[Nova]

Do you leave your magazines empty until you bring them to the range, or do you fill them up with range ammo ahead of time? Or, do you fill them all up with carry ammo?

I've got 8 magazines for my XD and I'm debating whether it is necessary to have more than 2 carry magazines - one in the gun, one in the spare mag holder. Maybe two for the car?

Is it bad for the ammo if you leave it in a magazine for too long? I'm worried about leaving a mag in the car and then the ammo not working when it is needed.

 

[RETSUPT99]

I have 8 mags for my Glock-36...4 are always full...same for my Kimbers.:22a:

 

[Guns and more]

I leave mine empty, except for a home defense magazine.
I think I'm in the minority. It doesn't hurt the magazine to be loaded, it's the spring being compressed then uncompressed over and over that hurts the spring.
As far as the ammo, I wouldn't leave it in the hot car, but other than that, it should be good. Realize that cops carry in all sorts of weather, rarely, if ever shoot their weapons, and the ammo seems to survive.

 

[nutz4utwo]

I mix and match when I load them for range use. I often load snap caps too.

When it is really really cold, i load at home. Fingers are not so nimble when it is 8 degrees.

 

[tmizzi]

I keep all mags loaded at all times. They get cycled at the range at least every couple of weeks. Guns get cleaned and mags get reloaded like clock work. I only keep 2 mags loaded for each gun I carry on a regular basis with SD ammo. The rest of the mags are loaded with range ammo.

As far as the vehicle ... I wouln't worry about it. Only way that ammo is going to go boom is if shot or exposed to a fire. Car temps (even in extreamly hot places) are not going to cause a problem.

 

[grady]

I've taken to loading more and more of mine and placing them where they may do me some good in a time of need: some in the vehicle, some in the bedroom, some in the basement where I dress for outings.

If I want empty mags, I'm going to need to buy more.

 

[ArmyCop]

Normal carry - I have two for my Taurus PT145. I only load and carry one. I plan on a monthly rotation. If / when I get 4 mags - then I'll load and maybe carry two at a time and rotate them monthly.

 

[Ram Rod]

Do you leave your magazines empty until you bring them to the range, or do you fill them up with range ammo ahead of time? Or, do you fill them all up with carry ammo?

I've got 8 magazines for my XD and I'm debating whether it is necessary to have more than 2 carry magazines - one in the gun, one in the spare mag holder. Maybe two for the car?

Is it bad for the ammo if you leave it in a magazine for too long? I'm worried about leaving a mag in the car and then the ammo not working when it is needed.

Generally, I'll leave my mags empty until time to deploy. If I and the wife are going to a match the next day, then I will fill them all the night before. For my EDC, I have one fully loaded magazine in the pistol, and one fully loaded for spare. I rotate carry magazines periodically. Leaving ammo in the mag for an extended period of time doesn't seem to be much of an issue. If it is for you, then I might suggest doing a monthly regimen of downloading from carried mags to fresh mags. Most of us here have already been down the magazine spring myths/facts. Too long? That seems to be the question, and quite frankly, if you think your magazines have been loaded for too long, then you might ought to follow up on it. This gives you peace of mind on one hand, and not having to sort out fact from fiction on the other. In other words...do what makes you feel comfortable in your world. That's the whole deal no matter what anyone else says you should do.

 

[Ragin Cajun]

I just keep the ones I use and carry loaded. My other mags are kept as spares.

 

[rhinokrk]

The only time you'll find an empty mag at my house is after a range trip, before cleaning and reloading.

 

[cmdrdredd]

The mags for my home defense sidearm are loaded (2 of em) and the mags for my carry gun are loaded (2 of em) the rest are empty.

 

[CenCal]

I usually don't carry an extra mag with my full size auto, but when I carry a small pocket auto as a primary, I like to have a loaded spare magazine with me.

I "cycle" my magazines about every other week with the spares sitting empty in the safe. Doesn't hurt to blow them out with the computer air cans just keep them clean.

I once left some 9mm magazines loaded for several years and the springs fatigued. When I finally decided to use the magazines and buy some new updated home defense ammo, the magazines caused failure to feed problems.

Newer materials are used these days and the springs are not supposed to fatigue, but I "rest" my magazines every other week just the same.

 

[automatic slim]

Carry mags are always full. Guns in storage have empty mags. Keeping ammo in mags won't hurt the ammo or mags.

 

[2ndsupporter]

Mine stay loaded at all times! I have done this ever since I have owned firearms and have not had any issues.

 

[Janq]

Nova your question is a two parter...

+ Transport of firearm, magazine, and ammunition as in a vehicle

As related to condition of a magazine as stowed for transport, off body, and to/from a range or where ever else.
To that end check your local and state laws but in some states transport of a loaded magazine being kept/stowed with a firearm deems that firearm to be 'loaded'. Even as the magazine and firearm are physically separate from each other, but are in the same (!) case.
I've forgotten off hand the legal definition for "unloaded" as in VA but I do know that when I was living in VA I _always_ made sure all of my magazines were as empty prior to being cased or stowed as within my vehicle as during transport to and from anywhere...when not being carried on my person.

VA Law - See items 1 through 4 as under "Carrying" in regard to transport of firearms as must being "unloaded".
http://www.nraila.org/statelawpdfs/VASL.pdf

Further Federal law indicates the following:

Transporting Firearms During Travel

Notwithstanding any state or local law, a person shall be entitled to transport a firearm from any place where he may lawfully possess and transport such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and transport such firearm if the firearm is unloaded and in the trunk. In vehicles without a trunk, the unloaded firearm shall be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.

Source - NRA-ILA ::

While the actual text of the Federal Laws in full can be found at:
U.S. Code
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 44 > Sub-Section 922. Unlawful acts
US CODE: Title 18,922. Unlawful acts


+ On/off body defensive carry of firearm, magazine, and ammunition

* Again this is a local, state, and federal laws item.
Some localities and states do not allow unsecured stowage nor storage (long term) of ammunition in areas that are unsecured, as in locked. Further several states do not allow or consider glove compartments to be secure even as they may have a locking device of some sort. Check the VA laws for this too to be absolutely sure.
Then there are the states that deem magazines to be same as a firearm or ammunition. They are rare and very much in the minority but if you happen to go visit such a state and bring your VA practices there, and get caught doing so, you could find yourself in deep water problems.

As to magazines being loaded long term or not it makes no functional difference.
What wears out a magazine is use. Same goes for magazine springs. Springs wear out from use and cycling.
While as to the ammo itself they are very much resistant to temperature hot & cold as well as simply being left alone. That should not be a problem, with quality commercial duty ammunition.


In the end I mention the above, especially that with relation to laws, so as to bring awareness.
Every state and even localities within a state may have laws and views different from some other state or locality. One size does not fit all. Where you are if you were to hop on say the Beltway as in Northern VA miss an off-ramp and wind up in MD then the mode of carry and transport you inquire about would be very much illegal. Problems.
Additionally transport and keeping of firearms, magazines, and ammunition as you inquire about would be very unlawful in my current state...Which visitors here who have not done their homework have been caught surprised toward when I mention same to them during range and training events as they come from other states.

A long read yes, but necessary....As I noted neither of these were mentioned by others prior.

$0.02 Street

- Janq

 

[Delcorbett]

Do you leave your magazines empty until you bring them to the range, or do you fill them up with range ammo ahead of time? Or, do you fill them all up with carry ammo?

I've got 8 magazines for my XD and I'm debating whether it is necessary to have more than 2 carry magazines - one in the gun, one in the spare mag holder. Maybe two for the car?

Is it bad for the ammo if you leave it in a magazine for too long? I'm worried about leaving a mag in the car and then the ammo not working when it is needed.

My range has a big ol sign out front that says absolutely no loaded mags in the store, which you have to go through to get to the range.

The heat and moisture is what will get your ammo and the oild from your skin from handling so if your not gonna use it, maze well leave it in the box.

 

[EvilMonk]

I keep mine filled all the time with defensive loads. Just makes for a "grab and go" when I'm on my way out.

If I'm going to go to the range, I exchange the ammo for plain ball.

It might be rough on the springs, but with a good brand, you won't have too much issue with the method.

 

[Majorlk]

The heat and moisture is what will get your ammo and the oild from your skin from handling so if your not gonna use it, maze well leave it in the box.

More urban myths, I'm afraid.

Unless one subjects ammo to high heat (well over what one would encounter in the average home, even in the desert) for very long periods of time, it will have little, if any, effect upon the ammo. Ask combat veterans about THEIR ammo storage conditions.

Same for moisture. Hand moisture and body oils will not damage ammo! It simply doesn't get inside the case. What oil on the case can do, is cause case setback in the chamber because the case cannot grip the cylinder wall during firing. Simply wiping the case with a dry rag solves the problem.

Modern ammo can be submerged in water with no effect. As for oils - spraying it on the inside of the primer will destroy the primer. Getting it on powder will have some effect, but that is VERY, VERY difficult to do with modern ammo.

Take a look at The Box O' Truth #39 - Oil Vs. Primers - Page 1.

 

[Janq]

Yep. ^^

Urban myth.

Ammo can be and has been stored _submerged_ in water as well as paper case civil war era shells have been literally _unearthed_ from 100+ yrs. of exposure as having been 'stored' in earth (dirt!) as through seasonal cycles and still been operational. In fact at the Springfield Armory Museum there is an exhibit showing just such a paper case find and stating as such in so many words about it's relative fireable condition.

Also back in the early stages of the Iraq war the city of NY 'discovered' a large cache of ammunition that had been dating back to prior to the end of WW2. It had been placed inside a storage area under a bridge in NYC and the doors sealed only to be forgotten about and records lost.
Some city workers unsealed the cache by cutting through the doors only to find a large cache of 50 BMG rounds sitting there. No air conditioning nor heating and it was half a decade old.
Guess what the Army did? They tested it and found it all to be functional. There was then a big article in the NYT about the find and how that ammo was being sent to Iraq for use as training ammo toward the now modern fight as within Ma Deuce equipment that had also been ressurected some with build dates going back to Korea and WW2.

I am not making this up and it is not so simply because I say it.

Modern commercially produced duty/defensive handgun and centerfire ammunition is pretty much impervious to elements including heat, cold, humidity, and most anything else mother nature can muster.

The ammo is gonna go sour/bad/expire dur to exposure to <fill in the blank> and/or time thing is one of the biggest gunfu urban legends going.

- Janq

 

[Janq]

As an adjunct to my post on Wed. about state and local laws, the following post was made the next day on Thursday as at a different and private forum (members only to view and post) in an 'Armory' area to which I am a moderator.

Note the location (Albemarle, VA) and the similarity to my post as prior:

...I was recently involved with a very considerate LEO for a minor traffic infraction (ie brake light out). During this traffic stop I had my handgun in its case on the back seat of my car. According to my understanding of Virginia's open carry laws, I am able to carry a weapon in my vehicle or on my person without permit as long as it is not in an establishment that serves alcohol and is not concealed in any fashion. During this stop the officer noticed the case and asked if a firearm occupied it. I informed him that it did and gave him permission to retrieve it. He did so after asking if it was loaded (it was not) and informed me that he was going to take it back to his car with him while he ran my license and ran the numbers on the gun. I had no problem with this at all. Upon his return he let me know that everything checked out okay and he was going to let me go with a warning to get my brake light fixed. But he also warned me that in Albemarle County it is illegal to carry a loaded weapon in your vehicle regardless if it is open carry or not. And because there were 2 magazines in the case along with the firearm (Not in the firearm) it would be considered a loaded firearm. He suggested that the magazines go in the glovebox while the firearm remained in its case in the backseat and let me leave.

I feel that it is a large responsibility to ensure that I am aware of all of the firearm laws in my state but it is a responsibility I am willing to take on due to my desire to obtain a CC in the future. However I am now concerned about what other laws I may have been overlooking that are not state laws but are local city/county laws.

My question to you Janq, what is your suggestion as to how I ensure that I have done ALL of my homework and am aware of ALL of the laws? I now feel that there are 134 new county laws and 40 independent city laws that I must now start researching and understanding in order to become a well informed citizen.

I won't carry over the whole of my response to him as it went in depth into the legality of the actions involved by both he and the officer.
I will though pass on the same links I'd provided to him as related to state and local code discussed that is applicable to instances such as this.

* Code of Virginia
§ 18.2-308. Personal protection; carrying concealed weapons; when lawful to carry.
LIS > Code of Virginia > 18.2-308

* Albemarle County Code
Sec. 10-108 Transporting loaded rifle or shotgun in vehicle.
https://www.albemarle.org/upload/im.../Albemarle_County_Code_Ch10_Offenses_Misc.pdf

And I'd also provided the OP for general purpose information the following:

Virginia 'Local Firearms Ordinances'
http://www.dgif.state.va.us/HUNTING/regulations/local-ordinances.pdf

Folks have got to think to consider and _know_ this stuff wherever they might go as with a firearm be it as carry on body or transported either as stowed such as temporarily in a trunk/glove box or long term intent stored.

Be mindful of _all_ applicable gun laws federal, state, county, and city/town.

- Janq