Do you load your mags to full capacity?

[Shawn.L]

Originally Posted by Mtbkski

Do I carry to capacity??? Heck I purchased 40 cal mags for my Subcompact XD9 and tweaked them so they hold 12 rounds of 9mm each. This gives me 13 rounds available in a loaded handgun on my hip in a very small package. And another 12 close by in another mag.

ME TOO !!!
except for some reason I can fit 13 in my xdsc40 mags

[tacticalreload]

Originally Posted by Mtbkski

[b][size="3"]Does this magazine capacity thing apply to AK magazines as well?

the "rock-to-lock" mags of the AK make seating a full mag on a closed bolt a little different. Try it out and see what you think.

[Mtbkski]

Originally Posted by Shawn.L

ME TOO !!!
except for some reason I can fit 13 in my xdsc40 mags

No matter how much I try. I can not get that extra round in mine. Guess I should be happy I got 12 Especially for a Subcompact.

[Jup06]

Originally Posted by LittleRedToyota

right, but we aren't talking about the spring being cycled (or at least i don't think we are). we are talking about a carry mag being loaded and left that way...or at least that's what i was thinking of.

at any rate, the cycling will have the same effect (or lack thereof) whether you load it to capacity or not, right? you are still cycling it.

also, i am assuming that the magazine is designed in such a way that loading it to capacity does not push the spring to its elastic limit.

i'm curious, does your analysis apply if the magazine is not cycled and if the assumption about not reaching the elastic limit holds?

As for fatigue failure, the general rule of thumb for endurance limits of steel is not to cycle past ½ of the tensile strength of the material. This usually places “safe” loads far below the yield strength. The amount of compression per cycle is important because obviously the more compression on the spring, the higher the stress induced in the wire.

As for springs taking a set under constant load, this can only come about by yielding the material. If a spring takes a set, no matter how small, something has yielded. In contrast to most other things, springs can have a first yield point and this is where the set can come from. I don’t quite want to call it hysteresis but I guess an explanation for this would be all of the molecules are getting accustomed to flexing in a new pattern. More importantly, the problem will always be most apparent where there is a defect in the material. Keep in mind that the usual yield strengths that people cite are based on a simple tension test performed in a matter of minutes. A mag spring has to contend with torsional and bending stresses over a lifetime.

Theoretically, "if the magazine is not cycled and if the assumption about not reaching the elastic limit holds" there should never be any problems. But, as we all know, whats written on paper is rarely in accordance with reality.

[SFMarine]

Not loading full= totally defeats the purpose of high-cap mags.

[TonyF]

Originally Posted by SFMarine

Not loading full = totally defeats the purpose of high-cap mags.

And a poorly seated magazine dropping out of the mag well doesn't? Think about it.

[knight0334]

With the M16 thing, you all have to remember that many that go into the service are not gun people. A great many are just the opposite(like many LEOs) and only consider them a tool of the trade that they avoid using - only being there to get the GI Bill for college. Teaching them to insert a mag while pulling back on the changing handle or to push that full capacity mag in really hard is like talking to a brick wall. It was easier to dumbdown to their level and have them remove 1 or 2 from the mag, 1 was usually enough. Those that knew to seat the mag hard or seat on a pulled bolt loaded all 30. Those that could never grasp it were instructed to remove a cartridge.

[LittleRedToyota]

Originally Posted by Jup06

But, as we all know, whats written on paper is rarely in accordance with reality.

indeed.

thanks for your explanation!

[gold cup abuser]

Im going to take two approaches to this matter:

1. Im carrying or expecting immediate action then on my pistol mags they are loaded to full capacity, if Im carrying my AR then they are short loaded. On saturdays, which is gun cleaning day I rotate my mags and change them out. As far as round one in the chamber, I take a good look at it to make sure it hasnt been deformed or pushed into the case before I use it again.


2. Long term storage I do not have any of my mags loaded at all. On the AR and the AK I have bandoleers ready and the ammo on stripper clips. For the pistols they are not loaded and I load them when I need them.


Back in the day I would load the first 5 rounds in my AR with tracers and the rest ball. That was two reminders for me. 1. Im almost out of ammo. 2. I have been in the same place for wayyyy to long and its time to move and move quickly.

As a civilian puke and too cheap to buy tracers I just wait for the bolt hold open to work, if im using the AK then just wait for the CLICK. If things have gotten that bad that Im having to reload an AR or AK and have used up my pistol mags then I really have walked into a poop storm and not even air support would be helpful.


Ive seen too many AR mags fail because they were fully loaded,so I short load them.

As far as maintenace is concerned I check and clean my mags as I am doing weapons cleaning. Its just a good habit to get into.

As far as pistol mags if I was using a M9 and GI issued PARKERIZED mags and was in a sandy environment then I would follow Larry Vickers advise and only load those mags to 10 rounds.


Maintenance folks, maintenace.