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Hey guys,
I recently ordered three more magazines for my M&P9, bring my total to 5. I keep one loaded in the trunk of my car (along with first aid, warm coat, food water, etc) two in my home gun safe, and carry two with me. My question is, is it harmful to the magazines to leave them loaded 24/7?
Thanks!
In a word, No.
Well then, in a word, thanks! Lol.
I would watch any kept in the car trunk for rust on the body, if you aren't rotating them through positions.
I live in the NM desert, where it's 10% humidity! But you are right, I will check it, thank you Sheepdog.
The mags will be fine...Just make sure you replace the ammo twice a year
Nati-
Replace as in fire them at the range, or replace them with fresh rounds from my "mini-armory" (hehe) and return them to my ammo stores?
Don't you just love that M&P? Heck he even has M&P in his name! haha
Replace them as in fire them...When they are exposed to the elements and going from hot to cold to hot to cold repeatedly it can start to effect the powder if there's any condensation and reduce the reliability of your ammo. The mags you keep in your house assuming it's a relatively constant temperature all year aren't going to be effected very much but in your truck and on your person should definitely be shot and replaced.
Then how do you explain that military ammo can be decades old, stored under adverse conditions, and still fire? The idea that moisture destroys ammo is left over from black powder days. Modern smokeless powder does not absorb water. You can take raw powder, put it in a bucket of water for a few days, then dry it out and it will burn just fine. Ammo is essentially airtight and water tight.Quote:
Originally Posted by natimage
There is no compelling reason to rotate ammo in a magazine. Your scenario of going from hot to cold to hot to cold in the average trunk isn't realistic. Any temperature change is gradual and has little, if any effect upon ammo. The worst that can happen is if you shoot ammo that's been in a 140 degree trunk for several hours before letting it cool down is an increase in pressure.
Contrary to a lot of the nonsense posted on the Internet, ammo simply isn't fragile or easily damaged by the elements.
What I can tell you from working in the LE supply industry and conversations I've had with ATK ballistics experts is that it's recommended to change your ammo out twice a year...might that be a little over cautious? Probably, but you should shoot your SD ammo every once in a while anyhow so putting two mags through of SD ammo a couple times a year is good to do anyways. Again, do whatever you'd like to do, but for me...I'm changing my ammo out at least once a year and most likely twice a year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Majorlk
Oh, I agree completely that you should shoot what you carry and using what's in the magazines a couple of times a year is a good way to do it, but there is no other reason to do so, certainly not from any mythical deterioration of the ammo. Last week I opened a case of 9mm range ammo I loaded in 1984; same velocity (chronographed) as when I loaded it.Quote:
Originally Posted by natimage
When I store my autos in the safe, I keep the mags loaded, but shy one round just to relax the spring a tad. Does it do anything worth a hoot, :dunno:, but it makes me feel better about having ammo ready on the fly.
The M&P9c is a awesome pistol... Love mine.:bier:
As a novice to things concerning ammo and mag springs I just feel better rotating my loaded mag's and firing off the carry ammo every few months. I realize now that it is not necessary but I don't see myself changing my habits. It just makes me feel better so I will continue but thanks for the information.
Frank.
There's nothing the matter with that; I do it, too, as do probably the majority of people who shoot on a regular basis. It's the only valid reason to do so. Ammo in a magazine doesn't "go bad" any more than it does sitting in a box on a shelf. Neither does leaving it in a magazine hurt the magazine spring. There are only two times my magazines (all 40 of them) are empty - the time it takes me to reload them after shooting and the time (about every 500 rounds or so) that I blow them out with an air compressor and give them a squirt of DRY graphite.Quote:
Originally Posted by helderberg