Any downside to leaving a magazine full for long period of time - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

thebigwelsh · 01-02-2007, 04:08 AM

Anyone know if the spring will fatigue or get weak after allowing the mag to be loaded for an extended period of time?

BoomerBSG · 01-02-2007, 04:27 AM

from what i read, some say yes, some say no. someone on this forum i think said they left one loaded for a year (had enough mags to do an experiment with) and said theres no loss of tension in the spring, that the weapon still fired fine.

personally, its worth it anyway to pick up a couple extra mags, and only use those at the range.
i leave both my factory mags loaded at all times (only had my gun for 2-3 weeks) but i dont plan on leaving the mags half loaded, or even completely empty.

cheers

**Straight-Shooter** · 01-02-2007, 04:41 AM

I've left mags loaded for 6 months at a time and never a problem with cycling of the gun when I decide to empty that mag an reload it. The only downside I've heard about continuously taking the same bullets out of a mag and inserting them into another is when a bullet is numerously loaded into a chamber of a gun it can cause setback of the bullet.

griz · 01-02-2007, 04:46 AM

The spring fatigues from compression/decompression cycles and not from being constantly compressed. Mag springs will be fine if the mags are topped off and stored for long periods. The more you use them though, the sooner you will need to replace the spring.

slugger6 · 01-02-2007, 05:26 AM

griz summed it up perfectly. This question keeps popping up and the answer is always the same. I keep my home defense (.45ACP) ammo loaded in two magazines for months on end to no ill effect. It is the constant tensioning and detensioning that weakens springs over time.

dsump · 01-02-2007, 05:48 AM

I have had my duty magazines loaded for 8yrs and only switched them out two times a year with more ammo. They have not been empty for more than a few minutes at a time.

OleFart · 01-02-2007, 10:03 AM

The only problem with keeping a magazine loaded for a long period is that you're not shooting enough!

beitzel15 · 01-02-2007, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OleFart

The only problem with keeping a magazine loaded for a long period is that you're not shooting enough!

+1

NBollinger · 01-02-2007, 12:45 PM

I always read both sides of this story too, and tend to keep my mags loaded for extended periods. However, during my 15 months in Iraq the Beretta mags for my M9 did not last. First off, these were original Beretta mags and not Mec-gars or other after markets. Secondly, I changed mags every month or so. M16 mags did fine although they were changed or fired much more often.

In defense of the M9 and its mags, although the ammo in the mags did not want to feed properly when stripping by hand (ammo remained about 1/3 of the way down the mag) when slapped by hand teh rounds popped back up to the feed lip of the mag. Additionally, the weapon never failed to chamber a round from the mag.

My overall impression is that it could be bad to leave magazines loaded for extended periods.

Krackels · 01-02-2007, 03:00 PM

The only downside that I see to it is that fully loaded magazines are a lot heavier than empty ones.

01-02-2007, 04:08 AM	#1
thebigwelsh XDTalk Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Southwest MI Posts: 48	Any downside to leaving a magazine full for long period of time Anyone know if the spring will fatigue or get weak after allowing the mag to be loaded for an extended period of time?

01-02-2007, 04:27 AM	#2
BoomerBSG XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: houston Posts: 1,419	from what i read, some say yes, some say no. someone on this forum i think said they left one loaded for a year (had enough mags to do an experiment with) and said theres no loss of tension in the spring, that the weapon still fired fine. personally, its worth it anyway to pick up a couple extra mags, and only use those at the range. i leave both my factory mags loaded at all times (only had my gun for 2-3 weeks) but i dont plan on leaving the mags half loaded, or even completely empty. cheers __________________ Colt Combat Commander, Colt Defender 1911, SIG P239 9mm, Beretta M9 (wifes), Winchester Defender 12 gauge, Mossberg Maverick 88 12 gauge, Mosin Nagant M44, Bersa .380 Running around the house half blind tripping over My Little Ponies and hollaring "Where's the bathroom?" is not a tactical look. -Scotton

01-02-2007, 10:03 AM	#7
OleFart XDTalk Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 79	Loaded Mags The only problem with keeping a magazine loaded for a long period is that you're not shooting enough!

01-02-2007, 12:45 PM	#9
NBollinger XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 538	I always read both sides of this story too, and tend to keep my mags loaded for extended periods. However, during my 15 months in Iraq the Beretta mags for my M9 did not last. First off, these were original Beretta mags and not Mec-gars or other after markets. Secondly, I changed mags every month or so. M16 mags did fine although they were changed or fired much more often. In defense of the M9 and its mags, although the ammo in the mags did not want to feed properly when stripping by hand (ammo remained about 1/3 of the way down the mag) when slapped by hand teh rounds popped back up to the feed lip of the mag. Additionally, the weapon never failed to chamber a round from the mag. My overall impression is that it could be bad to leave magazines loaded for extended periods. __________________ XD .45ACP Tactical Kimber Stainless Custom II .45 ACP Ruger GP100 .357 S&W Model 915 9MM Beretta 92FS 9MM Mossberg 535 ATS 12 ga. Mossberg 100 ATR .30-'06 Stag Arms Model 3

01-02-2007, 03:00 PM	#10
Krackels XDTalk 15K Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 18,992 Blog Entries: 5	The only downside that I see to it is that fully loaded magazines are a lot heavier than empty ones. __________________ "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." --Benjamin Franklin America's Third Parties --- Duping the Foolish and Idealistic since 1832. PA Roll Call .................... My Blog

01-02-2007, 04:41 AM	#3
Straight-Shooter XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Bend, Indiana Posts: 738	I've left mags loaded for 6 months at a time and never a problem with cycling of the gun when I decide to empty that mag an reload it. The only downside I've heard about continuously taking the same bullets out of a mag and inserting them into another is when a bullet is numerously loaded into a chamber of a gun it can cause setback of the bullet.

01-02-2007, 04:46 AM	#4
griz XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NW MO Posts: 745	The spring fatigues from compression/decompression cycles and not from being constantly compressed. Mag springs will be fine if the mags are topped off and stored for long periods. The more you use them though, the sooner you will need to replace the spring.

01-02-2007, 05:26 AM	#5
slugger6 XDTalk 20K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 20,102	griz summed it up perfectly. This question keeps popping up and the answer is always the same. I keep my home defense (.45ACP) ammo loaded in two magazines for months on end to no ill effect. It is the constant tensioning and detensioning that weakens springs over time.

01-02-2007, 05:48 AM	#6
dsump XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 270	I have had my duty magazines loaded for 8yrs and only switched them out two times a year with more ammo. They have not been empty for more than a few minutes at a time.

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