Any downsides to keeping magazines loaded?

[baekacaek]

I have about 4 magazines currently and I only keep one of them loaded out of concern that keeping them loaded for too long might weaken the springs and therefore lead to malfunctions sooner. Is this a valid concern? Or can I safely keep my magazines loaded when I store them?

[MontClaire]

Loading-unloading will wear them faster. If it makes you feel more comfortable, change them out every 1st of the month so you'll always remember. You can keep 2 loaded and 2 unloaded for the switch if you only have 4. Or better yet buy more mags as needed.

[d33pt]

The springs don't weaken from being loaded. Keep them loaded. An unloaded magazine is useless.

[DDM4556]

I wondered the same thing a couple years ago. My research didn't yield much except some people saying that the spring can wear out over time if the magazine stays loaded.

Whether this is true, I don't know. I've never experienced a problem but maybe I haven't had my guns long enough. But it does seem logical to think that constant pressure for a prolonged period of time will take its toll on the spring.

I keep most of my guns unloaded. Only my HD guns have a loaded mag. And like MontClaire said, I try to swap it out about once a month.

[AreWeFree]

I wondered the same thing a couple years ago. My research didn't yield much except some people saying that the spring can wear out over time if the magazine stays loaded.

Whether this is true, I don't know. I've never experienced a problem but maybe I haven't had my guns long enough. But it does seem logical to think that constant pressure for a prolonged period of time will take its toll on the spring.

I keep most of my guns unloaded. Only my HD guns have a loaded mag. And like MontClaire said, I try to swap it out about once a month.

That's not what credible people have stated. The consensus for many years is that loaded/unloaded are equal, quality springs wont take a "set," and it's only during cycling that wear occurs.

Really, if you're that worried about a $1 part, buy spares.

[Sleighter]

Ok...this thread has been beat to death before but I'll reiterate the general consensus from people that actually know what they're talking about (engineers and such).

Springs are designed to be compressed and rebound during their useful life. What actually causes the wear on springs is the motion (compression and rebound). Simply sitting static in either the fully compressed or fully decompressed positions causes no additional wear on the springs or causes them to break down and lose their "springiness."

For example, are you concerned about the springs on cars that sit under a load for their entire life? Do you hear of cars losing their suspension because they sat too long with the springs under load? If sitting under a load were bad, wouldn't we all be cautioned to store our cars up on jacks with the springs unloaded? Obviously this isn't the case. Also, do law enforcement unload their mags every night so that they don't wear out their springs? NO.


Tldr; Storing magazines either fully loaded or unloaded doesn't make any difference on the springs. What wears out springs are the repetitive action of compressing and decompressing them. They can only undergo so many of those cycles. Bottom line: store your magazines in whatever condition you prefer.

[Sleighter]

Loading-unloading will wear them faster. If it makes you feel more comfortable, change them out every 1st of the month so you'll always remember. You can keep 2 loaded and 2 unloaded for the switch if you only have 4. Or better yet buy more mags as needed.

The bolded part above is correct. Ironically, if you unload your magazines to store them and rotate which mags are loaded, you're actually wearing them out faster than just leaving them loaded all the time.

[SonofWWIIDI]

Buy more mags and load them up.

Better to have them (at the ready) and not need them, than need them and not have them.

[Creampuff]

For a spring to deform under constant stress, it would require more stress than it undergoes with a mag load, and require high temperatures (which is not likely). That would be creep = deformation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creep_(deformation)

What you are concerned about is spring fatigue, and fatigue occurs with repeated cycles, not with a sustained compression. Go to page #14

http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2741&context=etd

If you don't want to read it, then trust us It's the number of compressions, not the duration of one compression.

My research didn't yield much except some people saying that the spring can wear out over time if the magazine stays loaded.

Those some people were probably speculating

[IVC]

They can only undergo so many of those cycles. Bottom line: store your magazines in whatever condition you prefer.

... keeping in mind that unloaded magazines are really hard to shoot.

[Steve_In_29]

There are cases of people finding grandpa's 1911 with loaded mag that he put away after WWII and it functioned FINE.

Keeping mags loaded or unloaded (depending on your mindset) will have exactly the same affect on the springs longevity.

The only case where loaded mags could be an issue are the plastic AR mags as the pressure can cause the feedlips to spread/crack. This is why MagPul provides the cover to take the pressure off.

[DDM4556]

Good info guys. Thanks

[protohyp]

Get a revolver

[stoeger562]

Get a revolver

i like your style

[skilletboy]

The springs don't weaken from being loaded. Keep them loaded. An unloaded magazine is useless.

END OF THREAD