Storing magazines loaded.. Will it relieve tension on the spring?

[WhyElKay]

I don't expect most of you are going to have this problem, but figured it doesn't hurt to ask... I have a lot of trouble loading magazines. I just don't have the strength and I keep getting cuts on my thumb. I've been leaving my magazines loaded, because I heard it will lighten the tension spring. it's been 3 months now on the .380 Glock mags. I just unloaded all them and they are still tough to load. The only speed loader that I have been able to find was the Uplula, it says it works for g42 but the mag is too wide.
Will it ruin the magazines if I leave them loaded for longer periods of time?
Will it even help?

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[Joe13]

No

And

No.



I leave mine loaded regularly and they've never gotten lighter.

Maybe extreme storage would but idk.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Some loaded 1911 magazines from WWII were discovered a few years back and functioned just fine.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

What are these magazines that y'all are talking about...?
Just kidding....
In my experience both while in the Army and out....it will not hurt the springs , or weaken them to leave them loaded for an extended time.
Andy

 

[titsonritz]

Springs wear out through use, continued compression and decompression, they can remain in either position longer than you'll live and continue to be serviceable. So no, it does not harm magazine springs to remain loaded for extended periods of time, even years. The myth of "spring set" is just that.

 

[BroncoFan]

Like anything else it's repeated use that wears a quality spring, not constant tension.

 

[Xaevian]

I don't expect most of you are going to have this problem, but figured it doesn't hurt to ask... I have a lot of trouble loading magazines. I just don't have the strength and I keep getting cuts on my thumb. I've been leaving my magazines loaded, because I heard it will lighten the tension spring. it's been 3 months now on the .380 Glock mags. I just unloaded all them and they are still tough to load. The only speed loader that I have been able to find was the Uplula, it says it works for g42 but the mag is too wide.
Will it ruin the magazines if I leave them loaded for longer periods of time?
Will it even help?

I use loading assist tools for my pistol mags with no shame. Look at it this way: anything that makes your shooting experience more pleasant will just allow you to enjoy the sport more. You will also use that extra time you save emptying those fresh mags.

 

[Alexx1401]

I don't expect most of you are going to have this problem, but figured it doesn't hurt to ask... I have a lot of trouble loading magazines. I just don't have the strength and I keep getting cuts on my thumb. I've been leaving my magazines loaded, because I heard it will lighten the tension spring. it's been 3 months now on the .380 Glock mags. I just unloaded all them and they are still tough to load. The only speed loader that I have been able to find was the Uplula, it says it works for g42 but the mag is too wide.
Will it ruin the magazines if I leave them loaded for longer periods of time?
Will it even help?

No.
The only way a spring is effected by being under constant compression is if it was not made correctly. If that is the case it's going to fail anyway. What puts wear on them is use. Load the mags and leave them. I have some that are older than I am that have always been loaded. They still work fine.

 

[BSG 75]

I don't expect most of you are going to have this problem, but figured it doesn't hurt to ask... I have a lot of trouble loading magazines. I just don't have the strength and I keep getting cuts on my thumb. I've been leaving my magazines loaded, because I heard it will lighten the tension spring. it's been 3 months now on the .380 Glock mags. I just unloaded all them and they are still tough to load. The only speed loader that I have been able to find was the Uplula, it says it works for g42 but the mag is too wide.

Are you sure you have a real normal UpLULA



and not the BabyUpLULA




or a Chinese knock-off?



If you have a genuine UpLULA it should work with a Glock 42 magazine.

 

[Alexx1401]

I use loading assist tools for my pistol mags with no shame. Look at it this way: anything that makes your shooting experience more pleasant will just allow you to enjoy the sport more. You will also use that extra time you save emptying those fresh mags.

YES, those things are the best thing since sliced bread. I have to order another one for my Glock mags which many of my guns use. Some how ended up without one at the range today. PITA loading without one. Need to make sure I have one in every damn range bag

 

[CountryGent]

View attachment 614727

What are these magazines that y'all are talking about...?

Jonathan Browning had the perfect solution, my muzzleloading amigo:

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I would love to have a "Harmonica Gun" or "turret" gun for my collection...
Andy

 

[CountryGent]

I would love to have a "Harmonica Gun" or "turret" gun for my collection...
Andy

I've only dabbled, on and off, in the black-powder world, but ditto. Shame no one is making a replica; it would be super neat-o and, I'd imagine, relatively easy to make.

But, I digress. Cheers friends.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Jonathan Browning had the perfect solution, my muzzleloading amigo:

View attachment 614736

Another neat thing about that rifle is that it is a In-Line rifle....as the hammer and nipple are in line with the bore...
So all those new fangled in line muzzleloaders really ain't a 20th century invention...
Andy
Sorry for the thread drift...

 

[titsonritz]

The last couple rounds in pretty much every Glock mag I've used required a fair amount of effort to seat. Here is what I've found that helps...load to the point were it becomes difficult, then smack the back of the mag on your hand or other surface if you prefer, then hold the mag in your hand like a fist as you press the rounds down firmly with your thumb and smack the bottom of the mag/your fist like doing the "rock" in "rock, paper, scissors", pop in a round and repeat.

 

[CountryGent]

Another neat thing about that rifle is that it is a In-Line rifle....as the hammer and nipple is in line with the bore...
So all those new fangled in line muzzleloaders really ain't a 20th century invention...
Andy

Haha, good point, I didn't think of it that way. Makes me smile; "nothing new under the sun", type of thing.

 

[WhyElKay]

Are you sure you have a real normal UpLULA

View attachment 614732

and not the BabyUpLULA

View attachment 614733


or a knock-off?

View attachment 614734

If you have a genuine UpLULA it should work with a Glock 42 magazine.

View attachment 614731

I've only found one option locally it is the Uplula, didn't work with the Glock 42 mag. Didn't realize there were other options, I will try searching online. Thanks

 

[User 1234]

I am a large guy and yes I have trouble loading Glock mags completely full. It isn't just you.

 

[CRBMoA]

I encourage you to keep looking.

It took me quite a while (a few digital hours spread out over a couple of months) to find THE PERFECT IWB holster for me.

It came today!

 

[Member 34319]

10 years will kill a spring. Well at least the Beretta 92 mag I left loaded for that time did. It just sort of flopped out the rounds, then the rest just were in there and I had to shake them lose.

I usually try to shoot the defense ammo I keep in my carry gun and home defense gun every once and a while to load with fresh stuff and cycle the spring in the mag.

A mag loader is a thumbs best friend. I used to refer to shooting the Ruger 10-22 past 200 rounds as the black thumb syndrome. Now I've got a maglulu for those mags too.