ColDaz Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 Hey, I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to how long you could keep a standard mag loaded with bbs until it started to damage the spring that makes them feed. I usually empty mine, if they haven't been used in a game, garden etc, like, at night when I get back from a skirmish, for example, but I found a mag today that must have been full for about a week, and was concerned to my poor poor magazines health... Any ideas, cheers, Daz Link to post Share on other sites
bronney Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 Sorry to be obvious but as long as it still loads bb, it's fine. I haven't tried it myself but I think it'll take a long time for your spring to wear when compressed. Link to post Share on other sites
ColDaz Posted March 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 Well of course if it still loads its ok, but wouldn't you like to know a rough amount of time until it actually caused damage? So you wouldn't leave em that long, I mean. Link to post Share on other sites
Swift Vengeance Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 I left 6 mags completely loaded by accident for about 4/5 months and it did them no harm. Didn't get any misfeeds off any of them. But I do normally always empty them just in case. Link to post Share on other sites
futbolpunk Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 If you did do a test to find out how long it would work, it would depend on if they were new or used, and also (to a degree) the type of gun the magazine fits into. If you have used a mag for about a year and then try the test, your results will be different then if you take a brand new mag and try it. Link to post Share on other sites
Hissing_Sid Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 A spring has a thing called an "elastic limit". Theoretically, you can squash or stretch it as much as you like, for as long as you like and, as long as you stay within the elastic limit, the spring will always return to its original state with no damage. Meanwhile, back on planet Earth, springs don't like being left compressed or stretched for months on end. A few days, or even weeks, should be OK but anything longer is really pushing your luck. TBH, as much as anything it's just good practise to unload mags if you don't plan to use them, for safety reasons, but springs do lose a bit of their "spring" if you leave them for a long time, though probably not a vast amount even then. Link to post Share on other sites
W.K.Shuridys Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 I'm sorry but I beg to differ. People have found loaded magazines dating back to the First World War for M1911 pistols for instance, and they fired fine. Springs do not typically wear by being compressed, they wear by being constantly cycled between compressed and uncompressed. From a firearms message board: I was first told the following by a Phd in physics who is a full professor at the university. He spent his first ten years after finishing his education working in industry as a spring specialist. What he told me was later supported by a Engineering Physicst who designs missles and optical systems for the military. Both say that what wears out springs is use, i.e. compression and relaxation. Having a magzine loaded or unloaded makes no real difference. It's using it that wears it out. Now that said, I have also read stories about some springs failing due to being compressed. However the quality of the spring in the magazine is usually poor, and good quality spring steel (which is what they ought to be using in airsoft mags) won't suffer any adverse effects. Hope this helps. Link to post Share on other sites
CZFan Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 I've kept mags loaded for years and haven't noticed any decrease in tension. They all feed perfect. Link to post Share on other sites
Marlowe Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 And here I was, feeling guilty for loading mags the night before a skirmish... Link to post Share on other sites
Catchv22 Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 I prefer to leave my springs decompressed whenever I can. It doesn't hurt to unload them whenever you're not going to use them. Link to post Share on other sites
Hissing_Sid Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 As I already said, it's just a case of good practise. Why put a component under load when it doesn't have to be? Link to post Share on other sites
HaVoC Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 And here I was, feeling guilty for loading mags the night before a skirmish... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Heh, me too. Link to post Share on other sites
garry Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 This goes back to my real steel days before it was all banned....... , but in reality you can leave a mag loaded for 3 or 4 weeks without worry. Longer than this and the spring will weaken gradually. I accidentally left my 92f loaded for 8 months once and the mag spring suffered no damage......... Edit........Airsoft 92f, not my real steel one........... Link to post Share on other sites
cazboab Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 Conversly, if you leave a P90 hicap loaded for a week, when you come back from holiday, it's fruitcaged. Trust me on this. Link to post Share on other sites
garry Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 Conversly, if you leave a P90 hicap loaded for a week, when you come back from holiday, it's fruitcaged. Trust me on this. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sorry, Maybe I should have been clear on the fact that I was mainly referring to pistol mags and not hi - caps......... Link to post Share on other sites
futbolpunk Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 LMAO! There are people who are "spring experts"? What kind of loser decides they want to dedicate their lives to springs?? I'm still gonna unload my mags. Old habits die hard. Link to post Share on other sites
Tripod Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 All 3 of my TM G3 standards have somewhat worn down springs. They do not feed the last 5 -6 rounds, rather than the last 3-4 rounds when they were new. I always empty them either right before I leave the playing area or right when I get home. So that's about how long it took for them. For my AK midcaps, I haven't been taking as good care of them, but I rarely even load them completely. They feed the same. Link to post Share on other sites
W.K.Shuridys Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 LMAO! There are people who are "spring experts"? What kind of loser decides they want to dedicate their lives to springs?? Someone who obviously grasps the importance of them much better than you do. He answered the original question asked. You didn't. Next time I drive my truck (which is suspended on SPRINGS) I'll be glad there was a "spring expert" to design them so they don't fail. Link to post Share on other sites
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