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Posted: 4/15/2009 6:08:11 AM EDT
[#1]
its fine.
Constant loading / unloading weakens the springs. Load 'em up and leave 'em alone |
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Posted: 4/15/2009 8:52:43 AM EDT
[#2]
Should be OK ... I have mags that have sat loaded for 6 - 8 months and they worked fine. Constant movement is what can wear a spring out. Springs these days should last longer than we will be around..
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Posted: 4/15/2009 10:11:14 AM EDT
[#3]
A couple months ago I was organizing my ammo locker and came across an ammo can loaded with USGI 20 and 30 rounders that I had loaded and stashed away in 1999.
They were good to go the next weekend at the range 
I remember reading a few years ago on a 1911 site about some WWII vintage 1911 mags that were found loaded and tucked away somewhere. All of those mags were good to go too, and metallurgy has gotten a lot better since WWII. |
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Posted: 4/15/2009 10:23:27 AM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
its fine. Constant loading / unloading weakens the springs. Load 'em up and leave 'em alone What he said |
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Posted: 4/15/2009 12:06:16 PM EDT
[#5]
It is very cool to keep your magazines loaded...
Oh, and it won't hurt them. |
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Posted: 4/15/2009 12:08:40 PM EDT
[#6]
Don't bother, unless you use it daily for a car or boat gun.
When your door goes crunch, reach for your 12 gauge. If society melts down into dog eat dog, you'll have plenty of warning and can then spend an afternoon loading all your mags. |
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Posted: 4/15/2009 1:18:11 PM EDT
[#7]
It's up to you if you want to keep some mags loaded, it won't hurt the mags.
I had some PMAGs loaded for over a year and some USGI mags longer than that without any performance problems. Just replace any worn mag spring during your regular inspection periods, they're easily replaceable when they're worn. |
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Posted: 4/15/2009 2:06:26 PM EDT
[#8]
I keep at least a couple of mags loaded.
But i always short load them. I put 20 rounds in a 30 round mag. That way the spring is never at full compression. |
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Posted: 4/15/2009 2:13:33 PM EDT
[#9]
Springs don't wear out from being compressed... we have gone over this many times.
Only the act of compressing and decompressing weakens a spring.... remaining constant at any level of compression has no effects. |
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Posted: 4/15/2009 5:23:44 PM EDT
[#10]
I just keep a few loaded and the rest new in package. If I need them I'll have a couple next to the rifle and if things start to get worst then I'll start to load and take the rest to where I want them to be when I'll need them.
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Posted: 4/15/2009 7:46:33 PM EDT
[#11]
Magazine FAQ.: http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=331
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Posted: 4/16/2009 7:00:09 AM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
Springs don't wear out from being compressed... we have gone over this many times. Only the act of compressing and decompressing weakens a spring.... remaining constant at any level of compression has no effects. I have seen this mentioned hundreds of times, but never have I seen any links to scientific evidence. Can we start backing this statement up with some evidence. I would like some resource to point at when I tell my friend's this. It helps...as simply telling them that these guys in the intarwebz said so...and many of them agree. I tried just now to google the evidence...but all I got were links to gun forums where people like us were talking about it. |
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Posted: 4/16/2009 7:15:44 AM EDT
[#13]
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Posted: 4/16/2009 7:37:14 AM EDT
[#14]
What good are magazines if there's no ammo in them???
Of course, keep some loaded. |
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Posted: 4/16/2009 12:18:42 PM EDT
[#15]
Quoted: Quoted: Springs don't wear out from being compressed... we have gone over this many times. Only the act of compressing and decompressing weakens a spring.... remaining constant at any level of compression has no effects. I have seen this mentioned hundreds of times, but never have I seen any links to scientific evidence. Can we start backing this statement up with some evidence. I would like some resource to point at when I tell my friend's this. It helps...as simply telling them that these guys in the intarwebz said so...and many of them agree. I tried just now to google the evidence...but all I got were links to gun forums where people like us were talking about it. I don't know who initially proved it... But I asked my friend's boss, who is a mechanical engineer and very involved in what he does, he agreed with the statement and I trust that he would know. Anecdotal evidence seems to agree also... there are many cases of people wearing out magazine springs rather quickly by using them a lot. And, there are a number of cases of magazines being "abandoned" for decades and decades while being left loaded... only to function fine when discovered. These two things have been good enough for me... particularly the engineer's agreement. |
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Posted: 4/26/2009 6:08:05 PM EDT
[#16]
good info, thanks!
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Posted: 4/26/2009 7:28:30 PM EDT
[#17]
i load 30s to 27 rounds, and 20s to 17 rounds
also, cycle them every 3 months, takes 20 minutes |
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Posted: 4/26/2009 7:57:23 PM EDT
[#18]
That's odd... you'd think Wolff would know springs, after all, it's their business?
Magazines which are kept fully loaded for long periods of time, such as in law enforcement and personal/home defense applications, will generally be subject to more fatigue than the weekend shooter's magazine springs in which the magazines are loaded up only when shooting.
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Posted: 4/26/2009 8:35:31 PM EDT
[#19]
I would like to make one comment: steel shell cases rust
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Posted: 4/27/2009 5:46:15 AM EDT
[#20]
I have a friend who loaded 25 used mags in the 80's he shot 1 a year and has 1 left to shoot. only had 3 failures 2 were cracked feed lips, that were probably cracked before he loaded them. one had other issues I will grab details next time we talk and start a post. All mags started life as used .50 each from a box in a pawn shop.
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Posted: 4/27/2009 12:53:56 PM EDT
[#21]
Quoted: I would like to make one comment: steel shell cases rust .....  A) This is about keeping magazines loaded, not casings. B) Steel rusts... but who makes a cartridge with a steel case that is not protected? Stee rusts, so we have developed great things like.... Lacquer, Zinc, Brass, Copper, etc. to protect the steel. C) I have never seen rust on any steel cased ammunition, except the new "polymer" coated Wolf. (Should have stuck with lacquer) Even then, it was light, powdery rust. It caused no interference in the rifle. D) I performed a test on this about a year ago. I buried several cartridges in a sock in the lowest (wettest) part of my backyard. Before burying them, I dumped some salt into the sock. The zinc coated steel did not rust at all, the lacquer coated steel rusted around the mouth, but was easily "refurbished" to useable condition with a piece of steel wool. These cartridges were buried in my backyard, with a salt covered sock as protection. After being dug up, I left them on the surface for about a week. If this does not cause severe rusting... leaving cartridges in a magazine in your home is not going to cause a problem with rust. |
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Posted: 4/27/2009 12:55:12 PM EDT
[#22]
Magazines which are kept fully loaded for long periods of time, such as in law enforcement and personal/home defense applications, will generally be subject to more fatigue than the weekend shooter's magazine springs in which the magazines are loaded up only when shooting.
Quoted:
That's odd... you'd think Wolff would know springs, after all, it's their business? But that info is also bad for the firearm magazine business........ |
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Posted: 4/27/2009 1:19:10 PM EDT
[#23]
Welcome, and........
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Posted: 4/27/2009 1:36:11 PM EDT
[#24]
I worry much more about the alum. feed lips spreading than the spring compression wearing out the spring... either way, load 'em and leave 'em
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Posted: 4/27/2009 2:33:09 PM EDT
[#25]
Quoted:
Quoted:
I would like to make one comment: steel shell cases rust .....
A) This is about keeping magazines loaded, not casings. B) Steel rusts... but who makes a cartridge with a steel case that is not protected? Stee rusts, so we have developed great things like.... Lacquer, Zinc, Brass, Copper, etc. to protect the steel. C) I have never seen rust on any steel cased ammunition, except the new "polymer" coated Wolf. (Should have stuck with lacquer) Even then, it was light, powdery rust. It caused no interference in the rifle. D) I performed a test on this about a year ago. I buried several cartridges in a sock in the lowest (wettest) part of my backyard. Before burying them, I dumped some salt into the sock. The zinc coated steel did not rust at all, the lacquer coated steel rusted around the mouth, but was easily "refurbished" to useable condition with a piece of steel wool. These cartridges were buried in my backyard, with a salt covered sock as protection. After being dug up, I left them on the surface for about a week. If this does not cause severe rusting... leaving cartridges in a magazine in your home is not going to cause a problem with rust. Now fire those dudes and see if they boogie! |
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Posted: 4/27/2009 3:10:22 PM EDT
[#26]
Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I would like to make one comment: steel shell cases rust ..... A) This is about keeping magazines loaded, not casings. B) Steel rusts... but who makes a cartridge with a steel case that is not protected? Stee rusts, so we have developed great things like.... Lacquer, Zinc, Brass, Copper, etc. to protect the steel. C) I have never seen rust on any steel cased ammunition, except the new "polymer" coated Wolf. (Should have stuck with lacquer) Even then, it was light, powdery rust. It caused no interference in the rifle. D) I performed a test on this about a year ago. I buried several cartridges in a sock in the lowest (wettest) part of my backyard. Before burying them, I dumped some salt into the sock. The zinc coated steel did not rust at all, the lacquer coated steel rusted around the mouth, but was easily "refurbished" to useable condition with a piece of steel wool. These cartridges were buried in my backyard, with a salt covered sock as protection. After being dug up, I left them on the surface for about a week. If this does not cause severe rusting... leaving cartridges in a magazine in your home is not going to cause a problem with rust. Now fire those dudes and see if they boogie! I pulled the bullets, and if I recall correctly the powder was wet on all but one... but I don't recall which one. The American Eagle 7.62x39mm was dry. Of the steel, I think it was the Golden Tiger... most likely attributed to the sealant around the mouth of the case. I wouldn't want to shoot them... since they were kind of nasty after months underground in a sock... My rifles deserve better. However, there was not deformity on any that would make be believe they would not fire... aside from the wet powder. The ammunition will die from wet powder, before rust becomes a problem. |
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Posted: 4/27/2009 6:15:33 PM EDT
[#27]
Quoted:
Quoted:
I would like to make one comment: steel shell cases rust .....
A) This is about keeping magazines loaded, not casings. B) Steel rusts... but who makes a cartridge with a steel case that is not protected? Stee rusts, so we have developed great things like.... Lacquer, Zinc, Brass, Copper, etc. to protect the steel. C) I have never seen rust on any steel cased ammunition, except the new "polymer" coated Wolf. (Should have stuck with lacquer) Even then, it was light, powdery rust. It caused no interference in the rifle. D) I performed a test on this about a year ago. I buried several cartridges in a sock in the lowest (wettest) part of my backyard. Before burying them, I dumped some salt into the sock. The zinc coated steel did not rust at all, the lacquer coated steel rusted around the mouth, but was easily "refurbished" to useable condition with a piece of steel wool. These cartridges were buried in my backyard, with a salt covered sock as protection. After being dug up, I left them on the surface for about a week. If this does not cause severe rusting... leaving cartridges in a magazine in your home is not going to cause a problem with rust. I just mention this because I was out in heavy rain for 4 hours shooting brand new Silver Bear .223 Remington 62 Grain Hollow Point other day and I just discovered one loaded magazine that I forgot about and there is a lot of rust to clean out of it. I thought it was useful information, my bad 
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Posted: 4/28/2009 11:21:56 PM EDT
[#28]
What about silicone springs vs stainless steel spring; which will withstand more loading and unloading?
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