How Long? Do U Keep Mags Loaded?

[MauiWowie]

How long do you keep your Mags loaded for your home defense or Carry weapon before you change out the rounds to a new mag?

I've been changing them every month but I'm wondering if I can just leave the same mag loaded for longer?

I realize that it's the unloading and loading that wears a spring out and not the constant pressure of the ammo so maybe keeping them loaded and not switching them is a better idea?

tell me your thoughts?


Thanks!

 

[fivepointstar]

24/7 for me. only time they are not fully charged when I"m at the range and have to reload. I've had them charged this ways since I got my Glock, that was 12 yrs ago. not a single mag issue with factory Glock mags.

 

[MauiWowie]

24/7 for me. only time they are not fully charged when I"m at the range and have to reload. I've had them charged this ways since I got my Glock, that was 12 yrs ago. not a single mag issue with factory Glock mags.

wow! ok I'm being anal then... I'll just keep'em loaded and stop changing them out

 

[2flhun]

I swap out every week. Started this back when I was in Liberia in 90. I was on the ground at the embassy for about 10 days when I decided to check my mags and when I did I found that they had rusted so bad that rounds were stuck together.

This is just my little habit, no scientific data behind it.

 

[silentsnake]

I swap out every week. Started this back when I was in Liberia in 90. I was on the ground at the embassy for about 10 days when I decided to check my mags and when I did I found that they had rusted so bad that rounds were stuck together.

This is just my little habit, no scientific data behind it.

guess that means you didn't really get to use them very often...

there is a simple reason for that...the humidity...

but if you have them stored in a clean dry place like most civilians, there is little need for the swap...

in the field, it is good to check them especially if they are exposed to any moisture, condensation or humidity for that reason...its also good to oil them occasionally in a humid environment...just a light coat is plenty...

 

[jaywade]

well for my 9mm I keep 3 clips loaded w/ hydra shock's I shoot at least once week lately I unload to reload w/ ball so mine get switch out every week or so

 

[2flhun]

guess that means you didn't really get to use them very often...

there is a simple reason for that...the humidity...

but if you have them stored in a clean dry place like most civilians, there is little need for the swap...

in the field, it is good to check them especially if they are exposed to any moisture, condensation or humidity for that reason...its also good to oil them occasionally in a humid environment...just a light coat is plenty...

Humid is not even close! Didn't use the pistol at all, no one got over the wall.

 

[silentsnake]

LOL, welcome to my favorite weather 2flhun!!!

and did you have to wear full battle dress for that detail as well? that would suck...

 

[rob-cubed]

The guy that owns Wolff springs pointed out that weakening occurs with repeated use (compression/expansion), not from being under tension long-term. So rotating loaded mags is actually worse than just leaving them loaded between range trips. Leave a round or two out to take some tension off... it shouldn't be necessary but helps with cheap mags.

 

[smokey]

i always keep emm loaded up with 147 gr hst's. when i go to the range i fire a couple then unload the rest so i still have some precious rare hsts left then shoot normal target stuff. as long as they feed well at the range(which they always have), that's proof positive they work and i can put them back to use loaded up with hst's. i figure i hit the pistol range at least once a month so that's good enough for me

 

[case XX]

I like to have at least 6 mag's per pistol so I rotate through those at DST, change the clocks change the mags. Sometimes they get rotated just through shooting as well but I usually only take a couple for shooting. I also don't keep them fully loaded while sittting around, I drop one round for the 1911 or the USP 45c as they don't hold that many for the Glock 17 I usually only have a dozen or so loaded up. Not that I disagree with the comments that the wear on the springs is due to use rather than loaded storage, their seems to be plenty of research to back that up, but this is just what I have always done.

 

[Llyrin]

What I ahve loaded:
All 9mm mags (2x15, 2x10 rnds)
1 x 20-rnd Mini-14 mag
3 speed loaders loaded for my .357 (plus 6 in the cylinder - no kids in the house)
3 Mark II mags
5 Remington 597 10-round mags
2 Rem 597 30-round mags
5 Mossberg 802 mags (10-rnds each)

Also, 5 rnds in the HD Mossy 500

In fact, the only ones I don't have loaded ar 5 Mini-14 20-rnd mags, but I'm not sure why I don't keep them loaded. the rest, I unload them every time I go shooting, and then load 'em up again afterwards.

 

[alucard0822]

Load em and leave em, I don't rotate mags, but do rotate ammo. Springs will last a long time while loaded to capacity, but with repeated clearing and loading of defensive guns ammo doesn't, it gets beat up, and the jackets can corrode. Every day, I clear and check my cary gun for function, then load it up, and holster it before heading out. If I have to leave the gun behind (going to post office, or MD), I clear it. I do rotate the top 3 rounds in the mag, chamber 1, top off the mag and go about my buisness. Every week, the pistol is field stripped, wiped down and re-lubed.

Every few months I fire a mag or two of HSTs(my chosen defensive load) to check for function and to get re-aquainted with the feel of the round, usually a couple rounds into water jugs too to check for expansion/relative penetration/weight retension. Then load the mags up with fresh ammo, and I am good for awhile. I belive in this fairly strict maintenence routine both because of moisture and environmental affects on the gun and ammo, and because I want to be completely sure it will go bang when I need it to.

If I have shot something enough that the recoil spring starts to wear, and it chucks the cases too far, I replace it, but also replace the mag springs, and hammer/striker spring too as routine maintenence every 5-10K rounds in most guns. Most factory mags are designed with good quality springs, and leave enough room when fully loaded that the spring is not compressed past it's working compression length, so most could probably stay loaded for decades and be OK.

 

[jaypark]

once a month let the springs recover and break down the mags fully and stretch... that from a green guy

 

[joppaj]

24/7 for me. only time they are not fully charged when I"m at the range and have to reload. I've had them charged this ways since I got my Glock, that was 12 yrs ago. not a single mag issue with factory Glock mags.

9 years here, but identical procedures and results.

 

[Todd v.]

Yup it's the cycles that fatigue the metal not the tension, unless over stressed. You can over compress/bend spring steel and change it's characteristics but it's really not possible in a properly designed coil spring when your compressing it... I leave those mags that I keep loaded, loaded. Well until I empty em out at the range and they get filled right back up...

 

[saltydog]

Not because it's absolute or Law the way some see it, but Personally if I'm going to the range or just traveling back to our other house located in another State, I keep all of the mags unloaded and seperate from my guns.

Now while they're in the house, they are never unloaded, and always at the ready.

 

[SCARCQB]

I change out ammo on loaded mags once a year. My Glocks dont have a problem with being constantly loaded. My Glock 26 mags have not failed in 10 years. I do have problems with HK USP 45 mags that wont hold the slide open after after being loaded for 6 months.

 

[Diesel Kinevel]

My Glock mags are loaded indef. unless I take them all shooting (once every few months) My chest harness has 4 30rnd C products fully loaded indef. Got a few pmags loaded indef

-Z

 

[smores]

Properly heat-treated springs won't take a set and should last much longer than you, even fully compressed. It's the repeated use of springs that wears them out (which is why you need to replace your recoil springs periodically).

If you shoot a lot, or load/unload your mags frequently, you can buy new mag springs from Wolff or other manufacturers, and change them out periodically for peace of mind. New springs run only a few $, and if you buy them in bulk (such as from Wolff) they get cheaper and cheaper. I am starting to buy springs in packs of 5 or more, for only a couple bucks more, why not have more on hand?