Defensive Carry banner

Is Bad to keep your extra magazines full?

11K views 48 replies 39 participants last post by  Good Old Joe 
#1 ·
Hi, I was just wondering about keeping my extra mags all full. I hear that its ok it wont hurt, then I hear you should rotate the mags.. Glock mags are what I have. I'm sure this question has been asked and answered a million times, but I only have been on this forum a few days and would like to hear your opinions, seems we have a lot of knowledge here...Thanks! Mike
 
#4 ·
No

Check out the :search: function.

Welcome to the forum!
 
  • Like
Reactions: mg27
#5 ·
I actually load one less than max into my mags just to make sure I fatigue the mags less. It's probably useless to do, but I sleep better.
 
#6 ·
In his defense, the search on this forum is nearly useless.

And no, leaving them compressed is fine. What wears out springs is constant compression-decompression-compression-decompression....
 
#9 ·
Hi, I was just wondering about keeping my extra mags all full. I hear that its ok it wont hurt, then I hear you should rotate the mags..
I was taught that keeping them full was not harmful to the springs.

I was also taught that rotating the ammo in magazines occasionally helped to ensure fresher ammo and that it was not harmful to springs.

That's pretty much the way I've done it. On a couple of pistols, I've had a handful of spare magazines fully loaded for years (with occasional rotation to 'duty'). No ill effects so far. Of course, these have both been full-sized pistols, not compacts or mouse guns. Unknown whether the effect would be similar on those, but I don't see why it would be much different.

One thing I've found is that several different pistols have responded favorably with softening up the slide pull after experiencing several hundred instances of racking the slide. I've particularly noticed this on tiny mouse guns. Can't imagine magazine springs would be much different, unless they're made significantly tougher to withstand more usage. The point being, I'm betting that even with hundreds of cycles, which I've done on a handful of pistols, no ill effects should surface. That said, I'm pretty much a stickler for general maintenance on my pistols, including replacement of basic springs. So, where the weakening point is, I have no idea. Never been there, given the maintenance regimen.
 
#10 ·
I was taught that keeping them full was not harmful to the springs.

I was also taught that rotating the ammo in magazines occasionally helped to ensure fresher ammo and also was not harmful to springs.

That's pretty much the way I've done it. On a couple of pistols, I've had a handful of spare magazines fully loaded for years (with occasional rotation to 'duty'). No ill effects so far. Of course, these have both been full-sized pistols, not compacts or mouse guns. Unknown whether the effect would be similar on those, but I don't see why it would be much different.

One thing I've found is that several different pistols have responded favorably via softening up the slide pull after experiencing several hundred instances of racking the slide. I've particularly noticed this on tiny mouse guns. Can't imagine magazine springs would be much different, unless they're made significantly tougher to withstand more usage. The point being, I'm betting that even with hundreds of cycles, which I've done on a handful of pistols, no ill effects should surface. That said, I'm pretty much a stickler for general maintenance on my pistols, including replacement of basic springs. So, where the weakening point is, I have no idea. Never been there, given the maintenance regimen.
I do this.

I keep them full, and when I go to the range shoot them empty, then fill them again, just to feel like I'm rotating the ammo a little bit. Kind of the cook in me I guess, using the older goods first and running through the inventory.
 
#12 ·
Wolfe Springs says not to, they will take more of a set; the latest issue of American Rifleman Technical Answers and Questions section says no for the same reason, it can weaken the spring more than sitting in its extended position, and to rotate from time to time.

I can understand the compressed spring taking a set; that loading/reloading weakens the springs faster. My thoughts are to keep a few loaded, rotating on occasion, and let the long-term extras sit at "rest." I keep the one in my gun full, my spares a round or two short. when I carry, they're full.

If you only have a couple of mags, keep them loaded and look to buying a few extras. If you've got a shelf full of mags, you should have time to load as needed. Mag springs are cheap; in in doubt-change them out. But your mags, do as you feel best.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mg27
#13 ·
My CCL instructor told the class to rotate mag's every month, so, that is what I am doing. I am not an expert so I surely don't know if that is correct or not but since in the habit I do it. He also said practice each month and use one year old ammo up and replace. Don't know if that is necessary or not either. I have to say I look forward to my monthly range time however. :blink:
 
#15 ·
Ditto. The only good magazine is one that is loaded.
 
#18 ·
It ruins the spring and causes double feeds or failure to feed.


No spell-check with Tapatalk, sorry.
 
#19 ·
No ! Its bad to not keep it fully loaded, im telling u something mike, thebad guys are prepared and fully loaded you better be also, when that time comes and ur face to face u better be ready to face the fear cause they are(bad guy) and there coming fully laoded no doubt.
 
#20 ·
I wonder why anyone would keep their extra mags anything less than full. I keep the extra mag I carry full. I never know what could happen. Of course I keep myself out of easy to identify places I could be harmed but that isn't good enough. The local Burger King could be a place I could be hurt. We have to be prepared. This is the very reason we carry in the first place.
 
#21 ·
From Larry Seecamp...
Does keeping a magazine loaded weaken the magazine spring?

I had an extra Glock 27 magazine fully loaded for over a decade. When I sold the gun to a friend, he took it to the range and tried it out. It functioned flawlessly and still works to this day after thousands of rounds.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 65108
#25 ·
Like others on here, I like to load one less than capacity, but not because I'm worried about springs. I load "one down" so that if I change mags and unload the gun (say, to use ball for practice), I don't have to put the "extra" round out of the chamber in a shirt or pants pocket! ha ha

As for spring tension, I agree that compressing and depressing does more harm than keeping a mag loaded. I've heard of fully charged GI mags being left over from WW2 and still functioning fine.
 
#27 ·
Actually Wolff Gun Springs suggests downloading double stack magazines by one or two rounds for long term storage and that single stack mags can remain fully stoked.

Don't shoot me...I'm only the messenger. The info is printed on their Frequently Asked Questions page.
 
#29 ·
I've researched this and the best answer is "probably not". I have 3 mags for each gun and remove all SD ammo when I go to the range. I load all 3 and then shoot till they are empty...usually reload them and shoot again. Then I load my SD ammo back into them. They get exercised that way.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top