40calmike
Member
Do you folks leave rounds in your mags all of the time? Or do you keep them empty? I have realized that if you leave rounds in them for at least for a little while they are much easier to load.
Mags loaded or unloaded?
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Rpg
Member
No.
Keeping 70+ magazines loaded seems unnecessary.
I do keep 5 or 6 loaded: often for years.
Keeping 70+ magazines loaded seems unnecessary.
I do keep 5 or 6 loaded: often for years.
KKECK5
Member
i keep one magazine loaded for each caliber, the others unloaded.
steve462x0
Member
I keep at least one loaded per gun
There was once a school of thought that magazine springs retained a "memory" when kept under constant pressure, and the last round or so would fail to feed after years of being in the magazine. This thought doesn't seem so prevalent now. Due to moisture retention and resultant corrosion issues, I like to trade mine out every so often. If I've got no thought of firing the weapon, I leave all the mags unloaded. If it's a regular carry, I just swap out loaded for unloaded every so often.
srderb
Member
I have 4 mags for my mp40c. I keep two loaded almost all the time as thats what I carry. Every now and then i'll swap them out for the other two just to work and release the springs.
Johnmuratore
Member
Same thing as you folks.
I keep one mag loaded for each pistol and rotate them.
Also make sure that the rounds that have been handled most are the first to go down the tube at the range. Doesn't matter much in the summer but range trips in winter can be a bit long between.
I keep one mag loaded for each pistol and rotate them.
Also make sure that the rounds that have been handled most are the first to go down the tube at the range. Doesn't matter much in the summer but range trips in winter can be a bit long between.
Thump-boom
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I have always heard tests were done to see if keeping nagazines loaded degraded the mag springs. Results show it had no affect on them
Rastoff
US Veteran
This is almost right. Keeping a spring compressed will have an affect on it. That affect just won't be significant.
If it had no affect, the mag wouldn't get easier to load, would it?
I am currently doing a test on this very subject. Last year in June, I compressed a spring. It has been sitting compressed every since. In June of this year I will release it and see how much it lost, if anything.
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Do I keep all of my magazines loaded? Heavens no.
But I keep lots of magazines loaded for my defensive firearms.
As to springs, it is a non-issue. I had some very stiff springs with my first P220 back in the 70s. After leaving 6 magazines loaded for 15 years waiting for them to get easier, I just replaced the springs with lighter ones.
But I keep lots of magazines loaded for my defensive firearms.
As to springs, it is a non-issue. I had some very stiff springs with my first P220 back in the 70s. After leaving 6 magazines loaded for 15 years waiting for them to get easier, I just replaced the springs with lighter ones.
ginzo
Member
1 loaded for each, and a spare. The rest unloaded but cycled at range time to give them all about equal use.
ivanwi11iams
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I have my 7 for my M&P Shield 9mm loaded all the time. That I leave at home with decent quality ammo...
Keep my carry mag loaded all the time.
Use the other 3 at the range.
I'll shoot a mag full of my sd ammo once a month.
Use the other 3 at the range.
I'll shoot a mag full of my sd ammo once a month.
gdnagle
US Veteran
Been posted before but here it is again.
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"
As for me I keep some loaded and some not, do what you feel best. As a side note I found a .45acp mag that had been fully loaded for 40 years, I guess I misplaced it then found it again, and it still functions fine and it is a cheap magazine. I have at least one per firearm loaded and in the firearm plus loaded spares.
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"
As for me I keep some loaded and some not, do what you feel best. As a side note I found a .45acp mag that had been fully loaded for 40 years, I guess I misplaced it then found it again, and it still functions fine and it is a cheap magazine. I have at least one per firearm loaded and in the firearm plus loaded spares.
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Doug M.
Member
My carry gun mags are loaded all the time except for maintenance. I have 3 for my EDC, and they stay loaded for months at a time. My duty mags were only unloaded as part of shooting during training or for maintenance. I did not have time to be messing with 1 in the pistol, 4 on the belt, and another 5 around my patrol box and rifle case when I had a 1911; 1 in the pistol, 3 on the belt, and at least 2 in the box or case when I had a G21. Serious use guns require a serious mindset which includes being ready for use with no notice at all times.
Carbine mags are unloaded by shooting them in class, and if still loaded when done (I have somewhere over 100 and load plenty before class to save time and annoyance), they stay loaded. Most are PMags, of course. My 5 duty ammo mags were also loaded at all times. My training pistol (customized G17) has a bunch of mags, and I load them for class etc, and leave them loaded until I shoot them empty.
Other than maintenance or shooting, I can think of no reason to unload a magazine. A firearm that is not ready to use at all times is worse than useless - it makes a crummy hammer. (My stored firearms are unloaded for storage of course - if they are locked up, they are not ready for immediate use.)
Carbine mags are unloaded by shooting them in class, and if still loaded when done (I have somewhere over 100 and load plenty before class to save time and annoyance), they stay loaded. Most are PMags, of course. My 5 duty ammo mags were also loaded at all times. My training pistol (customized G17) has a bunch of mags, and I load them for class etc, and leave them loaded until I shoot them empty.
Other than maintenance or shooting, I can think of no reason to unload a magazine. A firearm that is not ready to use at all times is worse than useless - it makes a crummy hammer. (My stored firearms are unloaded for storage of course - if they are locked up, they are not ready for immediate use.)
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MichiganScott
Member
Carry guns and home defense guns have one mag in the gun and one spare when being used for their dedicated purposes. The rest are empty.
agksimon
Member
From what I've read, the alloy content and hardening process does have a bearing on memory retention.
Sgt 45
Member
I found a 45 colt mag that had been loaded in the early 80's a year or so ago, it fed all 7 rounds just fine when I finally got around to shooting it. That would put it at 30 years plus. The ammo all went boom as well.
Kadonny
Member
Most mags that get used are loaded.
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