Question about storing loaded guns

[ScotchMan]

On an autoloader, stored with a round chambered, there is tension on the magazine spring, and possibly on a striker or hammer spring as well. Can this eventually wear out?

My question is, how long could you (in theory) leave a semi-auto loaded before one should worry about damage to the gun, or it needing maintenance? For specifics assume the gun is a Glock 17.

I know that when a revolver is loaded, there is no tension of any kind that wouldn't be there if it were unloaded. Assuming hammer is down. You could load a revolver and then fire it 20 years later as long as the ammunition was still good.

I'm mostly just curious if the answer is days, months, years, or generations.

 

[zxcvbob]

I'm pretty sure the correct answer is "generations". Springs don't wear out from holding them compressed (unless you exceed the elastic limit of the steel, and it would have to be an *awful* design for that to even be possible.) They wear out from repeated flexing, but they are designed for lots of cycles so I wouldn't worry about that unless it's an old gun that's been used and maybe abused a lot.

If it makes you feel better, load one less round in the magazines.

 

[James K]

I would be more concerned about safety if a gun is stored long-term. The person who stored it may want to get it out and forget it is loaded, or someone else may find the gun and not realize it is loaded. Either way, it could be an accident looking for a place to happen. I am not sure I can envision where a gun in long term storage would have to be ready for instant use.

Jim

 

[BlueTrain]

There is no more tension on a magazine spring whether or not there is a chambered round and I'm certain that the magazine spring will keep it's tension for years because I have a very old .45 auto magazine that's been loaded for over 30 years and it's fine. Moreover, all the springs in firearms are always under tension. Some are under greater tension when loaded or cocked but none are under no tension at all. Even the spring in an empty magazine is under compression.

 

[daliff89]

i know the Glock's user manual says not to store one in the chamber, but i always figured that was like a 'don't use ammo you loaded yourself' type of thing, just there to cover themselves in case something bad happens

for what it's worth, my Glock is currently being stored with a full magazine and an empty chamber

 

[Dino.]

I keep two magazines fully loaded for my Glock 17.
Let's revive this thread in 30 years and I'll give you an update.

 

[postmaster]

So it's okay to put maximum rounds in magazine for a while.

I have always loaded only 7 rounds in a 10 round Glock 26, just to be sure the spring doesn't weaken. Perhaps I should put all 10 in, if it doesn't lose tension.

However I usually have mine out shooting about once every 2-3 months

I also only put 10 in my 15 round Sig magazine. Time to reload.

 

[jmr40]

I know that conventional wisdom says that keping them loaded does not hurt. That may well be true with older single stack designs, but with many of today's magazines holding 15-30 rounds it seems that downloading by 2 or so rounds does help. If you read about Chuck Taylor and his near 300,000 round Glock 17 he noted that magazine springs were wearing out prematurely during the first 10,000 rounds of his test. He started downloading to 15 rounds vs 17 and the magazines started lasting much longer for the rest of the test.

http://www.tactical-life.com/online/combat-handguns/glock-17-9mm-torture-test/

I am told that most of the military down load their 30 round mags to 28 to increase reliability as well.

 

[Average Joe]

I keep the mags loaded, but never store it with one in the chamber. That's Just asking for trouble....

 

[KyJim]

I keep the mags loaded, but never store it with one in the chamber. That's Just asking for trouble....

I do store the carry guns in my current rotation with a round chambered. I think it's actually more dangerous to eject rounds, manipulate safeties, and lower hammers every night than leaving them chambered overnight if properly stored.

 

[ScotchMan]

Thanks for the info. I was asking in order to help form my own opinions about autoloaders vs. revolvers. I don't intend to start that debate here (unless you want to), but I am attracted to the simplicity of the revolver. You can look at it and know if its ready to go. Semi-autos are all a different story in that regard.

I know loading and unloading a revolver is simple and straight forward, but loading and unloading an auto a lot is bad (bullet setback if nothing else). Then this question popped up and I wasn't really sure if it mattered or not. Sounds like it doesn't, or if it does, the magazine is the bigger risk of failure.

 

[BeachHead]

Police officers have their sidearms loaded with one in the chamber and left in a holster all the time. How often they unload their guns (weekly cleanings, trips to the range) I'm not sure. Sure, springs will eventually wear out, but that's over a pretty long period. Besides, they're cheap and easy to replace. As far as bullet setback goes, just rotate your ammo. On that note, rotate your magazines, too.

jmr40, I've also read that the military downloads mags. Don't know if for reliability purposes (could be), but because fully loaded AR mags are difficult to properly seat when performing tactical reloads.

 

[KyJim]

The problem with mil-spec AR mags is that the feed lips spread or crack when stored fully loaded over time.

 

[BigPapa4147]

The problem with GI M16/AR15 mags is that it.can be difficult to seat a fully loaded mag on a closed bolt, so they download them.

 

[kilimanjaro]

Don't store any gun with a round in the chamber. Your house burns down, that round is going somewhere. I personally know of a fireman who got a bullet in the leg, the house was allowed to burn down completely as a matter of safety.

 

[ScotchMan]

Then what's the point of having the gun?

 

[zxcvbob]

Don't store any gun with a round in the chamber. Your house burns down, that round is going somewhere. I personally know of a fireman who got a bullet in the leg, the house was allowed to burn down completely as a matter of safety.

As punishment? The gun wasn't going to cook-off again. It's sad that he got shot, but there are much more dangerous things in any house fire.

 

[Carry_24/7]

I keep two guns locked & loaded all the time (LCP & 1911 45, and they are both in the bedside safe.

All other guns and magazines are downloaded until they will be used.

 

[drail]

Springs can take a set and be weakened by constant compression IF they are made from cheap steel or poorly tempered or loaded past their design limits. A lot of double stack high cap mags fit into this category. People will argue this fact endlessly but it is a simple matter of physics. Leaving a round in the chamber will not cause any problems but if you must store a loaded mag for long term down load it by a couple of rounds if it is a high cap. Any mag that requires lots of effort or a mag loading tool to get the last 3 0r 4 rounds in it is compressing the spring past its usable limits. Doing that will change it from a spring back into a piece of cheap wire. This did not used to be a problem but people seem to believe they "need" high mag capacity for whatever reason. In days past most pistols used a single stack mag with 7 or 8 rounds and the springs were made of high quality spring steel and these would NOT take a set. Now a lot of people have become victims of marketing and cheap manufacturing practices and more concern for profit margin by the manufacturers.

 

[spacecoast]

I recently replaced the main spring (firing pin spring) in my 1913 Colt Vest Pocket .25 ACP. I'm not certain that it was the original spring, or that the gun was left loaded and cocked for long periods earlier in its 98-year-old life, but the now-replaced spring was resulting in light primer strikes about 20% of the time, a condition which has now been cured.

Unless they are in a gun which is left loaded, I usually leave all my mags empty and load them before going to the range. Spring efficacy issues are just one more reason revolvers are better than semi-autos.