How often should you refresh a loaded 1911 mag? Also how long should I let a mag that I unloaded, rebuild spring tension before reloading?, any thought’s?
This is like my 2nd or 3rd post…so yeah, Im a noob. LOL
not exactly sure what you’re asking- i generally blow off my carry ammo about every 6 months and reload with fresh ammo- i have no idea if this is a good schedule.
as far as your magazines go, i think you’re asking about spring tension- apparently spring tension is unaffected by keeping a magazine loaded. it’s more about using the spring- you can wear out a spring by loading and unloading a few thousand times, but not by keeping constant pressure on it.
someone else can better explain the science behind it.
What are you doing with the magazine? Is it staying in a temperature controlled house or being carried daily, left in a vehicle, ammunition being cycled through the firearm, etc?
If it is a carry magazine do you cycle a round into and out of the chamber daily or leave it loaded?
I cycle my carry ammunition anywhere from 3 to 6 months depending on my mood, activity, season, budget.
Maybe I can explain it better. How long should you leave a mag loaded, before the spring takes a “set”. Like a week or something?
The first time the mag is loaded, the spring takes its set.
Assuming it’s a quality mag with quality spring, after that it’s not going to “set” significantly in a way that will impact reliability. The spring will wear out sooner by constant loading & unloading than by staying loaded 24/7.
You should consider cycling through your carry/duty ammo more for the ammo’s sake than the magazines.
Found four loaded wilson mags that I apparently forgot to download before heading out to Iraq in '07. Just got them back from storage and they feel fine. That said, those mags have been tagged for range/practice use until I can properly inspect the mags and springs. I’ll probably change out the springs for peace of mind, but the gist of it is loaded mags shouldn’t be a problem unless you are using inferior mags.
Thanks for everyones input.