Rotating out magazines

horse2water · January 29th, 2009, 08:35 PM

How frequently do you rotate out your magazines? I have two that pretty much stay loaded all the time in my EDC. One in the gun and one spare.
Is constant compression of the magazine spring a problem?

frankmako · January 29th, 2009, 10:09 PM

i use to rotate mags about once a month. now once a quarter. sometimes longer. with what they make springs out of these days i don't think you have to do it. i got some p3at mags that stay loaded all the time. the only time they get unloaded is when i shoot the ammo out. never had a mag problem in three years with them. in 1979 in germany we had 1960's m16 mags that were loaded and sealed. we open them up and they all worked well.

torgo1968 · January 30th, 2009, 12:28 AM

It doesn't sound intuitive, but springs aren't suffering wear when they are compressed, nor when they are relaxed. They only wear when they cycle between the two states. I'm not nearly informed enough to know if there are other legitimate reasons to cycle magazines, but spring wear isn't one of them.

Ram Rod · January 30th, 2009, 12:31 AM

I rotate magazines whenever I think about it or whenever I shoot them up. No big deal, not much worry here.

horse2water · January 30th, 2009, 07:41 PM

Thanks. sounds like I'm good just switching them out once in a while . Appreciate the feedback.

QKShooter · January 30th, 2009, 08:08 PM

According to Wolff Gunsprings single-stack magazines can stay fully loaded all the time.
Large capacity double-stack mags should be unloaded by one or two rounds for long term storage.

C9H13NO3 · January 30th, 2009, 08:42 PM

I use all my mags at the range, so I don't really rotate them, its just kind of random which ones I carry with after I shoot. The springs get cycled at least once a week. I do keep them numbered though, so I can note any malfunctions and fix them when I get home. I have 14 AR mags now, so I don't really use them all at the range. I rotate out which ones I keep loaded though, usually 2 at a time.

budokaitd · January 30th, 2009, 09:18 PM

Once a week, religously. Carry gun and HD guns.

January 29th, 2009, 08:35 PM	#1
horse2water New Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kingston, Tennessee Posts: 13	Rotating out magazines How frequently do you rotate out your magazines? I have two that pretty much stay loaded all the time in my EDC. One in the gun and one spare. Is constant compression of the magazine spring a problem?

January 29th, 2009, 10:09 PM	#2
frankmako VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Parts Unknown Posts: 2,488	i use to rotate mags about once a month. now once a quarter. sometimes longer. with what they make springs out of these days i don't think you have to do it. i got some p3at mags that stay loaded all the time. the only time they get unloaded is when i shoot the ammo out. never had a mag problem in three years with them. in 1979 in germany we had 1960's m16 mags that were loaded and sealed. we open them up and they all worked well. __________________ An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject. Red State State of Mind

January 30th, 2009, 12:31 AM	#4
Ram Rod VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: crawford county, arkansas Posts: 8,807	I rotate magazines whenever I think about it or whenever I shoot them up. No big deal, not much worry here. __________________ RamRod-----sans remords live, eat, breathe, sleep Glock

January 30th, 2009, 08:08 PM	#6
QKShooter Assistant Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Off Of The X Posts: 23,476	According to Wolff Gunsprings single-stack magazines can stay fully loaded all the time. Large capacity double-stack mags should be unloaded by one or two rounds for long term storage. __________________ Liberty/Tyranny ___________________________ Ain't That A Shame! Be Happy! *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OG3u...1&feature=fvwp*

January 30th, 2009, 08:42 PM	#7
C9H13NO3 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 1,188	I use all my mags at the range, so I don't really rotate them, its just kind of random which ones I carry with after I shoot. The springs get cycled at least once a week. I do keep them numbered though, so I can note any malfunctions and fix them when I get home. I have 14 AR mags now, so I don't really use them all at the range. I rotate out which ones I keep loaded though, usually 2 at a time. __________________ -Ryan All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

January 30th, 2009, 12:28 AM	#3
torgo1968 Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 152	It doesn't sound intuitive, but springs aren't suffering wear when they are compressed, nor when they are relaxed. They only wear when they cycle between the two states. I'm not nearly informed enough to know if there are other legitimate reasons to cycle magazines, but spring wear isn't one of them.

January 30th, 2009, 07:41 PM	#5
horse2water New Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kingston, Tennessee Posts: 13	Thanks. sounds like I'm good just switching them out once in a while . Appreciate the feedback.

January 30th, 2009, 09:18 PM	#8
budokaitd Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Boone County, MO Posts: 102	Once a week, religously. Carry gun and HD guns. __________________ Join the NRA and Gun Owners of America.

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