How long would your your magazines being loaded.

I read an article once where the author did spring tests in various types of magazines. Final recommendation, summarized because I read this a few years back, was to not leave a magazine loaded to the max for long periods of time & periodically, relieve the spring pressure by unloading it. I think the Colt 1911 springs were the weakest, but even they lasted for a very long time fully loaded. Sig Arms had the best springs in their magazines of those tested. Those, you could almost leave loaded indefinitely. Personally, I have a Sig 220, a Colt Combat Elite, & a EAA Witness in .40 that I rotate every month. One's loaded & so are all the magazines for it. Next month, it's unloaded & one of the others is now loaded up. I'm very comfortable with any of these particular handguns, so changes in grip & shooting characteristics don't really affect me that much.

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Guard Freedom from those that "want to do it for the Children."
 
Two relevant data points. A Vietnam vet I know found a ca. 1969 M16 mag loaded a few years ago and it functioned flawlessly -- more than 25 years after being stored.

A materials engineering guy once showed data that basically showed that springs actually lose strength from going back and forth, not from being compressed and left.

So store 'em and leave 'em is probably better than rotating them up and down.

JNewell
 
Since I only have 2 sets of mags for each of my guns I rotate it every month (less two rounds to max). After reading this thread I'll
keep it both loaded.

vega
 
Rotating your magazines is a good idea but we are not slicing atoms. Using a little common sense will help to make a comfortable descision. There are many opinons on the subject, many of them have merit. Use thier guidance and take a little time to find out what works best for you. Choose a ritual that you do ritualistically.
I get to the range about once every two weeks. At the end of my training session I will shot a drill with my carry loads. I carry a G-30 and the drill calls for 20 shots, something fun I do to end the day on a good note. When I have finished the drill I set the just fired magazines aside and load two fresh magazines with new carry loads then make ready my pistol. I take the magazines I set aside and put them in my gear bag for the next range day. Simple, but effective.
As far as loading magazines to max capacity. Again, do what makes you feel comfortable. A few years ago while rummaging through some of my gear bags I came across a magazine pouch with two fully loaded magazines for my secondary (P-226). After thinking about it for some time, I retraced the bag to a previous deployment about 18 months ago. Out of curisosity, I grabbed my gun and extra ammunition and headed to our range. I fired 200 rounds through the two magazines and they locked back each time. I retired the magainzes out of caution, but it was nice to know their capabilities or limitations whichever, you prefer. Don't just do something because someone tells you. Do it because it makes sense to you.

Later,

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www.thehalogroup.com

[This message has been edited by DOT, The HALO Group (edited May 18, 2000).]
 
Greetings to every one:

What a good feed-backs from all of you. So! it depends on the user how he prefers on how to treat their magazines loadings, but I want to take the advise of those who said that leaving magazines fully loaded for a week/month and a year is still alright.

Also, I am glad to know the info given by JNewell re: a study of the Material Engineer, and the statement of Coinneach that "Metal fatigue is the primary cause of spring failure, and fatigue is caused by working the
metal.

Dot, the Halo Group mentioned a ritualistics acts of the gunner. I think I am like that, I am used to keep loading and unload my pistols every time I get off to work and I get back home on the night.

Thanks again for the good info from all of you and I minimized my very often practice of loading and unloading my magazines.



[This message has been edited by stdalire (edited May 19, 2000).]
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by stdalire:
My practice is, if for my home defense gun, during the night I will load 3 to 4 magazines B][/quote]

I really don't mean this as a flame or anything but I am curious. Just who are you expecting in the middle of the night? :D

Seriously, though I try to change out my (one) loaded mag. once a week. I sleep comfortably with one magazine loaded and in the .45.

RJ



------------------
"Never turn your back on the crew."
 
A question I have always wanted to ask.

I understand that yes, it is probably better to have 50 magazines on hand, just in case the Hells Angels decide to hold a kegger in your 9 year old daughter's bedroom some dark and stormy night. Okay, fine. You can never have too much ammo.

But there is a point of serious diminishing returns, and I think it lays closer to 1-2 mags than to the numbers some of us claim to have ready on hand. One forumite (I cannot recall who, and I'm too lazy to do a search) said that he read somewhere that its best to have X number of magazines fully loaded and ready to go at a moments notice. X was a nice big fat number in double digits. Precisely what kind of an intruder is this designed to defend against? A Yeti? ;)

Recall, the vast majority of 'gunfights' end up with one side firing 0-3 bullets (feel free to correct that stat, but its what I usually hear quoted).

If you sleep better at night knowing you have enough ammo ready to go that you could give Janet Reno and the INS pause, okay fine. Its a free country. I sleep quite soundly knowing I have either my off-duty weapon and one clip, or my duty gun ("the Big Dog" as my wife likes to call it) and one clip, close at hand.

If 17 rounds of .45 ACP isn't going to resolve the problem, its time to switch to plan B, 'cause plan A isn't working. :D

Mike

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"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein
 
Captain Bligh Good Afternoon!!!

I am following the the motto of a boy scout, "Always ready", and I believe the saying that in time of peace expect war. You said just who are you (I am)? -- I am just an ordinary citizen like you who always ready of any eventualities just in case, so I loaded several mags.

Look at those innocents civilians being kidnapped by the Abbusayaf? who are they? perhaps they are famous or in their own profession or line of business but were they spared to be kidnapped? The ordinary citizens being mobbed and or robbed in their houses and sometimes ends to killing or murder. Are they famous or not? I don't need to be somebody to wait that I will armed myself to the teeth. It is my practice and ritual as Dot the Halo group said. If you do practice of loading several mags is just fine, if not comfortable to it, don't do it. Just as simple like that. I am not inflamed I am just commenting or responding to your post. It is just a matter of belief and a practice/ritual. To answer your question also, if a person is somebody or famous, he don't need to hold a gun but hire body guards and besides rich and famous are well secured in their palaces with their guards, so it is us who are ordinary citizens to be armed because we are the prey of criminals and tyrants.

Note: my only question is how often we load and unload a magazine to so as not to impair the spring.

Thanks Captain.




[This message has been edited by stdalire (edited May 20, 2000).]
 
Stdalire, well said.

Different folks have different things to worry about. Perhaps my existance is safer. Perhaps I only think it is.

Like, I said, I shoot .45 acp through a 1911. I don't fret over mag springs. I switch out mags once a week or so. There are accounts of mags left loaded for years that then function flawlessly.

I shoot regulary. I suppose I will continue not worrying about mag springs too much until my experience shooting tells me I was mistaken.

RJ

------------------
"Never turn your back on the crew."
 
I shot a few 1911 magazines that had been loaded for years, and I experienced no malfunctions. Their springs seem to have the same characteristics as some of my much newer magazines. I have a number of "ready" magazines for my AR-15's and a couple of pistols that are loaded, and when I shoot them, they shoot fine. I can't see any difference in the spring tension of those and the others that are sitting new in the box. Short of cheap springs, I doubt that leaving the magazine loaded is a problem.
 
All your magazines must be unloaded and reloaded every ten seconds or the Blair witch will get you!

Seriously, I sometimes leave them loaded for years, but then I am not up on modern paranoia.

Jim
 
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