Mags loaded or unloaded

[Guest Rookie_Wookie]

I've heard arguments both for and against, so looking for opinions...should you keep extra magazines loaded or wait till you're heading to the range to load?  I've heard that keeping mags loaded can ruin the springs, but then I hear people say that it won't actually hurt anything, and that even if it does, springs are easy enough to replace. 

 

Just curious what everyone else does? 

[Guest sL1k]

I leave mine loaded, have for years with no issues.

[Spots]

An unloaded mag doesn't do much good in a HD situation, and they take up less room for me, than storing mags and boxes seperate

Edited February 5, 2013 by Spots

[smithra89]

i say load em

[Guest Odenat]

Keep them loaded. I think it's actually the act of the spring compressing and decompressing that causes them to wear out quicker. 

[mikegideon]

Loaded.

[hipower]

My carry always has spares loaded, as well as the house guns. I don't as a matter of course keep all the mags loaded, but I've been thinking about doing that. As Spots says, it would save a little space in the safe and ammo cabinet.

[Wyldk2]

Loaded, ready to go. Now if you have kids, still wouldn't leave em out for the kids to get ahold of.

 

All my guns are loaded, just not all have rounds in the chamber.

[TMF]

Keeping them loaded won't hurt them.  I've had a couple of AK mags loaded for at least a decade now.  I'm certain I could pop them in and shoot them with no issues. 

[xRUSTYx]

I keep around 3-4 mags loaded per firearms.  The others stay in climate controlled room unloaded :)

[StPatrick]

As Odenat said, springs wear via the continuous compression / release of loading and unloading.  Keeping a spring compressed or uncompressed shouldn't affect the life of the spring in any way - the life of the spring is determined by the number of times it is cycled between the compressed and uncompressed states.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Leave them loaded.

 

In 2004 or 2005 I found an AR magazine that belonged to my father. It was loaded with 20+ rounds and the last time he was in a unit where he had mags was in the mid 80's. I dumped the ammo out and loaded it up with fresh ammo and it shot fine.

 

Dolomite

[Guest Rookie_Wookie]

Should've clarified, my HD guns are loaded and ready to go...mainly concerned with the range mags/ammo. Thanks to everyone for the comments/suggestions.

[RED333]

Well as there are not but 2 answers, both.

Loaded for a few months, unload (shoot) and cycle to another mag.

[frankmako]

back in the early 70's when i was overseas we got a large load of fully loaded m16 twenty round mags that were sealed in ammo cans.  we tracked the rail road seals numbers that were on the can with s4 and found the cans were sealed in the early 60's.  every mag fired without any problems, semi or full auto.  so load them up, it will not hurt anything.   mags have come a long way and are better made today.

[DWARREN123]

I leave mine loaded but they don't stay that way very long!

My carry ammo stays loaded for around six months to a year before rotation.

[Spiffy]

Carry and HD mags loaded......all the others unloaded till I go to the range. Loaded magazines get shot empty then  you have to buy more ammo to keep em loaded, it's a vicious cycle!!!

[2.ooohhh]

The mags take up the same room in the cabinet whether loaded or not. Mine are all loaded until I go to the range, which clears up room for more rounds in the ammo cans. They are emptied at the range, brought home, inspected, reloaded, and put back in the cabinet. A couple times a year they all get dissassembled and cleaned inside and out.

 

Here's a group just back from the range, about to get reloaded(3 already loaded for SD) and put back in the cabinet to await the next range trip. 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2013 by 2.ooohhh

[enfield]

Follow the manufacturer's recommendation.

[Will H]

I leave all 6 cylinders loaded and two speed loaders...

 

Magnum baby!

[Guest Pineapple Devil]

i know a guy that doesn't even load magazines to capacity because he says it stresses the springs

Edited February 9, 2013 by Pineapple Devil

[NRA]

i know a guy that doesn't even load magazines to capacity because he says it stresses the springs

He sounds like a real rocket scientist

[runco]

I recall reading in a Guns & Ammo article back in the mid 1990s this very same subject matter.  For long term storage, +6 months, that -2 rounds is optimum for spring fatigue.  Example, if your max magazine load is 15 rounds, they recommended loading to 13.  My memory is foggy, so recollection may not be accurate.  Just my 2cents.

[Ted S.]

I recall reading in a Guns & Ammo article back in the mid 1990s this very same subject matter.  For long term storage, +6 months, that -2 rounds is optimum for spring fatigue.  Example, if your max magazine load is 15 rounds, they recommended loading to 13.  My memory is foggy, so recollection may not be accurate.  Just my 2cents.

 

I remember being told this myself, or rather "A 30 round magazine means 28 rounds." Close at least. Never gave it much thought.