AR15 magazine questions

05kas05 · January 5, 2013, 10:32 AM

ok so i bought my AR15 and also got 5 pmag mags which i think are the 2nd gen mags but they did not come with the dust covers is it ok to leave these mags loaded all the time or is it better to unload them while in storage,if i had the dust covers would this make a difference on the loaded or unloaded storage question.

i have a 10 pack of magpul AR15 mags on backorder from brownells but since there is no telling how long it will be for them to come in i have been looking for other mags. i found some from a company called tapco and they are about 12.00 each are they any good should i pick up some or should i wait for my magpul's to come in. if the magpuls are better ill just wait for my order to come in and leave those tapcos on the shelf for others to pick up as im sure im not the only person looking for mags haha.

mirage243 · January 5, 2013, 11:20 AM

You'll get conflicting info on leaving mags loaded or not, personally I change out my mags monthly for the ones I keep loaded, but I have heard several people say that, it is the use that wears mags out, meaning the compressing and decompressing of the spring. I personally don't buy that, but it's out there. The reason I personally swap the mags out monthly is, I have heard numerous stories of mags failing to feed the last couple of rounds reliably, after they've sat loaded for a couple of years, when they worked fine previously. JMO, Bill

Marquezj16 · January 5, 2013, 11:47 AM

I heard or read somewhere the dust covers were said to be there to keep the feed lips from the pressure of the rounds pushing back up. Don't know if there is any truth to it. I just load mine and rotate every few months.

chris in va · January 5, 2013, 04:40 PM

Quote:

I heard or read somewhere the dust covers were said to be there to keep the feed lips from the pressure of the rounds pushing back up. Don't know if there is any truth to it.

It's actually part of the instruction manual that comes with Pmags.

PawPaw · January 5, 2013, 04:52 PM

Two years ago I found two mags that I had loaded during the come-home from Desert Storm. I was tasked with bringing automatic weapons from our demobilization post, back to our home armory. I loaded two magazines with ball 5.56 ammo and made the trip without incident. After we'd secured the weapons in the armory, I realized that I still had the magazines, so I dropped them in my ruck sack. threw the sack in the pickup truck and came home. This was in July, 1991.

I got busy after the war, and forgot about those magazines. I found them in June, 2011 and took them to the range for our qualifications with the Sheriff's office. I shot that ammo for qualification, and took the new ammo that I was issued as replacement stocks.

I know for a fact that those two magazines stayed loaded from July 1991 to June 2011. They fired just fine, no problems no glitches. That's one month short of two decades. I personally don't think it hurts anything to leave a magazine loaded.

ak2323 · January 5, 2013, 05:18 PM

Everyone's got their own opinion either way.

Still waiting to see documented proof that cycling magazines is necessary - all I've heard is "it just stands to reason" (said with authoritah).

O'rly?

Technosavant · January 5, 2013, 05:45 PM

You can load them and leave them that way without the dust covers. The Magpul guys over at ARFcom have said that they have some loaded without dust covers... they've been that way for years without a problem.

With the revision of the Pmag to the 3rd generation, the 2nd gen (Rev M) ones have been relabeled to the MOE Pmag and they ditched the dust cover. It's just not needed.

Marquezj16 · January 5, 2013, 06:32 PM

Quote:

It's actually part of the instruction manual that comes with Pmags.

lol, you are a smart one

BillyJack3 · January 6, 2013, 08:54 PM

Heard today that PMAGs that come with completes are not shipping with the dust covers any more. My buddy just scored a M&P Sport and his PMAG didn't come with one either.

January 5, 2013, 10:32 AM	#1
05kas05 Member Join Date: January 3, 2009 Location: texas Posts: 52	AR15 magazine questions ok so i bought my AR15 and also got 5 pmag mags which i think are the 2nd gen mags but they did not come with the dust covers is it ok to leave these mags loaded all the time or is it better to unload them while in storage,if i had the dust covers would this make a difference on the loaded or unloaded storage question. i have a 10 pack of magpul AR15 mags on backorder from brownells but since there is no telling how long it will be for them to come in i have been looking for other mags. i found some from a company called tapco and they are about 12.00 each are they any good should i pick up some or should i wait for my magpul's to come in. if the magpuls are better ill just wait for my order to come in and leave those tapcos on the shelf for others to pick up as im sure im not the only person looking for mags haha.

January 5, 2013, 04:52 PM	#5
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 3,137	Two years ago I found two mags that I had loaded during the come-home from Desert Storm. I was tasked with bringing automatic weapons from our demobilization post, back to our home armory. I loaded two magazines with ball 5.56 ammo and made the trip without incident. After we'd secured the weapons in the armory, I realized that I still had the magazines, so I dropped them in my ruck sack. threw the sack in the pickup truck and came home. This was in July, 1991. I got busy after the war, and forgot about those magazines. I found them in June, 2011 and took them to the range for our qualifications with the Sheriff's office. I shot that ammo for qualification, and took the new ammo that I was issued as replacement stocks. I know for a fact that those two magazines stayed loaded from July 1991 to June 2011. They fired just fine, no problems no glitches. That's one month short of two decades. I personally don't think it hurts anything to leave a magazine loaded. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

January 5, 2013, 11:20 AM	#2
mirage243 Junior Member Join Date: February 1, 2012 Posts: 1	You'll get conflicting info on leaving mags loaded or not, personally I change out my mags monthly for the ones I keep loaded, but I have heard several people say that, it is the use that wears mags out, meaning the compressing and decompressing of the spring. I personally don't buy that, but it's out there. The reason I personally swap the mags out monthly is, I have heard numerous stories of mags failing to feed the last couple of rounds reliably, after they've sat loaded for a couple of years, when they worked fine previously. JMO, Bill

January 5, 2013, 11:47 AM	#3
Marquezj16 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Posts: 2,088	I heard or read somewhere the dust covers were said to be there to keep the feed lips from the pressure of the rounds pushing back up. Don't know if there is any truth to it. I just load mine and rotate every few months.

January 5, 2013, 05:18 PM	#6
ak2323 Senior Member Join Date: December 8, 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 190	Everyone's got their own opinion either way. Still waiting to see documented proof that cycling magazines is necessary - all I've heard is "it just stands to reason" (said with authoritah). O'rly?

January 5, 2013, 05:45 PM	#7
Technosavant Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2007 Location: St. Louis, MO area Posts: 4,040	You can load them and leave them that way without the dust covers. The Magpul guys over at ARFcom have said that they have some loaded without dust covers... they've been that way for years without a problem. With the revision of the Pmag to the 3rd generation, the 2nd gen (Rev M) ones have been relabeled to the MOE Pmag and they ditched the dust cover. It's just not needed.

January 6, 2013, 08:54 PM	#9
BillyJack3 Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2012 Posts: 423	Heard today that PMAGs that come with completes are not shipping with the dust covers any more. My buddy just scored a M&P Sport and his PMAG didn't come with one either.