Mag Spring Life

[Roadwild17]

Whats the story on the spring in glock mags and how good are they?
I have a G-17 which i keep loaded with 17 rounds all the time, Is there any problem with this?

 

[DaveTN]

If it’s a primary defense weapon; change the mag out ever couple of years for piece of mind.
But no, it’s not a problem leaving them loaded.

 

[Gary G23]

http://www.ismi-gunsprings.com/
Check the FAQ. They recommend yearly.

 

[JohnKSa]

This is sort of general information, not specifically Glock related.

Some folks recommend underloading double column pistol magazines by one round if they are going to be loaded for long periods.

Beretta hints in their 92FS manual that you'd be better off putting a loaded magazine in the gun, loading the chamber from the magazine and then not topping off. They make a comment about the reduced compression on the spring due to the missing round being "an advantage."

What do I think? I underload my Glock carry mag.

Edit: Single column magazines rarely (if ever) have a problem with being left fully loaded indefinitely if they are good quality.

 

[S&W10mm]

Glock Mag Life?

Lets throw this in the mix?

I see allot of Swelled Glock Mags! By meaning the actual Body of the Mag swells and is hard to get in out of the Grip Frame.

And I feel its from YEARS of Loaded Storage.

And YES! I see it in Metal Lined and NON Metal Lined!

Whats your opinion?

S&W10mm

 

[Walt Sherrill]

The SWOLLEN Glock mags are the older, non-drop free models. That's they way they were, when brand new. The newer drop free models have a liner that prevents the swelling, allowing them to drop free when fully loaded. They are a different design.

The Wolff site FAQ discussion of springs recommends changing frequently, but you have to remember that 1) they may be giving good advice, and 2) they are in business to sell springs.

Their point that keeping a hi-cap mag fully loaded stresses the spring when its at its design limit and will reduce spring life seems good information. Download a couple of rounds when storing.

(I use mine at the range, regularly, and you'll start to notice performance problems when the springs start to get weak -- like premature lock backs, or feeding problems.)

 

[wally]

If the mag is designed for a capacity of 15 rounds its spring should be designed to handle the stresses involved without problem for a long life. This is the operational definition of quality. If the design doesn't work as advertised either the design is flawed or the build quality is poor.

The only springs I have issues with are the ones in Para Ordnance double stack .45 mags. The follower binds easily, and springs seem to weaken rather quickly with much use. I love my double stack .45s at the range but I'd never count on one for defense as in my experience the magazines are just not reliable enough.

--wally.

 

[1 old 0311]

ANY spring is not compromised by compression. This includes mag springs, valve springs, coil springs, or ball point pen springs. What WILL have a bearing is repeated compression, then releaving the tension.

Kevin

 

[HSMITH]

I had G17 mags loaded over and over for over 10 years without any problems at all. Where they get the springs I don't know but stock Glock mag springs are VERY good springs.

FWIW, ISMI springs seem to last forever. Much better quality than Wolf when you want to replace them.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

According to Wolff, compressing springs to their design limits is HARDER on the spring than just flexing them, alone. (But I'll agree that "working" the mags will lead to some wear, over time, too.)

Valve springs, for example, may be built to ALMOST fully compress; ditto suspension springs. But when they're bottomed out, its apparently harder on the springs than when they're nearly bottomed out.

If the mag is designed for a capacity of 15 rounds its spring should be designed to handle the stresses involved without problem for a long life. This is the operational definition of quality. If the design doesn't work as advertised either the design is flawed or the build quality is poor.

Yes, but... The original 15-rounders were built with the best springs they could design, and they worked alright. They just didn't hold up as well as 10-rounders. Most of my mags use the same springs in both the 10-round and 15-round mags for the same gun. You're using essentially the same spring in the same mag, sometimes with a different follower and no blocking devices, but compressing it MORE to hold the additional rounds.

Wolff says that's why fully loaded 1911 mags that have been stored for years with 7-rounds in them continue to work fine when put back into use, but why hi-cap mags with 15 or 16 or 17 rounds won't hold up as well. But 8-rounders seem to have more problems.

 

[JohnKSa]

According to Wolff, compressing springs to their design limits is HARDER on the spring than just flexing them, alone.

That is true, and can be demonstrated fairly easily. I've repeatedly posted the results of an easily repeatable experiment that shows compressing a spring to the coilbound condition and leaving it compressed for long periods is harder on it than cycling it. While it seems to be a controversial concept in the firearm world, it has been common and uncontested knowledge in the spring-piston airgun world for decades.