Keeping mags loaded

[cowboykjohnson]

Anyone have any info on how long ar mags can stay loaded without the spring messing up, and which ones are the best to keep loaded?

[mightymouse]

Anyone have any info on how long ar mags can stay loaded without the spring messing up, and which ones are the best to keep loaded?

Magazine springs fail from fatigue over time (compression/decompression). Leaving a mag loaded won't hurt the spring, but it could deform some aluminum magazine feed lips.

Just my .02.

[13081]

I second this question.

I am always nervous that I will destroy the spring if I leave a 30/40round mag fully loaded for a extended period of time.
I am not interested in a mag that fails so I only leave half capacity for my big mags when in storage.
My Colt Delta 10mm is cocked locked and ready to rock at full capacity and never failed?
Any thoughts, evidence???
Thanks, John.

[HunterCO]

Keeping any mag loaded one can argue will weaken the spring and over time it will. However I have many mags that have been loaded for ten years plus. The first sign of the spring getting weak on an ar15 is when the last round fires it will not lock the bolt back. This is more obvious in a F/A gun as some mags will work fine in semi but in F/A they fail to lock the bolt back on the last round.

Springs are cheap replace them when needed keep some extras around.

Just my .02

[iceman]

Just my .02

I keep mine loaded and ready if needed and so far( knock on wood)
but as a back up....I don't keep them all loaded, just a dozen or so

[Just Ed]

Springs wear with use as mentioned above....compression AND decompression. They don't wear while compressed, they don't wear while decompressed.

The issue you'll have with AR mags is the feeding lips getting deformed (again, as mentioned above) if they sit for a long time loaded.

Magpul's solution is to provide a cap for their magazines that put the pressure of the spring against the cap, instead of the lips the ammo feeds on. It's one of the reasons the Pmag is so popular.

http://www.magpul.com/catalog/index....roducts_id=283

[ldmaster]

I keep four loaded 1911 mags on my belt, I think I've put around 5000 rounds through this set - no failures yet and they sit there until quarterly shooting, then get exercised/cleaned for about 400 rounds. I carry 6 loaded 30rd thermolds and 6 UGGI 20rd mags in my jump bag. I use a maglula to load/unload them - the USGI 20rds are practically orange from use - all still have original springs in them - no last round failures yet. Frankly i don't trust a mag until I've used it for some time, as I've seen more out-of-the-bag mags fail than any long-term use mags.

So, while new springs are nifty (and I do own a lot of replacement springs) I've never had to swap one out - I have LOST a couple when cleaning mags in the field, but none have failed.

[Dr_Fwd]

Just my .02

I keep mine loaded and ready if needed and so far( knock on wood)
but as a back up....I don't keep them all loaded, just a dozen or so

This