Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Why would it matter if I keep all my magazines fully loaded and ready to go? I often see references to spring fatigue, but fatigue requires movement, and the spring in the magazine is motionless when the mag is fully loaded and sitting in the safe. I've seen posts where people say they unload the magazine at the end of the day and then "let them rest" until it's time to load them up again and go. That would seem the be a really good way to fatigue the springs. So - new member here and I'm curious about your personal practice and experience. Thanks.

Welcome to VGOF, Shan

I don't believe that any modern magazine, regardless of it's capacity or caliber, will experience spring fatigue while fully loaded. This topic has been discussed here before, but I'm too lazy on Friday to search for it.

No doubt others will chime in soon to discuss as well.

That's what I thought, and that's what I do. Thanks.

I've got magazines that have been fully loaded for 5 years - sitting on the shelf in the safe. Every once and a while I take one out to the range and it works perfectly.

I guess I wasn't as lazy as I thought. Here's a previous discussion.

http://vagunforum.net/post2116.html

Well there you go. Thank you. And I'll start using SEARCH before I post.

Metal fatigues when it's bent passed it's point of elasticity . That's when the physical structure of the metal changes such as when you push or pull a spring too far and it maintains a new length. A properly designed and maintained spring will not want to change it's length over time because it hasn't been bent past the point of elasticity.

Rust pits, scratches, and wear marks in metal/springs will cause stress raisers that will serve to lower the elasticity point of the metal as well as promote premature failure. I think that's where a lot of people come up with the thinking that springs wear out or fatigue.

My thinking would be that magazine springs (unless rusted) will probably last a lifetime under normal use. Other springs in the gun that have metal to metal contact could use a replacement after X number of cycles/rounds fired.

That's how I understand it at least.

Fatigue in the mag spring is caused more often by loading and unloading. Compress and decompress, over and over. After while the metal becomes brittle and will eventually break - no doubt at a most inopportune time...

I can't imagine that "Normal use" would ever cause enough fatigue to break a spring...we've got to be talking about thousands of rounds through magazine before the 'loading/unloading' thing becomes an issue - wouldn't you agree?

well as you all know I am no genius. I bought a few WW2 sten gun magz for my Mini 9mm. These 30 rd magz were in a crate for 30 years when I bought'em. I took them home gave them a bath, loaded them to capacity and took them out to party. They all had a ball, blew off some steam, got loaded again and again, and by the end of the night they were spitting out rounds like it was 1944 all over again.......

Dont know. Havent ever tried. But wire can be easily broken merely by bending it back and forth a few times. And, every time you bend it back and forth it gets a little weaker - cumulatively. Repeated loading/unloading will most likely not cause a failure anytime soon but its not good for the spring...

+1 MountainCat
Keep em clean, no rust and wear them out through fair wear and tear... that's what they're made for. My opinion? - Lips will go before springs.