Concerned Citizen
Inactive
Carrying one less round in your mag may, or may not better preserve the spring tension but it won't better preserve your life.I have been carrying only 5 of a possible 6 rounds in my Ruger LCP and Kahr CW 380 pocket pistol magazines as I felt it would preserve the spring tension better and be more reliable. I do rotate magazines with fresh ammo every 3-4 months, and have extra mags for both guns.
Assuming this is even true (and I don't know about that), the Vietnam guys were using what was then brand new unreliable M-16 rifles that were known to have issues. They did what they had to do until they could get better, more reliable variants. Basing your policy as a civilian carrier of an LCP in 2017 on what Vietnam soldiers did with their rifles in the 1960's is not wise to say the least.The Vietnam guys used to run a round or two less in their M-16s for reliability, and have read of other guns like that, so have adopted this policy.
OK, so you sold off a more reliable, more powerful J-Frame for an LCP for only one more shot of an inferior caliber (assuming you carry with one in the pipe)? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Those two extra shots and it's size are the ONLY things an LCP has going for it over a J-Frame.Been looking to boost the firepower output as I kinda feel naked with only 5 rounds late at night, similar to the S/W J frame .38 special snub-nose that I sold off due to limited ammo capability.
Yes and yes. What actually weakens springs the most is their constant flexing and unflexing. In other words, if you keep loading and unloading a mag over and over or you keep pushing up and down on it, that will weaken it. Loading it to full capacity and just leaving it generally won't weaken it. It's true that the springs of a fully loaded mag will eventually weaken over time but we are talking many years here.Would I be OK for the 6th round in the magazine? These are modern guns and comparing them to something from the 1960's may not be relevant.
So if a person is one of those types who buys a gun for protection and throws it in a draw to languish for years and years and/or never intends to shoot it much if at all, then that person needs a revolver.
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