How many rounds should I put in my magazine?

This seems to get debated every so often.

What I've seemed to have read was, single-stack (ie 1911) mags, go ahead and load to capacity if they are standard (meaning, in .45 acp, 7 for flush, 8 for extended). If they are "extra capacity", meaning a smaller spring and follower to allow, say, 8 for flush, download by 1 for storage.

For doublestack, in the older metal mags (say, for Sig, Beretta, CZ, High Power, S&W 39/59x series), I've heard to download 1. Particularly if you have 15 rd High Power flush mags. I do know a couple of my 5906 mags feel a bit weaker than I'd like, but so far they feed fine.

I've heard- don't leave them loaded, ok to leave them loaded, and anywhere in between. I've heard that springs can take a set, and that springs are ok.

The one thing I think is most likely to be true, is that constant load/reload is "harder" on springs than just leaving them as-is, either loaded or unloaded.
 
I load em' all the way or I don't. If I don't, it's usually multiples of five....thanks, OCD. All kidding aside, I expect magazines to hold what they are supposed to and operate properly when fully loaded. So far, they all have. AR included.
 
The thing is, not all magazines are created equal. In most guns, it's been my experience that loading the magazines to full capacity doesn't create issues, but there have been exceptions. With many older designs like Beretta 92's, CZ-75's, S&W 5900 series, and Ruger P-Series, even when the magazine is loaded to full capacity there is still quite a bit of room for the spring to compress further. Often, these magazines will have enough "give" left in the spring that you can almost fit an additional round over the stated capacity of the mag in. With magazines like these, loading to capacity usually isn't a problem.

However, there seems to be a trend with many newer guns to squeeze as many rounds into as small a space as possible. Often, magazines for these guns have their spring pretty much fully compressed by the time the last round is inserted. In my experience, these magazines can sometimes give problems when loaded to full capacity. The problems I've seen include being very difficult to fully load, being difficult to rack the slide if a full magazine is inserted, being more susceptible to short stroking the slide, being more sensitive to lightly loaded ammo, and failing to lock the slide open after the mags have been left loaded for extended periods of time. In these cases, it has been my experience that downloading the mag by one round, particularly if it will be left loaded for an extended period of time, can be beneficial.

Fortunately, the magazines which seem most likely to be problematic when loaded to full capacity almost always have a fairly high capacity for the size and caliber of firearm. IMHO, the law of diminishing returns tells me that I'm really not at that huge of a handicap if my gun "only" has 16+1 rounds as opposed to 17+1, but then again I don't feel uncomfortable carrying single-stacks and revolvers.
 
As it relates to AR mags:
It comes from the spring tension preventing an easy magazine insertion. A lot of the time you'll see people push a magazine into an ar and the magazine fall right out. Thats due to the spring not depressing against the bolt in a "tactical reload" and preventing the magazine from locking in.

Honestly test your magazines. Look up presscheck consultingar magazine. That will answer your questions regarding the ar mags.

The long and short of the video is test for at LEAST 1/8th inch (preferably 1/4th inch) of depression with a fully loaded magazine, and also test to make sure that you can lock your magazine in with just your forefinger and your thumb.
Edit:
Please watch the video. The last minute or two are practically gold.

Sent from my SM-N981U using Tapatalk
 
I've been shooting AR-15's for over 40 years. I have always loaded the 20 and 30 round mags full with 20 and 30 rounds with never a problem. All of my magazines are Colt. Also, I keep most of them loaded with nary a problem.
 
magazines wear out from being loaded and unloaded, the spring being compressed and released. As long as you don't try to put more in than are supposed to go in you will be fine. for instance my 4th gen G17 mags will actually take 18rnds, but I don't do that.

Philosophy. There is the theory that if you are doing a tactical reload, it is beneficial to have 1 less round to make it easier to seat the magazine.

In short, with modern design and spring material, assuming you get a magazine of reasonable quality (aka not promag) you should not have any issues.

Also magazine springs will wear out in time no matter how good they are, or if you take a couple rounds out.
 
I usually never load my magazines to capacity, either because I don't need too, or just can't. I have some 12 round 9mm magazines where getting the 9th round loaded is a struggle. So I just leave it at 9.
 
Lordvader, get yourself a maglula. After you've used it a couple of times you'll no longer need it on the problem magazines.
 
The M16 magazines that malfunctioned would do so by the spring taking a 'set'. This required loading an early twenty round magazine with twenty rounds and leaving it loaded for some time. To my knowledge, this didn't happen with thirty round magazines.

I have no reports of any M16 rifle magazines having the problem since the Viet Nam War (conflict, whatever). (But the myth lives on.)
I have no reports of any derivation of M16 rifle magazines having the problem.
I have no reports of any NAZI German Army magazines having the problem.
I have no reports of any Soviet Army magazines having the problem.
I have no reports of any semi-automatic pistol magazines having the problem.

I do suggest checking all magazines for a defensive handgun for function before need. (Loading, locking into the magazine well, feeding, chambering, locking the slide open and ejecting when proper.)

Load fully for carry. The best place for ammunition is in one's weapon.
 
I have no reports...
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OldmanMontgomery, how would one send "reports" to you and why would they?

You ever actually own and/or train with an AR platform rifle or do you just sit in some kind of weird space and "receive reports"?

I'm sorry, but your post is one of the oddest I've seen here for awhile.
 
lordvader said:
I usually never load my magazines to capacity, either because I don't need too, or just can't. I have some 12 round 9mm magazines where getting the 9th round loaded is a struggle. So I just leave it at 9.
Click to expand...
Get yourself a maglula uplula and load to capacity and unload daily for a while. Sooner or later you will be able to load to capacity reliably most of the time.
 
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