Loaded or unloaded, the age old question...

[Guest]

So I was pondering this the other day and there really isn't a consensus on a proper way. What I'm talking about is spring tension wear if leaving spare mags loaded for certain periods of time. My thoughts on this subject are..for my everyday carry obviously it's always loaded, but my extra mags in the safe I keep empty. With the assumption that keeping the springs compressed at all times will wear out the spring tension quicker than it's normal life span. Now if you research this subject you get all kinds of conflicting responses from LEOS to machinists, nobody really knows is what you get as a real answer. Some talk about rotation every few weeks to some rotating every 90 days to some leaving fully loaded for 8 years with no issues to some down loading from the max capacity and some saying loading and unloading often will ruin them too. Obviously we can deduce that all springs and magazines will eventually wear and need replacing but by doing it one way or another will it happen quicker or slower?? Until I see hard proof that was tested over a long enough period of time, i will continue to leave my spares empty, but curious to all ya'alls thoughts on the subject.

[RayKnobs]

Someone did a test once. A mag was left loaded for 40? years. No change in the spring.

[thughes]

I was told by a metallurgist the working a spring wears it, leaving it compressed will have no effect on it. I leave my mags fully loaded and if you own a double stack Sig or a Glock 30 you will agree that a little spring wear might be a good thing.

[Cgrutt]

I have no scientific proof but think about it like a sheet of paper. Folded or unfolded and left alone will last many years with no deterioration of the crease. However if you continue to work the fold it will eventually break. I keep mags both loaded and unloaded and don't believe it causes wear on the spring in either state.

[RandallOfLegend]

Springs do not wear due to load. They wear due to loading and unloading cycles (fatigue). Leaving magazines loaded will not cause any harm. Source: I have a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

I can read wikipedia for hours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatigue_%28material%29

[Guest]

I can read wikipedia for hours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatigue_%28material%29

Then you must have read how this goes either way in the gun world, from answers like yours to answers of Machinists saying the opposite..damned if we do damed if we don't. But I can understand both sides of the logic of this coin.

[WARFAB]

Then you must have read how this goes either way in the gun world, from answers like yours to answers of Machinists saying the opposite..damned if we do damed if we don't. But I can understand both sides of the logic of this coin.

I would tend to agree with Randall, but if there is no clear consensus then I would call spring wear a moot point and move to other considerations like: unloaded magazines are of no use to anyone who needs to use their gun.

[Guest]

move to other considerations like: unloaded magazines are of no use to anyone who needs to use their gun.

Yeah but that parts covered in the obvious, I'm just trying to see if there was knowledge of this or anyone experienced the difference between loaded and unloaded.

[Cgrutt]

IDK 4x but I'd block your car when not in use to avoid wear and tear on the suspension....

[camper4lyfe]

Springs wear out from cycling. Period.

Unless you compress a spring so much that it plastically deforms (loading a mag can't do this), the wear comes from cycling within the elastic range.

This guy has his BS in mechanical engineering.

[dwa12479]

Physics states that a spring will only wear with cycling.

Every detachable magazine that I own is fully loaded at all times. Always have been and always will be.

[Guest]

I understand the facts you guys are pointing out, but doesn't it seem like if you push the spring down and keep it like that indefinitely, I could only imagine it woul'nt wanna come back up 100% after all that time pressured down. But yea i get what everyone is saying. Thanks for all the inputs!

[Cgrutt]

Nope. Should you keep a fire extinguisher uncharged so the container doesn't blow? Water pressure in your home? Tire pressure? How about touring a but to specified ft lbds? Does connection fail over time as a result of incredible among of force exerted on the iron bolt? How about springs where their normal position is compressed? Thinking detent springs on your AR etc. Basically I'm of the school where I wouldn't worry about it lol.

Keep two nails in an envelope for a month. One straight and one bent. A month later bend them both back and forth and see which one breaks first.

[camper4lyfe]

Think about your car. Or an old car in a field. It's sitting on springs but 50 years later, it's not sitting any lower (if you factor out the rotted tires and dunking into the ground)

[Guest]

Think about your car. Or an old car in a field. It's sitting on springs but 50 years later, it's not sitting any lower (if you factor out the rotted tires and dunking into the ground)

The car analogy doesn't really fly, cause the springs are in their upper position even when sitting idol cause their so damn strong and tight..the idea of the suspension is when u hit a hole or something, the car and springs dip down thus compressing them at that moment, then they come back up to normal position. But the magazine spring is up already like the car, then crunched down when loaded, like the car hitting a hole and it staying like that indefinitely.