Magazine failure: Loaded at full capacity?

[CDR_Glock]

Do springs fail if you have the magazines loaded with a full capacity, all of the time? Is there a time period that you give those springs a "Rest"? What are your recommendations?

[MarkJ]

I've used Glock mags that were fully loaded for over 10 years and they worked flawlessly. Most articles I've read say that magazine springs are more likely to wear out from repeated cycling than they are from constant compression. Don't know if that's true, but my experience has been good with magazines loaded for extended periods.

[Glock Fan]

Quality firearms should not have problems with the magazines being loaded to capacity. Constant loading and unloading will wear the magazines quicker than keeping them fully loaded or fully unloaded. Think of it as if you were bending a piece of metal back and forth. Eventually the metal will develop fatigue and eventually fail.



gf

[Austin]

This goes against what I have been taught, but I can see the logic.

[CDR_Glock]

I've used Glock mags that were fully loaded for over 10 years and they worked flawlessly. Most articles I've read say that magazine springs are more likely to wear out from repeated cycling than they are from constant compression. Don't know if that's true, but my experience has been good with magazines loaded for extended periods.

MarkJ

Thank you. That clears up what others have "taught" me 12 years ago at my previous gun club.

[B2Tall]

Saw a good article about this not too long ago (sorry, I don't remember where). According experts in the field of metals, constant flexing is what causes the most stress and damage to magazine springs. The article also said that reputable mag manufacturers design their products so that even when the mag is fully loaded the springs are still far from their maximum level of compression and flexibility. As a result there's very little effect on the spring's ability to do its job.

[kda]

On my Glock magazines, my practical experiences agree with what is written above. I've tested and then loaded some of my magazines strictly for SD (self-defense) and use them only for that. This means my SD magazines don't get any "exercise". Then I have my range magazines that get tons of exercise with many cycles of loading and emptying at the range. I shoot between 200 and 300 rounds a week.

The seldom emptied SD mags are still pretty stiff; the range mags are relaxing some now and are easier to load by hand. But that is no problem, I have rebuild kits on hand should the range mags ever get to that point.

[randyg27]

Do springs fail if you have the magazines loaded with a full capacity, all of the time? Is there a time period that you give those springs a "Rest"? What are your recommendations?

well witch magazines brand you talking about?

[Austin]

Is it best to leave one or two out of a magazines full capacity? Or is this another icon from the past that has been taught to me but is wrong?

[Red Hat]

Is it best to leave one or two out of a magazines full capacity? Or is this another icon from the past that has been taught to me but is wrong?

Keep them full! They are designed to hold X amount of ammo all the time not just when you are going to fire a firearm.