Relaxing magazine springs?

[Jim]

Is it a good idea to remove the spring from a magazine from time to time to relax it? If so, how often should I do this and how long should I leave the spring out to relax?

[gray wolf]

This matter has come up a time or two before and I will give the same answer that many have given in the past.
You don't have to do it. Why ? because the springs do not weaken because they are in a mag, or in a mag. that is left loaded. They weaken from being cycled as the Mag. functions in the pistol. It is the action of the spring while it is doing it's intended job that will eventually weaken it.
So taking the mag apart does nothing to extend spring life.

Hope it helped

Sam

[S.R.Custom]

What he said.

[hoosierlogger]

But if the springs still arent relaxed enough perhaps you should get them a cold beer and put them in the hot tub.:kidding:

[challenger_i]

Possibly a comfy chair, and a foot stool?

[44man]

Springs take a set from being held compressed, not while working. It is the quality of the spring and some never fail. Some can remain compressed forever, some fail in a week. Relaxing them does nothing at all.
I have seen .45 magazines loaded since WW II still feed all the rounds while a Ruger Mark I or II stored a week with only 5 rounds failed to feed them all yet you can shoot 10 rounds forever as long as you don't store them. Remington shotgun magazine springs can fail to feed all rounds if stored with rounds in the tube but will always work if just shooting.
When your magazine fails to feed all rounds, then you have a spring problem.
Take a stave of wood and put one end in a vise. You can bend and release it over and over but hang a weight on the end and come back later, remove the weight and the wood will stay bent. Just like a cheap spring.

[Jim]

OK, 44Man, tell me this: I've got a Ruger P345. Are the springs in Ruger magazines made of quality spring wire?

[S.R.Custom]

Possibly a comfy chair, and a foot stool?

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

[Trey45]

I don't unload magazines to relax the springs for the same reason I don't park my truck on jack stands to relax the springs.

[RobS]

OK, 44Man, tell me this: I've got a Ruger P345. Are the springs in Ruger magazines made of quality spring wire?



I had a Ruger P89 and the springs in it were good. I left magazines loaded all the time and they never lost their ability to fuction as intended. Although that is saying nothing too as my springs in the pistol I had 15 years ago maybe different than the ones you have in yours. Ruger quality control as with all firearm companies can let things run through the door when it simply shouldn't.

FWIW

[Jim]

Good enough. Thanks!

[pdawg_shooter]

Springs take a set from being held compressed, not while working. It is the quality of the spring and some never fail. Some can remain compressed forever, some fail in a week. Relaxing them does nothing at all.
I have seen .45 magazines loaded since WW II still feed all the rounds while a Ruger Mark I or II stored a week with only 5 rounds failed to feed them all yet you can shoot 10 rounds forever as long as you don't store them. Remington shotgun magazine springs can fail to feed all rounds if stored with rounds in the tube but will always work if just shooting.
When your magazine fails to feed all rounds, then you have a spring problem.
Take a stave of wood and put one end in a vise. You can bend and release it over and over but hang a weight on the end and come back later, remove the weight and the wood will stay bent. Just like a cheap spring.

I bought a Ruger Mk II when they first came out. The mag has had 10 in it ever since and it still feeds fine.

[44man]

I bought a Ruger Mk II when they first came out. The mag has had 10 in it ever since and it still feeds fine.
This seems to be the way and most likely depends on the supplier at the time. I still have two Mark II's, have owned about 6 over the years. I have 6 magazines and I can't leave any of them loaded for a long time. There is no problem with a day of hunting but I have to dump them at the end of the day or I will have to stretch the spring. I had a problem with raccoons and fox so I left a loaded mag in the gun. Took it to shoot and it fired four times, found all of my mags do the same thing.
The Mark I, I had never had a problem.
Then I had trouble with the SBH mainsprings and had to change it every year of IHMSA shooting. They really got short and accuracy went away.
I have not heard of a problem with the larger Ruger pistol mags.
When I worked on guns I had to buy Wolfe magazine springs by the dozen for Remington's. Some factory springs lasted forever but every 870 or 1100 that had a feeding problem needed a new spring.
Spring problems are not common or limited to one gun maker but it does happen and depends on what the spring supplier was turning out at the time. I don't blame the gun maker.
Seen a lot of after market 1911 mags that failed to feed all rounds too.
If your spring works, there is nothing you ever have to do, leave it alone.

[evan price]

Properly manufactured and tempered spring steel does not weaken from being held compressed. It weakens from cycling. IF a spring gets weak from being held partially or fully compressed, it was never manufactured properly to begin with.

[44man]

Properly manufactured and tempered spring steel does not weaken from being held compressed. It weakens from cycling. IF a spring gets weak from being held partially or fully compressed, it was never manufactured properly to begin with.
Nicely said, that is the problem, a poor spring to begin with.

[Blazin]

Good info here. For reference:
Woff Gunsprings http://www.gunsprings.com/
ISMI gunsprings http://www.ismi-gunsprings.com/

[Throckmorton]

the 10 round mag on my grandson's Savage .22 was horribly stiff,and with 2 sharp edges on the feed lips,getting in 10 was OUCH.
left them loaded for 2 weeks,and they do indeed seem easier to load now.Thought we were gonna have to call them 8 round mags for a while there.