what would an officer think?

That you didn't have enough $$$ for more ammo at that point in time, or couldn't find any. I mean, what are they supposed to think ? I guess they could think you didn't realize how many it would hold.
 
Aside from all the whys and wherefores of getting to the point of discovering a partially loaded magazine, my first inclination is to wonder why on earth would anyone carry anything less than a full magazine?
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I have 7-rnd and 8-rnd mags for my 1911's I load them all with 7 just out of habit. I have 10, 15, and 17 round mags for my P226 and don't know if I've ever filled any but the 10-rounders to capacity, but I don't carry that one so it's really a mute point.

There will always be 5 rounds in my snub when I'm carrying it.
 
I know many people do download rifle and handgun Mags. Their reasoning is that it is easier on the springs and may give a nth extra reliability if the balloon ever goes up
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.

You could be a really good friend by doing a search on this Forum about springs and emailing it to your friends. You could save a life!!! Springs do not wear out from being compressed. They wear out from being compressed and released (work) countless times. Think about this....if the springs in your car wear out from being compressed, you would be replacing them once a year. When was the last time you replaced car springs? Getting back to the subject matter, I have not less than 60 magazines. Most I keep fully loaded and they stay that way from the day I get them. Some get used more than others. At the very minimum, I shoot 24,000 rounds per year spread over multiple guns. I have done that for more years than you have been alive. I have never replaced a magazine spring. I have tossed away several magazines that I never should have purchased in the first place....live and learn.
 
I dont know why anyone would partially load a magazine?
If I have a mag that takes 15rds I am always tryin to get more in it...
More is BETTER... when it comes to ammo....
 
Springs do not wear out from being compressed.
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They can.

Whether they do or not is dependent on several things. The design of the device incorporating the spring, the design of the spring itself, the quality of the materials used in the spring and the caliber of the manufacturing processes employed.

It's not that common but it can happen.

If the magazine is designed such that loading it to capacity overcompresses the spring then leaving the magazine fully loaded will cause the spring to weaken. It will weaken in proportion to the amount of time it is left overcompressed.

It seems that these days very few quality magazine designs have this problem, but it has happened in the past, particularly with double-column magazines during the early days of the "wondernine"/high-capacity movement. I've never heard of an instance of a single column standard capacity magazine having this problem.
 
Not a problem from a legal point in my opinion and don't worry about being called wrong for short charging magazines. Some but not all my magazines for 2 of my guns have trouble loading the first or second round from a full magazine so I short charge them. Reliability is more important than an extra 2 rounds if its serious time.
 
full mag??

I don't usually have my mags full. In some cases, I carry a partial mag in a vest pocket. When I eject a chambered round and it hits the dirt, it goes in my pocket. I may not top up a mag for a while so it's down a round or 3. I haven't had this encounter yet but it might happen. I don't clean my carry gun as much as I might and right now, it's probably been fired a dozen times since cleaning. I might even pop off a couple of draw and shoot rounds before heading for town just to make sure I remember how. All this means that most any time I'm carrying a pistol that's been fired within the last few minutes/hours.
 
"Why have a high cap mag if you're not going to use it?"
"Why would anyone not load the mag all the way?"

If you're living in a city (or just passing thru) that has an ordinance or law about X number of rounds maximum in a mag, then they tell me that ignorance of the law is not a good enough excuse for violating it. The mere fact that your mag can take 15, 20, or 200 rounds does not change the reality of the ordinance or law. The mag maker's manufacturing ability does not trump the PD or the rules put forth by that city
 
I've had Glock mags that would barely lift the last couple of rounds after being left loaded for years. Also malfunctions with the last round or 2. I never fully load a hicap mag.
 
I've had Glock mags that would barely lift the last couple of rounds after being left loaded for years.
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You're not the only one. I've seen many reports of this happening with various types of double-column magazines--particularly from mags made in the '80s & early '90s. It seems that the designers figured some things out and it is much less common with later vintage magazines.
 
When I was introduced to firearms 30 years ago, I remember some of stupid crap people told me as gospel...one of which was to partialy load the mag, to 'save the spring' ...gee wiz....

And that said...if a gun won't shoot the last 2 rounds due to a weak spring ect...that's not just a magazine problem, that is a gun problem....get a new spring, new gun, something....
 
if a gun won't shoot the last 2 rounds due to a weak spring ect...that's not just a magazine problem, that is a gun problem
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If the spring in the magazine is weak nothing you do to the gun is going to fix the feeding issue. The magazine will have to be replaced or repaired.
 
I'm not sure what would be wrong with the gun if we already know the magazine spring is the problem. Sometimes magazines are bad, sometimes springs aren't strong enough etc. If a mag spring fixes the feeding problem then it was just the mag spring. If it doesn't fix the feeding problem and it only happens with one mag, it's the mag. If it happens with many mags, all mags, etc then it may be the gun or it could still be bad mags.
 
There are a number of mags on the market (8 round .45 ACP) that were "designed" using a mag body originally designed for a 7 round capacity but by chopping the follower down it is possible to stuff 8 rounds in it. The problems are that some springs are slightly overcompressed when doing this and the follower is being smashed almost flat when fully loaded. Bottom line - the spring's life is shortened and reliability in compromised all for the sake of one more round. Personally I'll take reliable feeding over one more round. I have used 7 and 8 round mags for many years in competition and only load 7 rounds in both. I have seen lots of 8 round mags fail to feed the first or last round, this is not an internet myth or theory. That said, there are reliable 8 round mags out there with better springs and followers than when they were originally introduced. It is absolutely possible to manufacture reliable high cap mags but some of these companies aren't. The point is that there are perfectly good reasons why some people down load mags.
 
Wow, I didn't know this was such a hot button issue. I've been leaving my magazines one round shy because it's difficult to cram in the last round. I didn't realize I might be offending people.
 
stargazer65

Wow, I didn't know this was such a hot button issue. I've been leaving my magazines one round shy because it's difficult to cram in the last round.
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I do the same thing for the same reason. So, I only have 15 rounds instead of 16, big deal!
 
A LEO is not likely to be concerned if you have a partially loaded mag absent some other circumstances. I have seen plenty of dirty guns, mixed bag and grubby ammo, guns with 3-5 rounds in the mag etc on warrants, zero tolerance ops, etc. Being on forums like this skews your view: most people carrying guns, CCW or otherwise really don't care about the gun or ammo. They may shoot it once when they get it (or not) and just expect it to go bang. They may only ever have the rounds that came with the gun, or that they could scrounge from acquaintances, and if they ever fire the gun they may not clean it or even know how.

Goes for many LEO's as well. I've seen guys who have been carrying a .40 loaded with 9mm between shooting quals (we use both calibers) , and others who clean their guns every 2 or 3 sessions.
 
Partially Loaded Mag

I download my mags that are in "long term storage" by a round or two, and I rotate them out every couple years when I think about it.
I always keep fully loaded mags with my defensive guns and when I'm carrying. I would never download a carry mag unless there were some really good reason for it.
The last time I got stopped and informed the officer that I was a permit holder and had a weapon on me, she replied "are you going to shoot me?" I said "no", and everyone was happy.

Ask for Mag springs for christmas and birthday presents...you'll never run out....
 
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