I've not had a problem with spring failure when loading a pistol mag to capacity. I suppose it's possible with a low-quality spring but not something I've run into.
Magazine not filled
another thing i have heard of is not completely filling your magazine.
let's say your mag can hold 12 rounds but you only put 10 in.
the main reason i hear for this is to preserve the magazine spring.
good idea?
bad idea?
let's say your mag can hold 12 rounds but you only put 10 in.
the main reason i hear for this is to preserve the magazine spring.
good idea?
bad idea?
1 - 20 of 34 Posts
I've never heard of this, but I do cycle my carry magazines out. After a couple months of having a magazine loaded, I empty it and load up a magazine that has been sitting empty.
I know in the military our GM's used to complain a lot about this problem with the Berretta. As far as your personal self-defense weapon, I think it's worth considering the cost of a new mag every rarely-so-often against the cost of not having those extra 2 rounds when the crap hits the fan...
I forgot about the M9 having problems like this. :ack:
I guess that just proves that we block out bad memories of failure to chamber during a ribbon shoot.
I guess that just proves that we block out bad memories of failure to chamber during a ribbon shoot.
:ROFL:roseblood said:I forgot about the M9 having problems like this. :ack:
I guess that just proves that we block out bad memories of failure to chamber during a ribbon shoot.
Sorry to laugh, but I've been in those kinds of situations and it's pretty funny when it's not you!
seems like I heard the Marines download by two in their rifles, but I can't swear to it.
I download by 1 in my carry and ready semi-autos. I do that in part 'cause it makes it easier to unload them (if I am taking the gun to the range, for example) since I drop the magazine, eject the round, and then put the ejected round in the magazine. When the gun gets returned to its ready position, I put in the magazine and rack the slide. Makes it easier to not have a loose round to deal with.
I download by 1 in my carry and ready semi-autos. I do that in part 'cause it makes it easier to unload them (if I am taking the gun to the range, for example) since I drop the magazine, eject the round, and then put the ejected round in the magazine. When the gun gets returned to its ready position, I put in the magazine and rack the slide. Makes it easier to not have a loose round to deal with.
I would recommend shorting your mag by 1 or 2 while at the range - just so you don't make your loading fingers sore. As per carry use, the only reason I have heard to short a mag is that sometimes you can get a failure to feed if the mag is full - mainly on cheaper 1911 mags. Magazines made by reputable companies (i.e. the company that makes the gun) should be able to work for many years even if carried at full capacity. I personally think it's a good idea to have a few extra mags, but I would not recommend carrying at a lower capacity just to save the life of a magazine. Your life just might depend on those one or two extra rounds you don't have.
I keep my magazines full to capacity ALL the time and keep 2 mags on my person at all times. That's 24 rounds of .45 ACP 24x7.
My reason: If I'm in a firefight with someone I want to be able to look at my gun and magazine and know EXACTLY the number of rounds I discharged. I keep them full because there won't be any question in my mind or the minds of the responding LEO's.
Besides, magazines are cheap-ish.
My reason: If I'm in a firefight with someone I want to be able to look at my gun and magazine and know EXACTLY the number of rounds I discharged. I keep them full because there won't be any question in my mind or the minds of the responding LEO's.
Besides, magazines are cheap-ish.
I had six 30-round Thermold magazines fully loaded for over two years before running them through my CAR-15. They all functioned perfectly.
What kills a magazine, assuming that they're quality magazines, is the repeated loading and unloading of the magazine which eventually fatigues the metal in the spring.
I usually have a number of magazines for my guns. If one fails to function properly because of worn springs, I replace the springs. If the feed lips get bent, I usually replace the magazine (thats why I like the Thermold magazines for my AR - they don't bend).
What kills a magazine, assuming that they're quality magazines, is the repeated loading and unloading of the magazine which eventually fatigues the metal in the spring.
I usually have a number of magazines for my guns. If one fails to function properly because of worn springs, I replace the springs. If the feed lips get bent, I usually replace the magazine (thats why I like the Thermold magazines for my AR - they don't bend).
I do the samething with my mags as 69RoadRunner does with his mags. I too have heard that loading and unloading causes springs to weaken. I personally have a magazine that had to have been fully loaded for at least 14 years and it still functions just fine, although it doesn't get used very much. At least for now I can get Glock mags for less than $20 should I ever need replace them.
Although if you have issues with keeping your mags topped off, then replace the springs every year or two. I do load my AR mags to 28 rounds because it is difficult to load a fully loaded AR mag when the bolt is closed.
Although if you have issues with keeping your mags topped off, then replace the springs every year or two. I do load my AR mags to 28 rounds because it is difficult to load a fully loaded AR mag when the bolt is closed.
ammosargent needs to chime in here! He and I were talking about this exact issue several months ago mostly relating to rifles though.
I think having the spring compressed does it no damage. I also think those springs will operate many, many times without failure. Frankly I am not going to worry about it.
Worry is like rocking in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere.
Worry is like rocking in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere.
Here is my two cents worth from my experience in the sand box. Tha army told us to fully load are m-16 mags which most soldiers did. Me and my soldiers only loaded to 27 or 28 rounds in our mags because i knew that if we fully loaded them they would jam on the first round or double feed which would be bad if we got in a fire fight with the bgs. We also put a tracer round every fifth or sixth round and three at the bottom so we knew when to put a new mag in. I know as civilians we wont use tracers in are ARs or whatever we shoot but i know from experience in the AR-15s and m-16s they will jam if the mag is too full. I keep my pistol mags full though and i am really glad for the information because i was going to ask about keeping my mags full all the time.
I fired thousands of rounds through M16-A1s and -A2s, from both 20 and 30-round magazines, all fully loaded and without ever noticing any problems with jamming. Is it because of the sand and grit that you had problems?ammosargeant said:Me and my soldiers only loaded to 27 or 28 rounds in our mags because i knew that if we fully loaded them they would jam on the first round or double feed
It was not because of the sand and grit although that does not help. I think it was becasue we had old guns and new magazines. The feed throats could have been worn or they just did not sit right in the magazine well. I never had a problem with mine when i had only 27 or 28 rounds in it.
I cant speak for ammosargeant, but I can tell you the problems I've seen over the years. It's Very difficult to lock the mag in when it's fully loaded and the bolt is Forward. Also, the 30 round mags are known for having weak springs, and keeping it fully loaded for long periods of time weakens the springs and causes feeding problems.swillden said:I fired thousands of rounds through M16-A1s and -A2s, from both 20 and 30-round magazines, all fully loaded and without ever noticing any problems with jamming. Is it because of the sand and grit that you had problems?ammosargeant said:Me and my soldiers only loaded to 27 or 28 rounds in our mags because i knew that if we fully loaded them they would jam on the first round or double feed
Say what you want about the M14, but in the Navy we never had these sorts of problems as being talked about with the M16... sure, the 16 is pretty kewl and MUCH lighter (which I really loved!) but the 14 seems like it *ALWAYS* worked!
G
I have often thought that what I need in a magazine was a little flag that pops up and says "uh oh!" when I am empty. I can always tell when I am plinking or shooting from a bench when I am empty but when doing drills I miss it all the time. As a consequence I drop a mag at about 10 rounds left. Maybe a speaker with that "uh oh" .wav from ICQ would work!ammosargeant said:Here is my two cents worth from my experience in the sand box. Tha army told us to fully load are m-16 mags which most soldiers did. Me and my soldiers only loaded to 27 or 28 rounds in our mags because i knew that if we fully loaded them they would jam on the first round or double feed which would be bad if we got in a fire fight with the bgs. We also put a tracer round every fifth or sixth round and three at the bottom so we knew when to put a new mag in. I know as civilians we wont use tracers in are ARs or whatever we shoot but i know from experience in the AR-15s and m-16s they will jam if the mag is too full. I keep my pistol mags full though and i am really glad for the information because i was going to ask about keeping my mags full all the time.
I have heard several times compressing springs rather than storing them compressed is the greatest source of fatigue. I load my AR mags with 29 because they are too hard to seat when the bolt is closed with 30; although I have these neat new polymer mags that I can load 30 with no problems.
:agree:Eukatae said:I load my AR mags with 29 because they are too hard to seat when the bolt is closed with 30;
1 - 20 of 34 Posts
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