I heard of people keeping a couple less than the 30 rounds in a 30 Round magazine to help the springs? What Ya Think about that?
I keep mine with the 30 in them.

28.

Just the way I was taught while I was one of Uncle Sammy's Misguided Children.

Hell, I still lace everything left over right, how can I be expected to change my ammo load?

Sort of living on the edge there aren't you? I bet you probably don't wash an apple before you eat it either? Another one of life's thrill seekers.

I'm one too. One time I crossed the street and only looked one way! Well, actually it was a one way street...BUT IT STILL COUNTS!

I really don't see a problem with loading a 30 round mag to full capacity. I mean the damned things are engineered to hold 30 right? The only thing that loading them up with less does is put less stress on the spring, even though they can handle 30. Personal preferance I guess...and brainwashing.

It's funny: I was an MP in the Marines, and had to carry an M16A2 every day on the job for my first two years in.  We had to load magazines at the start of our shifts, and then unload them again at the end of shift.  We carried 90 rounds back then before they went to 180 when I was a Corporal.  Then, the armorers would issue full mags... for a while.  When a spot inspection revealed 8 rounds missing, we went back to ammo blocks and empty mags.  However, during that period of magazine-only issue, there was question as to the springs retaining their ability to feed properly when compressed for long periods of time.  We knew that our 03 brothers were filling theirs to 28 or 29, but there was nothing in any FMFM that said to do so.  Some calls to Quantico and HQMC also yielded negative results on any order, recommendation, or requirement to under-fill our magazines.  The Colonel in charge of us (our Provost Marshal) decided that if they were meant to carry thirty, we'd load thirty and be done with it.  When it was time to rotate our ammo (which was done about every 12-18 months), we specifically had magazines that were loaded the entire time (for about 16 months or so).  They fired as flawlessly as the magazines that never held rounds and were only loaded that day on the range.

How do I know so much about this ammo/magazine stuff?  I was the Operations NCO at the time, and I was assigned by our Gunny at the time to make all the calls to find out about the 30-round capacity dilemma.  Then, whenever we had to "dispose" of our ammo, we'd go to the Huntington Beach Police Department (CA) range with M60's, M249's, and M16A2's and go to town on bowling pins with the local cops.  Ahhh... those were the days!!!

Now, here's the funny part: for my OWN magazines, weapons, etc, I prefer to leave them empty (leaving the springs uncompressed) and the hammers on all my weapons down (again, not stressing the springs).  I'm funny like that with my own property, but the point of this post was that there shouldn't be any problem with magazines compressed with thirty rounds.  Truth be told, if I had a magazine that had problems with round 30, or with any kind of feeding, that magazine would be segregated for a rebuild/inspection, and if still failing, it'd be junked.

(I was thinking this morning as I was at the range and looking at magazine prices about all the M16 magazines I gave away when I left the Marines.  Yes, I am kicking myself for it!!!).

Semper Fi!

Great write up Edge. I personally only keep one magazine for my M92 loaded and I rotate the mag every week. Since I just got my AR I will leave them empty until I go to the range. I figure that if someone gets into my hootch and I can't put him down with the 15 rounds in my 9mm, he probably deserves my trash.

LMAO!!!  [ROFL]

That's hilarious!

I just went to the range this morning with my wife, and I made her fire my M9 and my DP51.  I told her I wanted to make sure she was comfortable with them.  She asked me if these were the "house pistols," and I said that they were, and she replied, "OK, good."  (We just got married last Saturday)  She shot them, and really liked them (she doesn't shoot much).  Then, she said, "Well, I guess if anyone comes into the house, I'll just smoke 'em!"  I told her, almost like your statement, that she'd better "smoke 'em," otherwise, if she can't hit them in 15 shots, they deserve all our stuff.

[ROFL2]

Congrats on the nuptials Edge. I wish you many years of happiness...together that is.

When I was on I&I before I got out I was a pistol coach. While we were out there a group of Navy RP's (religious programmers) showed up and convinced our skipper to let them shoot. Well he decides that I will coach their special case, a middle aged over weight weak female.

She had NEVER touched a weapon before so I sat her down and showed her the basics, how it works, dry drills, etc. She couldn't even pull the slide back.

So anyway, I get her on the line and I am right behind her, coaching. She is facing the target using the Weaver stance when they face, she does nothing. Then I see her hands starting to shake. I am like WTF right? Then I remember...double action, she couldn't even pull the trigger!

I shook my head in disgust and walked off the line. My skipper and first shirt were laughing their asses off.

They are called THIRTY round magazines, so I put 30 in them.  They are NOT 28 round mags.

Wow, free man, thanks for the update. I have always wanted to cross that 28 round barrier but have been afriad to, you never know what might happen.

Like I mentioned earlier, it is a subconscience training thing. I have loaded them that way for the last 15 years and will probably do so for the next 15 years.

Anyway, gotta go, I have an appointment with an AR, 500 5.56mm rounds, and some paper targets. A beautiful way to spend a sunday.

I've never had a problem with a fully loaded magazine. I recently used two 20rd mags that had been loaded for six months with 193's and they worked fine.

I keep 31 in mine.

It can be done(well, on USGI mags anyway).

I used to load all my 30-round magazines to capacity (i.e. 30 rounds; if a 30 rounder would take 31 I’d look at replacing the spring – just my opinion).  After taking a CQB/rifle course taught by Delta operators, I now load all my 30-round magazines to 28 rounds.  Why?  It is [b]sometimes[/b] difficult to insert a fresh, fully loaded (i.e. 30 rounds) 30-round mag in a rifle with a closed bolt.  It isn’t always the case.  But it is sometimes a very tight fit, especially if you have any dirt or grime around the bolt.

At the instructors strong suggestion, I now load all my 30-rounders to 28 rounds.  Hey, I’ll take the Delta guys’ at their word.

BTW, 20-round mags don’t need to be downloaded for the reason I described.

Anytime, Stryker.  Besides, I could never figure out what to do with the "loose change".  

I have not had any problems with loading to 30.  But also, I have a huge pile of new springs, and I replace springs in my always loaded mags every few years.