Magazine question

[SmithNWesson]

I have a question about magazines. First off, i typically go to the range about once a month.

I was curious if i should keep magazines loaded or unloaded. I normally keep 2 loaded and ready to go. But since my additition of 2 more magazines it has be questioning if i should keep the 2 new ones loaded or empty.

Am i doing more long term harm on the springs by keeping them loaded? I am thinking i should keep 2 loaded and save the other 2 unloaded for range day and alternating them out after range day.

What do you guys think?

 

[Ranger17]

from what I have read it takes a lot of cycles to wear out mag springs. I have 4-5 mags for my Shield and full size MP and take them all to the range, every 3-4 weeks as well. I may have 1 mad loaded while stored and i preload all my mags before any range visit as well (i want my time there to be shooting).

I dont necessarily load all mags and then leave full in the safe as i may change up the ammo i'm going to use on a particular visit. But long story short, i believe you'll find that whatever works for you is just fine.
And if a mag fails, it should be under warranty anyway if in stock form....

 

[cc7051mc]

Will a S&W6906 magazine work in a S&W M&P 9mm and vise versa?

 

[cc7051mc]

All my magazines are always loaded and I have had no problems. I have a 6906 and a shield which is my everyday carry with a back up mag in my pocket which is in a snagmag holster.

 

[walkin' trails]

Unless you got a mag with a bad spring to begin with, you should not have any issues with what you're doing now. Cycling is what causes springs to eventually wear out. What you should consider is to buy new mags when the pistol has run 4-5k rounds and after confirming that they function properly, keep them loaded for SD and the old mags dedicated to the range. In addition to springs wearing out, followers will also wear, and the bodies can get dented. It's worth having fresh magazines for non range usage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wee Hooker]

I don't see a problem with keeping them loaded with the schedule you describe. M&P mag springs are well designed to be tough and resilient. If you have reservations, just rotate the loaded/unloaded ones now and then.
That said, I would question what the value is to keep 4 mags loaded all the time? You must live in a BAD neighborhood

 

[ScaryWoody]

I have actually spoken to some spring manufacturers for industrial products. Back in the day a spring was just a wound wire, it's spring reduced as the metal fatigued. These days the metal has a variable temper and lasts much much longer. The spring guys said that it should retain it's springiness indefinitely even when compressed.

 

[OKFC05]

A high-quality spring's life depends on
1. Being operated within it's design elastic limit, and
2. Amount of distortion from being cycled.


1. To illustrate what happens if you go beyond the design limit, take any cheap spring and twist or pull it until it takes a kink. That kink shows it went beyond it' design spring limit, and permanently damages the grain structure of the metal, making a brittle, weak spot.
2. For a high quality compression spring, repeated compression and release cycling of the spring causes the spring to slowly shorten and reduces the amount of pressure it exerts in the extended state. Do no confuse this with the normal initial "set" any spring takes, which is accounted for in the design.


If you take a new magazine spring, load it full and cycle it a few dozen times to "break it in" you can then take this spring and mount it above your cleaning bench as a comparison standard for when you disassemble and clean your magazines. If the spring out of your magazine is substantially distorted or very much shorter than your standard, discard it and put in a new spring. Carefully check the follower for wear and the tube for damage, too.


In following this procedure for M&P springs used in competition, I've found the springs last tens of thousands of cycles, are little affected by being left loaded, and by the time the spring is considerably shortened, the rest of the magazine is definitely showing its age.


On the other hand, I tried some aftermarket magazines that had distorted springs and bent lips after a few hard practices.
Quality really matters.

 

[hobby-gunsmith]

Magazine Question

The mags of today have reliable springs and will last even when loaded for a period of time. FWIW, continue what you are doing rotating the magazines at the range. What I do is exactly the method you are doing each month at the range. I have four Springfield XD mags and I load two of the mags with one less than full capacity for every day carry and reserve the other two for the once a month at the range. I will deplete the ammo out of the two mags so I have four mags empty at the range and that will allow the springs to return to no compression. I load ten rounds on each magazine at the range and verify the last round hold open on the slide. I have not had any failures or problems with the magazines adhering to the method I use. Upon cleaning the gun, at home, I disassemble the magazines and run a mag brush through the body of the mag. I use Mpro-7 gun cleaner for the follower and wipe down the spring, mag case and base plate with a rag. Do not spray any oil on the magazine or parts of the mag. Leave the mag dry and I have never had a problem in over eight years I have had the gun. I have shot over 5000 rounds and still going strong like the day I purchased it. Enjoy the range and care free mags with the method I describe.

Nick

 

[Pisgah]

A close friend inherited from his grandfather a 1911 and five magazines that had been loaded, apparently, since 1920 when his grandpa had bought the gun, mags and milsurp ammo. Four of those rounds were duds but all the rest fired -- and fed from the magazines flawlessly. After we'd shot off all that ammo, we loaded them all back up with new ammo -- and at that time, and ever since, they all worked fine and have continued to do so, with no spring replacements. You may draw your own conclusions; I have already drawn mine: a good spring does not weaken with prolonged compression.

 

[SmithNWesson]

Thank you all for the great input. I will keep a few loaded up and have placed 1 back in the original packaging as a back up for my back ups.

 

[Smoke]

Will a S&W6906 magazine work in a S&W M&P 9mm and vise versa?

No it won't

 

[BSA1]

What is the primary purpose of the gun?

If it is for self-defense I would load two magazines with your choice of self-defense and leave them loaded. I would shoot the ammo in them once a year and then load them with fresh s.d. ammunition.

I would definitely buy more magazines as they are not very expensive and use them for range practice. You cannot have enough magazines.