How to tell when the springs are going bad?

F

FUD

Moderator
I own a number of pre-ban hi-cap mags and they get a lot of use as I usually keep two or three mags loaded per gun and I roatate them with another set whenever going to the range.

Some of them, are starting to "feel" less springy (less resistance when loaded the first couple of bullets into them). They still feed well but I don't want to be taken by surprise in a self-defense situation that they've gone bad. Is there anyway to tell ahead of time that a magazine spring is going bad?

FUD
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Share what you know & learn what you don't
 
there are two schools of thought on this one. You can change your springs annually. Or you wait until you start having failures to feed and failures for the slide to lock back on last round. I generally replace the springs in my hi-cap mags with xtra power Wolf springs. Then wait for the malfunctions, which happens rarely. As long you keep your mags down-loaded by one, you shouldn't have a problem. hope this helps.
 
Fud, sumpin to do out in yur new concrete shed. Put scale on drill press table, make fixture to press down on cartridge in mag, wood will do, set quill stop on press for distance of your choice, log that distance for future reference, check all your mags that work well with one cartridge in em. Now you have a base number for future checking.

I use lektronic scale and drill press to check all manner of springs.

If you don't have drill press, get one. Tell wife they are great for crackin nuts, winding yarn, polishing silverware or whatever.

Sam....how come everything is where I'm not lookin?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Icopy: ... As long you keep your mags down-loaded by one, you shouldn't have a problem. hope this helps ...[/quote]I usually keep them downloaded by 20% -- a 7-rounder gets 6, a 11-rounder gets 9, a 15-rounder gets 12, etc.
 
Fud, Why do you down load your 7 round magazines? I could see down loading hi-cap magazines if you wanted to prolong spring life but 7 round magazines (if for a 1911 type pistol) here designed for constant, long time spring life. It is when you change springs to allow for 8 rounds in the same magazine body that you can start to have spring problems.

I would suggest doing a search on magazine springs in this forum and GUNSMITHING. This topic has been discussed many times in the past. (I'd wait until Rich figures what is wrong with the search feature first tho)

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
Being fairly new to pistols, let me ask the dumb question. . .

How do you change the springs. I have recently bought a few Ruger hi-caps (9mm), and while they work fine, I'd like to know how to change them if I ever have to. Does the plastic floorplate come off on these mags, or do you somehow get the follower and spring out of the top of the mag? I haven't tried either out a fear of screwing something up. These factory hi-caps aren't cheap!

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Guyon
NRA & GOA Member
 
Jim, The reason why I do it even in 7-rounders is because it is something that is highly recommended by Massas Ayoob in his books, articles & lectures. FUD.
 
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