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Walt Sherrill · September 17, 2009, 02:06 PM

Wolff Springs, which has some expertise on this topic, says that it really depends on how a spring is used.

In a standard capacity magazine, like a 7-round 1911 (.45) mag, or 10-round 9mm mag, you can leave the mag fully loaded forever and you'll have problems before it will. Over time, working the mag a lot will contribute to wear and weakness, but it will take a lot.

The problems arise when the mag spring is pushed to its design limits. For 8-round 1911 mags, or 15/16 round 9mm mags, for example, the mag makers typically use the same spring as in standard mags. But, in the high-cap mags, the springs are compressed farther. That strains the springs and accelerates their wear. They've been pushed to -- or beyond -- their original design limits.

Letting springs rest does NOTHING. Springs aren't animals, and don't get better after resting. Metal fatigue can't be overcome and the metal can't be rejuvenated by giving it time off. Rotating mags doesn't save the mags -- it just spreads the wear over a larger number of mags. You're just delaying when you replace the springs, and have to replace more of them.

Wolff suggests downloading a mag a round or two if you're going to leave them stored for long periods.

Check out the FAQ section on the Wolff website for more info.

September 17, 2009, 02:06 PM	#13
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	Wolff Springs, which has some expertise on this topic, says that it really depends on how a spring is used. In a standard capacity magazine, like a 7-round 1911 (.45) mag, or 10-round 9mm mag, you can leave the mag fully loaded forever and you'll have problems before it will. Over time, working the mag a lot will contribute to wear and weakness, but it will take a lot. The problems arise when the mag spring is pushed to its design limits. For 8-round 1911 mags, or 15/16 round 9mm mags, for example, the mag makers typically use the same spring as in standard mags. But, in the high-cap mags, the springs are compressed farther. That strains the springs and accelerates their wear. They've been pushed to -- or beyond -- their original design limits. Letting springs rest does NOTHING. Springs aren't animals, and don't get better after resting. Metal fatigue can't be overcome and the metal can't be rejuvenated by giving it time off. Rotating mags doesn't save the mags -- it just spreads the wear over a larger number of mags. You're just delaying when you replace the springs, and have to replace more of them. Wolff suggests downloading a mag a round or two if you're going to leave them stored for long periods. Check out the FAQ section on the Wolff website for more info. Last edited by Walt Sherrill; September 17, 2009 at 06:05 PM.