I keep cartridges in my magazines. I have had magazine springs become too weak to allow the gun to function as a result of remaining loaded for long periods of time. So what? Buy some new magazine springs....it's not like they are prohibitively expensive.
Keeping Bullets in a Mag
- Thread starter ackvil
- Start date
My understanding is springs fatigue through compression and decompression, not constant tension. So a mag used a 1000 times over 5 years vs one loaded and never used will have more wear.
I'm not aware of any methodologically rigorous studies on the issue (though I'd be willing to bet there are some that may or may not have been published), but there is advice in this article that seems very reasonable to me. Personally, I keep the magazines for my CCW pistol loaded almost all the time, but I change out and/or use the ammo every 3-4 months.
This is basically my understanding of the issue and, as everyone seems to agree, your friend should be fine.
I would think though that one's nightstand gun should be the one the shooter is most familiar with and comfortable using, rather than a gun that they rarely train/shoot with. Speaking for myself, were I to be woken suddenly in the middle of the night by a possible intruder, I'd rather focus my slowly-returning mental awareness on assessing a threat than on operating an unfamiliar or rarely used firearm.
Been loading and unloading magazines for 20+ years. As long as I make sure to wear my green lucky charm socks, I have never had a spring fatigue problem. (knocking on wood and kissing my rabbit's foot key chain as I'm typing this.)
Weak springs are one problem that begins as a minor annoyance and is seldom catastrophic, gives sufficient warning before failure and easily cured.
Of all the issues that could possibly arise it is certainly not at the top of my list.
On the other hand I just got a couple new magazines that were still in the factory blister packs and so covered in grease and lube that nothing moved. To get them functioning took full disassembly and wipe down. BUT, I learned an interesting fact. The spacer at the rear of the RM380 magazine is not tacked down at all, simply slides in or out and when out the magazine suddenly seems 9mm size. Add a 9mm follower and it is fully functional. Could Remington have plans for a 9mm in the same frame as the new 380?
Of all the issues that could possibly arise it is certainly not at the top of my list.
On the other hand I just got a couple new magazines that were still in the factory blister packs and so covered in grease and lube that nothing moved. To get them functioning took full disassembly and wipe down. BUT, I learned an interesting fact. The spacer at the rear of the RM380 magazine is not tacked down at all, simply slides in or out and when out the magazine suddenly seems 9mm size. Add a 9mm follower and it is fully functional. Could Remington have plans for a 9mm in the same frame as the new 380?
shoelessjoe
"I took out a Chihuahua!"
Rohrbaugh R380 & Rohrbaugh R9 ... it would make sense, which I suppose doesn’t necessarily mean that Remington would do it.
As stated, it is my understanding, it is multiple compression and decompression. I have still a 1916 made, colt 1911, that belonged to my great uncle, it came home from WW1, with him. I found it when I was cleaning out his house after he passed. He had no living family, my aunt died years before, and his son,was killed in ww2. I was his only next of kin. The pistol I found in a closet hanging in a flap holster, loaded, with the 2 extra original colt mags, also loaded. I did not even know he had the pistol. I fired the 21 rounds, without a hitch. This was some time ago. I have shot the pistol since, with never a problem.
That's quite a special family heirloom.
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It is, and it goes to my son, upon my being called home
simon1
Self Ignored by Vista
I got Dad's Ortgies .32 that he brought home from WWII several years ago, or more. It was still loaded with green, corroded cartridges and still in the German flap holster. I put fresh ammo in it and fired several magazines and it functioned without a hitch. I have since replaced all the springs in it...just in case. The only time it malfunctioned on me was the first shot after I replaced the recoil spring, then it was flawless. German engineering?
Letting the springs rest in the magazines used to be standard safety practice, but now I think the modern mag. springs may have overcome that. I have a 1911 mag. that has been in a drawer for about five years and I need to see how it works, but it's a Wilson mag. I also have a Glock mag. that has been in a drawer for three or four years and need to compare. I don't think either one will show problems.
If in doubt, change it out.
A. I like to cycle my self-defense rounds through every six months or so, the reason being, I like to go to the gun shop, hang around for a while, and buy a new box of ammo. Self-defense rounds are the only factory ammo I buy. If I didn't buy a box every now and then, I would never see the great guys at the gun store.
B. Glocks are very hard to mess up. I think if you left one loaded for two or three hundred years, it would fire perfectly once unearthed.
B. Glocks are very hard to mess up. I think if you left one loaded for two or three hundred years, it would fire perfectly once unearthed.
I could barely get the 7th round into my Shield for the first many, many reloads. And I'm not a frail fellow.
Right. Was going to say; and yet, many NEW magazines do break-in with use.
So what is the break-in, if not some kind of spring settling? And if it settles, what happens with MORE time?
AA
Right. Was going to say; and yet, many NEW magazines do break-in with use.
So what is the break-in, if not some kind of spring settling? And if it settles, what happens with MORE time?
AA/QUOTE]
New springs will shorten once they begin to get used, which makes more room in the magazine for all of the bullets to squeeze into.
New springs will shorten once they begin to get used, which makes more room in the magazine for all of the bullets to squeeze into.
Pretty common in many areas of life and reality. I've noticed that my belts are getting shorter over time and the floor is getting further and further away and even print on signs and menus ages and gets smaller and ...
I unload mine once a year put in fresh defensive ammo and put back in the nightstand.
There is so much truth on the internet …
AA
Lol’d. I understood everything he said except where the floor was getting further and further away? That part went right over my head.
I can remember when the floor was close enough I could just bend over and pat it with my palm. But it's much further away now, I can hardly reach it with my finger tips.Lol’d. I understood everything he said except where the floor was getting further and further away? That part went right over my head.
