The Accurate Reloading Forums
AR magazines
21 July 2010, 07:40
PokerplayerAR magazines
does anyone have first hand knowlege about how long magazines loaded to an 80% fill can be kept in storage without reliability problems?
21 July 2010, 07:44
GrenadierI have had no noticeable reliability problems with 30rnd magazines filled with 28rds for up to 90 days. Never tried it any longer.
.
21 July 2010, 09:55
N E 450 No2I recently shot some aluminium AR magazines that had been loaded for over 20 years.
No problems.
DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY
21 July 2010, 20:41
butchlocquote:
I recently shot some aluminium AR magazines that had been loaded for over 20 years.
+1
24 July 2010, 23:45
Antelope SniperI had some loaded 10 years, and they still functioned fine.
01 August 2010, 00:57
jetdrvrquote:
Originally posted by butchloc:
quote:
I recently shot some aluminium AR magazines that had been loaded for over 20 years.
+1
Yep.
01 August 2010, 07:19
ChetNCMag springs with the correct spring steel in them do not have problems at all when left loaded for long periods and stored under decent conditions.
Springs lose their strength as they are compressed and released, compressed or decompressed beyond their normal shape, or when heat is applied.
Your car wears springs when it is driven, not when it is sitting in the garage (even though they are still under load). Mags work the same way. It's the number of compression cycles, not a single compression, that wears them out.
There is no reason to store them at 80%, 90%, or 99%. Store 'em full if at all. My father-in-law gave me a loaded 20rnd Colt mag he found in his gear from '71 or so. I fired it off around '99 and had no issues with it or the ammo in it.
The caveat is that feed lips on most firearm magazines are not spring steel. They can be deformed or stretched over time although it is usually from use not storage.
Check out Magpul's Pmag if you want to store a loaded mag or two. They come with a cover that pushes the top round slightly below the feed lips so the are not under load while the cover is attached. The cover also serves as a gauge to check feed lip spread when you take it off and flip it over.
01 August 2010, 21:08
45/70 ThumperDo not assume all AR magazines are created equal. Some ( Okay/NHTMG/Brownells ) meet USGI specs completely....while others still function quite well, but may use slightly cheaper componants...(springs/thinner metal/not tempered right....)
Anyway , with a good quality USGI mag, you should have no issues.
30 August 2010, 05:03
homebrewerI have just recently discovered the Pmag from Magpul. Nice. The
click you hear when it clicks into the magazine catch is so satisfying. The thing is constructed with internal guides that control the round all the way from bottom to feed lips. If we had had these in Vietnam, many more boys would have made it home. And many more Charlie and Cong would not have made it home.
31 August 2010, 05:03
DaManI agree with those who say mags can be left loaded for years and will still funtion perfectly.
If you are worried about it, buy some extra Wolff or Brownell springs and swap mag springs every once in a while.
31 August 2010, 07:38
perryIf it is a real worry to someone just keep 3 stripper clips loaded next to your mag.
Perry
31 August 2010, 21:10
Antelope Sniperquote:
Posted Aug 30, 8:38 PM Hide Post
If it is a real worry to someone just keep 3 stripper clips loaded next to your mag.
Some folks probably don't want to be fumbling with stripper clips in the middle of the night!
01 September 2010, 03:42
BISCUTquote:
Originally posted by ChetNC:
Mag springs with the correct spring steel in them do not have problems at all when left loaded for long periods and stored under decent conditions.
Springs lose their strength as they are compressed and released, compressed or decompressed beyond their normal shape, or when heat is applied.
Your car wears springs when it is driven, not when it is sitting in the garage (even though they are still under load). Mags work the same way. It's the number of compression cycles, not a single compression, that wears them out.
There is no reason to store them at 80%, 90%, or 99%. Store 'em full if at all. My father-in-law gave me a loaded 20rnd Colt mag he found in his gear from '71 or so. I fired it off around '99 and had no issues with it or the ammo in it.
The caveat is that feed lips on most firearm magazines are not spring steel. They can be deformed or stretched over time although it is usually from use not storage.
Check out Magpul's Pmag if you want to store a loaded mag or two. They come with a cover that pushes the top round slightly below the feed lips so the are not under load while the cover is attached. The cover also serves as a gauge to check feed lip spread when you take it off and flip it over.
Give that man a cigar!!!!!! WOODS????????
Either load em and keep em loaded....for good! or keep em unloaded. Compressing for a while and then lettign them sit for a while uncompressed is what causes spring fatigue.
Few years ago my dept. switched from Glock 17 to Glock 22. We had original magazines, 15+ years of service compressed the whole time. They still functioned just fine.
08 September 2010, 22:47
Temboquote:
Originally posted by homebrewer:
I have just recently discovered the Pmag from Magpul. Nice. The click you hear when it clicks into the magazine catch is so satisfying. The thing is constructed with internal guides that control the round all the way from bottom to feed lips. If we had had these in Vietnam, many more boys would have made it home. And many more Charlie and Cong would not have made it home.
+1 on the PMag. Definately a good product.
______________________
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09 September 2010, 04:10
Collinsquote:
Originally posted by DaMan:
I agree with those who say mags can be left loaded for years and will still funtion perfectly.
If you are worried about it, buy some extra Wolff or Brownell springs and swap mag springs every once in a while.
Agreed, Like every 20 years
I have C mags and P mags loaded and have no issue with keeping them that way forever
10 September 2010, 12:00
RyanBUSE PMAGS. Also, download by two so that you don't have issues locking them in under a closed bolt. And push/pull to make sure they stay in.
11 September 2010, 22:17
jetdrvrGreat advice. I keep buying them, replacing my older steel mags. They work.
11 September 2010, 23:15
Collinsjust as an FYI, I'd download by an uneven number. A full mag always feeds from the Right. seeing a bullet on the left might be a good reminder of a mag not quite full...
My $0.02
19 September 2010, 23:09
RyanBARC mags feed from the left. When press checking, drop the mag and confirm the round is now on the other side.
28 September 2010, 01:50
doubledownIMHO, David Tubbs CS springs are "the best" magazine springs. check them out.
http://www.davidtubb.com/tcom_...ges/cs_magazine.html29 September 2010, 21:27
sam308I have several Magpul P-Mags that stay loaded for months at a time and then get reloaded and put back into storage for the next time they will be used. Have never had a malfunction with one. I do use the clip-on dust cover and load them with 30 rounds. The P-Mags are the best out there IMO. The ones with the round indicator window are even better!
