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Here's a question that has likely been asked/answered many times, but here-goes anyway...

Will leaving a +1 round loaded in a Glock or Kahr for several days cause damage to internal springs or trigger mechanisms? If not, how about weeks? Surely there is some type of effect similar to what we experience with leaving self-defense or home protection magazines maxed out for months... The Glock magazine springs will certainly lose tension if we do not cycle through the range / empty magazines. Are there any consequences whatsoever?

I have never went more than 1-2 days with +1 without clearing and giving several hours of unloaded time. Do some of you keep weapons loaded 24x7 with exception of cleaning, range time, and air travel?

I try to go to the range once a month to put at least 50 rounds downrange. Otherwise, my EDC and nightstand gun has a full mag and round chambered 31. (small reference to 2.5 men, 24+7=31)

A spring weakens due to constant loading and unloading of pressure. Constant pressure is no more damaging to a spring than no pressure. A few years ago, when ammo was very difficult to find, I think I went for nearly 6 months without getting to the range. Both guns and spare mags stayed fully loaded the entire time with no discernible adverse effects.

Well designed springs are not damaged by contstant force within their operating range. However, I don't know if your magazine springs are well designed.

Short answer: no.

Springs do not wear out by being stored compressed so long as the compression is within their elastic design limits (in other words as long as they are used as designed.).

Springs wear out from the number of compression/release cycles.

You could leave a magazine fully loaded for 30 years and that is less wear and tear on the magazine spring than loading and unloading the magazine every day.

Similarly, you can leave a hammer or striker cocked for decades without harm. It is certainly less harmful than loading/unloading daily.

Loading and unloading every day is dangerous for a different reason. You are at risk of bullet setback, which can happen when the same cartridge is loaded in a semiauto pistol multiple times. Basically the act of the slide slamming the cartridge into the chamber also jams the bullet nose into the feed ramp. Over time, there is risk of pushing the bullet deeper into the case, which can raise pressures and result in a KABOOM.

Here is an example of bullet setback:



Don't try to economize by trying the frequently load/unload your firearm. It is misguided. I've got a pistol in the drawer beside me right now that has sat there -- loaded -- for six months.

I stopped worrying about this long ago.

I leave my carry guns loaded all the time between range visits. I've kept spare mags in the safe loaded for years with no adverse effects.

There are lots of thins to be concerned about regarding weapon maintenance and storage, but this isn't one of them with high quality modern firearms.

I wouldn't apply the same confidence to low quality or old guns, whose springs may not be up to current standards.

I've read from many sources that it doesn't hurt magazine springs leaving them loaded. I keep 2 of my 4 magazines loaded, one in the gun and one spare. My other two I use for the range. I swap the set out about once a year and haven't had any problem in a dozen years. Due to bullet setback mentioned above I don't reload the top round but keep rotating top to bottom. This way a single cartridge is rarely loaded more than once before I finally shoot it.

One thing I do that problem isn't necessary is the one in the gun is one down. In other words I don't top off the mag in the gun. Whether true or not I've read that when a cartridge is stripped from the mag it sets up the next round for best feeding, therefore less likely to have a feeding problem.

Probably no truth to it but I don't feel any more under gunned with 12 rounds before a reload than 13. After all, who in their right mind wants to use a handgun for a gun fight. Either way I'm under gunned.

C-dub wrote:A spring weakens due to constant loading and unloading of pressure. Constant pressure is no more damaging to a spring than no pressure..

this is correct
Same with magazine springs
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Thanks for all the feedback! I didn't think about the round setback - this is good to know.

As far as a couple Glock 26 Magazines I have, I can definitely tell a difference on the tension of 1st few rounds of magazines when 1st purchased vs. after a year or so of being loaded & uninterrupted at max (10) for a year. The 1st few rounds slide in effortlessly - almost no tension.

I watch a documentary about a man searching for nazi blood diamonds in old fox holes. He stepped on a landmine. He thought about his family and his life for a long time before he lifted his foot expecting to die. The trigger mechanism was still functional but the explosive component had degraded to inert levels.

I am more concerned with dust/lint/foreign material buildup and possible corrosion in a magazine kept loaded for long periods than I am with the spring function. Even a good magazine holder can allow odd things into the various openings. Crud can impair follower function just enough to cause problems. So, cycle and clean them now and then.