Do You Leave Your Mags Loaded? Watch This!
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- Опубліковано 20 лют 2022
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*I just posted a follow-up video on this: ua-cam.com/video/3TtUyhkJC8E/v-deo.html
If you want to watch me struggle to finish unloading this mag... Checkout this bonus video on Locals: 2aedu.locals.com/post/1735471/finishing-unloading-the-6-5-grendel-mag-the-struggle-session
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@2a EDU THIS SAME THING HAPPEND TO ME JUST OTHER DAY I HAD MY 9MM BANSHEE WITH A FACTORY GLOCK MAG FILLED AND IT FELL OFF MY BACK AND IT BROKE ONE FEED LIP ON IT. And it's not like it was one of those clear ETs ones and those are really good and just looking at the ets I would think they would break easy but they've held up so I got to replace that mag so I'm going to try the utg mag I seen good review on it and I have the same ones for my 556. I just like to have minimum of 4 mags for hand guns and 6-8 for a ARpistol or rifle
Maybe something on the mag coating. Inside reacting with lacquer ammo or something sprayed in mag factory or who knows. I like all ammo that’s goes bang when it’s told to go bang. lol love video’s ,always good to check ur equipment and people say oh yeah it’s oiled it’s this it’s that and stored in safe dehumidified and all that jazz. And that’s great but like 2A says check them mags. There part of equipment. If it fails guys and gals ur dehumidified ,oiled,put upon safe bla bla bla ain’t going to go bang when you tell it to go bang. lol just saying. Magazines are equipment to. And ammo eye 👁 once in while.
Stay safe.
Bro make vide about over lubrication of the pistol Please 🙏
I've seen this happen in my generic 9mm pistol magazine, where the follower would tilt over in the tube allowing the rounds to nose down and jam, causing a failure to feed . When compared to the original magazine which never did this the follower was attached to the spring, where the generic one wasn't. The way it was attached prevented the follower from tilting over inside the tube. This would lead me to believe there is an issue or failure with the follower and spring orientation inside the tube. High quality magazines should not have this issue from just being stored.
My mags don’t stay loaded for long I end up shooting them for fun haha, then load my stuff up again, but ya I’ve had some problems with old surplus mags, my cheap Korean mags work good I don’t understand it, I got an AK not AR, I got videos but you probably won’t like my style cause I got a private range so no rules lol, it’s been like over a month tho since I’ve went shooting but my survival videos are getting more popular then my gun stuff
After hearing the story of the Texas man who stopped the Sutherland Springs church massacre, his biggest regret was not keeping his magazines loaded. He said he could have responded much faster if he had.
how is he going to defend against an intruder if he didn't have loaded magazines? makes no sense of owning a gun and having to load the mags before shooting. i prefer to keep at least 20 rounds available on the spot
@@geniusmarcsays2434need to get those numbers up
This all comes down to the quality of the mag spring. I worked at Beretta in Quality Control some years ago and we had a few Model 92 pistols that were kept in a safe with their magazines loaded to the full 15 rounds to track the "life span" of the mag springs. Each year the magazine springs were inspected for their free length and to check for fatigue with the results being documented. I did the testing for the fifth, sixth and seventh years and the amount of spring fatigue was virtually non-existent, each of the magazines functioned just as well as when they were new. The take away here is to always buy quality....your life is too important to rely of cheap stuff.
Interesting. Thanks for the info. I understand if you didn't watch the whole video. It was rather long. But these are expensive OEM mags. (as I said in this video)They are the ones sold at Alexander Arms - the owner/ creator of the 6.5 Grendel. No expense was spared when I purchased these. Its funny how many people in the comments of this video assume I bought cheap off brand mags, because they are not into the 6.5 Grendel.
I am not impressed with these mags (obviously), but I DID buy what is supposed to be quality. I have now taken this mag apart, and I don't think it is anything with the spring. There is another issue.
The takeaway was intended to be: sometimes stuff happens, no matter how much you spend on stuff. So check your loaded mags once in a while to be sure.
We both know Beretta from time to time has had some lemon guns and mags and parts leave the factory. It can happen with any company, and it does happen once in a while even from the best manufacturers.
I also said in this video that it is fine to leave mags loaded, and the spring wears from use (moving up and down). I covered all of it in this video, that a lot more people commented on, than watched.
I do appreciate your input. I really do. I just thought I would give you a brief summary of what I said in this vid.
Well said, I mentioned the same.
@@2aEdu I've also learned that expensive doesnt always buy you quality.
I've always kept both my arms and ak47 mags loaded and used 2 or 3 years later without a jam or malfunction.
@@cynthiaclarke3979 You are a doll. Cyber hug darlin
When I went through academy training for the issued Glock 19. The instructor said to remove every cartridge from the magazine when going on your days off. He said it was to keep spring tension strong. As the years went on, we learned loading and unloading caused more fatigue on the spring. It is perfectly fine to keep quality OEM magazines fully loaded. You can keep magazines fully loaded.
The 6.5 Grendel never became popular. Stick with Magpul magazines in that caliber.
Yes, I have kept many mags loaded for years, combloc AK mags, GI AR mags and a few metal pistol mags and they are still fine. No matter what anyone says not all magazines and mag springs are created equal, some will be damaged from being kept loaded some wont
Yeah, same here. I keep many mags loaded for years. Yep, there are sometimes variables with dif mags. I agree.
I find that a one size fits all solution rarely works.
Agree! that's why I buy a lot of them and it's important to diversify your mags as well.
@@khann844 yes sir. Well oiled machine is no good if new oil has sand in it. Best pow isn’t good if equipment (magazines and shells )are junked.
Absolutely not all springs are the same and manufactures change products based on cost so it can happen with different mags from the same company like the gun everyone loves to hate Glock
The myth of loaded magazines weakening springs has been debunked. Constant cycling from compression to decompression is the only thing that can fatigue springs
Which is exactly what I said in this video 😀👍
@@2aEdu didn't mean any disrespect. Liked and commented before finishing your video.
@@joelyates2404 Thank you 👍
@@joelyates2404 thats so disrespectful
Yeah, he said that.
Always have your mags loaded! They're no good if they weren't. Always have your magazines fully loaded! It's very important!
on your main guns .... no need to load mags on guns that you just use at the range
I had old AR mags loaded for 20 years, used them last year at the range and no problems, had them stored in Millitary ammo cans.
When my grandpa died I inherited a 30carbine from the war in the Pacific. 10 magazines were loaded and had been loaded for maybe 60 years. The ammo was a little corroded but ammo and mags functioned fine. JMHO
It's definitely a problem with the magazines. At my former employer as a security contractor doing nuclear security our duty PMags are loaded for a year and they always work reliably. The only issue we had with those is the back of the mags cracking because the caps, which take the pressure off the feed lips, weren't used. But even then they worked reliably.
On the PD I worked on our carbine duty mags were left loaded for a year with no issues. A few officers never shot outside of annual quals so their mags were left loaded. Again, no issues.
And the last example. A Vietnam Vet gave me an M1 Carbines magazine he brought home and was left loaded since the 60's (he was one of the very early advisors there) and it fed 100% when I fired it out of my USGI Carbine in the early 90's.
I’ve had GI aluminum magazines that were kept loaded for 25+ years that when put in my M16 ran fine. You’ll find your current problem is due to the follower, not the spring. As to lacquer coated steel case ammo, you can put a torch on a spent case and the lacquer will not melt off. The one example where you had cases that were stuck together, was probably due to something being spilled (something with sugar) on the loaded magazine and later drying, sticking the cares together. One thing most folks don’t do but should, is disassemble and clean their magazines when they’ve been used and been in dusty or dirty conditions.
I concur 🤔
@@Mathews_-wt8tr I!
spilled sugar ? Nah
Could this be a flaw with the round in an AR style mag? Would this happen if the mag had a more pronounced curve like the AK mags do?
Explain hot gun, laq'd round left in weapon. Cooled weapon. Stuck round? Granted, this is gonna require more than 1 shot every 15 seconds.
I had inherited some magazines that were loaded close to 50 years ago. .45, 230 grain lead round nose, 7 in a magazine. I had three like this. All three ran perfectly.
Excellent video pointing out a very important issue. I have labeled the bottoms of my mags 1,2,3,... with a label maker. When I go to the range, I take turns deciding which ones to take in a round robin fashion. This does two things: 1. I get to regularly check how well they work and if there's a problem with them. 2. It helps with wear-leveling of the mags.
I’ve had magazines loaded fully for over four years not rotating and due to the recent years ammo cost increases, I only utilized two magazines of my 40 caliber practicing. I just used them a few days ago with zero issues. My PMAGS 40 rounds may stay loaded longer unless 308 or 7.62 comes down in price drastically. I keep mags fully loaded ready for whatever the need may be. I purchase 4 spare magazines minimum for each firearm except those deemed for hunting only. In a climate controlled environment, you shouldn’t have any issues storing fully loaded magazines unless they are defective or poorly made. Good magazines should last many many years. I’m hoping that the supply of ammunition exceeds the demand soon which will drop the prices. Once prices drop low enough, I’m going to purchase enough to store to make it through another shortage
Great idea. Little problem tho. Millions of others have the same one.
when my grandfather passed we found in his stockpile everyone of the mags was fully loaded and all my life i cant remember those guns being pulled out and every mag still works (i have and use them all) till this day no problems
edit: i was born in 80 so just shy of 40 years being loaded to my knowledge
If they're quality mags and you keep them dry they can stay loaded forever without a problem. The movement of the spring when being loaded, unloaded or fired wears them out. Quite simple engineering actually.
Just wanted to chime in and say thank you for this and all your videos. Love the content, Keep it up brother!
I appreciate that!
I have several weapons that use extended magazines. Most of them are 30 round mags. I never fully load them. The most I put in them are 25 rounds each. After a year of storage I remove the ammo, clean it, remove the bottom of the mag, and then the spring. I then clean the spring, measure the spring height to determine if it has taken a set. Some springs in mags are poor quality and will take a permanent set. You also can have a galvanic corrosion, ie.. dissimilar metals. You can order replacement springs for mags. This will usually correct the problem. Feed issues can cause you to have a very bad day.
Thank you for this video. I was not aware that this could happen. I just checked all my loaded mags and so far, so good. Love all your videos. Each one is very informative.
You're welcome! That is cool. I just wanted to remind you all to check once in a while.
Good advise.. never had to store mags that long loaded when I was still shooting ..however now is a diffrent story...will be checking more often, thanks for the heads up....Semper Fi
I've seen this happen in my generic 9mm pistol magazine, where the follower would tilt over in the tube allowing the rounds to nose down and jam, causing a failure to feed . When compared to the original magazine which never did this the follower was attached to the spring, where the generic one wasn't. The way it was attached prevented the follower from tilting over inside the tube. This would lead me to believe there is an issue or failure with the follower and spring orientation inside the tube. High quality magazines should not have this issue from just being stored.
I had a similar issue with a 30 round Ruger brand Mini-14 magazine. Turned out there was too much surface tension on the cases because they were reloads I bought from a gun show. They weren't very slick to the touch. The fix? I put them in my tumbler with a cleaner/polisher and they worked perfect. Factory new rounds worked perfect as well, which led me to try the tumbling.
Like I always tell everyone that wants to know, never skimp on quality when it's something your life may depend on. Even then check them regularly. Good video.
EXCELLENT.
Thank you for this video, 2A....it was needed, and it was quite timely. I'm a gunsmith, and even I have heard conflicting views on this.
You’ll actually wear out the spring less if you don’t compress and decompress it over and over by keeping it loaded. The problem is the pressure on the lips of the magazine. For steel mags, it should be fine, make sure they don’t spread too much. For polymer p-mag style mags, they could crack. To combat this, you can use the sometimes included cover on top!
How do u know about magazines laser blasters and lightsabers don't take magazines
I had an Army Veteran tell me to only load my magazine to half capacity to keep from damaging the spring. Only load them full when the crap hits the fan. I've had them for 8 years with no problems. But thanks for the video to help others know what could happen.
All my mags get loaded whenever they're empty. They stay loaded with no issues ever between pistol mags to rifle mags for years.
I've seen this happen on pistol magazines as well as AR-15 mags. Sometimes it's the follower, sometimes the spring and if the mags get dropped or pinched it will do the same thing.
Hmmm, I always place loaded mags in an airtight container until I take them to the range. I try not to leave them loaded for more than a week or 2. When I get home from the range I make sure to load a couple of mags with defensive ammo and reload my firearm. I also inspect my ammo 100% before loading the first time. I tried inspecting it as soon as I received it but it really is a pain to try to inspect 1000 rds of small arm ammo at once.
Think I'll share this on the gunners mate group when I get out of Facebook jail.
Cool. Thanks 👍
Never had a problem with loaded mags, for decades, many different types.
I have some mags that's been loaded for about 7 years now. Every time I go to the range I forget to been so I can see for they work and use up old ammo to replace it. Thank for this video!!
“I have a little rack with some mags” lol. This guy could arm Ukraine alone. Thats a great collection. Im 100% jelly.
Lol Thank you.
Keep them loaded but inspect occasionally. If they failed while storing the ammo they will fail when you try to use them, a good Mag doesn’t fail due to being loaded up. You should always deburr the follower when you get a new mag and ensure it won’t snag up, I’ll bet 30% of them have minor issues, more so with polymer mags.
Yep, Good points 👍
I will say check the followers on those mags. Take the mag apart, inspect for burrs or deformations, flip the mag upside down and see if the followers fall freely.
And always check your stores 😃👍🇺🇲
Do issues with mags loaded for years or days have something 2 do with the type of mags U R using ? I have Pmags for years loaded to the max with no issues.
Had similar with my Remington 710 30-06 mag. Took the cartridges out, oiled it up, worked it up and down a little bit. Feeds fine now
Take you mag apart. Then put the follower back in. Then hold it up to some light and slide it thru. It should have a tiny gap all around it. If it touches any Then it can jam up. I've had to bend mags and or shave followers so they flow thru properly. Then make sure you have a good anti tilt follower. Or else they'll bind up like shown. Then lastly I've found the paint inside many mags seems to want to stick to rounds and not jive well till the paint wears away to bare metal. It's kinda clingy. So I found a trick to fix that by hosing the inside of the mag.. outside.. and followers down with spray turtle car wax. Then wipe it all dry. It even makes the mags drop free when empty better. Helps fight rust also and repel dirt. Oil isn't good on ammo either. So wax works awesome.
My Cproducts 7.62x39 AR15 mags have rattled since day one but, I have never had an issue. I only use 20 round mags in x39. Now even though my x39 mags rattle the rounds have tension on them. Now the ASC x39 mags do not rattle but, I have got a few bolt over rides and failures to lock on the last round. As for as 5.56/.223 & 300 Blackout I use Magpul and crap....the plastic mags with metal feed lips. You know the brand. Also I leave Glock mags loaded. Never an issue. So far. I can not believe I can not remember that other AR mag brand. Well, at my age....I ain't suffering from memory loss....I am actually enjoying it. First person that names the other mag brand wins a prize👍
Lancer....to bad no prize given😀
Lancer they suck
You don't like Lancer Mags? Why is that? @@samwalker1461
So what do the solders do unload the rounds after a week or something? Is there a mag design that allows the mag spring be relaxed or pressurised as needed rather than unload it
I just had the same problem with a Ruger 10/22. Dad bought it for me when I was around 16, 43 now. It's 30rd mag has been fully loaded for all those years. I took every round out of the mag, sprayed wd40 on all 4 walls inside the mag. Shook it around, used my knife to push the spring down a few times then reloaded. Spring still very strong, works like new.
As with many things, myth and reality can have something in common. To start, yes, magazines can be loaded for a long time and be perfectly fine. BUT, the "myth" about loaded springs taking a "set" ISN'T a myth. From my experience, it doesn't matter which type of magazine, cheap or expensive. Both can take a set, and both can be found still fully functional after years of being compressed. I will say that the odds of having a functional mag is much better with expensive, high quality mags, but you WILL find some expensive mags that fail.
Springs that take a set AREN'T the same thing as springs that break. Different issue. A spring will break from work hardening - just like brass cases need to be annealed periodically bbecause it gets harder and more brittle each time you fire it, a spring can work harden and break. This will happen very quickly if the spring gets scratched, and the breaking point will always be at the scratch mark. No, you don't "anneal" springs. If they get too hot, you have to reharden and retemper them. Not a home shop process. The absolute best thing to do to care for your springs is ensure that they don't get any scratches. And check your mags periodically. Unloading mags once every month or two, and moving the rounds to a different one will ensure no spring set, and also ensures that you check your stuff periodically.
Good words my friend,I personally have never ever had such problems with pmags but that is not to say it couldn't happen because it certainly can,stay steady and squeeze lightly my friend lol.
Good Morning 2A,
Hopefully you got all that snow pushed or plowed where it needed to go the other morning.
Great video ! I always thoroughly enjoy your videos. You are a wealth of information and applied knowledge.
After this vid, I quickly went to the gun safe and a few other strategic areas of our home and performed the " shake" test just to be certain everything was in order- and they are. I keep about a dozen ( magazines) for the AR's maxed out at 30 and about the same for the handguns however the rest are empty. If I loaded them all and kept them like that, I would most likely shoot them that particular day. I don't shoot as much as I used to but its the " peace of mind" that all ( magazines) are squared away.
Again, thanks for the video !
What is your first name( if you don't mind?) I know I've heard other folks say it but I can't remember it.
Always wishing you and your family the very best.
Warmest Regards from south central Arizona. Its a breezy chilly morning at 64°. lol
Does that mag have a flat wire spring? The only mags I’ve ever had an issue with are bolt action rifle mags where the spring is a flat 1/2” piece of steel. I have a 6.5 Grendel mag loaded in my safe that’s been loaded for 4 years. I haven’t had the Grendel in 4 years but I figured I might build another one so I kept the mag and kept it loaded. Still fine.
Good point, something to check. I also have these magazines, though do not keep them loaded.
I own a 6.5 Grendel and switched exclusively to E-Lander magazines. I've personally had zero issues with them and they feed 100% better than the ASC mags I have. However I do not keep loaded 6.5 Grendel mags in my gun safe as it is not my home defense pew. I also rotate my pistol mags monthly. Just my two cents.
The only problem I’ve ever had were with my Desert Eagle .50 AE mags. After about a year I could tell the spring was getting weak so I unloaded it!
Definitely some great information. This is why we follow your channel! Keep it coming
I heard that with the steel that they make the mag springs with it's fine. But, I still only have one loaded in every pistol in my safe. Every 3mos I unload them when oiling my guns then reload at the end of the day. Does it help? No idea.
Might have been unplanned, however, very informative and helpful to everyone.
One of your best, thanks!
Glad it was helpful! I didn't want to keep the info to myself.
The only time I ever had anything close to this happening was with those cheap duck bill SKS mags , and they weren't loaded long term , just from the night before for a range trip . It was the follower tipping and jamming up . And it was both of them doing it ! I've had a P mag loaded for 8 years and it still feeds fine . I cycle it every couple of years and then load it back up and store it again .
I've been thinking of getting a stock for my SKS to allow me to use those mags. Do you have any mags you can recommend so I can avoid this problem?
@@darththork99 ; There is a poly 20 round mag that worked perfectly in mine . I've since put my rifle back to factory original and don't know where that mag has gotten to . If I run across it I'll let you know who made it, or someone in here may know . It wasn't a big secret , a well known brand .
@@darththork99 ; I searched and found ! The 20 rounder I was speaking of is a Pro Mag . BTW , You can run those 20&30 rounders with the factory stock . You just have to remove the factory mag. Take my advice and keep all you factory parts . You may need them in the future, I did . The factory actually kind'a knew what they were doing to begin with .🤪
@@orionfixr7713 Thanks.
@@darththork99 ; No problem . Some day you'll bail me out .
Thanks for bringing this condition to our attention...well done. In my mags I keep just 5 rounds and keep the remainder in one of those jewelry felt bags that can slip into my pocket. Not the best way to prepare, but, 5 rounds is better than no rounds if things start going South on you. As you noted, not anything is guaranteed or 100%. It would probably not hurt to every 6 months empty a magazine and swab the interior with an oil soaked long Q-tip to keep spring lubricated. Thanks again for the video.
@Tony V. I’ve been advised against putting oil in magazines, especially if you keep the mag loaded. The oil can diffuse into your ammo and degrade the powder.
@@2AEdu unrelated question... is the lakeline g3c ported barrel the same length as a regular g3 barrel or is it between the g3c and g3 barrell?
I dont have that barrel. Their website may have dimensions
Another thing i do is unless preparing for a gunfisght (most of us myself included will never do) i always load 30's up to 20. My m and p 40 with 14rds up to 10 rounds etc. Keeps your springs slightly compressed especially if its long term
I’m not real familiar with 6.5 Grendel, I’m curious if they have a slight taper to the rounds requiring a more curved mag. The AR mag and follower may have caused the rounds to aim downwards and get caught up. Just a thought. Happy shooting.
It actually has less taper than a 7.62x39. The mags should actually be almost perfectly straight. That is how the 6.5 Grendel mags are for the M21 AK that is used in Serbia. Straight like a M1A / M14 mag, and they feed great.
In my opinion the curve in these AR Grendel mags is part of the problem. I did find an issue though. Check the pinned comment, if you are interested in my follow-up vid.
Perhaps not the most demanding ammo on a mag, but I've had one of my original Marlin 22lr mags fully loaded since the early 80's - slapped it in last year and all fed and fired properly. It still retains a very aggressive tension and doesn't seem to be effected whatsoever after sitting idle for 41 years.
I suppose it's all about the inherent quality and build of each particular mag.
Hope your finger is healing!
I had the same issue with a 20 round C Products 7.62x39 mag last weekend. Never had issues with these mags before. Racked a 30 round mag no problems but that 20 that was preloaded for at least 1 year did not want to run? Ammo? I haven't tried it again since. Will try to take the range soon to see if it was the ammo or something else.
I think you summed it up, things can happen. In basic training they thought us to keep them loaded and if you have the time before shooting to inspect the mag before insertion into weapon. Why? Because, things can happen. Thanks sir.
Exactly. Leaving them loaded is normally fine....but sometimes things happen. I just wanted to remind people to check their loaded mags once in a while. Its getting hard to keep up with comments, due to so many people who comment without watching. lol.
Haters gonna hate. You keep being you and your friends will be here. Thanks for what you do.
I keep my mags loaded and have often thought about the springs going bad so every month I unload them and check them to make sure they're ready, also it's a good idea to change the followers on the ar15 mags or use a good brand of mags like pmags, either way it all comes down to doing regular pm on your weapons.
Cool 👍
I've used PMAGS for years and haven't had one screw up yet.
I have kept my original Norinco SKS 30rd mags loaded for years. I do on occasion, about once a year, unload a couple mags, remove the Springs, and let them sit that way for a couple days. All springs will weaken over time if left compressed long enough. Note that if an engine sits long enough the valve springs will weaken and even shorten and have to be replaced.
I will leave one full and the rest empty ? Just incase , it weakens the spring ?
I've actually heard that loading and uploading a magazine will cause main spring tension issues over keeping the mag filled. I've never tested this theory, and would be a great scientific test to do.
You are correct. Compressing and decompressing is what wears springs out. It’s the use of the spring that causes wear. Quality springs do not accumulate wear just by being compressed for a length of time.
Those tests have been done many times.
THIS has been a long debate. Reputable mnfrs like Magpul/Glock OEMs have spent tons of time R & D-ing FOR THIS and crush tests, etc. I DO keep numerous mags loaded with 28/30 rds for extended periods and have had no issues feeding, firing, etc. Tangodowns..although TOUGHER to load with a ‘LULA’ loader, still has great spring dynamics and is problem-free for now. I’ve tested more AR mags than AK mags to be fair but my Bulgarian offer no problems as well as Magpul AK MOE 30’s. The steel 30-rounders (Eastern-bloc) and Romanian are gtg as I can tell. I will sayI have a SCAR and haven’t planned on keeping my FN 20’s loaded. I fire it often enough though. Ironically, I do have an E-lander I haven’t even used BEYOND testing it initially. Great vid..important stuff!
That SCAR 17 is something beautiful.
VERY interesting points you have made, here. On my Yugo AK, I found that the steel CommBloc mags fit perfectly, and they can stay loaded for a very long time, and I can still find no discernible weakening of spring tension. Same thing with the P-MAGs for the AR. My Glock PISTOL mags, however, tell a slightly different story. I have notice that they definitely settle a bit when left loaded, but they still feed okay. So, I use a plus-10% aftermarket springs in all of them, and so far, no issues. It is interesting to note that as far as fit is concerned, Magpul AK mags do not fit at all...not even close. Very odd.
There is no DNA in springs, they are made to be sprung and it debunk as to their weakening after many years. I agree with you Sir
I had a bunch of mags loaded for years basic gi mags with magpul followers haven’t noticed any issues
I have a couple Glock 21 mags (
I dont usually clean my mags.
I agree 💯. Examine everything you intend on using. If you go minus 2 on your mags, the springs will last longer.
That's what I have always done. Makes sense to me.
just as when we buy any firearm, we break it down, give it a look over while cleaning BEFORE we shoot it. ive adopted the same "rule" with mags. during the mag tear downs, i have found burrs, out of spec dimensions that required a little shaping and filing before followers would run smoothly. just little things like that. not big enough to go thru the hassle of returning to the store but big enough to stop the firearm from running. ive found those kind of things in both metal and polymer mags but mostly in the lesser quality metal usgi mags.
the followers on all usgi mags of any flavor get replaced with magpul enhanced self-leveling followers(mag110) after having a few hang ups like the one in this vid. of course the pmags already come with those followers but good to have a stash of them as they are a wear item.
Yep. I have had some of the same experiences over the years. I always give them a slap on the back spine of the mag too. I also agree with the anti tilt followers. they are almost "a must".
If you buy an AR from a military contractor like LWRC and Geissle, you won't need to break it down before firing. All military contract suppliers come ready to go. That is one of the reasons why these firearms cost more.
Personally I like to take a firearm apart and inspect it, then put it back together and run it just to see how it does right out of the box, sometimes that causes issues and if it does (or if it doesn't) I take it apart, clean it real good, oil it, and run it some more, 99% of the time if there is a firearm related issue that will fix it, obviously trying it right out of the box without cleaning first is unnecessary but it's just something I like to do. In terms of mags, for AR mags I use almost only Okay Industries and Magpul mags, never had a problem, I have a couple center industries mags without an anti tilt follower, one is damaged and will only work with 12 rounds so those ones are just range mags for obvious reasons, same with my 20rd american thermold, but keeping em loaded doesn't bother me a bit, I've only had 1 ammo related mag issue before and that was with Winchester steel case 9mm in a magpul glock mag, the cases weren't slick enough and they jammed up pretty bad, but personally most of the reliability issues I've had were ammo related, I've had a few firearm related issues that I was able to fix just by running it some more and a handful of mag issues but that's about it, the most issues I've had altogether is with American made ammo, from failures to fire to undercharged rounds, you name it (mostly rimfire but I've had a lot of bad primers too, mostly from remington), the only problems I've had with foreign ammo aside from a specific batch of steel case not extracting from ars is one bad round of 7.62x39 (old Chinese norinco), it was odd, the primer fizzed and sizzled and smoked, make me pretty nervous till I got it out with a cleaning rod, and also had another round of the same stuff that a friend noticed was cracked at the neck, I threw that out, overall though the norinco ammo is pretty good, but like I said aside from those issues foreign ammo has been 100% reliable for me and American ammo has been far from it, it's pretty sad, because older American ammo was all fantastic and I trust 30 year old American ammo a lot more than I trust the new production stuff
I will say the biggest advantage at least for me by running them right out of the box is you'll put enough wear on the parts to see what spots need oiled
Nice post. I've experienced similar things after years of storage with some mag brands. Most others have seemed uneffected.
My understanding of high quality spring steel is that it is only continued mechanical compression and elongation that degrades it. AKA, high cycle counts of loading and unloading, not static compression load that we would get with long term storage.
My advice is not to store loaded mags unless the brand is trusted. It is unfortunate because the cost savings for the manufacturer is relatively insignificant.
Good comment. I think you nailed it.
@@2aEdu Now you have me curious. I have a couple of those elander 6.5 mags somewhere. I'm going to do a couple loaded storage tests. If I recall, they weren't exactly cheap either.
I've had brand new mags do the same things. Loaded the mags up with ammo and it would jam up while loading. I ended up taking them apart and sanding a little material off the followers so it could travel through the body of the mag without binding up. I think they were pro mag brand but I've bought other pro mag magazines that ran perfectly.
Misplaced a 92FS mag in the attic of my home. Some over 10 years later the mag was found. All 15 rounds of ball fired without issue. That taught me a lot.
Also allowed me to ditch the Pro Mag. Only one experience with them. Was not good. It scraped going in.
My experience is load "ONE" round less than rated. Just seems to allow a little room for movement in most mags.
The only thing loaded less is good for is so you have that extra room for when your seating your mag with the bolt closed, a closed bolt will suppress the spring that much more so you take a round out to give it the room it needs.
I leave all my magazines loaded and some have been over a year and I check them regularly and no issues so far. I agree with Guero M. that 12 gauge shouldn't be, because they do become deformed. Thank you for the video, the topic is something I think most take for granted.
No prob. I just wanted to remind everyone to check once in a while, and that things can happen. Most of my mags, like yours, are fine when stored loaded.
There have been old school 20 round AR mags from Vietnam era that have been fully loaded from then until now and they work perfectly fine.
12ga steel mags are going to deform ???
Why does my mag spring falls here and there ? Like fr while loading my mag the rounds go right in like they sink in and I shake the mag and then they go back to place ?
Nothing passes me off more that buying things that don't work.
Same thing has happened with 6.5 grendel E landers. I'd stick with C product mags
Yep, a couple other have said this too. I thought elander was supposed to be good. I guess I will rack these up as a loss, and get some more c products. These are 6.5 BTW.
Definitely C and not Elander in the Grendel
Be interesting to hear what the cause actually is. I mean usually the spring wears out and stops pushing up. That problem is interesting
I showed the rest of the unloading of the mag on Locals. Check the pinned comment if you are interested.
My impression of the magazine manufacturer is that they went cheap on their product, and or used cheap springs. I encountered this problem with a magazine manufacturer (not saying any names) that went cheap, of American manufacturing & shipping our jobs off to Chin/India.
Probably sticking followers . Newer mags have longer rails on the follower to keep them from hanging up and sticking which would cause the follower not pushing up on the roads properly like this
Elander used springs with improper tension for this batch of magazines. The feed lips are actually bend if you look closely in the video.
Today I will shoot those spare mags to make sure I am tactically squared away! Thanks for the reminder!
I need to check my magazines. Thank you for posting this.
No prob 👍
I have always been worried about this exact thing, its just so hard to find that balance of proper storage and readiness
It's not a problem with decent quality magazines.
Every time you clean your firearm you should empty, clean, and inspect your magazines. Check spring fatigue.
@@myrtlelittle4130 This is probably a dumb question but I’m trying it learn as much as I can being new to the gun world , how would you know when the spring is weak or fatigued ?
From a physics science point of view, regarding material strength, a constantly compressed spring for a long period of time eventually will cause excessive fatigue, and the spring will lose strength. It is wise to cycle or rotate magazines at a determined period of time. I do it with handguns every 3 months, with rifles every 6 months. The rest of you do as you please. Carry on.
Thanks for sharing; a topic that has been debated for years ;) I agree with you/other comments; depends on the mag. I do switch out my handgun mags every few months but have some surplus x39 mags that have been loaded for years.
No prob. I think it is fine to leave mags loaded. Except once in a while stuff happens. Just a reminder to check on loaded mags once in a while.
Suggestion. Unload magazines, disassemble if you can , clean with bore brush. Then spray some type of Teflon or silicone based lubricant inside and out. Then reload.
Metal mags are corroding inside and not allowing to function properly.
Do this a couple of times a year.
Location and humidity is the factor in this problem.
As a matter of fact you should do this every time you clean your weapon, not just the barrel , bolt , or slide. Lube is your best friend.
Try it. You’ll like it. 🇺🇸
I just went and tried it. All my AR-15 mags rattle. All of them. Never had a problem. Never had one drop cartridges. All it means is that rounds aren't stacking perfectly inside. Given the slight difference in tolerances from one magazine to the next and from one batch or brand of ammo to the next, making the rounds stack snugly is nearly impossible. If you have a magazine that pukes rounds just be being picked up, that magazine has a real problem. The fact that it rattles likely has nothing to do with it.
Yes, I said in this video that some mags rattle and it is fine. In this case the rattle is a prob. With rounds falling out. This rattle is much worse than what I assume your mags are doing. I know what you mean, but these are rattling like popcorn popping or something. lol
@@2aEdu No worries. I just don’t want someone to shake their magazines, hear a rattle, and go “Oh my God. My magazines are all bad.” Those magazines you showed have a problem. Absolutely.
@@paulstone472 Yep. I don't want that either. I actually did a video 2 years ago saying don't generally worry about mag and ammo rattle. 👍
Is it possible that those mags don’t have anti-tilt followers? I’ve changed my followers to anti-tilt in my aluminum mags.
I have encountered that kind of issue in my range mags if they haven't been cleaned in a while. This is especially true with plastic mags and "dirty" target ammo. The caliber or whether it's handgun or rifle mag don't matter. Anything that keeps the follower from moving freely can cause mags to perform erratically. Since making that discovery, I clean the mags every time I clean a firearm. For my home defense weapons, when I fully inspect them every month, I also unload and reload all of the mags that go with them. Defense ammo is a lot more expensive than target so it doesn't get cycled nearly as often.
Another informative video! Thank you! When I make my way to Michigan, I would love to shake your hand!
Police were leaving their Glock mags fully loaded for extended periods and were having failures to feed. Rotate your magazines. Every handgun I own, I have at least 3 magazines.
Thank you for the video and your clarity in journalism also audio and video I concur with your findings and lookin forward for more content
Thank you!
I have Tapco composite 30 round US made ,I just checked loaded over 2 years and still good. With the same ammo you showed
I like my Tapco Ak mags. Always good to check though.
I leave mine loaded for years, never had an issue, but now I need to check some. I am sure it will vary from mag to mag and ammo to ammo. Laquer coated would be worse case scenario i think and combined with a longer mag. But its hard to say. Its probably good to do a yearly check if not sooner to unload and reload them to make sure everything is clean and working properly.
I had .458 socom magazines loaded and stored in my one rifle bags and for some reason it has ejected all the rounds out of the mag and I tried to reload them and it’s doing the same thing again… idk what the issue really is….
Watching you wiggle the mag just reminded me of the demolition ranch shooting a bulletproof phone and he had a bereta he was having trouble with it wiggling and the rounds flying out but he was doing it on purpose and was hilarious
lol
ok if you live by the beach and the gun is kept in a locked drawer. will the springs rust?
They def could
Pulled a belt with 8 AR mags both pmag and GI on it that have been loaded for 8+ years. They all ran great. I have another that has also been sitting loaded for about 8 years. I'll probably do a video on that one soon. The only time I've had problems with stored loaded mags is when loaded with steel. They go to crap after 2-3 years here in Florida. May last longer out west in the desert.
I don't skemp on anything that I use to protect my family. I always check the magazines stored. You can disassemble the magazines and stretch the springs. I've had old Gen 2 pmags act up.
Plan to get an under-folder AK. What type is that one in the background. Do you recommend that AK?
The one behind me is a very rare early Yugo Model M64. To be honest it would be very difficult to find one. I do love AKs though, and underfolders. I do know the model I would recommend if you want a nice classic original military parts kit build though. Are you a member of my Locals community? (You can join my Locals for free. Link in the description) If so, or if you sign up, let me know and I will do a posting there. I cant give links to gun sites on YT.
Thanks for the reminder. I check my carry mags every time I carry, but honestly I rarely check my others. I will be doing that later today. Thanks for the 2A Education, 2aedu!
No prob man 👍 That was the purpose of this vid. Just to remind everyone to check once in a while.
@@2aEdu I’ve seen videos of guys literally mocking checking mags and seeing if a carry gun is loaded since “you loaded it, you know you haven’t shot it…” Obviously it’s a mechanical device where things can go wrong, even if you have OEM mags like Beretta, Taurus, Glock, etc.
@@radomguy9678 Yep. Exactly! Life is strange, and anything can happen.
That happened to me with my a ETS clear mag that I use for my CAA MCK for my M&P Shield. A round popped out when I was pulling the mag out. and it happened twice
Never thought springs would be made so cheaply this could happen. I thought about the possibility but never thought quality would be that poor. Thanks for the heads up.
Thank you for the review . Would like to know what the problem is, spring, or bad manufacturing?
I'm planning on doing a follow-up
Yeah I see that that's crazy as hell I definitely would not use those mags anymore I've never seen magazines do that before but is really really awesome to know thank you very much for sharing that
Yeah, no prob. I was trying to raise awareness, so people would remember to check once in a while. Anything can happen.....
K and yeah I straight let a few of my buddies know and they all checked all of their stuff because you are right it is good to check every once in awhile because anything can happen but yeah buddy thank you for sharing take care and God bless
@@shaneyates2608 Cool. We have to look out for reach other. God bless you too.