10/22 magazine question

[muleshoe]

Does it weaken a 10/22 magazine to leave it loaded for extended periods? As for the longevity of the mag, would it be better to leave them fully loaded, completely empty, or a couple rounds short of full?

My wife says I'm a couple rounds short of a full mag. I'm not sure what she means by that.

 

[Blue Duck357]

Once during a move I "lost" a fully loaded 10-22 magazine. Found it about 2 years later. The spring was so weak it would not feed anything but the first round again. Sent it to Ruger and they sent me a new one. So I'd say it would be best to leave them unloaded to reduce pressure on the spring. (Even though honestly I'm not sure how the spring works in that particular magazine I know it has to have some type of one).

I read an article on this subject years ago and a meturoligist (sp?) meteroligist (sp?)... smart guy with metal, from a manufacturer recomemded that if you had to leave a magazine loaded for an extended period to cut it's capacity by at least 20% (8 rounds for the 10-22). But a best case scenario would be to cut the capacity by 10% and rotate the magazines with one left unloaded about once a month. Though I don't think it could be done with the 10-22 if your really looking at very long term storage it might be best to disassemble the mag so there is no prssure on the spring till you put it together again.

That said, the empty but assembled M1-carbine mags I've bought new in wrapper but 50 years old have worked great, and you will hear about 45 autos laying around for years loaded to capacity and firing fine. But the above is considered the safest approach depending on how quick you may need the mag's.

Sorry for being so long winded, Blue Duck

 

[RiverRider]

If a Ruger 10/.22 magazine spring gets weak, you can adjust it by loosening the allen screw on the front of it and winding it up a little tighter. If I recall correctly, the owner's manual that comes with a 10/.22 tells you how to set the tension correctly.

I would imagine, though, that sometimes you'd be best off just replacing the spring altogether.

 

[PreserveFreedom]

I've seen 10/22 mags go weak in a matter of weeks from being left in a hot truck loaded. I don't know if the heat had anything to do with it. When unloaded and left alone for a while, they revived.

 

[kerth]

My 10/22 mags came from the factory with insufficient preload for reliable feeding, they would feed fine until fouled with powder and lube (about 200 rounds worth) and then appear to be weak springed. The spring force didn't change, the fouling increased the frictional load. I disassembled the magazines and increased the spring preload, as RiverRider suggested. I have kept the mags fully loaded since then (over 5 years) and have not seen any change in the spring preload, they feed and function with any difficulties, even when dirty. Allthough I have seen springs weakened by corrosion, I have never had a spring take a set or sag when it is subjected to a load over time (as long as the load is within the spring's elastic range). Most of the mags in my safe (pistol and rifle) are loaded to capacity and I haven't experienced any problems.