Newly purchased magazines... To keep NIW (new in wrapper) or rotate into the collection and use? - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Newly purchased magazines... To keep NIW (new in wrapper) or rotate into the collection and use?

Posted: 1/25/2016 11:36:12 PM EDT

So, like many here, I'm constantly trying to grow my Pmag collection. I've read enough posts to deduce the majority of AR15 owners think they can never have enough mags. Be it prepared for a SHTF, World Crisis, or a simple magazine ban / capacity ban. So.... Question is, when you purchase a new mag, do you leave it wrapped up in the package or do you rotate it into your collection?

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One thought would be to preserve the mag as best as I can, which should increase it's value if I was to barter / sell it.

The other thought is, I want to make sure the mag works as intended if I ever needed to trust my life to it.

Posted: 1/25/2016 11:46:25 PM EDT

[#1]

I have a few limited run PMAGs that I keep in the package, all the rest are loaded and ready to go. In my opinion, if SHTF, opening and loading mags is the last thing you want to worry about.

Posted: 1/26/2016 12:01:42 AM EDT

[#2]

No doubt, open, load and shoot.

Posted: 1/26/2016 12:12:30 AM EDT

[#3]

I keep a few in wrapper. I use the gi mags for load out and keep a few in the vans in .mil .mil bags to rip and go if the time ever comes to that. Which it won't.

It's your money but buy them ALL! And stor them for the children.

Posted: 1/26/2016 12:20:16 AM EDT

[#4]

They're just magazines. Use them.

Posted: 1/26/2016 12:36:47 AM EDT

[#5]

Leave them bagged up. Testing is overrated, especially with quality mags. The failure rate is almost zero.

Posted: 1/26/2016 1:07:29 AM EDT

[#6]

Every single mag I buy, gets rotated and shot through the rotations at least 4 times, just as I did when I was in the service, our units used to hold free fire days when brand new magazines were issued, I know that failure is not a common thing, but we didn't want to be the ones to find those few mags that had problems at the wrong time, Like I said in another thread, when I was working a depot, we once got a full pallet of 5000 magazines and had to take every single one of those suckers apart and put them back together because somehow the springs were twisted in them, the springs twisted in them because they were to long! All of them got new followers because the pressure of the over length spring damaged the follower, they were not seated on the follower properly. That was before the better quality followers we have these days.

After that experience, when I get new mags now, I completely take them apart and check to make sure everything is all right, the Troy battle mags I just received on Saturday, 4 of them had poly slag inside them I had to clean out to ensure proper operation.

But again, I shoot every single mag I get, I buy them to shoot them and don't hoard them for any reason, I have enough of them if we need them for trading, I don't think the guy that needs a few magazines is really going to care if they have been shot or not.

Posted: 1/26/2016 1:12:43 AM EDT

[#7]

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Leave them bagged up. Testing is overrated, especially with quality mags. The failure rate is almost zero.

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That's what I do. I have 30-40 that are loaded and ready to go for range time or fo time. If I had them all loaded, I'd have thousands of rounds at the ready.

Posted: 1/26/2016 3:03:30 AM EDT

[#8]

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That's what I do. I have 30-40 that are loaded and ready to go for range time or fo time. If I had them all loaded, I'd have thousands of rounds at the ready.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
Leave them bagged up. Testing is overrated, especially with quality mags. The failure rate is almost zero.

That's what I do. I have 30-40 that are loaded and ready to go for range time or fo time. If I had them all loaded, I'd have thousands of rounds at the ready.

Whats wrong with that?

Posted: 1/26/2016 3:06:52 AM EDT

[#9]

I keep them all loaded. 30 loaded mags fit nicely in a fat 50 can and takes up less space than storing a case of ammo and a pile of mags.

Posted: 1/26/2016 7:51:03 AM EDT

[#10]

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Whats wrong with that?

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Quoted:
Leave them bagged up. Testing is overrated, especially with quality mags. The failure rate is almost zero.

That's what I do. I have 30-40 that are loaded and ready to go for range time or fo time. If I had them all loaded, I'd have thousands of rounds at the ready.

Whats wrong with that?

Still have thousands at the ready. beside it will give me something to do between waves.

Posted: 1/26/2016 10:16:06 AM EDT

[#11]

I have two sets of six Pmags, a set of six g.i. mags, and, I think, three 20 round Pmags that I use.

The other almost three hundred mags I own are still in cases. I say leave 'em in the wrapper.

Posted: 1/26/2016 12:54:09 PM EDT

[#12]

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The other almost three hundred mags I own are still in cases. I say leave 'em in the wrapper.

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I need to start buying Pmags!! I lean towards leaving them wrapped up - brand new in wrapper.

Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to vote.

Posted: 1/26/2016 1:51:51 PM EDT

[#13]

That last order of PMAGs I recieved and still in the wrappers. I might just leave them there.

Posted: 1/26/2016 8:22:23 PM EDT

[#14]

In my case, I have more than enough tested and verified mags loaded up and stored away in ammo cans (25 mags per can). I have plenty of other good mags for the range. So now when I find a deal on mags I tend to leave them in whatever packaging they arrived to me in (bags or not).

If/when it gets bad and mags skyrocket in value, I don't think that having original packaging will increase value as the person that wants it wants it to use....not stash away.

Posted: 1/26/2016 8:37:40 PM EDT

[#15]

You know they have a date of manufacture on them, right?

Posted: 1/26/2016 9:27:58 PM EDT

[#16]

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You know they have a date of manufacture on them, right?

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Is the date on the mag or on the packaging? I haven't noticed it before.

And what are you saying? Do mags expire?

Posted: 1/27/2016 12:04:15 AM EDT

[#17]

I have a lot of mags . I just pull some out of a box and use them and put them back when not needed . Rotating might be great if you have 20 , but over 100 it becomes a non issue and as stated above the failure rate is almost zero.

Posted: 1/27/2016 12:08:26 AM EDT

[#18]

I personally would keep them new in the wrapper + stash them away. I have two FAT 50 ammo cans loaded with 28 PMAG's that have 30 rounds a pop. In addition to that, I have my cache of range magazines.

Posted: 1/27/2016 12:30:32 AM EDT

[#19]

Don't worry about rat holing AR15 mags to potentially sell until you own at least 300+ of them

Word up from someone who has sold many a mag during many a panic and still owns 400+ AR15 mags

Posted: 1/31/2016 1:52:31 PM EDT

[#20]

Ive kind of wonderd the same a OP. I decided to load them all up except for one of each style of my 5.56 mags. My grendel, 6.8 etc mags are all loaded up. Im stil trying to add to my collection overall though.

Posted: 1/31/2016 10:10:27 PM EDT

[#21]

Unless you have many magazines, load em up, they wont do you any good unloaded

Posted: 2/1/2016 1:21:32 AM EDT

[#22]

I am saving most of my spare mags for a rainy day pre-election time. They are in original packaging, packed 25 to a Plano box.

Posted: 2/1/2016 1:24:55 AM EDT

[#23]

I think I have 20 stored away in wrappers.

Then about 20-22 or so that I use regularly.

Posted: 2/2/2016 6:55:54 PM EDT

[#24]

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I am saving most of my spare mags for a rainy day pre-election time. They are in original packaging, packed 25 to a Plano box.

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What plano box do you have to hold your mags? My USGI cans just don't hold the mags all that well

Posted: 2/2/2016 9:03:07 PM EDT

[#25]

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What plano box do you have to hold your mags? My USGI cans just don't hold the mags all that well

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I am saving most of my spare mags for a rainy day pre-election time. They are in original packaging, packed 25 to a Plano box.

What plano box do you have to hold your mags? My USGI cans just don't hold the mags all that well

The large, black field box. No seal or anything. They fit perfect.

Posted: 2/2/2016 9:17:38 PM EDT

[#26]

Buy enough to do both.

Posted: 2/2/2016 9:36:01 PM EDT

[#27]

I have a bunch of mags loaded, but the majority of my ammo is in stripper clips and stored ready to go, makes loading quick and easy, but I don't leave the mags in storage, they get used.

Posted: 2/3/2016 10:01:39 PM EDT

[#28]

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Buy enough to do both.

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Best answer so far! ^ ^
OP

Posted: 2/4/2016 10:05:38 AM EDT

[#29]

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No doubt, open, load and shoot.

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Boom this.... If you want to buy mags to put away for a rainy day or another panic do so..... If you want mags to use then use them.

Posted: 2/4/2016 10:08:58 AM EDT

[#30]

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Quoted:

Is the date on the mag or on the packaging? I haven't noticed it before.

And what are you saying? Do mags expire?

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Quoted:
You know they have a date of manufacture on them, right?

Is the date on the mag or on the packaging? I haven't noticed it before.

And what are you saying? Do mags expire?

Yep. When they do send them my way. I have a nonprofit mag recycling facility. I'll take all of them and refund your shipping costs.

Posted: 2/4/2016 4:32:28 PM EDT

[#31]

Yep. When they do send them my way. I have a nonprofit mag recycling facility. I'll take all of them and refund your shipping costs.

Posted: 2/5/2016 6:23:50 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:

One thought would be to preserve the mag as best as I can, which should increase it's value if I was to barter / sell it.

The other thought is, I want to make sure the mag works as intended if I ever needed to trust my life to it.

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You answered your own question there. Once you feel you have enough for your use, and you buy more for barter/sale, keep the extras in "NIW" condition. When I buy mags to use, they get tested on the range before given GTG status.

Posted: 2/6/2016 9:44:43 PM EDT

[#33]

My philosophy is, have open as many as you possibly want to use, and then keep the rest wrapped up.

Posted: 2/7/2016 1:10:30 PM EDT

[#34]

My soon-to-be wife and I are planning to move south in about a year and a half, but reading this thread really has me chomping at the bit.

The only reason I have a second 10 rd pmag

is because I forgot that I bought one with the lower receiver when ordering the lower parts. Part of me can't fathom the need for hundreds of mags, but the rest of me will probably order a pallet of 30 rounders to celebrate our move.....

.....Funny thing just happened. I ran out to get something out of the truck before hitting "submit". Came back in to find my girl sitting in my warm spot smiling and shaking her head back and forth. She says, "a pallet, huh?" I reminded her about our plan to detour through Harrisburg, Pa to get the Tavor she's been eyeballing and that it runs with the same mags as the AR. She's seen plenty of pallets to know what they are, but still asked, "will that be enough?"

She's a keeper! Just thought I'd share that moment.

Posted: 2/7/2016 6:17:02 PM EDT

[#35]

But would you keep them all in the wrapper or would you open them up and use them?

Posted: 2/7/2016 6:42:27 PM EDT

[#36]

I have 27 loaded mags. If trouble comes that cannot be escaped with that much shooting I have bigger problems than my ammo supply. Ten loaded magazines is overkill, even though I like overkill a lot, I can't envision a scenario requiring more than half a magazine being fired in an emergency.

Stored in the factory packaging would be good for future generations of shooters should politicians cut off our supply.

Wrapped or loaded they both can be used to fight battles.

Posted: 2/7/2016 7:29:31 PM EDT

[#37]

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Quoted:

I have a few limited run PMAGs that I keep in the package, all the rest are loaded and ready to go. In my opinion, if SHTF, opening and loading mags is the last thing you want to worry about.

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Then you don't own enough mags.

Posted: 2/7/2016 7:32:47 PM EDT

[#38]

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Quoted:

I have 27 loaded mags. If trouble comes that cannot be escaped with that much shooting I have bigger problems than my ammo supply. Ten loaded magazines is overkill, even though I like overkill a lot, I can't envision a scenario requiring more than half a magazine being fired in an emergency.

Stored in the factory packaging would be good for future generations of shooters should politicians cut off our supply.

Wrapped or loaded they both can be used to fight battles.

View Quote

I agree. I have a bunch of mags because I'm a mag whore. I acquire used mags, so I have somewhere around 20 mags loaded with everything from TAP 75gr to
45 gr Win HP varmint. My theory is you should load up at least 8 mags and leave the rest wrapped in case
you have an emergency and need funds or there's another panic. If you
can't handle it with 8 mags, it won't matter how many mags you have.

Posted: 2/8/2016 8:50:43 PM EDT

[#39]

Quote History

Quoted:
I agree. I have a bunch of mags because I'm a mag whore. I acquire used mags, so I have somewhere around 20 mags loaded with everything from TAP 75gr to 45 gr Win HP varmint. My theory is you should load up at least 8 mags and leave the rest wrapped in case you have an emergency and need funds or there's another panic. If you can't handle it with 8 mags, it won't matter how many mags you have.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
I have 27 loaded mags. If trouble comes that cannot be escaped with that much shooting I have bigger problems than my ammo supply. Ten loaded magazines is overkill, even though I like overkill a lot, I can't envision a scenario requiring more than half a magazine being fired in an emergency.

Stored in the factory packaging would be good for future generations of shooters should politicians cut off our supply.

Wrapped or loaded they both can be used to fight battles.

I agree. I have a bunch of mags because I'm a mag whore. I acquire used mags, so I have somewhere around 20 mags loaded with everything from TAP 75gr to 45 gr Win HP varmint. My theory is you should load up at least 8 mags and leave the rest wrapped in case you have an emergency and need funds or there's another panic. If you can't handle it with 8 mags, it won't matter how many mags you have.

8 mags per rifle, plus dedicated range mags. If you need to ever use your AR for more than a couple rounds, you're going to want someone next to you with one also. Funds permitting, I try to keep spare guns of all sorts fully equipped with loaded mags, holsters, slings, flashlights, etc. Don't underestimate the unpreparedness of others.

ETA: If you're defending your neighborhood or workplace against a riot, don't assume your local government will protect you nowadays. Deterrence through superior firepower is the best way to survive.

Posted: 2/9/2016 2:23:21 PM EDT

[#40]

I keep about 15 in the used rotation at a time. Got a bunch more boxed up in the wrapper. As I trash or give away used mags in the rotation, I will add a new one to the mix.

Posted: 2/9/2016 5:52:18 PM EDT

[#41]

I currently have about 70-75 in rotation and another 80 or so still in it's original packaging. I actually went through my stash the other day and totally forgot I had 15 Gen 1 PMAGs..

Posted: 2/9/2016 6:59:29 PM EDT

[#42]

I have plenty of mags to use. All mags that I buy now are left unopened.

Posted: 2/13/2016 10:47:08 PM EDT

[#43]

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I currently have about 70-75 in rotation and another 80 or so still in it's original packaging. I actually went through my stash the other day and totally forgot I had 15 Gen 1 PMAGs..

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This seems to be about the number I'm shooting for. 150 mags seems about right.

I just got a shipment of 5 more Pmags Gen2 30 round that I'll keep in the wrapper.
And I'm expecting 6 mags from Surefeed (OKAY) that I'll throw into the rotation.

Posted: 2/15/2016 2:54:42 AM EDT

[#44]

10 loaded mags per rifle at all times and I try to buy 2 pmags every two weeks that I throw in a tote. I've been on the same 50 loaded mags for 5 years except for a few lost or misplaced mags. I consider them more of an investment for my kids if they ever do get banned. They are also good last minute gifts.

Posted: 2/24/2016 11:36:04 AM EDT

[#45]

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In my case, I have more than enough tested and verified mags loaded up and stored away in ammo cans (25 mags per can). I have plenty of other good mags for the range. So now when I find a deal on mags I tend to leave them in whatever packaging they arrived to me in (bags or not).

If/when it gets bad and mags skyrocket in value, I don't think that having original packaging will increase value as the person that wants it wants it to use....not stash away.

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+1