Post your Pew-Pew Questions, Pics and 2nd Amendment enthusiasm. 'Merica

[Kartorbust]

What are your guys' thoughts on leaving magazines loaded? I've been heard conflicting things for years how it stresses out the springs and what not.

 

[Grizzlymi]

I keep about a dozen P-Mags loaded, for obvious reasons, 30 rounders and a bunch of empty ones. When I shoot, I bring whatever amount of preloaded ones and they shoot just fine. Reload with same mags and rinse and repeat. I have gone years before shooting a preloaded mag, and no issues so far. I can see the science of a compressed spring loosing its rebound, but my personal use has had zero issues.

 

[Kartorbust]

Supposedly you can get rebuild kits from Magpul that includes new spings, but I can't even find that on their website. I can find the round limiter, as I have a 3 pack because I needed them for my PA-10 for deer hunting. Out here semi-autos are limted to 5 round capacity for whatever fudd reason.

 

[Grizzlymi]

Same here in Michigan for semi auto hunting 5 round mag+1. I use a bolt action .450, bolt action 30-06/.308 or my old lever action 30-30 for deer.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Your car sits on the springs keeping them compressed.

Movement is what wears a spring. Slowly, but its still a form of work hardening.
Sitting relaxed or compressed dont matter.

 

[Grizzlymi]

Yes, I agree. But, my old Glenfield Model 60 action spring was roughly 55 years old and about 6 inches long with not much "spring" to it. I replaced it a few years ago because it stopped cycling, but a new spring fixed that issue right up.

I guess my point is, low compression springs 6" or longer, under compression sitting for a while will need replacing. Mag springs have much more compression and can take the compression for much longer.

Plus mag springs are easy the remove, if you have an issue with a loaded mag sitting for a while and it won't feed right, just pull it out, stretch it a little and reinstall. You know, in that SHTF situation.

 

[Hellion]

…Movement is what wears a spring. Slowly, but its still a form of work hardening.
Sitting relaxed or compressed dont matter.

Came to same conclusion from research (and understanding work hardening), so rotating mags (empty a full mag, reload those cartridges into another mag and repeat) is foolhardy. However: it would likely take decades of doing that to wear out a modern mag spring.

Lots of spare mags are the answer.

Do any of you rely on a mag speedloader, Maglula or anything like that? Some people plan to use stripper clips, like 10rd 5.56 GI type in SHTF, and carry just a few mags and the spoon. Less bulk.

 

[Kartorbust]

I just load by hand. Never used a speedloader, don't even own one at this time. Next Friday, the Palmetto State Armory 570 Shotgun goes up for purchase. Debating on getting one, might hold off until the semi-auto version comes out next year (I presume its another year away).

 

[Hellion]

Oh is that their newest auto shotgun that looks futuristic out the wazoo?

I juste load by hand. Never used a speedloader,

Well that’s just terrible Kartorbust. I wouldn’t want you busting your thumb. The caveat is I guess I (used to) hang around the wrong people, “tactical folks” and everything had to be fast and convenient so’s you can get back to chuting. You needed all 10, 20 or 30 rounds loaded up lickety split.

Used to be aspire to be one of those folks that burned through 1,000 rds at each range visit, everyone else was doing it, but that’s a lot of chuting. Anyway, to even attempt that back then you’d need about 50 magazines fully loaded before you even got there. This idea you had to have a speed loader might be before the time of cheap magazines, magazine hoarding and people sharing links when magazines went on sale. Now everyone has dozens of $6.95 Pmags still in the wrapper.

 

[Kartorbust]

I burn through a couple hundred rounds per session, but I try to make them count and not just make dump. A speedloader might be useful for the P226, long as it will fit my 15, 18, and 20 round mags without issue. Loading 5, 10, 20 round rifle mags doesn't bother me.

 

[Grizzlymi]

My Springfield XDM 9 has a 20 round mag and I don't shoot it as much as I should. That is the only one I have thought about a speed loader for. Those last 3 rounds get my thumb glowing!

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

I have a speed loader for my 50rnd 9mm mags and my thumb likes it.

 

[Grizzlymi]

I bet!

Funny thing is, loading 5.56 into 30 round mags doesn't bother me, but those 2 stupid 20 round 9mm mags get my thumb ready to fall off.