I know I have heard a lot of folks talk about it not being good to store guns cocked or mags full because over time having the spring compressed all the time will weaken it and cause mags to not feed properly and firing pin/hammer springs to weaken and not hit the primers as well. I was just wondering what anyone had to say about this especially how it relates to a daily carry semi auto. It would be pretty pointless to have to load the mag then slip it in before you could use it and if it was me I would prefer to have one in the hole so it would be cocked with the safety on, if storing them cocked or with the mags full though then wouldn't it create the same problems to carry it in that condition all the time especially since it is so rare for any given individual to have to use their carry gun unless its for range time?
I have seen a ton of debate on this issue mm. Some 'experts' have said that what weakens a spring is the compressing and decompressing of the metal. Not the prolonged "in one position" scenario. I used to rotate all of my Get Up And Go mags every 6 months. I know longer do that. A couple years ago, I unpacked an ammo can from my Dad's Veitnam days. Bunch of loose 308 and at the bottom, to M14 mags that were fully loaded. They had been this way since the '60s and I unloaded them with quick thumb flips. Each round moved up just fine. I later sold the mags, (Before I had an M1A), and the guy that has them now has put thousands of rounds through them with no problems. This debate will go on I'm sure but I tend to think it isn't that big of a problem. If you're worried about it, Order up some replacement springs from Wolffe. They are about the best you can get.
I have yet after all these years have this happen to me, but i shoot a fair amount too, so they get use.
The spring in my P-38 (original) mag has shown some signs of weakening. I have a sneaking suspicion that the alloy has a lot to do with how long they hold up. I'm taking no chances, I rotate.
I dont know much on it since I dont even have a semi auto hand gun and have never had one around more than 6 months or a year nad those were pretty much Saturday night specials, I know my 10/22 factory mag that was loaded in the truck for a couple of years had problems but I think that had more to do with dirt and such. I prefer a revolver myself largely due to price/quality concerns since I can get a revolver that is solid and has no concerns of comeing apart or anything in a choice cal quite a bit cheaper than a top shelf semi auto and even cheap revolvers jam less than mid range to high end semi autos but a cheap semi auto (at least the ones I have had like lorcens and such) tend to jam every clip or so, so if I have say $250 I can pick up a revolver I would trust but not a semi auto I would trust like say a Colt or some such. I just brought this up because I happened to think of it the other day that lots of folks carry semi autos, cocked and locked with the mags loaded for months at a time but then are worried about the safe queens being cocked since its supposed to weaken the springs and wondered what anyone who dealt with it more than I do thought on it.
How do you break a paper clip in two with bare hands? bend it back and forth. Obviously a "New" mainspring that has never been installed will be longer than one that was installed but taken out of a NIB weapon. There is a compression factor. I still think use weakens metal. Spring: "Oh well, it's time... I think I'll just take a 'set' today" Not unless it was one of those new Microsoft Springs with AI... Plus, All my springs and very springy Oh Gawd, It's Friday Night....
FWIW, some alloys will age and take a set in the position they are stored in. With some springs, if you store them compressed, they will take a set that reduces the force they can exert. Other alloys are less prone to that phenomenon, and will survive stressed storage better. I suspect that guns built during wartime may be more susceptible to age set than those made in less pressing situations, assuming they are good quality to begin with. I don't KNOW that, just strongly suspect it.
