Leaving Pistol Magazines Loaded For Long Periods Of Time.

[cshold]

Removed

[JB]

Most "experts" say no. They say it's the spring compressing and uncompressing that causes the wear. Personally I'd think leaving them loaded for an extended period would have to have some effect. I'm just not sure how long it would take or how much effect

[Hobie]

I have had Colt 1911 magazines loaded for as much as 20 years without suffering a bit of "wear". Even the Norinco 213 mags were loaded 10+ years without a problem. But, not all springs are created equal.

[86er]

When my friend re-did his basement we found a small metal box from some kind of lozenges. In it was a Steyr .25 Auto and separately a full magazine. He had lived there 10 years but purchased the house from a neighbor of his parents current home. They were surprised and said it was not theirs and they lived there for 23 years. The pistol and mag was wrapped in a black wax cloth and had no rust or other issues. We set up some phone books right there in the basement and I loaded it and it fired and it cycled every round. He gave me that pistol and I shot it many times with no issues with that same magazine. It is a single stack 5 shot mag, so the spring isn't a very big one. Side note: the pistol was mis-marked ".22 cal" at the factory. Loaded for no less than 33 years, it did not make the magazine malfunction.

[cshold]

Removed

[cshold]

Removed

[Machado]

I have had Colt 1911 magazines loaded for as much as 20 years without suffering a bit of "wear". Even the Norinco 213 mags were loaded 10+ years without a problem. But, not all springs are created equal.

A military friend inherited a 1937 contract Colt 1911-A1 when his father - also an Army officer - passed away. The pistol was stained and rusted, was in its original Army issue canvas holster where it had sat for 66 years. Along came a 2-magazine canvas pouch, with the two magazines inside loaded with wartime steel-cased ball ammo. The magazines were rusted and pitted, they were loaded by the time the old officer got his gun, then put aside. The cartrige cases were also rusted and pitted. We removed the original ammo, dismantled and cleaned the innards of the magazines and loaded all 3 with 225 gr LRN hard casts. They all worked perfectly. At the time I thought the magazine episode was aberrant, but Hobie's narrative tells otherwise. I was given the original steel cartridges and have them hanging from a magnet in my den.
Antonio

[Sixgun]

I have had Colt 1911 magazines loaded for as much as 20 years without suffering a bit of "wear". Even the Norinco 213 mags were loaded 10+ years without a problem. But, not all springs are created equal.

This has also been my experience. For 99.9% of the time the original mag of a Series 70 Colt has been loaded since 1976. Still works fine.

[jdad]

I don't think the spring metal gets fatigued from being compressed, but rather the weakening is from the spring going from compressed to uncompressed state over a period of use.

[Pisgah]

If your mag spring fails from the mag sitting around loaded, the spring was defective from the get-go. Compression for any length of time will not hurt the spring.

[Richardx]

I thought I would shoot through some colt mags that had been loaded for several years; two rounds into mag #3 the slide locked open and I felt something hit my boot. The floor plate had broken off the mag and the spring had shot it and five 230 gr fmj's onto my foot--guess that spring wasn't too compressed. I think that spring went into a mag a buddy was having trouble with.

[Malamute]

.... I dry fire all my non-hammer guns after cleaning
so as there not under full tension while in the safe.
And no I have never had a pin break. ....

What guns? Many can be easily lowered without actual dry firing (snapping). One may get by with dry firing for years without breaking a firing pin, but then again you may not.

[kaschi]

Here's my experience with an AK magazine: I loaded one with 30 rounds of Chinese (Norinco) copper washed ammo in the late 80's and rediscovered it a couple of years ago. Took it out to shoot and the Hungarian AK rifle fired the entire mag with no problem. When I reloaded the mag, the spring was still stiff. The magazine is Chinese (also Norinco production).

[cshold]

Removed

[Griff]

I still have a couple if USGI mags that were issued to me in the early 70s, still work fine. I have more trouble w/the "lips" than springs. I have 7 of the 10 Wilson stainless mags I bought in the '80s; the only time any of 'em have been empty is between the time I run a mag full thru a 1911 and getting reloaded, either right there at the range or home, so either it's a matter of minutes or just a few hours. And they stay loaded.

[Charles]

I misplaced a loaded 1911 mag in 1964 and found it again in 1991. I put it in a pistol and all seven round loaded and fired without incident. I still have and use the mag.

[Malamute]

pump action shotguns and the 99 to name a couple.

Depends on the pump gun, but the 99, you can open the action gently until you feel the bolt touch the hammer, pull the trigger, and let it follow the bolt closed. Works with Garands, M1-A's, mini-14's, and many other guns also. Just be sure the chamber is empty.