Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: sirmissalot on January 17, 2013, 02:29:10 PM

Title: Storing magazines
Post by: sirmissalot on January 17, 2013, 02:29:10 PM: I'm sure this is a dumb question but I tried searching it and came up with nothing.

How do you guys store your rifle and pistol magazines, loaded, or unloaded?

I've heard several times that storing them loaded will wear out the springs but I've never had an issue. Is it a myth or what?

I'm not asking if you store the magazine for your bedside pistol loaded, I mean your "spares".
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: Zardoz on January 17, 2013, 02:37:55 PM: I am of the belief that if you do not intend to use the mag in the next six months, it should be empty. I cycle through my extra mags every 3 months or so to make sure there are no issues. :hello:
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: mebco09 on January 17, 2013, 02:39:53 PM: I think what you will hear guys talk about about is spring "set" if you leave them loaded.

I have never had a problem leaving magazines loaded, I have no idea how long I have left one loaded the longest, but I bet it was more than a couple of years.

I wouldn't leave a bunch of magazines loaded for a long time though.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: dontgetcrabs on January 17, 2013, 02:55:31 PM: Myth. It will not hurt any part of a magazine to leave it loaded.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: tlbradford on January 17, 2013, 05:13:49 PM: Myth, but number them and keep rotating them for use. For my self defense loads in my ccw's I unload the mags every 8 weeks to check the ammo for signs of corrosion.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: ICEMAN on January 17, 2013, 07:44:33 PM: Quote from: dontgetcrabs on January 17, 2013, 02:55:31 PM
Myth. It will not hurt any part of a magazine to leave it loaded.

:yeah:
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on January 17, 2013, 07:52:52 PM: Quote from: ICEMAN on January 17, 2013, 07:44:33 PM
Quote from: dontgetcrabs on January 17, 2013, 02:55:31 PM
Myth. It will not hurt any part of a magazine to leave it loaded.

:yeah:

:yeah: Double that. I heard a box of 1911 magazines fully loaded with .45 ACP ammo from WW II was found, and they functioned flawlessly. I've shot 30-round magazines that have been loaded with 9mm ammo for years, and they worked fine in my HK94.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: philepe on January 17, 2013, 09:17:46 PM: Myth. Recently someone posted on here or another site about mags they had loaded for 15+ years then recently tried them, IIRC they all cycled fine.
Title: Storing magazines
Post by: sirmissalot on January 17, 2013, 10:03:15 PM: Cool that's what I thought. Several of my guns I have always left the magazines loaded full and have never noticed a difference so I believe it to be a myth as well.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: dscubame on January 17, 2013, 10:05:13 PM: Always heard loaded is no problem and will not damage the mag. Two cents
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: romaknows on January 17, 2013, 10:09:14 PM: Quote from: dscubame on January 17, 2013, 10:05:13 PM
Always heard loaded is no problem and will not damage the mag. Two cents

Good to hear this as i thought my glock 20 magazine was worn out from me keeping it always loaded ( it fails to cycle so it must be something else to blame ) any ideas???
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: dscubame on January 17, 2013, 10:11:54 PM: Glocks seem to be pretty bullet proof. I have often thought cycling problems are mostly due to type of ammunition being shot. Are you shooting quality ammunition?
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: tlbradford on January 17, 2013, 10:51:52 PM: Quote from: romaknows on January 17, 2013, 10:09:14 PM
Quote from: dscubame on January 17, 2013, 10:05:13 PM
Always heard loaded is no problem and will not damage the mag. Two cents

Good to hear this as i thought my glock 20 magazine was worn out from me keeping it always loaded ( it fails to cycle so it must be something else to blame ) any ideas???

How strong is your grip? A lot of short cycles occur due to a weak grip.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: marlin on January 17, 2013, 11:45:54 PM: I leave all of my mags loaded at all times, and I have a Glock 20, no problems.. I know Glock mags suck to take apart, but you could stretch the spring out.. I do that sometimes when I clean them. I take the mag apart, clean it good inside and out by running a rag through there, and stretch the spring before I put it back together.
Dirt inside the magazine could also cause problems if it creates too much friction or drag between the mag body and the follower. Try cleaning and stretching the springs.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: JoeE on January 17, 2013, 11:52:59 PM: My Glock 21 mags have been fully loaded for nine years and functions everytime I shoot it with no feeding problems from the magazines. I have had my AR pmags fully loaded for at least 4 or 5 years with no problems as well.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: 700xcr on January 18, 2013, 05:30:48 AM: Quote from: romaknows on January 17, 2013, 10:09:14 PM
Quote from: dscubame on January 17, 2013, 10:05:13 PM
Always heard loaded is no problem and will not damage the mag. Two cents

Good to hear this as i thought my glock 20 magazine was worn out from me keeping it always loaded ( it fails to cycle so it must be something else to blame ) any ideas???
Could be ammo, guide rod spring too light or you gun just needs a good cleaning. :twocents:
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: jaymark6655 on January 18, 2013, 06:21:24 AM: As others have stated myth.

Now cycling a spring from compressed to uncompressed no matter how slow, will wear it out. They have a set number of cycles for their lifespan, its a lot.

Certain all-plastic mags when left loaded will stretch and just let the rounds fall out and could cause double feeds. That is why Glock puts some metal in theirs.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: troyspinetar on January 18, 2013, 06:35:13 AM: Great topic! One of those questions I've thought in my head. Cool to hear these responses! :tup:
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: romaknows on January 19, 2013, 09:23:21 PM: Quote from: 700xcr on January 18, 2013, 05:30:48 AM
Quote from: romaknows on January 17, 2013, 10:09:14 PM
Quote from: dscubame on January 17, 2013, 10:05:13 PM
Always heard loaded is no problem and will not damage the mag. Two cents

Good to hear this as i thought my glock 20 magazine was worn out from me keeping it always loaded ( it fails to cycle so it must be something else to blame ) any ideas???
Could be ammo, guide rod spring too light or you gun just needs a good cleaning. :twocents:

I probably bought the cheap ammo, i will clean everything really good and run some quality rounds through it and see if that helps.
Quote from: tlbradford on January 17, 2013, 10:51:52 PM
Quote from: romaknows on January 17, 2013, 10:09:14 PM
Quote from: dscubame on January 17, 2013, 10:05:13 PM
Always heard loaded is no problem and will not damage the mag. Two cents

Good to hear this as i thought my glock 20 magazine was worn out from me keeping it always loaded ( it fails to cycle so it must be something else to blame ) any ideas???

How strong is your grip? A lot of short cycles occur due to a weak grip.

First time anybody has suggested I had a "limp wrist" ha ha :chuckle:. I honestly didnt know a weak grip could cause a jam.
Title: Re: Storing magazines
Post by: jyerxa on January 20, 2013, 12:00:11 AM: Quote from: philepe on January 17, 2013, 09:17:46 PM
Myth. Recently someone posted on here or another site about mags they had loaded for 15+ years then recently tried them, IIRC they all cycled fine.

I can vouch for that. I have a crappy 9mm that I never shoot anymore. I had left one of the mags loaded up for about 15 years. The pistol is crap but the mag is still good.