# Magazine question



## Maltsy (Oct 19, 2010)

How long/often do you take the personal protection ammo out of your magazine? do i need to worry about how long it is kept in there? will the springs go bad if i don't take the ammo out every so often? I'm farily new to handguns and still learning. Thanks.


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

Springs wear from repeated cycling, not from remaining in a compressed state. Leaving a magazine loaded will not weaken the spring.

I have 5 mags for each gun, of which at least 2 have SD ammo in them. I'll fire a mag full at the range once a month so that I remember what to expect from it. This also allows me to switch mags so they all get about the same amount of use at the range.


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## Maltsy (Oct 19, 2010)

*Thanks*

Thank you for your reply. I apprecaite it.


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## DanP_from_AZ (May 8, 2009)

bruce333 said:


> Springs wear from repeated cycling, not from remaining in a compressed state. Leaving a magazine loaded will not weaken the spring.


What Bruce said. Assuming "reasonable" quality springs. :smt1099

I bought my Beretta 92 FS Centurion (slightly shorter barrel) in 1992. It came with two magazines.
The gun was made in Italy, so I assume the magazines and their springs were Italian, or at least
sourced in Europe.

The gun mag and spare magazine have sat around fully loaded for 18 years. The mags have seen a
considerable amount of range (and non range) firing sessions which "exercised" the mag springs.
I alternate the mags when shooting.

Both mags have always been loaded with PD ammo when I'm not actually out shooting.
The gun still "eats" any kind of ammo I can feed it. Even including gun show reloads.

The only "failure" to ever occur was after I had left it sitting in my gun safe for several years. 
I took it out because my lady friend wanted to fire it. We both got a couple of smokestacks
per 10 rounds. I "imagined" several causes. No. The problem was me.

It was just my fault. A good cleaning and proper lubing, and it's been running perfectly ever since.
Your Mileage May Vary.

That lube failure makes a good "hint" at cleaning and lubing your nightstand or CCW guns once in a while. :mrgreen:


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## SMann (Dec 11, 2008)

Leaving magazines fully loaded doesn't hurt the spring, however some would argue leaving a plastic magazine, like a Glock magazine, fully loaded all the time can cause the mag to swell. Also, trying to insert a fully loaded mag into a weapon that has the bolt or slide forward can be difficult. Downloading magazines by one or two rounds depending on capacity of the mag will solve both problems. Try loading your weapon with a full mag while the slide is forward and see if it's an issue with your particular weapon, if you don't already know.


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## Maltsy (Oct 19, 2010)

*Thanks*

Thanks alot for all the responses. Very useful tips. I really appreciate all the responses.

thanks,

Luke


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