Home Defense/Duty Ammo Lifespan

[magpul_556]

I just bought some mk318 mod 0 5.56 ammo for my M4 from g and r tactical, and intend on using it for my home defense ammo. Basically my go to ammo in a bad situation. How long do you think I should store this ammo in my PMAG before its age compromises the reliability?

[Hmac]

In airtight storage such as ammo can or dry box, especially with dessicant and in an area without a lot of temperature fluctuation, the ammo itself could likely go 20 years. As to storage in PMAGs, especially with the dust cover on to take pressure off the lips, I'd probably rotate them every couple of years.

[Seasons]

I just got 20 silica gel bags (the smalls ones you usually get when you get a package that needs to stay dry or in a binoc kit or optics kit) from Amazon for 2.00 US and I am going to
throw them in my ammo boxes with my loose pack 5.56. Like the guy above me said..they should last for a long time and I have heard if you put them on stripper clips and in bandoleers
they could last indefinetly, to much work for me when I could end up going to the range and firing all my loose pack up with friends..you know how that goes...but as far as the loaded mag
I heard that it doesnt really matter if you have a full mag or one round in the mag it still produces the same stress on the spring...but I dont think it will really matter about the ammo in it as much
as the spring failure and that might not even be an issue unless you had in in for years and years and never worked it.

[magpul_556]

Good point about spring life. I never gave that much thought. I'll probably leave a mag loaded for atleast a year and see if there are any signs of wear or function problems. Has anyone had any problems with spring tension that we know of?

[Seasons]

I have heard of failures if left overnight...but it depends on the mag....you said you have Pmags and I havent used those in the field but have a half dozen I just got
to see how they run alone and coupled together....the USGI mags we were issued have failed but then again what the heck hasnt failed or were unbelievable in life span
you know what I mean its a little luck and a little quality...depends on what you get and if it turns out to be good or a turd.....sure some stuff is great and hardly ever fails
and some stuff is just crap and I am sure you know that....but leave some loaded and for awhile and go shoot the shit out if it and see if jams or the spring doesnt want to
feed because of failing you know use your common sense and play with it so to speak.....all in all I have a chest rig ready to go in case SHTF with six fullly loaded USGI 30rd
mags and 4 SIG 9mm mags in the rig too all are tactically loaded but full enough to put the mag spring under strain....so if one of those puppies fail well I have 6 back ups
ready to rock.....

[eristine]

storage is everything. Desiccant isn't all that important, but storing in a air tight container is. I've inherited reloads and factory ammo that was stored in GI ammo boxes for 50 years and it shoots perfect. Same with primers. Temp is also important but not critical...Everything I had inherited was stored in a garage from New Hampshire, to Texas, to San Diego. It stored just fine. I wouldnt store loaded mags if at all possible. Stripper clips or loose. Even PMAG springs will die an early death if you store them with 30 rounds.

[Stickman]

I wouldnt store loaded mags if at all possible. Stripper clips or loose. Even PMAG springs will die an early death if you store them with 30 rounds.


No they won't. There is nothing wrong with storing your "go-to" ammunition in PMAGs. I think most guys I know have a vest or two of fully loaded mags ready to go.

[skd_tactical]

I'm very OCD with my ammo storage. I change my loaded HD mags every two months for all my weapons, takes about an hour. I invested in a maglula and it helps take the pain away. I keep 8 M4 mags loaded to 28 along with my various other weapon mags and I have never had an issue. Every two months is just about when I get fidgety anyways to play with my weapons. I also oil them up and check for rust during these endeavors too.

Most of the time I take my HD mags to the range, and just through the natural course of things they get rotated that way.

SOS

[Eric]

More spring wear occurs from compression/decompression cycles than by leaving them loaded and sitting. May of us have duty mags that have been fully loaded for years and still function as designed, both USGI and Pmags. A few years ago I changed assignments and when cleaning out my car I came across some loaded USGI mags that have been in the trunk for about six years. As expected, they ran fine.

[Doc Bob]

More spring wear occurs from compression/decompression cycles than by leaving them loaded and sitting. May of us have duty mags that have been fully loaded for years and still function as designed, both USGI and Pmags. A few years ago I changed assignments and when cleaning out my car I came across some loaded USGI mags that have been in the trunk for about six years. As expected, they ran fine.

+1 on springs weakening from use, rather than storage at full load. Chrome Silicon springs are very good for resisting stress fracture albeit they can corrode without a light coating of protectant.

I have ammo that I am shooting effectively that I loaded in 1999, that was stored in ammo cans with desicant in cool dark basement. Temperature changes especially high temp have the worst effect on ammo.

[goteron]

Chrome silicon springs are no better than traditional music wire springs. Keeping mags loaded for long periods of time will have no ill effects on them. If I recall the Magpul guys have several of the first run mags loaded and they check the feed lips with a caliper every once in a while. No spread AFAIK. I ditched all my feed lip covers, they just get in the way.

[Doc Bob]

I suppose I should have said, " In My Own Opinion," chrome silicon springs are better, or relatively better. As with all things technical the effect of a different material is relative which in this case, may not be enough for one to notice.

Some interesting threads on the subject:

[/URL]

[URL="http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=10670/guntechdetail/Differences_In_Spring_Rate_Set_Between_Different_T ypes_of_Spring_Materials"] (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=44703&page=3)

I suppose this is one of those subjects that can be persuaded both ways, but the focus and agreement is that working a spring causes more damage than long term compression of the spring.

[HS2]

The ammo itself will last indefinately if stored in an ammo can with a good seal. I recently shot the last of some 1982 Malaysian M193 I had. It all shot perfectly.