Loaded mags

[Sacerdote]

Is there a problem with keeping 20 and 30 round mags loaded with ammo? Does it hurt the mag springs? Old school says yes.......but not sure

[Kid Sopris]

What hurts the springs is the Constant loading and unloading.....

[William B.]

What hurts the springs is the Constant loading and unloading.....

I'm no metallurgist, but that's what I've always heard, too. I have left good condition GI M16 mags loaded for several months at a time and they still worked when I needed them. The only magazine spring issues I've ever had were with worn out M9 magazines whose springs weren't strong enough to feed rounds into the weapon. Those were issued mags though, so there's no telling how long they had been in our armory or how many rounds they'd had through them without being properly maintained.

Duty magazines should always (unless they're collectibles or something) be viewed as disposable items. At the first sign of trouble either throw it out and replace, buy a rebuild kit, or use it as a training aid for malfunction drills.

[dfariswheel]

Some aluminum AR/M16 magazines may spread apart at the feed lips if left loaded long term.
Someone makes a gauge to check this.

I have a military surplus 30 round mag that's been loaded for at least 10 years. I've measured the feed lips and compared them to a new magazine and it's the same
Someday I'll take it out and shoot it. I'm betting it'll work fine.

[William B.]

Wow! Make sure to post a thread here about it when you do. Seriously.