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Old August 31, 2014, 08:11 PM   #1
cajundefender
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Do new springs make a magazine last forever?

Instead of buying a new magazine when the springs of the old one wears out, couldn't one just purchase additional springs? Would a simple spring replacement mean that you can make the same magazines last forever or should you still replace the magazine every now and again? I don't see why that wouldn't be the case, but given that I lack the experience of most on here, I thought I'd ask. So, when your old magazines wear out, do you just replace the springs and keep shooting or do you buy an entire new magazine because a $1 spring wore out?
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Old August 31, 2014, 09:41 PM   #2
marine6680
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Last forever?

No


Increase life?

Yes


You can damage the magazine body, feed lips may bend or get weak, but barring abuse, the mag body will outlast several springs.
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Old August 31, 2014, 09:42 PM   #3
TRaGiK
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Followers can wear, feed lips can crack/bend/spread, and I suppose the body could wear out eventually (though i've never seen that).

Mag's are disposable items. Eventually, you'll have to throw some away.
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Old August 31, 2014, 10:13 PM   #4
cajundefender
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Okay, that's what I figured. I was mainly just wondering if it would be worth it to replace springs when they get worn out or if I should just buy new ones. Thanks.
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Old September 1, 2014, 08:00 AM   #5
wogpotter
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I've yet to wear out a spring. Some are 60~70 years old at this point so I'm not really concerned.
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Old September 1, 2014, 12:19 PM   #6
snolden
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I buy surplus mags (some are easily 40 years old) and I do have to replace a spring every now and again. So I bought 20. get some followers and some floorplates too. I also recommend getting as many mags as possible if they are bigger than 10 rounds. Too many laws are passed that make those mags hard to get sometimes. (I recommend 25-50 mags per type of rifle)
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Old September 1, 2014, 08:53 PM   #7
lee n. field
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Quote:
Would a simple spring replacement mean that you can make the same magazines last forever or should you still replace the magazine every now and again? I don't see why that wouldn't be the case, but given that I lack the experience of most on here, I thought I'd ask. So, when your old magazines wear out, do you just replace the springs and keep shooting or do you buy an entire new magazine because a $1 spring wore out?
Feed lips will wear out eventually. Yeah, it will take a lot of rounds.
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Old September 2, 2014, 01:48 PM   #8
James K
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Good springs should last a long time, even compressed. I have seen posts saying that recoil springs should be replaced every 100 rounds and magazine springs every month.

Nonsense, unless you are in the business of selling springs, in which case it is great advice.

Replace springs when they weaken and no longer work.

Jim
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Old September 2, 2014, 05:05 PM   #9
Skans
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I have more problems with feed lips than I do with magazine springs.
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Old September 4, 2014, 12:28 AM   #10
Brotherbadger
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Feed lips will eventually be the downfall of most magazines. However, new springs will extend the life of the mag for a very long time.
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Old September 4, 2014, 07:02 PM   #11
Art Eatman
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I don't see how a mag spring can "wear out" unless it's really low-quality junk to start with.

You can't hurt a spring by compressing it, or there are millions of cars that wouldn't run worth a hoot.

A decent-quality spring should last through thousands of cycles, if not millions.
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