QUESTION FOR THE EXPERTS ON SPRING COMPRESSION

[Shoobee]

There are many smart and talented marksmen here, so I have a technical question I would like to please ask.

I am about to pickup my first semi-auto handgun in a long time. The last one I had was a 1911A1 issued to me by the Government. The new one is a CZ 97B .45 ACP. In all these years I have missed the companionship of this once old friend.

The purpose is to have it available at all times in my home in case I need it. We get all sorts of peddlers coming to our doors here in this neighborhood, and there have also been break-ins and burglaries, so I am guessing the peddlers are casing the residences then breaking-in afterwards when empty.

So let's just call this "home protection." Anyway that's the purpose for acquiring the .45 ACP.

Now this is the question --

Since I need to keep one magazine for the CZ 97B loaded at all times, at least, what should I do?

Should I load several magazines with only 5 rounds each (their capacity is 10)?

Or should I load one magazine with 10 rounds full?

And should I keep the same magazine loaded all the time?

Or should I alternate from day to day or week to week or month to month with a new loaded magazine?

The scientific issue is of course metal fatigue and spring elasticity.

I could reasearch this all over the internet (and invariable someone is going to tell me that is what I already should have done).

But with all the true talent and experience here, I would think someone else has already invented this wheel and so therefore I do not need to re-invent it, I just need to ask.

So, what's the answer, please? And how do you know it?

[-hanko]

Now this is the question --

The scientific issue is of course metal fatigue and spring elasticity.

I could reasearch this all over the internet (and invariable someone is going to tell me that is what I already should have done).

But with all the true talent and experience here, I would think someone else has already invented this wheel and so therefore I do not need to re-invent it, I just need to ask.

So, what's the answer, please? And how do you know it?

Springs wear from compression and extension, not from sitting in compression...

Keep the mag fully loaded.

True talent and experience aside, google is still your friend...and the question has been asked about a bazillion times before.

-hanko

[tgriffin]

Hanko +1. Top those mags off and leave them in close reach.

[drunktank]

If you want to get a little technical, springs do wear out from compression/decompression.However, once a spring is compressed past a certain threshold, it causes wear/damage to the spring. Having asked several manufacturers where that threshold is in regards to a magazine spring, I have never received a response.

That being said, I have family members who pulled out loaded mags that have sat for 10-15 years and they worked fine.

Top off your mags and you're good to go. I'd be more concerned with making sure your home defense loads shot reliably out of your firearm.

[RRichie09]

The only thing from a manufacturer regarding this topic that I could find was from Magpul that recommends keeping the dustcover on if you are going to leave one of their magazines fully loaded in order to keep pressure off of the feed lips. No mention of spring wear from being kept fully loaded.

*start disclaimer* I do not have personal experience with this matter as I have only been a firearms owner for a year. *end disclaimer* However, from my research regarding this topic and my engineering education springs wear during compression and decompression. Of course this is for an ideal spring and real world springs will be affected by plastic deformation when kept compressed near the point where plastic deformation occurs in an ideal spring, BUT the wear they experience from being kept in a compressed state is nothing compared to the wear they experience from loading and unloading as you cycle the magazines or use them.

Conclusion, keep them fully loaded. Use them every time you go to the range so you know when they become unreliable and just replace it. Magazines are a wear item and you need to practice with your HD gun as much as possible anyways.

[AeroEngi]

Keep the mags loaded and don't alternate. The only way you'll get fatigue issues is if you repeatedly load and unload the mags hundreds of times. Load cycling is what causes fatigue. However, keeping a mag fully loaded will cause creep in the spring but that is much less of a concern because creep needs a long time to take effect (think decades).

Hope this helps.

[kmca]

You might also consider putting up a"No Solicitors"sign. It works for my father.

[Shoobee]

Thanks guys, you are great.

So cycling-through is a really bad idea then, ok I won't do it.

I have to think that loading 5 rounds instead of 10 would be the ideal, but I get the impression from the replies that half-way loaded and fully loaded does not make a noticeable difference.

For the long term (decades) I will find 2 more magazines then and never use them until these first 2 wear out.

Thanks.

[Shoobee]

You might also consider putting up a"No Solicitors"sign. It works for my father.

If they were casing the place, a sign like that would not stop them. They would just knock anyway.

The primary concern is answering the door after dark, or anytime for that matter, and meeting with an aggressive panhandler or several.

But thank you for the thought.

[bohoki]

is there any gun that uses springs in extension mode vs compression what i mean is it seems all guns squish the spring during use and as it relaxes it resets

the only think i can think of that is close is the coil spring in extended 10/22 magazines

[Shoobee]

Pinging to reset. That's how I know whether to check back with my original threads.