How often should you empty your magazines?
Posted by Brandon on 09/13/2013
The truth is this; If you are running a modern firearm, keeping your magazines full will not hurt them in the long run. A well-manufactured spring in your magazine is designed to hold the load of rounds for long periods of time and should not weaken the spring to the point of being useless. Some manufacturers will say to alternate magazines x-amount of months, but it is our understanding that most do not even mention it in their literature.
There are benefits to unloading your magazines, such as cleaning. If you carry the same magazine with the same rounds on a daily basis, dirt and debris will naturally start to build up. Every once in a while, it is recommended to unload and give everything a nice cleaning. This includes the rounds that are in the magazine. A quick wipe with a towel (make sure not to leave debris from the towel on any rounds) should do the trick.
Another thing to keep in mind if you live in a warmer climate; Remember that your body sweats, and sweat can make its way into a magazine. While most modern manufactured ammo is extremely well put together, you always run the risk of moisture making its way into a round. We personally cycle through carry ammo every few months, especially during the summer, but that is completely up to you. It’s more of a ‘better safe than sorry’ mentality for us.
So there you have it. After much research and personal experience, that is our two cents on the subject.
Carry On.