BGREID Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 Do you store your magazines loaded or unloaded between matches? And why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 I've always stored them unloaded to avoid straining the springs ... Let's see if any of our experts disagree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echotango Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I load the night before. Should not matter. Spring cycles is what wears out mag springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelson1each Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I load the night before as I hate loading mags before and at a match...curious to hear what others have to say about this as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 quality springs fatigue by cycling, ie loading and unloading. leaving them either loaded or unloaded should have zero affect on the life of the spring assuming it is a quality spring and properly spec'd for the job. i poor quality spring or one that is improper for the job is going to have a very short life regardless of how it is treated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge40 Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I never knew they fatigued through cycling and not just straight compression. Thats good to know. Now I won't feel guilty when I leave them loaded the night before a match. I used to be pretty anal about not even leaving them loaded overnight. Those springs aren't the cheapest things when you have 6 to replace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxer1 Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 I load mine the night before so I can hang out with friends before hand and catch up and relax a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
36873687 Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Load mine night before also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 My 2011 mags I unload and clean. My 1911 and M&P mags I just kind of leave them however they were dropped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkvibe Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 quality springs fatigue by cycling, ie loading and unloading. leaving them either loaded or unloaded should have zero affect on the life of the spring assuming it is a quality spring and properly spec'd for the job. i poor quality spring or one that is improper for the job is going to have a very short life regardless of how it is treated. I second this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyGlock Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 You mean quality springs in constant max compression for a long time dont suffer from material fatique??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 if it did, youd be replacing valve springs in your car every other week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyGlock Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) if it did, youd be replacing valve springs in your car every other week. After several years of contineous use or static load some of them breaks right? Nothing is forever. Although they last longer than usual its because of engg design. Its usage is logically factored into the design. But it has its limits. Edited July 18, 2016 by BoyGlock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Despite all that, I keep my HiCapmags unloaded, until the morning of ... Just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 if it did, youd be replacing valve springs in your car every other week. After several years of contineous use or static load some of them breaks right? Nothing is forever. Although they last longer than usual its because of engg design. Its usage is logically factored into the design. But it has its limits. static loads are not a concern, ie leaving an engine sit for prolonged periods with some valve springs under full compression, or a fully loaded magazine spring sitting fully loaded. so long as it was a quality spring of the proper tolerances for the job, it wont fail. they fail through cycling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClangClang Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Spring properties are one of the most well developed and understood fields in physics and engineering. Leaving them in a compressed (or uncompressed, for that matter) state has no bearing on the life of the spring. As many people have said here, they only wear out from compression cycles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyjones Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Spring properties are one of the most well developed and understood fields in physics and engineering. Leaving them in a compressed (or uncompressed, for that matter) state has no bearing on the life of the spring. As many people have said here, they only wear out from compression cycles. This Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmoreno88 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 mine stay loaded all the time really. If I have a loaded mag, I don't unload it to store it, just throw it in the safe and could sit up to a month or 2. Been doing it for years with no issues and can't remember ever replacing a single spring Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazr111 Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 I have been leaving them loaded lately, partially out of laziness. That way I can focus on planning and shooting. I've been called to the line as the first shooter, while still loading mags, which rushed me and got me out of my ideal mental state. Also, due to schedule constraints, I often arrive to matches as they are starting, so I'm already at a time disadvantage. I haven't noticed any issues with leaving them loaded, but I have had poor performances due to them not being loaded. If it becomes an issue, I'd rather replace springs sooner as opposed to be under more stress at a match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyN9 Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 On July 13, 2016 at 4:53 PM, BGREID said: Do you store your magazines loaded or unloaded between matches? And why? I unload at end of matches , during match I preload to within last two rounds then top off when in the deep hole as part of my routine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmella Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Why would loading a mag with "tight springs" and leaving it for a while make them easier to load after some time under compression if it has no effect on spring life? I had some single stack mags that were tough to load the 10th round and tough to seat. I left them loaded for a week or two and they seat much easier now. That is my go to when it comes to tough springs in single stack mags. Everyone says leaving them under pressure has no effect on spring life. It seems to make them have less spring per say thats for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trini Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Load at the match. Not a big deal to me.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCB Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Wilson says for thier mags that leaving them loaded for a couple of days helps get them to their optimal operating tension. Seems like after that they stay set and only degrade from cycleing? My duty mags stay loaded all the time and only get cycled is at quals and they are fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alucardus Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I load at the match and store them unloaded to preserve my springs as long as possible. Plus I always have plenty of time waiting around at the range and it gives me something to after I walk the stages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAustin316 Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I store them unloaded. If I am not going to use them for a very long time after I clean them I leave the basepads off with the springs hanging out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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