magazine spring life

[mavrck71]

How long will a mag spring last when kept full for a g19?

 

[bojeffnc]

I kept them loaded for about a year no problems the rule of thumb is change springs out every 2 years

 

[mavrck71]

Cool! Thanks!!!

 

[localgirl]

About four days.

 

[Oregon Vet]

They have documented WWII 1911 magazines being loaded for over sixty years and still performing fine. The only time you have to worry is if you use CHEAP/JUNK magazines. With factory mags and most makes, probably no worries leaving them loaded for 20-30 years. I have some in my safe that have been loaded for over 15 years, and not worried about them.

Ken

 

[Pir8fan]

How long will a mag spring last when kept full for a g19?

Don't know about a g19 but I've had a Ruger MkII that's had its mag loaded for over 20 years and it still works great.

 

[Grognard Gunny]

Typically, I'm given to understand through reading on the topic (including a similar thread here a few months back), that prolonged loaded condition of mags should not have an affect on their functionality.

Besides, given that I fire half of my guns on month one and the other half the next month on a rotating basis, those mags get "releaved" of burden every other month or so.

Having said that, I typically have four mags for each of my autos. One in the gun, ready to rock and roll, two loaded for back ups and one given a rest until the next time I rotate the mags (i.e. fire them out). Having that "spare" also allows you time to find a replacement if one of them goes bad. (I've only had one mag ever go bad on me. Couldn't fix it no matter how hard I tried.) So, no worries and with care, mags last much longer than the barrel lining of the weapon will.

GG

 

[Ringo]

Loading and unloading the mag a few hundred times will/could weaken the spring. Keeping the spring compressed (mag loaded), regardless of length of time has no weakening effect.

 

[Wyldekard]

When I bought a pair of Beretta 92FSs 20 years ago, they came with 10 round factory magazines, so I bought higher capacity mags too. After about 6 months, I put the loaded 10 rounders in a box. About 6 months after that I put the box in a safe place (boy was it a safe place). When I moved, 10 years later, I found them. I slapped them in the weapon and fired off the rounds with no problem. I still use them today, 10 years after the move, with no problems except the initial one. 10 rounds empties to fast!:tongue:

 

[Treo]

When I moved, 10 years later, I found them. I slapped them in the weapon and fired off the rounds with no problem.

You did go to a range first right? :biggrin:

 

[SGB]

Springs fatigue through compression and release, being compressed over long periods of time isn't going to hurt them.

 

[kelcarry]

According to bojeff the "rule of thumb" is 2 years. Whose thumb and whose rule? Mag springs weaken because of compression/decompression like all metal wiring--ya know hwo you can break a wire by twisting it back and forth---thats pretty much the same failure mode. As long as you keep your mags free of moisture (rust) they should be good pretty much forever. See the replies--mostly say the same thing.Can't hurt to change um but I would rather buy ammo and have a nice dinner every so often instead of buying mag springs.
One other thing---I would suggest that forum members should acquaint themselves with the use of the "search" feature on the forum--answers to this question have been written several times and one is fairly recent.

 

[tuts40]

Loading and unloading the mag a few hundred times will/could weaken the spring. Keeping the spring compressed (mag loaded), regardless of length of time has no weakening effect.

I asked this very question a couple of years ago at another forum. A structural engineer or such answered with what boiled down to the above answer by Ringo. It's not the compression that weakens the spring over time, it's the movement of being compressed and released...

 

[sgtbill]

I have had my Smith & Wesson model #469 Mag's fully loaded with 12 rounds of 9 MM ammo for over 35 year's. The only time the get unloaded is when I am shooting them but then they are reloaded again right away. This is my weapon that I keep in my truck at all times along with 2 spare mag's even tho I will have my Walther PK380 on my hip loaded with 95 grain Speer Gold Dot hollow point ammo.
Bill

 

[NavyLCDR]

How long will a mag spring last when kept full for a g19?

The only absolute 100% correct answer that anyone can give you is:

until it breaks.

 

[Treo]

The only absolute 100% correct answer that anyone can give you is:

until it breaks.

Nope, what you need to do is buy 14 magazines for it (2 for each day) and rotate them out every day so the magazine spring will "rest".

Also, you need to download the magazine by 5 or 6 rounds so you don't "over compress" the spring.

(Some one was going to post it, might as well be me :biggrin: )

 

[mavrck71]

Lol! Thanks for all the info!!!

 

[Wyldekard]

You did go to a range first right? :biggrin:

In a way, I'm lucky I don't have to go to a range. The only one I know of within a 60 mile round trip is private and has a waiting list longer than I'll probably be alive! At that time it was just out the back door and shoot at a target on a huge tree. Since then I've put some work into it and I've got an outside setup that allows me to practice a lot of real world situations. The drawback is the weather. Winter in Iowa can take some of the fun out of it!:laugh: