Nightstand Mag Rotation

[capturedlive]

Any thoughts about how often you should replace the magazine of the gun you keep in the nightstand?

[HUTCH 7.62]

Get a Revolver then you never have to worry about mag rotation

[ThiZZ]

Call me a noob, but whats the reason behind switching out the magazine?

[ucsdryder]

There is no reason.

[Peter.Steele]

Springs don't wear out from being constantly compressed. It's the cycling action of constant compression-release-compression that kills them. Your magazine will not degrade from being left there constantly loaded.

Some ammunition might, though. I wouldn't worry about metal cartridges, but I have heard anecdotal evidence about shotgun shells deforming after long storage in box magazines, from being pressed against the bottom of the bolt for long periods of time. Again, I stress that this is anecdotal, and I haven't seen any real proof of it.

[capturedlive]

ThiZZ, I heard that if you keep a loaded mag in your gun for an extended period of time, the spring loses its resilience.

[chim-chim7]

Any thoughts about how often you should replace the magazine of the gun you keep in the nightstand?

Yea, when it wears out. Which is many years if not routinely used.

[chim-chim7]

ThiZZ, I heard that if you keep a loaded mag in your gun for an extended period of time, the spring loses its resilience.

Extended period being many years.

[capturedlive]

OK... There seems to be a discrepancy.

[tbc]

Springs don't wear out from being constantly compressed. It's the cycling action of constant compression-release-compression that kills them. Your magazine will not degrade from being left there constantly loaded.

This. In short, it calls metal fatigue.


Sent from iPhone

[003]

I would be more concerned with how often you shoot your night stand gun for familiarity and practice. Modern springs last a very long time, and most of the wear is created during the spring flex of loading and unloading. I see no reason to be concerned with spring fatigue simply because a given magazine is loaded for an extended period of time. I recently fired two HK USP .45 magazines that I found in the back of my safe where I put them when I retired in 2002. Both worked perfectly, and I have no concern relative to using them in a SD situation.

You may want to get into a routine of taking your night stand gun to the range on a regular basis (monthly or quarterly) and shooting up the loaded magazine and reload it with fresh ammunition. While I do not believe that is necessary as it relates to either the ammunition or the magazine, it is most certainly necessary for you to maintain your basic skill level.

[capturedlive]

003, sound advice. I've probably been neglecting if too long in favor of the ones in my safe.

[Press Check]

If you routinely chamber and eject rounds, you may want to inspect the rounds for bullet set-back.