Ar-15 and Magazine Question

Lee Harvey · June 26, 2013, 12:46 AM

I am new here and have a question about an ar-15...how durable are these rifles and is it ok to keep the aluminum magazines like nhmtg's loaded without the feed lips spreading? Don't the feed lips only spread if the mag is loaded and its dropped or thrown around?
Anybody have experience with this?

Venom1956 · June 26, 2013, 12:59 AM

Ha I wouldn't worry to much. One of the members here just had a mag loaded for quite a few years it ran with no issues. do a little searching I'm sure you'll find it

Old Stony · June 26, 2013, 03:31 AM

The rifles are very durable and so are the mags. I have some that have been loaded for many years, and no problems.

cecILL · June 26, 2013, 06:57 AM

Much more durable than a Carcano.

Lee Harvey · June 26, 2013, 12:24 PM

then whats all this crap about feed lip spread?

allaroundhunter · June 26, 2013, 01:13 PM

All what crap? Search around and you'll see that it has been disproved time and time again.

Dfariswheel · June 26, 2013, 06:03 PM

I kept a military surplus aluminum 30 round magazine loaded for something around 22 years.
It was never touched or unloaded, it just sat in the case next to an AR-15 all that time.

I took it to the range earlier this year and it fired all 30 rounds with no problems.
Before taking it out to shoot I compared the magazine feed lips to a brand new magazine and measured them.
The lips had not spread on the old mag in all that time, nor had the floor plate bent or bulged.

As for AR-15 rifles, if you buy a good quality rifle it's good for probably longer then you are. Buy lower quality or don't give it good maintenance and you may have problems.

Lee Harvey · June 26, 2013, 06:06 PM

well i have a Sig m400 I've had for about a year now. Everything is stock and nothing has failed me yet. Pretty solid platform.

Palmetto-Pride · June 26, 2013, 10:48 PM

Quote:

well i have a Sig m400 I've had for about a year now. Everything is stock and nothing has failed me yet. Pretty solid platform.

Actually they are all pretty solid except for the Sig M400 man you got the only AR type rifle that sucks wow you got bad luck. I will do you a favor and take it off your hands I will even pay shipping................

10-96 · June 26, 2013, 11:24 PM

I wonder if the stories about the AR mags spreading showed up about the same time the 6.8 Rem SPC did? I heard about some of those clips spreading, so I loaded up an old AR .223 mag with 6.8's to see if it would spread... it did when loaded to capacity. But when down loaded by 3 rounds I saw no problems, and I learned that it fed and cycled just as well as my PMI clips.

NWCP · June 27, 2013, 04:52 AM

I only own two ARs, but have have had no issues with either one. My direct impingement rifle is a RRA LAR15 and my gas piston AR is made by Stag Arms. You take care of your AR and if it's a quality rifle to begin with it will last you many thousands of rounds. Early on I got into MAGPUL PMAGs and haven't looked back. I find them to be reliable as all get out, the same as my rifles.

MarkCO · June 27, 2013, 08:59 AM

Feed lips won't spread if just kept loaded. However, after thousands of rounds through them, the feedlips can become spread.

The static spring force does not have enough energy to exceed the strength of the feedlips. But give the rounds some velocity hitting the feedlips, and they will start to roll out a tad.

With no wood and the aluminum anodized, the AR is one of the most resistant platforms to environmental degradation. Sure, if stored, bores could use a light coated of a rust preventative.

Any decent AR can go 10K over 40+ years with nary a worry. Then, depending on the initial parts, you might be looking at springs, maybe a barrel. Bolts should go 40K+. Aluminum gas blocks...just say no.

June 26, 2013, 12:46 AM	#1
Lee Harvey Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2013 Posts: 4	Ar-15 and Magazine Question I am new here and have a question about an ar-15...how durable are these rifles and is it ok to keep the aluminum magazines like nhmtg's loaded without the feed lips spreading? Don't the feed lips only spread if the mag is loaded and its dropped or thrown around? Anybody have experience with this?

June 26, 2013, 12:59 AM	#2
Venom1956 Senior Member Join Date: October 4, 2008 Location: WI Posts: 3,656	Ha I wouldn't worry to much. One of the members here just had a mag loaded for quite a few years it ran with no issues. do a little searching I'm sure you'll find it __________________ E-Shock rounds are engineered to expend maximum energy into soft targets, turning the density mass into an expanding rotational cone of NyTrilium matrix particles, causing neurological collapse to the central nervous system.- Yeah I can do that. I guarantee you will know it if a bicyclist hits your house going 1000 mph. -Smaug

June 26, 2013, 11:24 PM	#10
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	I wonder if the stories about the AR mags spreading showed up about the same time the 6.8 Rem SPC did? I heard about some of those clips spreading, so I loaded up an old AR .223 mag with 6.8's to see if it would spread... it did when loaded to capacity. But when down loaded by 3 rounds I saw no problems, and I learned that it fed and cycled just as well as my PMI clips. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

June 27, 2013, 08:59 AM	#12
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,307	Feed lips won't spread if just kept loaded. However, after thousands of rounds through them, the feedlips can become spread. The static spring force does not have enough energy to exceed the strength of the feedlips. But give the rounds some velocity hitting the feedlips, and they will start to roll out a tad. With no wood and the aluminum anodized, the AR is one of the most resistant platforms to environmental degradation. Sure, if stored, bores could use a light coated of a rust preventative. Any decent AR can go 10K over 40+ years with nary a worry. Then, depending on the initial parts, you might be looking at springs, maybe a barrel. Bolts should go 40K+. Aluminum gas blocks...just say no. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

June 26, 2013, 03:31 AM	#3
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	The rifles are very durable and so are the mags. I have some that have been loaded for many years, and no problems.

June 26, 2013, 06:57 AM	#4
cecILL Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2001 Location: central IL Posts: 769	Much more durable than a Carcano.

June 26, 2013, 12:24 PM	#5
Lee Harvey Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2013 Posts: 4	then whats all this crap about feed lip spread?

June 26, 2013, 01:13 PM	#6
allaroundhunter Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2012 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 1,670	All what crap? Search around and you'll see that it has been disproved time and time again.

June 26, 2013, 06:03 PM	#7
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	I kept a military surplus aluminum 30 round magazine loaded for something around 22 years. It was never touched or unloaded, it just sat in the case next to an AR-15 all that time. I took it to the range earlier this year and it fired all 30 rounds with no problems. Before taking it out to shoot I compared the magazine feed lips to a brand new magazine and measured them. The lips had not spread on the old mag in all that time, nor had the floor plate bent or bulged. As for AR-15 rifles, if you buy a good quality rifle it's good for probably longer then you are. Buy lower quality or don't give it good maintenance and you may have problems.

June 26, 2013, 06:06 PM	#8
Lee Harvey Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2013 Posts: 4	well i have a Sig m400 I've had for about a year now. Everything is stock and nothing has failed me yet. Pretty solid platform.

June 27, 2013, 04:52 AM	#11
NWCP Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2006 Posts: 1,903	I only own two ARs, but have have had no issues with either one. My direct impingement rifle is a RRA LAR15 and my gas piston AR is made by Stag Arms. You take care of your AR and if it's a quality rifle to begin with it will last you many thousands of rounds. Early on I got into MAGPUL PMAGs and haven't looked back. I find them to be reliable as all get out, the same as my rifles.