Magazine rotation sch'd

[stevosmith]

I'm starting to move from my revolver carry to a magazine type of carry.

My question is, when I start carrying a semi, do I need to worry about the amount of time frame I leave the ammo maxed out in the magazine? When being maxed out or 80% maxed out, will it wear out the springs at any certain time frame?

Best leave the ammo maxed in the mag and rotate it out once a month with another magazine, or maybe 3 months, or 1 year? or replace the magazine every 3 years? Sorry I'm new to this.

A couple of by shooting buddies just leaves it maxed out for countless of years. i just don't want to encounter any time of mag failure when I really need it. I like to get other feedbacks as well.

[Scratch705]

from what i remember it is the cycling of the spring that wears them out. so loading / unloading is what makes the spring weak.

but if you are going to depend on it for your life, why not rotate the magazines out every few months? do a cycle check at the range periodically to ensure they are still good before putting them back into ccw rotation.

[p7m8jg]

I remember reading this question in American Handgunner magazine in 1975! No answer and I've thought about the issue several times in the last 47 years but never did anything about it.

Haven't had a magazine go bad yet where I've thrown away a spring because it stopped working. Ain't sayin' it don't happen, but in all my shooting (.22, 9mm, .45) it' hasn't happened to me.

[SDDAVE56]

I have 5 surplus GI M16 mags that I bought in the early 80's. I have always kept them fully loaded. I just used them a few weeks ago, after sitting in my safe 20 years. Had zero issues.

[stevosmith]

ok thanks guys, i think it's ok to load it to the max and leave it as so for years and don't need to worry. I'll just do that. I don't like to unload to recycle the mag at all.

[FNGGlock]

The only caveat would be that the magazines are of high quality with tempered springs. Poor quality springs due tend to weaken if they are compressed for a long time, but that should not be the case for high quality springs used for the majority of magazines.

[SharedShots]

ok thanks guys, i think it's ok to load it to the max and leave it as so for years and don't need to worry. I'll just do that. I don't like to unload to recycle the mag at all.

Or maybe just take the gun to the range and shoot it once in a while and let the gun unload it for you?





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[omega]

long term loaded mags & ammo

ammo also goes bad from long term carry , my father's S&W revolver was kept loaded in a drawer since 1981

a few years ago I took it to the range to fire it and most rounds were duds , dead primers after over 30 years kept loaded

use your old ammo up once in a while and replace with fresh ammo

[luckystrike]

You should be okay but my one thing I’d throw out there is that I’ve left USGI AR mags loaded and found them slightly separated at the spot weld on the spine a few years later. Still functional but didn’t drop free anymore. Also I’ve had a Pmag split where the lips meet the body, I def recommend using the dust cover that some include, it takes the stress off the lips.

Also, agreed with above, I cycle out my carry ammo after the summer and take care to not let oil get from the breachface to the primer.

[Rogerbutthead]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgLxVqN9chY

After hearing/reading similar comments years ago, I stopped trying to rotate magazines in my home defense pistols.

No problems at the range, so really nothing much to add to the discussion.

[tanks]

I replace the springs and the followers on my competition magazines yearly.

Home defense and CCW guns not so much as they do not get tens of thousands of rounds through them yearly.

[FeuerFrei]

Or maybe just take the gun to the range and shoot it once in a while and let the gun unload it for you?.

Agreed. It's funny how the simplest answer always seems to be the correct one.

[hambam105]

Or maybe just take the gun to the range and shoot it once in a while and let the gun unload it for you?





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Go to the Range? And actually shoot! Now you are joking.

[ldsnet]

Carry ammo is expensive; I replace it every year other year .... I shoot it! CCW requal is a good time to shoot it out!
Clean the empty mags and reload with new. Some of my magazines are more than 20 years old and I have never needed to replace a magazine spring.

[floogy]

Agreed. It's funny how the simplest answer always seems to be the correct one.

Yeah but my stash of HST and Gold Dots isn't getting any bigger these days. I will shoot the top two rounds which get loaded into the chamber in addition to checking their OAL occasionally. But blasting away a few mags of what is now $1+ per round ammo isn't on my to do list. If I needed to check function for gun and mags, it is what it is and you'll have to pay whatever the ammo costs to do that. But I've got my carry guns set up and won't be changing them any time soon.

What is HST these days? A buck fitty per round? Two Shield mags and two G19 mags is almost 70 bucks of ammo. Looks like you can get 9mm Gold Dot at about 92cpr which isn't bad. Just checked HST, available for about 1.50 per round.

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More of an issue than mag springs or ammo going bad, which doesn't really happen under normal conditions, is excessive oil getting into the primer. Good quality defense ammo has sealed primers but if your gun is soaked in oil internally, it could break down the sealant and kill the primer. Reloaders use oil or WD40 to kill primers when needed so make sure your carry guns aren't soaked down and getting oil on the ammo.

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