Does keeping Mag loaded hurt them

[vmiguy2011]

Does the spring wear out faster if you keep 9mm mags loaded. I know the M16 mags we use hear at school suck from over use. give it they are probibly from Veitnam but the springs are weak in them. how can i avoid this in pistol mags and should this even be a concern. also what and where is the cheapest 9mm practice ammol

[MichiganShootist]

This mag. issue has been debated (hotly) for a long time. I personally believe that newer good quality mags will operate fine for a long long time if kept loaded... but that older lower quality mags. have lower quality spings and will be more effected.

Having said that... unless the pistol is for self defense .. I would suggest unloading the mag. when it's not needed.... or load it to less than full capacity.

HSmith and others will probably chime in with more knowledge than I on the topic.

RE---9 mm ammo. Winchester White Box seems to be the #1 favorite at matches I attend if they aren't shooting reloads.... and WWB is generally least expensive at WalMart.... at least in my area.

Edited March 11, 2008 by MichiganShootist

[Jay6]

Does the spring wear out faster if you keep 9mm mags loaded. I know the M16 mags we use hear at school suck from over use. give it they are probibly from Veitnam but the springs are weak in them. how can i avoid this in pistol mags and should this even be a concern. also what and where is the cheapest 9mm practice ammol

I know for AR mags, keeping them loaded does not hurt a thing. Actually loading and unloading them frequently will hurt the springs more than just loading them up and leaving them. Not sure if pistol mags are the same but I would imagine so! Just my $.02

[redwoods]

I use STI mags with factory springs for duty work. My springs are softer now than before.

If you want to max out your sti mags, they say to leave them loaded so the spring softens up and you can get more rounds in them.

Some springs will be softer if you leave them loaded. I would unload them after shooting unless for self defense.

Randy

[eerw]

keeping a mag spring at rest or compressed does not wear on them..

repeated loading and unloading is what wears them.. taking a spring and stretching it will also wear

[Bigbadaboom]

Does the spring wear out faster if you keep 9mm mags loaded.

No.

[CDRODA396]

Jay6 is right, we used to load up literally hundreds of AR mags of all manufacturers, put them in emergency resupply bundles (rigged with parachutes) and have them sit for months and months, when our rotation was over, if they werent dropped and the relieveing unit didnt want to give up an appropriate amount of mags and take possession of the bundles, we'd de-rig them and they would all work fine.

[TeamGE]

Springs wear from cycling the spring, not leaving them compressed. This is not be be confused with the spring taking a "set" when being used for the very first time. If the quality of the spring is good, then the spring will stay in this "set" length for many cycles. Every time you load and unload the spring, it is one cycle of use. Never pull the spring in the opposite direction of compression. This may seem to help the spring tension for the next cycle, but in fact you are causing major damage to the spring.