How to keep loaded magazines?

[Wicked Pete]

The best way to keep loaded magazines to prevent the spring from getting weak?

One suggestion: change the mag., keep one (spare) empty, alternate between loaded & unloaded. How often would you change them out, once a year? I have heard of mags fully loaded for 10 years and still fire OK.

Another suggestion: only put in 5 rounds (ten rounder), to keep the spring tension less. This doesn't seem practical, what if you need all 10?

[cineski]

Springs only weaken w/ contracting and expanding. Not just sitting there either compressed or not. Load them up to full capacity and have confidence in them.

[CSACANNONEER]

Alternating between mags MAKES mag springs weak. Just loading them and leaving them alone would be your best bet.

[vta]

Springs only weaken w/ contracting and expanding. Not just sitting there either compressed or not. Load them up to full capacity and have confidence in them.

this.

springs weaken when they are in motion. being held statically compressed or decompressed does not weaken them.

[Droc101]

Springs weaken from repeated compression and expansion. They can also be weakened from over compression. You should have no trouble keeping your magazines loaded and ready for use for extended periods of time. I typically only leave 9 in the mag however for my own comfort.

[Droc101]

wow. in the time it took me to type my message there were 3 replies

[Black Majik]

The best way to keep loaded magazines to prevent the spring from getting weak?

The best way to keep loaded magazines to prevent the spring from getting weak is to keep them loaded.

[SupraMiggs]

Springs only weaken w/ contracting and expanding. Not just sitting there either compressed or not. Load them up to full capacity and have confidence in them.

Yup. I haven't seen anyone put their cars on jack stands when they park to "avoid weakening due to compression" on the coil springs. thats just how i look at it.

[Munk]

if you search around, there was a guy who dug up a bunch of old WW2 (or was it 1?) era mags for one of his relative's 1911. They had been fully loaded for decades. They worked just fine, no FTF or anything.

[Beelzy]

It helps to have quality magazines as well.

[Wicked Pete]

Thanks guys, good information.

[drunktank]

Springs only weaken w/ contracting and expanding. Not just sitting there either compressed or not.

This holds true, however, once a spring goes past a certain threshold, it does damage/wear out the spring. I can't remember offhand what typical percentage that threshold is (nor could I find that info directly from manufacturers in the past), but just wanted to point that out so the OP knows. So technically speaking, in a poor design, if that threshold was reached when you have 10 rounds loaded, it would wear out the spring if you kept them fully loaded for long periods of time.

In other words, if you have a good/factory mag, keep it loaded and you are good to go!

[MaxPower]

Alternating between mags MAKES mag springs weak. Just loading them and leaving them alone would be your best bet.

True. My Nature of Materials/Strength of Materials classes in college taught me this.

[den888]

I have had some S&W 9mm magazines continuously loaded for 25+ years and they functioned with no problems.

As for my practice, I keep 3-4 sets of magazines and have them identified into subsets (marked - "A", "B", "C","D", etc) and then keep them loaded in a rotation. I rotate them about every 1-2 years to allow the springs to rest and it gives me a chance to fire the ammo and reload the magazines with fresh ammo.

[xxINKxx]

Mag springs are cheap too so dont worry if they eventually get worn out. You can get some really nice +5 % wolff mag springs for like $7. Either put some of those in now and be confident for years to come. Or just buy some now or later down the road for when needing them replaced.