Author Topic: How often do you rotate your magazines? (Read 1010 times)

hardertr · « **on:** March 15, 2005, 08:54:23 PM »

How long can you leave a magazine loaded? I sure would hate to need the ruger by the bed, then have it jam because the magazine spring has been compressed for too long.

LMM · « **Reply #1 on:** March 15, 2005, 11:31:25 PM »

I have 4 mags. 2 loaded at all times. I rotate once a week.

Japle · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2005, 02:12:05 AM »

Modern spring steel won't "take a set".
When my grandfather died in 1979, we found a loaded .45ACP mag in a trunk in his den. It was packed with other stuff he'd brought back from the Army when he got out in 1931. I still have that mag and it still works fine in spite of having been fully loaded for 48 years.
There are lots of other examples plus lab tests that show the same thing.
There's no need to rotate mags.

John
Cape Canaveral

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2005, 02:35:17 AM »

I never rotate my mags, but what I do is I shoot my carry guns and my home protection guns. If I depend on these gun for my protection, I better be able to shoot them well.

I shoot them a least every 2 weeks. :grin:

hardertr · « **Reply #4 on:** March 16, 2005, 02:47:18 AM »

I shoot mine as well...at least once every 2 months. But, the only time the mag stays empty would be to and from the range.

volshooter · « **Reply #5 on:** March 16, 2005, 06:56:44 AM »

I don't rotate my mags either. I keep one extra mag loaded and the other 2 empty and put up.
Rick

rockbilly · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2005, 05:18:11 AM »

In the past I found that leaving some mags fully loaded created jams when nearing the bottom of the mag. In a conversation with a couple of the smiths from the Air Force Marksmanship School at Lackland AFB, I was told to not fully load the mag and the problem would be eliminated. I started loading the mag one-two rounds short of capacity. This totally eliminated the problem. I don't rotate mags, once loaded, they may remain that way for long periods. But I almost always carry a spare just in case.

sniperVLS · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2005, 05:47:35 AM »

Im at the range once or twice a week all year round so rotating isnt an issue.

Lawdog · « **Reply #8 on:** March 19, 2005, 08:31:46 AM »

Quote from: Redhawk1

I never rotate my mags, but what I do is I shoot my carry guns and my home protection guns. If I depend on these gun for my protection, I better be able to shoot them well. I shoot them a least every 2 weeks. :grin:

"Redhawk" and I seem to have the same habit here. Lawdog

CB900F · « **Reply #9 on:** March 19, 2005, 11:00:37 AM »

Fella's;

I normally carry & have for years. I got 2 mags with it when I bought the gun & bought two more a coupla years after that. Didn't worry about spring set or anything else, including mag rotation, & continued on that way for years.

About 2 years ago, I sent the gun into the factory & had an ambi safty installed. At the same time, as insurance, I ordered 4 mag springs. When I got the gun back, I checked the overall length of the old springs against the new. The old one's though they were functioning just fine, were about 1/2" shorter.

So, I changed them out & now rotate every week. Never did have a problem, but just trying to slam the door in Murphy's face.

900F

LMM · « **Reply #10 on:** March 19, 2005, 08:23:32 PM »

I have the extra mags. I've never had a FTF. If you ask me, cheap insurance. Didn't say it was necessary, just advised what I do. Different strokes for different folks.

papajohn428 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 27, 2005, 07:07:33 AM »

I have four mags, two loaded and two empty, rotate them the first day of every month. One less thing to worry about. The PD used the same system with three mags, now it's just habit. I don't rotate my revolver cylinders, I only have one per gun! :wink:

PJ

S.S. · « **Reply #12 on:** March 31, 2005, 05:12:33 AM »

I have recently started carrying a revolver
almost exclusively. But you will find that a magazine
failure to feed is most of the time caused by improper
cleaning of the inside of the magazine and not from
a weak spring. Rust forms inside the Mag. body
and cause the spring to "stick".

AZ223 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 03, 2005, 01:33:14 PM »

Sumner -- Ditto on cleaning the mags regularly. I've carried a Para P-12/45 for years, and the only times I've had FTF's were when I let the mags get dirty.

If you're worried about the springs getting weak, go to www.gunsprings.com Wolff has springs for just about any handgun out there, whether magazine springs or hammer springs for revolvers.

44 Man · « **Reply #14 on:** April 04, 2005, 08:41:19 AM »

I bought six Wilson 7 round mags 20 years ago. They were always loaded except when shot at the range and then were reloaded again. They never failed to function. I finally felt guilty a few years ago and bought new springs and 8 round followers. Now these have been constantly loaded for 6 years and have never bobbled once. Do you think I like Wilson mags? You bet! 44 Man

lashlaruhe · « **Reply #15 on:** April 10, 2005, 06:11:55 AM »

While at the 2005 SHOT SHOW in Vegas, I asked that question to Mec-Gar, EAA and S&W. I was told by all that they recommended changing magazines every 90 days to let the springs rest. To me the single stack 45 acp 7 round magazine can be kept loaded without any problems for the longest time, however, the double stack 10 + magazines seem to have weaker springs. I have read where some gun writers recommend only loading the magazine to 75% capacity.

Lawdog · « **Reply #16 on:** April 10, 2005, 08:07:52 AM »

Quote

however, the double stack 10 + magazines seem to have weaker springs. I have read where some gun writers recommend only loading the magazine to 75% capacity.

Don't believe everything you read by so called gun writers. For many years I carried Glocks(still do) for a living and never worried about rotating the magazines. I carried four loaded magazines along with the one in the gun and the only time they got rotated was after a trip to the range. They worked flawlessly for years. Lawdog

Sir Knight · « **Reply #17 on:** April 10, 2005, 03:56:10 PM »

My personal experience has shown that the double stack mags do have problems with them -- specifically my Para p14.45!

44 Man · « **Reply #18 on:** April 10, 2005, 05:05:13 PM »

Para seems to be a different animal. I have seen LOTs of problems with Para double stack with feeding/magazines at the range. Enough that I would never carry one for defence. Personal opinion only. 44 Man

Sir Knight · « **Reply #19 on:** April 11, 2005, 07:48:13 AM »

Now you tell me after I purchased 3 of 'em.

buckeye509 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 20, 2005, 12:23:46 AM »

Bout every three months when I qual.

alamogunr · « **Reply #21 on:** June 07, 2005, 11:04:54 AM »

Quote from: Sir Knight

My personal experience has shown that the double stack mags do have problems with them -- specifically my Para p14.45!

I bought a Para Tac Four when they first came out. It came with 2 hi caps and a coupon to buy 2 more. The first time I fired it, the slide stop failed to engage. This happened with 3 of the 4 magazines. I called Para Ordnance and was referred to their technical service folks. They immediately sent me 4 new magazine springs. When changing them out, I compared the free lengths. The new springs were about 3/8 to 1/2 inch longer than the ones that were being replaced. Everything worked fine after that. I can't attribute this to keeping the magazines loaded since they were new magazines in original packaging.

John