henry1954]

Thanks everyone, loaded it is! I have a better stick, aka "Louisville Slugger". I have found a tremendous amount of tried and trued, experience based information on this forum. Aside from the decision to buy the MP15OR, joining this forum was the best decision yet.

 

[AR-Getsome]

Welcome to the forum, and the addiction. Check out the bottom of this thread, you will see where it says Similar Threads. You can read other threads on the same subject. Everyone here is usually helpful and knowledgeable too.

 

[ASTMedic]

So a little story I've heard from a trusted 1911 gun smith.

Lady called asking him to come take possession of some guns her recently late husband had. When he arrived he found a military issued WWII era 1911 fully loaded and cocked and locked. Magazine was removed and weapon cleared. Gun was taken to a range and fired all the rounds that were found in it to slide lock. If I remember correctly this was sometime in the mid 90's but not 100% sure. At any rate a mag (and gun) can be stored a VERY long time and will function fine.

 

[henry1954]

After reading all the great responses, I spent a little time last night, loading up the 3 Magpul 30 round mags that I had. For me, the next purchase will be getting additional mags, probably in the 10, 20 and 30 round capacities. But the very next purchase has got to be some stripper clips or a better way of loading the mag instead of using the fingers. First clip, no problem, second clip, began to notice the sore thumb, third clip, the "oh I could have had a V8 moment", stripper clips would be so much easier. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone, I hope to post up some pics of the new gun soon.

 

[JaPes]

After reading all the great responses, I spent a little time last night, loading up the 3 Magpul 30 round mags that I had. For me, the next purchase will be getting additional mags, probably in the 10, 20 and 30 round capacities. But the very next purchase has got to be some stripper clips or a better way of loading the mag instead of using the fingers. First clip, no problem, second clip, began to notice the sore thumb, third clip, the "oh I could have had a V8 moment", stripper clips would be so much easier. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone, I hope to post up some pics of the new gun soon.

The AR-15 Maglula is great.


http://www.maglula.com/RifleMagLoaders.aspx

 

[Gatorade]

The AR-15 Maglula is great.


maglula, Ltd. > Rifle Mag Loaders

YES. THIS.

 

[hbbadboy]

After reading all the great responses, I spent a little time last night, loading up the 3 Magpul 30 round mags that I had. For me, the next purchase will be getting additional mags, probably in the 10, 20 and 30 round capacities. But the very next purchase has got to be some stripper clips or a better way of loading the mag instead of using the fingers. First clip, no problem, second clip, began to notice the sore thumb, third clip, the "oh I could have had a V8 moment", stripper clips would be so much easier. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone, I hope to post up some pics of the new gun soon.

I have 30 of the 30 round mags but only enough ammo to fill half them or so.

 

[heatheroo]

I have seen repeated assurances that leaving a mag loaded will not weaken the spring. Great. Understood.....but I also see these caveats that leaving a polymer mag loaded may deform the feed lips. That leaves a nagging feeeling about my loaded PMAGS and Thermolds. Does anyone have firsthand experience with this deformation? Granted if I had mag covers for all my PMAGS this would be a non-issue, but I don't so.........what say you all?

 

[jagular]

I Does anyone have firsthand experience with this deformation? Granted if I had mag covers for all my PMAGS this would be a non-issue, but I don't so.........what say you all?

...get the covers or switch to metal mags. The covers cost $6-7 for a 3-pack. Seems simple to me.

 

[heatheroo]

...get the covers or switch to metal mags. The covers cost $6-7 for a 3-pack. Seems simple to me.

I already stipulated that as a solution.........if the feed lip deformation is actually an issue. Can anyone say definitively, that it is?

 

[cyphertext]

I have seen repeated assurances that leaving a mag loaded will not weaken the spring. Great. Understood.....but I also see these caveats that leaving a polymer mag loaded may deform the feed lips. That leaves a nagging feeeling about my loaded PMAGS and Thermolds. Does anyone have firsthand experience with this deformation? Granted if I had mag covers for all my PMAGS this would be a non-issue, but I don't so.........what say you all?

See the reply from Magpul above.

 

[jagular]

I already stipulated that as a solution.........if the feed lip deformation is actually an issue. Can anyone say definitively, that it is?

I certainly wouldn't want to find out when push came to shove. Id gather information from a more expansive base, then decide for yourself on the potential of it happening. Of course, if it's not a hd weapon and just a range toy it may be non-issue. http://bit.ly/1a92b7d

 

[heatheroo]

See the reply from Magpul above.

but the magpul response is somewhat vague as to whether their assertion that they have experienced "no feedlip deformation" is with a covered or non-covered PMAG. I'm also curious as to how my question applies to Thermold mags

 

[cyphertext]

but the magpul response is somewhat vague as to whether their assertion that they have experienced "no feedlip deformation" is with a covered or non-covered PMAG. I'm also curious as to how my question applies to Thermold mags

"Regarding the question of how long, we've had magazines fully loaded for over four years now with no Impact/Dust Cover on and have experienced no feed lip or spring issues."

Looks to me like Magpul is giving you examples with the dust covers. The covers are cheap insurance. Can't address the Thermold magazines. Most don't seem to care for those mags, so I never bought any.

 

[cyphertext]

You are going wear out your mag springs which is going to cost you money over time.

Springs do not wear from being fully compressed. Please read the reply from Magpul above.

 

[Wicked1911]

But the very next purchase has got to be some stripper clips or a better way of loading the mag instead of using the fingers. First clip, no problem, second clip, began to notice the sore thumb, third clip, the "oh I could have had a V8 moment", stripper clips would be so much easier. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone, I hope to post up some pics of the new gun soon.

Lula loaders are great: LULA loader and unloader for M16 / AR15 mags - YouTube

 

[shawn mccarver]

Being a new MP15OR owner, I was wondering if storing mags loaded was a problem? I've always heard an unloaded gun is an expensive stick.

My main reason for buying the gun is for home defense and shooting at the range.

Keep a magazine or two loaded for defense. Leave the rest unloaded. It is not about springs losing tension. It is about deforming the feed lips on AR magazines. Magpul magazines have a dust cover device which keeps the rounds down from the feed lips allowing long term storage loaded.

 

[Dino1]

So a little story I've heard from a trusted 1911 gun smith.

Lady called asking him to come take possession of some guns her recently late husband had. When he arrived he found a military issued WWII era 1911 fully loaded and cocked and locked. Magazine was removed and weapon cleared. Gun was taken to a range and fired all the rounds that were found in it to slide lock. If I remember correctly this was sometime in the mid 90's but not 100% sure. At any rate a mag (and gun) can be stored a VERY long time and will function fine.

I own my dads 1911 from when he was in the Army, Ithica government issue gun, circa 1944. It has been loaded for as long as I can remember and I am 53 with the same bullets in the same mag. I fired the gun for the first time about 3 months ago and it went bang big time and loaded the next round. I also have more of the same military ammo in the box that I got with the gun when he passed and I inherited it. This is a numbers matching gun with the matching holster. Not one of the refurbed pile of parts guns out their from the government turn in and rebuild. This one is a true collector 1911 from the war days. And is in excellent condition, barrel is mirror smooth and gun is about a 90% grade. Mags do not wear out due to being loaded for long periods of time. The mag in this gun has been loaded for more than 50 years that I know of, possibly 60 years.

 

[Vinney47]

After reading all the great responses, I spent a little time last night, loading up the 3 Magpul 30 round mags that I had. For me, the next purchase will be getting additional mags, probably in the 10, 20 and 30 round capacities. But the very next purchase has got to be some stripper clips or a better way of loading the mag instead of using the fingers. First clip, no problem, second clip, began to notice the sore thumb, third clip, the "oh I could have had a V8 moment", stripper clips would be so much easier. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone, I hope to post up some pics of the new gun soon.

I prefer the strip Lula. Works with loose rounds or stripper clips.

Butler Creek AR-15/M-16 Strip LULA Speed Loader:Amazon:Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/314Wi2VMxZL.@@AMEPARAM@@314Wi2VMxZL

 

[Kilibreaux]

Being a new MP15OR owner, I was wondering if storing mags loaded was a problem? I've always heard an unloaded gun is an expensive stick.

My main reason for buying the gun is for home defense and shooting at the range.

Magazine spring fatigue due to cycles...not whether they are tensioned or not tensioned. Beyond that, the human lifespan is not long enough to out-wait a tensioned magazine spring....you can SAFELY load them up and store them for a LONG, LONG time and they'll function when you need them. If you can't quite believe that, then rotate them every month or so...the number of cycles you will create over the next 20 years won't matter one bit to the spring.

 

[dtom29]

"Regarding the question of how long, we've had magazines fully loaded for over four years now with no Impact/Dust Cover on and have experienced no feed lip or spring issues."

Looks to me like Magpul is giving you examples with the dust covers. The covers are cheap insurance. Can't address the Thermold magazines. Most don't seem to care for those mags, so I never bought any.

Seriously?? Reading comprehension?? "With no impact/dust cover on". In other words...They have had mags loaded for four years WITHOUT THE DUST COVERS with no feed lip issues.