Best option to store loaded AR mags?

[alamo5000]

I'm wondering what are the main failure points of magazines? I have a lot of Gen 3 pmags but I've heard that over time the lips will separate or whatever if you leave them loaded for a long time.

I've also heard that the little dust covers are designed to alleviate pressure from the feed lips so they can be stored with less concern.

I have no idea if that's true or not.

What's a good idea/schedule for storing loaded AR mags for say a night stand rifle? Anything that I should be aware of?

[alamo5000]

If it would help I don't mind (or have anything against) metal mags. I've also heard that the metal ones don't suffer from the same weak points as plastic ones. Again, don't know if that's true or not.

The idea would be to store loaded mags for a night stand gun or to put in a vehicle.

[alamo5000]

A night stand gun will definitely be in a temperature controlled environment but in a vehicle especially in the summer they will be exposed to extend periods of really bad heat and maybe direct sun. In my head for a car a metal magazine might make for a good option but I don't know anything about this specific topic.

If you think metal mags are better for this specific application please let me know the best brands so I can buy a half dozen or more.

[mustangfreek]

Lol..for every day tactical nightstand supplies..I think any Good reputable mag will suffice..[BD]

[BoilerUp]

What's a good idea/schedule for storing loaded AR mags for say a night stand rifle? Anything that I should be aware of?

Schedule?

Translucent Lancers are my go-to mag for HD. Metal feed lips and benefits of clear mags.

I download my mags by 2 which makes them easier to insert on a closed bolt. It's also easy to check as when you push the rounds down with your thumb in the mag the feed lip should be at the top of your thumbnail.

If I need a mag in a HD situation, I don't want to fuss with dust covers.

The odds that you can't solve a problem with 28 rounds are pretty low. Still, I keep a spare mag on my belt.

Okay brand has military contracts for metal mags, if that helps, but I also have a lot of surefeeds. The only problems I've ever had with metal mags are geometry related for alternate calibers, such as 6.8.

[Aragorn]

I’ve had a number of Gen 2 pmags loaded to full capacity for around eight years. Finally decided to shoot them all and reload them with 75gr ammo for storage vs. the M193 I had in them. After sitting loaded, to full capacity, without those silly clips, every single one was totally fine.

However I’ve come to prefer DD’s 32 round mags. Thus far they seem just as tough, but have 2 more capacity with seemingly less spring pressure on the feed lips. Bc of this they also load on a closed bolt easier. Never had a malf with one either.

[Former11B]

Under ideal conditions, magazine springs and mags shouldn’t be any different sitting there loaded

I’ve had all sorts of things go wrong, so no matter what, I have a rotation schedule I follow. I don’t trust things to be perfect. I trust Murphy to show up

[alamo5000]

BTW apologies for the multiple posts. I was typing from my phone and every time I try to do an edit I wind up deleting the post. I don't have taptalk... I just use the browser version.


Schedule?

Translucent Lancers are my go-to mag for HD. Metal feed lips and benefits of clear mags.

I download my mags by 2 which makes them easier to insert on a closed bolt. It's also easy to check as when you push the rounds down with your thumb in the mag the feed lip should be at the top of your thumbnail.

If I need a mag in a HD situation, I don't want to fuss with dust covers.

The odds that you can't solve a problem with 28 rounds are pretty low. Still, I keep a spare mag on my belt.

Okay brand has military contracts for metal mags, if that helps, but I also have a lot of surefeeds. The only problems I've ever had with metal mags are geometry related for alternate calibers, such as 6.8.


By 'schedule' I mean does anyone swap out those mags from time to time or anything like that? If so how often?

I don't have any mags with metal feed lips. All of mine are Gen3 pmags so I appreciate the mention of something specific.

I only mentioned metal magazines because I was thinking about having a few (two or three) stored in a vehicle. Pretty much any kind of plastic as far as I know would have it kind of rough in a car during Texas summers. I could be totally wrong though. My theory is with a metal magazine (or maybe one with metal feed lips) would fare a lot better under the heat. Just a pure polymer feed lips I am not sure of---hence the question.

[alamo5000]

I’ve had a number of Gen 2 pmags loaded to full capacity for around eight years. Finally decided to shoot them all and reload them with 75gr ammo for storage vs. the M193 I had in them. After sitting loaded, to full capacity, without those silly clips, every single one was totally fine.

However I’ve come to prefer DD’s 32 round mags. Thus far they seem just as tough, but have 2 more capacity with seemingly less spring pressure on the feed lips. Bc of this they also load on a closed bolt easier. Never had a malf with one either.

That's interesting and helpful. I've kept pistol mags loaded for ages with no problems. That said none of those are made from polymer.


Under ideal conditions, magazine springs and mags shouldn’t be any different sitting there loaded

I’ve had all sorts of things go wrong, so no matter what, I have a rotation schedule I follow. I don’t trust things to be perfect. I trust Murphy to show up

Yes. This. I am not that worried about spring pressure. I think overall that's largely been addressed by manufacturers.

That said I have heard numerous issues regarding feed lips and other things. I am working on the hypothesis now that being stashed in a hot car will only make it worse. IE relatively thin plastic feed lips in a hot car... at minimum metal feed lips I guess could be more durable.

In the house extreme heat isn't a problem but in my head the reports of feed lip issues makes me think investing in something with metal in it might be worth it.

[Eric]

I've not experienced any issues with my Pmags due to storage and I still have some first generation ones around that have been loaded for years. As far as the dust caps, per Magpul, "designed to minimize debris intrusion and protect against potential cartridge damage during storage and transit." Sure, they take some pressure off the feedlips, but for me, they are more of a nuisance. I have seen damage to Pmag feedlips and top of the spline due to dropping them on hard ground, especially if loaded. Not often, but it happens. Also remember that a constant load on a spring isn't really what causes fatigue, it's more so the cycles (compression/decompression). Thousands of Pmags survived sandbox heat (and continue to), so I think they'll likely be okay in a car. With all that said, nothing wrong with Lancer AWM or even USGI mags for the described use.

[mustangfreek]

I have pmags and lancers of all kinds..Loaded Always.. Glock mags loaded for years and no problems..I do rotate out every so often. No reason why , just do.

[Stone]

Agree with all thats been said. Have had some loaded for at least 8 years, zero issues. Dust covers get pitched in the garbage, just an uneccesary step between loading a rifle and pulling the trigger. Erics spot on about what actually wears out the springs. As far as the pmags go, I have around 20 of them I have been torture testing for about 6 years now. I have well north of 10K rounds on them with zero cleaning and a constant weekend carbine course beating on them. I have lost a few in the winter and found them again in spring on the ground and dip them in the stream to clean them and reload and carry on. So far zero issues, when I actually break one I will let ya know...:P That reminds me, I lost a Magpul Glock 17 mag last weekend, man, I need a better dump pouch.

Just picked up some 30 round lancers DSG had on sale and will throw them in the torture test box with the pmags. Seems like the come highly reccomended around here.

I totally agree with Boilers method of downloading, he likes 2 and I just drop by one. For me its the same reasons he states but for me at 29 the last round is on the left so for me if its to dark to do a chamber check I can drop the mag and feel where the top round is and know that I am chambered, or not. Just the way I do it on all my 30 round mags, always 29 and always on the left.

[alamo5000]

I've not experienced any issues with my Pmags due to storage and I still have some first generation ones around that have been loaded for years. As far as the dust caps, per Magpul, "designed to minimize debris intrusion and protect against potential cartridge damage during storage and transit." Sure, they take some pressure off the feedlips, but for me, they are more of a nuisance. I have seen damage to Pmag feedlips and top of the spline due to dropping them on hard ground, especially if loaded. Not often, but it happens. Also remember that a constant load on a spring isn't really what causes fatigue, it's more so the cycles (compression/decompression). Thousands of Pmags survived sandbox heat (and continue to), so I think they'll likely be okay in a car. With all that said, nothing wrong with Lancer AWM or even USGI mags for the described use.

That's definitely encouraging. I simply just didn't know the answer but it sounds like it's not going to be a big issue. That said now I am just plain curious how the various mags would fare being locked in a hot car in summer [BD] Too bad that none of the gun tubers that I watch have done something like that.

I don't mess with those caps to be honest. I just pull them off and put them in a drawer. That said a relatively popular YouTube channel rather recently mentioned those mag caps and specifically said that among other things they are to help 'relieve spring tension'.

I have probably 3 dozen or more Gen 3 Pmags so I will probably be ok for a while considering how much I shoot and so forth. Most of those mags are still in the package. I just take out two or three at a time and use those. If or when one fails or wears out I will replace it. It works out pretty well since I shoot at home and don't have to haul stuff around for the most part.



I have pmags and lancers of all kinds..Loaded Always.. Glock mags loaded for years and no problems..I do rotate out every so often. No reason why , just do.

Yeah I can see the need to do that. I will probably rotate out mine as well eventually. You never know if a problem comes up that would only be discovered by unloading the mag. Maybe I am over thinking it but I like what Former11B said about Murphy. I try to not temp Murphy whenever possible.


Agree with all thats been said. Have had some loaded for at least 8 years, zero issues. Dust covers get pitched in the garbage, just an uneccesary step between loading a rifle and pulling the trigger. Erics spot on about what actually wears out the springs. As far as the pmags go, I have around 20 of them I have been torture testing for about 6 years now. I have well north of 10K rounds on them with zero cleaning and a constant weekend carbine course beating on them. I have lost a few in the winter and found them again in spring on the ground and dip them in the stream to clean them and reload and carry on. So far zero issues, when I actually break one I will let ya know...:P That reminds me, I lost a Magpul Glock 17 mag last weekend, man, I need a better dump pouch.

Just picked up some 30 round lancers DSG had on sale and will throw them in the torture test box with the pmags. Seems like the come highly reccomended around here.

I totally agree with Boilers method of downloading, he likes 2 and I just drop by one. For me its the same reasons he states but for me at 29 the last round is on the left so for me if its to dark to do a chamber check I can drop the mag and feel where the top round is and know that I am chambered, or not. Just the way I do it on all my 30 round mags, always 29 and always on the left.

I am not really concerned about the springs wearing out. I was actually not so sure about the feed lips though. You just don't know what you don't know right? LOL

Anyway in the end I just ordered four smoke clear Lancer mags. It might not be absolutely needed functionally, and PMags probably would have done just fine but I like the idea of metal feed lips in this context. It might be a totally unfounded concern, but there is more than one reason for having different mags for home defense or whatever.

Another really big thing is the smoke colored clear mags visually look different than the rest of my Pmags. I like the idea of having a completely different looking mag for that reason alone. That way I can always have a visual cue, even a double visual cue about what to grab in an emergency. I could either seat the mag on an empty bolt or just put the mags in a place near my rifle so I can quickly find them if needed. But the idea to say 'clear mag = emergency" is a good thing. I keep most of my gun stuff together and often I have mags laying all over the place and the last thing I want to do is be fumbling around looking for the right mag in an emergency. Then on top of that I can actually see the ammo inside the mag providing further confirmation that I am going hot.

[UWone77]

I've broken the feed lips off of Gen 1 and 2 PMAGS.

Long term magazines with ammo are all basically Lancers now for me. Swapped over to Lancers for my duty use as well. You likely won't have an issue with the feed lips, but I like the metal reinforced lips on the Lancers.

[gatordev]

I've never used Lancers before. Do you have the same potential issue of bending a feed lip if you drop the mag on a hard surface, or is there still a polymer shell around them to help take the blow?

[alamo5000]

I've never used Lancers before. Do you have the same potential issue of bending a feed lip if you drop the mag on a hard surface, or is there still a polymer shell around them to help take the blow?

According to their website they use hardened steel for the feed lips. Not aluminum or whatever. I would think it would withstand a lot more abuse but who knows.

Here is a quote from the Lancer description:

"The L5AWM’s exclusive hybrid design includes a hardened steel feed lip assembly molded into a proprietary polymer body with aggressive surface texturing to create the ultimate rifle magazine tough enough for military, law enforcement, and competition applications."

[SINNER]

Defensive weapon and all stored mags are USGI. I had some P mags loaded for about 2 years and they without question bulged. 6 or 7 of the 10 (known good and used in a particular weapon) would no longer drop free.

[Former11B]

I mentioned the springs due to ideal conditions. Ideally, they should be fine. Experience has led me not to trust them at all.

I’ve had a PMag spring snap randomly, I was one of the many soldiers subject to the dust + checkmate Beretta mag cluster, I’ve done my own tests on Glock factory mags with compression (which had some of the rounds just loose and falling out, no tension...(I lost all the photos when Photobucket stopped being free). Again under perfect conditions I think they’re fine. But conditions are rarely that. I keep a good stash of Colt & Center Ind USGI mags along with Gen 1-3 PMags. I like both for various reasons.

Mags to me are wear items. I inspect and maintain the ones I use and rotate them out when needed. I’ll gladly strip a follower out or keep whatever’s good and trash whats left. I usually don’t even think about it until threads like this pop up [:)]

[UWone77]

The metal is over the polymer.

[gatordev]

Gotcha. I figured that would have to be the way to do it, kind of like Glock mags.

[Eric]

Mags to me are wear items. Exactly. Luckily, most common mags are fairly inexpensive, especially for the AR. I don't have many systems that take $100 mags.

[gatordev]

Speaking of...

Godspeed, my friend. It gave several years of reliable service until the 5.45 bullets finally started puncturing the polymer. (Ignore the scrapes on the outside of the feed lips...that was from today when I was trying to crack the body, which I failed at)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837504948_edd89bfd13_h.jpg

[Default.mp3]

The main complaint I've heard about the Lancer AWMs is that the feed lips can rust and thus cause malfunctions as the drag from the rust prevents proper feeding; this was observed by a friend who saw this occur during training rotations at Ft. Polk. The translucent ones are also in theory more vulnerable to solvents, as I am told that the poly carb is protected by a coating that can wear off over time.

I've had the little plastic tabs at the front of the magazine break off on my AWMs; Lancer has told me that this will not adversely impact functionality, but it is a bit irksome.

For vehicle storage, I would be concerned about the temperature cycles and how that might affect the powder and primer in the cartridge, as I have heard conflicting statements on whether or not it would affect reliability. I would not worry about the magazines, though, as long as they are from quality manufacturers.

[UWone77]

I would not worry about the magazines, though, as long as they are from quality manufacturers.

I agree with this. With modern springs/polymer, I don't worry about magazines very often. Maybe 15-20 years ago this was more of an issue, but not so much now. You have to make sure you use those magazines that you've set aside for actual use to ensure function.

[juanlien]

I’ve had a number of Gen 2 pmags loaded to full capacity for around eight years. Finally decided to shoot them all and reload them with 75gr ammo for storage vs. the M193 I had in them. After sitting loaded, to full capacity, without those silly clips, every single one was totally fine.

However I’ve come to prefer DD’s 32 round mags. Thus far they seem just as tough, but have 2 more capacity with seemingly less spring pressure on the feed lips. Bc of this they also load on a closed bolt easier. Never had a malf with one either.

greathttps://babang.xyz/assets/6/o.png

[tact]

I always find the 28, 29, full mag philosophies/debate interesting. Like most things I guess.......it’s different strokes for different folks.

[FortTom]

I always find the 28, 29, full mag philosophies/debate interesting. Like most things I guess.......it’s different strokes for different folks.
I used to sweat that. But with today's modern mags, I don't sweat it anymore. I do take them out of the safe once in a while and dump them at the range. Then I just rotate some more back in. Haven't had a mag problem for a long time now.
FT.