Magazine Springs

[AFVet]

How often do you guys rotate your home protection pistol / EDC pistol Mags to keep from wearing out the springs ? I swap mine out about every 2 -3 months. Is that too long ?
My main concern is because my wife and I will be the hosts at one of the campgrounds in the White Mountains this year so the magazine / s, will be loaded for 6 months straight.
Thanks in advance for advice / knowledge on this. Paul

 

[snax]

I thought it was the cycling that wore them out, being under constant compression is ok

 

[kalash]

Every 2-3 months?!?!? I don't even do it every three years! Your springs will easily last several thousand rounds!

 

[DW357]

what the??...Every 2-3 months?! As snax said, its the cycling that wears them out - not sure when they'll "wear out" depending on the manufacturer/use etc.

I've got mecgar CZ mags that I've been using for 5+ years with constant use - well over 10k rounds and I've never replaced the mag springs.

I replace my recoil spring every year but that's about it.

 

[DW357]

How often do you guys rotate your home protection pistol / EDC pistol Mags to keep from wearing out the springs ? I swap mine out about every 2 -3 months. Is that too long ?
My main concern is because my wife and I will be the hosts at one of the campgrounds in the White Mountains this year so the magazine / s, will be loaded for 6 months straight.
Thanks in advance for advice / knowledge on this. Paul

I'd like to know what you're encountering that makes you think you're wearing out the springs??

 

[paul73]

I replace my recoil spring every year

why? do you see actual deterioration of any functions to get it replaced?

 

[bigbravehog]

Never. I refill only after emptying

 

[DW357]

why? do you see actual deterioration of any functions to get it replaced?

I use a CGW 11# spring and after many thousands of rounds, the slide feels sluggish when chambering a round. I also notice some additional muzzle flip which sometimes causes the POI to be a little higher (not that much honestly). So I just replace it each year as easy/cheap maintenance item.

I think it may be less noticeable if you're running heavier springs?

 

[paul73]

I use a CGW 11# spring and after many thousands of rounds, the slide feels sluggish when chambering a round. I also notice some additional muzzle flip which sometimes causes the POI to be a little higher (not that much honestly). So I just replace it each year as easy/cheap maintenance item.

I think it may be less noticeable if you're running heavier springs?

it is just springs ike that are used in a regular machinery and are typically should be good for at least half mil action cycles, if not more. so i just was genuinely curious if you do see any actual deterioration there, and if so - good to know.

 

[MAJoe]

Considering old GI AR prebans cycle fine and have probably seen more rounds than all my magazines combined, it’s not really a real issue to worry about.

As others said, it’s the cycling of compressing and decompressing that wears them, not sitting in a fixed state. Remember that the springs are always under tension, even if unloaded. They’re never sitting in a relaxed state.

 

[cams]

Every 3 months?! That’s nuts. I’ve never changed out my mag springs and they still work fine, some loaded up for years and stored that way. I do take them out to inspect everything and wipe them down occasionally but that’s it.

OP keeping the Springs Company in business!

 

[facecrime]

To make them truly not wear you need to disassemble the mags to relieve any tension on the spring

 

[Rick O'Shea]

I'll change them after a home invasion,..

 

[Len-2A Training]

I thought it was the cycling that wore them out, being under constant compression is ok

You are correct.

I have magazines that have been loaded for over 20 years, and they still work perfectly

A Lt.Col. on the old AR15 E-list found some VN era loaded mags that he still had . . . they had sat loaded for >20 yrs and were perfectly fine.

 

[MadatMarek]

Forget the springs never advertise on any media where you will be

 

[APFSDS]

At my last job we made parts for nuclear power plants. There were springs that were compressed and heat-soaked for years exposed to gamma and neutron radiation, plus tritated water (water with tritium in it--hydrogen causes embrittlement in steel) and boric acid. They still worked fine. Fatigue is what makes springs fail or lose their spring rate. Springs made from proper spring material and at room temp will not creep or lose their spring rate to any meaningful degree as long as we are talking a timescale that matters to humans (i.e., a couple hundred years or less).

Polymer magazine bodies, on the other hand, DO creep at room temp, but spring back a little when unloaded. P-mags and such will swell out when loaded and be hard to load into a rifle or pistol. I haven't had feed lips deform enough to matter, but I guess it's possible. I like metal or metal lined mags for this reason.

 

[Picton]

OP's last name is "Wolff..."

/s

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

At my last job we made parts for nuclear power plants. There were springs that were compressed and heat-soaked for years exposed to gamma and neutron radiation, plus tritated water (water with tritium in it--hydrogen causes embrittlement in steel) and boric acid. They still worked fine. Fatigue is what makes springs fail or lose their spring rate. Springs made from proper spring material and at room temp will not creep or lose their spring rate to any meaningful degree as long as we are talking a timescale that matters to humans (i.e., a couple hundred years or less).

Polymer magazine bodies, on the other hand, DO creep at room temp, but spring back a little when unloaded. P-mags and such will swell out when loaded and be hard to load into a rifle or pistol. I haven't had feed lips deform enough to matter, but I guess it's possible. I like metal or metal lined mags for this reason.

I think this thread is done now, as no one is out science'ing this one.

 

[Broc]

Can someone tell me how to wear out the mag springs, some mags are a royal pain to load.

 

[paul73]

Can someone tell me how to wear out the mag springs, some mags are a royal pain to load.

none of gen5 glock ones got any lighter after sitting loaded almost all the time or cycling. last 10th round is total b$tch to push in.

 

[Broc]

none of gen5 glock ones got any lighter after sitting loaded almost all the time or cycling. last 10th round is total b$tch to push in.

Yup. Same with SIG mags, even my PPS that I bought around 2012, those mags are still a PITA and that was my CCW.

 

[Uzi2]

Never.

 

[AHM]

To make them truly not wear you need to disassemble the mags to relieve any tension on the spring

None of my mags have any tension whatsoever on the springs.

 

[G4Y4HK]

Yup. Same with SIG mags, even my PPS that I bought around 2012, those mags are still a PITA and that was my CCW.

They just want to make sure you can't force-squeeze in an eleventh round by accident. If you can somehow get 11 rounds in a democrat-safe 10 round cuck mag, you're going straight to prison hahaha

 

[Cur]

I thought it was the cycling that wore them out, being under constant compression is ok

This is correct.

 

[kalash]

Can someone tell me how to wear out the mag springs, some mags are a royal pain to load.

1. Grow a pair.
2. Toughen up.
3. Try working with your hands.
4. ???
5. Load mags.

 

[paul73]

1. Grow a pair.
2. Toughen up.
3. Try working with your hands.
4. ???
5. Load mags.

Amazon product ASIN B07NYB5Q55View: https://www.amazon.com/Glock-Magazine-Speed-Loader-357/dp/B07NYB5Q55

 

[Spartan65]

How often do you guys rotate your home protection pistol / EDC pistol Mags to keep from wearing out the springs ? I swap mine out about every 2 -3 months. Is that too long ?
My main concern is because my wife and I will be the hosts at one of the campgrounds in the White Mountains this year so the magazine / s, will be loaded for 6 months straight.
Thanks in advance for advice / knowledge on this. Paul

In to find out what campground so the the wife, the little one and I can book there this summer.

 

[PeterC]

I have magazines that have been loaded for over 20 years, and they still work perfectly

I'm still using the 2 original magazines that came with my S&W Model 41 in 1987. Keep em clean (enough. lol) and they're still working fine.

 

[MisterHappy]

I have magazines that have been loaded for over 20 years, and they still work perfectly

My late dad had a Woodman that he kept loaded, for who knows how long.

Spring "wore out" or fatigued, so that rounds 9 and 10 will not feed.

I know that this is contrary to the popular opinion. YMMV