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January 24, 2013, 12:48 PM | #1 |
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Do Unused Magazine Springs Wear Out?
"Wear out" may not be the best term...
I know engineers and machinists that tell me springs don't get weak or lose their tension if held static. They only lose tension if they are used through their limits of motion. I know plenty of shooting coaches who advocate changing out magazines once a week to "exercise" the springs and keep them from taking a set. The two opinions seem at constrast with each other. Any engineers or other spring experts on this forum (or anyone else, of course) care to comment? Seems to me if you park a truck and don't move it for a couple of decades, the coil or leaf springs don't "go bad" or collapse. But if you drive it hard, hit bumps, tow a lot, cause the suspension to move, THAT would tend to wear out the springs. Sgt Lumpy - n0eq |
January 24, 2013, 01:34 PM | #2 |
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It is my understanding from a post I read on another board by someone who claimed to be an engineer with knowledge in this area that is was the compression/decompression cycles that wear out a spring. His explanation seemed logical.
FWIW YMMV |
January 24, 2013, 01:44 PM | #3 |
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You might want to read some of the recent discussion on this topic:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=512240
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January 24, 2013, 04:51 PM | #4 |
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Simple answer, No, they don't.
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January 24, 2013, 04:53 PM | #5 |
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Like others I was always told it is repeated compression/decompression that wear them out.
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January 24, 2013, 05:02 PM | #6 |
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It has been my experience that a properly used magazine will function just fine when it is sored full, even for years at a time, that being said; the several mags I keep loaded all the time get swapped out once a year or so, If I don't shoot that ammo up first.
By properly used I mean if you have a 30 round magazine only put 30 rounds in it, it may hold 31 or 32, but putting more than 30 in it compresses the spring too far and will damage the coils. I have several milsurp 30 round mags dated 1989 that were stored full for a couple years at a time a few different times, they still function perfectly. Although it should be noted that the springs and followers were upgraded recently, but not because there was a problem with them, I wanted no tilt followers and they came with new springs. I still have the old ones.
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January 24, 2013, 06:50 PM | #7 | |
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Quote:
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January 25, 2013, 06:15 AM | #8 |
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Hhmmm....I realize that I'm going against the "common wisdom"....yes they do. [Has anyone ever wondered why this question is perpetually raised, ,even when the "engineering-experts" say it doesn't happen...? Might be worth thinking about, even if it causes a crisis of confidence.]--Patrice
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January 25, 2013, 06:27 AM | #9 |
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Did you just quote yourself? That doesn't count
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January 25, 2013, 11:12 AM | #10 |
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It depends on the springs,
If they are Glock springs those are the worse, send them to me right away for disposal. I have used military mags that were loaded for 40 years and they still worked. Springs will take a set, some more than others.
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