Kepping mags loaded

[shotgun_lobotomy 0]

ok ive heard talk and wanna straighten this out, is it bad to keep your mags loaded for long periods of time and what do you call too long? im talkin the 5rnd btw

[hoofster 0]

Have had my 5 rounder loaded with 3 inchers for 2 weeks at a time and had no problem.

 

Hoofster

[Simeon 0]

Keeping mag loaded it NOT bad for the mags. If your worried about wearing out the spring don't only compression/decomression of the spring causes wear.

[jujaro 0]

I think(i'm almost sure) that not copression/decompression the spring causes wear, long time compressed will result the same - but it will take LONG time keeping the mag loaded.

[shotgun_lobotomy 0]

well im talking like months of being loaded, maybe in the gun itself

[Lagomorph 0]

I know that I wont keep my mags loaded for long periods of time. The mags them selves are plastic, and bend and flex more easily than metal. Saltpeter has been having jamming problems and it could be that having his mags loaded for long periods of time have streched the lips of the mag causing the shells to slip to fast, to early causing them to get caught on the upper part of the barrel. As for mag springs being over compressed, it takes a long time, and I mean a LONG time. I have a high capacity 9mm mag and kept it fully loaded for months and when it came time to shoot, the last few rounds in the magazine would not get picked up by the boltface. This was because the mag spring became so weak that it could not move the next cartrige up in time to get picked up. So theres what I have to say about that.

Edited October 7, 2003 by Lagomorph

[Bvamp 604]

sounds like you want to have it loaded behind the front door. in that case, just pull one round out of the mag. and as for the plastic mag thing.... I use those israeli orlite mags in my armalite. the lips wear, break and split, thought the spring tension stays the same. basically plastic is crap material for mags i think, but i do have one of those mags that i store in the rifle with 15 out of 30 rounds in it for home defense purposes, and when i take the rifle out to shoot it, i generally leave that particular mag in the house because the ammo i put in it is kind of expensive. I HAVE used it on one or two outings though, and i THINK because i keep it partially loaded i havent had any problems with that particular magazine the couple times i brought it along for plinking. So i would just advise you to pull a round out of your mag for long term storage. home defense should only need one or two shots anyhow, so you might think about taking two rounds out of that mag to make SURE its always fresh. also, if you do use it on the range or out back, you should make sure its DRY and CLEAN when you are done. dont oil the crap outta it or whatever and keep it one or two rounds short and you shouldnt ever have a problem with it.

[inparidel 4]

Full is the normal state I have always kept my various mags for as long as I have owned them. No particular reason, but as a friend once said, unloaded guns--or mags, aren't much use. I have kept my AR aluminum mags full at all times for 25 years; the Orlite mags for three years; my AK 7.62 x 39 steel 30s & 40s as well as the bakelites, modified for .223 for nearly three years now; my CETME 20 rounders for nearly two years; my Ruger MArk II mags for 25 years; my LLama .380 for 25 years, my Steyr and CZ pistol mags for about a year, all with no signs of wear, adverse changes in appearance or function in any of them because of it. My Saiga 12 mags have all been fully loaded for several months now with no adverse indications. I kick butt in IDPA matches with them.

Edited October 17, 2003 by inparidel