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Loaded Magazines?

Rossignol

The Original Sheriff
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How long can you keep a magazine loaded? Like for say, a 7 rd cap. .45 ACP magazine.

Do you download by 1 or 2? Or leave them loaded for a little while then unload them and swap them out with other mags? I've always heard not to keep magazines loaded 24/7, but I guess any duty sidearm is very much loaded nearly all the time.

Thanks in advance folks!
 
I keep my pmags loaded ready to go, 30 rounds in each granted they don't stay full very long. I was reading through a subject about this on another forum a while back and some of the old timers said they never had trouble with mags that where stored for periods of time fully loaded. I have 6 pmags still in the bag they came in which are my spare/goto mags stashed away. In total I have 23 pmags for my AR's and every one works perfect..
 
Cool! Yeah Dave, its just one of those things where I have heard people talk about the spring weakening over time. I dont leave my shotguns loaded for the same reason. I'll maybe put 3 rounds in for a week, then unload it and leave it that way for a couple weeks.
 
When it comes to new handgun mags, keeping them loaded can help break in the springs and reduce the number of feeding issues. New springs can be a bit stiff and too much tension can lead to FTF/FTE problems. Single-stacked 1911 mags don't usually have too many issues, but a with my double-stacked Glock, Springfield, and Beretta mags I always load 'em and leave 'em. I usually keep one or two mags per pistol loaded and ready to go in the safe and my nightstand pistol always has several on standby. I never worry with unloading them unless I'm at the range doin it the old fashioned way.

I've also seen several threads on other forums with varied opinions on the matter. There was a particular account of an individual finding a Colt Government and loaded mags in a footlocker that had been sealed and locked away for twenty plus years. The pistol and mags were taken out and fired with no issues. Not that I believe everything I read, but it sounds plausible to me.

In my experience I've never had any issues with keeping my handgun or AR/AK mags loaded. I also think about it this way... if the $#!+ hits the fan, a loaded mag with a weak spring will be a great deal more effective than an unloaded mag with a perfect spring...
 
I even have my 100 round drum for AR's slammed full ready to go in the safe.. :D

I have mags for each rifle I own in a separate locker loaded to the max ready to go. Mini 14 mags, Saiga 12 mags, AR mags, SKS mags, M1A mags, Hi point 9mm and Hi point 45 cal mags, 10/22 mags, PTR mags and stripper clips for the SKS's around 500 rounds seeing as there are 3 SKS's..

Going out tomorrow with 2 Mosin Nagants, 2 SKS's, Mossberg 930 and bucket full of buckshot and slugs, Marlin 22 magnum with the simmons scope which I have dialed in already at the indoor range at 25 yards and the 10/22 with that beautiful redfield scope I put on it, sh's dialed in nicely at 25 yards too.

My Son and I will go spend the morning for breakfast with my Mom, clean for her and take care of a few things, comfort her, have some lunch with her and hit the range on the way home. It's staying light out now till about 7:15!!!..
 
Tomorrows fun.






Should keep us busy for a few hours,!!! The Marlin 22 magnum is a fun gun to shoot. I got it dialed in indoors with about 10 shots so she's ready to head outside at 50 yards and work her from there. I love the feel, look and the way that little Marlin shoots and plan on being proficient with it out to 200 yards.
 
Thank you gentlemen! I'm gonna go the way of loadin up all 2 of my 7 rd mags!!! :lol:
 
I keep my magazines fully loaded at all times... :twisted:
 
I've got close to 30-30rnd Pmags for the AR's-ACR and SCAR. I've got a bunch for each weapon.








All those cans are stocked full of 5.56, 223, slugs, buckshot, birdshot, thousands of 22LR, 22 magnum, 7.62x39mm, 5.45, 54R for the mosins.

We are ready!!!!! :mrgreen:
 
DHonovich said:
I keep my magazines fully loaded at all times... :twisted:

Thats it, I'm doin it!

Dave. The guns and magazines are a sight to behold and are beautiful, but I somehow feel inadequate now. :lol:
 
Rossignol said:
DHonovich said:
I keep my magazines fully loaded at all times... :twisted:

Thats it, I'm doin it!

Dave. The guns and magazines are a sight to behold and are beautiful, but I somehow feel inadequate now. :lol:

You have kids and as long as our wife is happy, your not inadequate at all.. ;) :mrgreen:
 
I was reading some of the postings on Ar15.com, the general theory there is, leaving a magazine loaded for long periods is no problem. Supposedly it is using the mags that actually wears the springs out.
 
DaveinCT said:
You have kids and as long as our wife is happy, your not inadequate at all.. ;) :mrgreen:


Aww great,

I have no kids yet and the wife is pissed at me right now. Now I feel inadequate... :lol:
 
DaveinCT said:
Tomorrows fun.






Should keep us busy for a few hours,!!! The Marlin 22 magnum is a fun gun to shoot. I got it dialed in indoors with about 10 shots so she's ready to head outside at 50 yards and work her from there. I love the feel, look and the way that little Marlin shoots and plan on being proficient with it out to 200 yards.

Just got back from the range with all these and the Mosin's where a ton of fun. My Son shot that for about 2 hours straight and by the end he was doing excellent for 50 yards. The Marlin 22 magnum with the scope gave me a a couple hours of total joy. That little gun is accurate like non other and by the time we left I was dead on with it @ 200 yards. Amazing how fun a bolt gun can be and the 22 mag was cheap but still felt good to fire. Then we went crazy with about 75 rounds of 00 buck with the 930 and destroyed a piece 3/4" plywood in the process!! :mrgreen:

My Son brought this target home, This was all off hand @ 50 yards with a gun we have never shot.


My Son ended up shooting close to 300 54r rounds and I went through about 200 22 magnums. Then we played SKS and chewed up about 300 7.62x39mm rounds . Both SKS worked great but will need some attention to get them accurate...

Another good day out though....
 
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