Well, here's a couple of comments on the issue of springs. Why do people buy what they think is the best handgun on the face of the earth, which in the heavyweight class is probably the Colt Government Model, then think that all the springs need replacing, sooner or later, not to mention anything else they can easily replace?
Everyone seems to have stories about old magazines kept loaded for decades and now I have one of my own.
My father-in-law passed away year before last and last summer, finally, we got around to cleaning out the house, garage, barn, sheds and attics. I got two pistol belts, one a pea green color from before WWI that looks untouched, plus my father-in-law's personal one from WWII that looked like he wore it when he changed the oil. They both had magazine pouches (almost said clip pouches!) and first aid pouches. The one with the pre-WWI belt still contained one magazine for a .45. It was the kind with a lanyard loop on the base and it was loaded. Spring works fine. The ammunition, which was in good shape, considering, was commercial ammunition, however, so I can't honestly say how long it had been loaded, only that my father-in-law did not own a .45. He told me he traded it for a Model A engine and that was probably from before 1950. However, the Model A was still there.
There was also a box of .38 S&W cartridges, about 3/4 full, but they didn't look so great. There was also a whole tobacco can full of .45 cartridges.
