Leaving mags loaded?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Leaving mags loaded?

Posted: 9/14/2004 12:17:33 AM EDT

How long can one leave a mag loaded and not have to worry about the spring going bad? I have always been under the impression that mags should be stored unloaded, but have been seeing a lot of pics with mags loaded and heard a lot of people store them this way. Any info you can share would be appreciated.

Posted: 9/14/2004 12:19:02 AM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
How long can one leave a mag loaded and not have to worry about the spring going bad? I have always been under the impression that mags should be stored unloaded, but have been seeing a lot of pics with mags loaded and heard a lot of people store them this way. Any info you can share would be appreciated.

You can leave them loaded forever. Springs don't "go bad" by just being compressed. It's repeated compression/decompression that wears out a spring.

Posted: 9/14/2004 12:45:34 AM EDT

[#2]

AGNTSA

Posted: 9/14/2004 12:49:20 AM EDT

[#3]

repub18, Sorry for digging up old stuff, just wanted clarification on a subject that the last time I paid any attention to ( Years ago ) was to leave them empty until ready to shoot.

Posted: 9/14/2004 12:59:39 AM EDT

[#4]

no just leave them loaded you will be ok, springs only wear out with use and being overcompressed

Posted: 9/14/2004 1:04:11 AM EDT

[#5]

Copy that and thanks for the clarification. Take care.

Posted: 9/14/2004 3:27:12 AM EDT

[#6]

I found a fully loaded 20 round M16 magazine in the bottom of a foot locker a couple of years ago. Had been fully loaded for close to 30 years. Mag and ammo functioned flawlessly. Mag is in my stuff at present.

In the past few years I've also fired M1911 and P'08 magazines loaded since WW2. No problems with either.

-- Chuck

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Leaving mags loaded?

AR-15 » Magazines

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