Semi-auto Pistol Magazines

[Bird]

We've talked about pistols and ammo, so I thought I'd mention something else for which there seems to be differing opinions. When I started in law enforcement 45 years ago, we were issued revolvers and I think nearly all law enforcement agencies used revolvers. However, our officers were permitted to carry semi-auto pistols as long as they were .38 caliber or larger and made by Smith & Wesson or Colt. I can remember officers who were carrying semi-autos being warned to have spare magazines (or clips, as they were usually called back then) and to rotate them regularly and frequently because leaving them loaded would weaken springs and cause the gun to malfunction.

Now many years later, much has changed, and I find a number of places on the Internet that say that's hog wash; that you can leave the magazines loaded for months and even years. Having recently bought a new Sig Sauer P229DAK, today I sent an e-mail question to Sig Sauer asking what they recommend. The answer I got back was, "We recommend swapping full magazines every 30 days."

This is just for your information.

[Robert_in_NY]

Originally Posted by Bird

We've talked about pistols and ammo, so I thought I'd mention something else for which there seems to be differing opinions. When I started in law enforcement 45 years ago, we were issued revolvers and I think nearly all law enforcement agencies used revolvers. However, our officers were permitted to carry semi-auto pistols as long as they were .38 caliber or larger and made by Smith & Wesson or Colt. I can remember officers who were carrying semi-autos being warned to have spare magazines (or clips, as they were usually called back then) and to rotate them regularly and frequently because leaving them loaded would weaken springs and cause the gun to malfunction.

Now many years later, much has changed, and I find a number of places on the Internet that say that's hog wash; that you can leave the magazines loaded for months and even years. Having recently bought a new Sig Sauer P229DAK, today I sent an e-mail question to Sig Sauer asking what they recommend. The answer I got back was, "We recommend swapping full magazines every 30 days."

This is just for your information.

Thanks for the info Bird. I haven't shot my Glock much this last year but will take it out this weekend and empty the magaizines

[bigtiller]

30 days is what the dealer told me also when I bought my SR9.

[valley]

Never even thought of that! I've had the same mag in my Astra 9mm since 72 or earler. I may have swapped them when I emptied a mag once or twice in that time. It makes sence though. Do you guys epmty your clips now and then and leave them empty?

[Western]

Bird,
Very keen/ smart thread. A very often overlooked practice.

In my law enforcement days, seemed to be the "big" transition to auto's. I started with the .357 Highway Patrol model and ended up with the Sig P220 as a primary duty weapon. (In fact just got her back from Sig for the spring and pin replacement yesterday).

I had 8 mags, 4 of which I kept empty. Each week I would rotate them out. I had 2 on my belt, 1 in my weapon, 1 in my vest. Did the same with the 2 "tactical" weapons I had also.

The process of spring steel is better now, but a rest, is cheap insurance.

I always cleaned them after use or the range, along with the weapon..Clean is also important, wouldn't want to be in the fight of your life and find there's no Hydro Shocks feeding!!

[Skyco]

The consensus among the "experts", despite what Sig says, is leaving a mag loaded is not harmful, cycling the mag is what weakens the springs.
My Sig P228 9mm has had loaded mags for 15 years without a problem.

[Will_C]

FWIW, my brother has the springs in a magazine go weak. This was a magazine for a Ruger 10/22 rifle that he left loaded (the magazine, not the rifle) for several months.
Will

[laen64]

I think it's time to see what empty magazines feel like. My Glock is lonely! Thanks Bird!

[MossRoad]

Originally Posted by Will_C

FWIW, my brother has the springs in a magazine go weak. This was a magazine for a Ruger 10/22 rifle that he left loaded (the magazine, not the rifle) for several months.
Will

I had a 50 round clip for our Ruger 10/22. I kept it full all the time. A few years ago I read about springs going weak, etc... and so I unloaded the clip. It makes some sense. Fully compressed for years at a time and never cycled. I also recall some conversations with my dad about his .45. He had several clips. Some were loaded and some were empty. Every so often when I was a kid he would take the gun out, show it to me, let me handle it, tell me about safety, clean it and put it away. He would always take the bullets out of the clips and put them back in. I never new why. I always thought it was because he was out of bullets. Reading some literature, I found some cleaning instructions for the gun and cleaning and testing the clips is part of it.

I don't have that task with the revolvers. Although I do clean the speed loader.

[Bird]

Originally Posted by Skyco

The consensus among the "experts", despite what Sig says, is leaving a mag loaded is not harmful, cycling the mag is what weakens the springs.
My Sig P228 9mm has had loaded mags for 15 years without a problem.

I guess you'd have to define "experts". I said there were differing opinions. I've known of guns that went for many years without cleaning, even after being fired, and they still worked. But was that the best thing for them, or did they just get away with it? So does leaving the magazines loaded actually make NO difference, or is it just that it'll still probably work OK? I'm no metallurgist so I don't know. I also read one place that it's best to have the magazine completely full rather than partially full. Does that mean my Sig is going to work better or last longer if I keep 13 rounds in a magazine instead of 10?

Ah, yes, the good old reliable revolver has some advantages.