[KBurdo]

After trying to clean my bedroom, I realized I have a ton of lose ammo & empty magazines. Anyone know if there is a time frame on how long you can keep your magazines loaded before the springs give up? I found 6x30rounds M16 mags which still had blanks in them. Probably been in there since the early 90s. I popped them out with no issues and reloaded the them, tested, worked fine. I've been wanting to load up a ton of mags for storage, but would prefer to know what the shelf life is.
After talking to the beta guys, they said I can keep them load pretty much forever.


Any suggestions, comments? Share your wisdom before my wife makes me put my stuff in the basement.

 

[Phlyan Pan]

Springs wear out from cycling them, not from having them compressed. The only caviat is if you overcompress them past their critical point. I which case you do instant damage.

 

[punishercustomz]

Is it better full or missing one round?

 

[Camper4lyfe]

Shouldn't have any effect on them at all, and you can store indefinitely.

 

[KBurdo]

Great to hear. Since my girls are having a "fake sick day" from school, I'm going to the have them load up the mags. I knew having kids would pay off in the end, lol.

thanks for all the input.

 

[Phlyan Pan]

Is it better full or missing one round?

Some people like to load them with only 28 rounds so that you can seat the magazine with the bolt closed. This allows you to reload even if you're not empty...ie during a lull in shooting. I don't believe there is any other benefit to not filling the mag completely these days. The issues of premature spring fatigue from fully loading mags was solved backed in the 70s and 80s as far as I'm aware.

 

[Tim]

LOL my 10yr old step son was "sick" this past friday. Those are the best! "oh you're too sick to go to school, now you hafta run all of my errands with me"

They usually want to go back to school fairly quickly

 

[dsdmmat]

LOL my 10yr old step son was "sick" this past friday. Those are the best! "oh you're too sick to go to school, now you hafta run all of my errands with me"

They usually want to go back to school fairly quickly

I was lucky to have a Nurse for a mom when I was "sick" for a week during hunting season. she always managed to get me a doctor's note.

 

[Camper4lyfe]

I was lucky to have a Nurse for a mom when I was "sick" for a week during hunting season. she always managed to get me a doctor's note.

The worst part about that is if you get anything, you couldn't tell anyone!

 

[Rubline]

Springs wear out from cycling them, not from having them compressed. The only caviat is if you overcompress them past their critical point. I which case you do instant damage.

In Novembers issue of American Rifleman, they say just the opposite.

 

[GUNSICK1]

In Novembers issue of American Rifleman, they say just the opposite.

Yeh I read that in the last issue also but I call BS on it! All the research I've done says there is no issue keeping them loaded. I have to find the write up again where a guy left AR mags loaded for 10 years with no issues. But they will wear out from repeated compression.

 

[Degenret]

American Rifleman got it wrong, I have seen dozens of mags loaded for 20-30 years go in an M16 and fire off with no issues. I keep all mine at 26 or 27 rounds, they still have the original springs from the 70s or 80s.

 

[llink78]

Load them. The example I always give with the question is look at a spring on a car. It is always under pressure and only starts to fail after a lot of up and down motion.

 

[Doc8404]

In Novembers issue of American Rifleman, they say just the opposite.

I read that and was shocked because that guy is supposedly and "authority" ...then again, by whose standards?

 

[MagGuy]

I always leave a round missing....never top off.

 

[av8r]

I've got Glock mags that have been loaded since the late 80s. They feel no different than a new mag when loading. I do occasionally unload them, but then load them right back up.

 

[meketrefe]

There is no scientific proof that a magazine being loaded longer is less reliable.
I mean using the proper manufacturer and/or aftermarket quality springs.
The only issue I see is with shotsells that can be squeared a tad by the pressure
in magazines like saigas but also never heard of actual malfuncions because of this.
I rotate them anyway but just to make sure everything is borken in and cycling ok
with the defensive ammo. That is the only reason.

 

[Darthgamer138]

In Novembers issue of American Rifleman, they say just the opposite.

Physics says the opposite. I know who I trust.

 

[MarksmanTim]

I've always heard and was told when younger that the cycling action is what wears them out. Leave them loaded or unloaded and your fine. Also keep in mind that "unloaded" still leaves pressure on the spring anyways!