How often, Why and what exactly do YOU do to it?

[downtownv]

Disassemble your mags...

[JohnR]

If they appear gooey from packing grease when new, I'll do it. Or if I'm installing a +1 kit. Otherwise I leave them alone unless they show a reluctance to slide easily.

[kenemoore]

I clean mine about every 12-15 months, something to do on a lousy winter day. When in Mag cleaning mode, I do all off them, every pistol, every caliber, takes damn near all day.

For my 1911's I have a handful of dedicated range mags (bought from Joe's MagMania, blue steel), I never clean those unless they stop working.

[downtownv]

Do you decompress the spring?

[Bawanna]

How do you decompress a spring? Other than let it open all the way?

[berettabone]

I check them every so often...............I lube a tiny bit, then rub most off. Don't want to attract too much gunk...........................................

[downtownv]

How do you decompress a spring? Other than let it open all the way?

Gentle stretching...

I'm waiting for Harrylee to check in because i know he does this ritual.

[ltxi]

Can't remember the last time I had to disassemble a mag for cleaning. Also can't remember the last time I've had to change out a spring. Though back in the day spring changes were a fairly common ritual....especially with stock Colt/GI 1911 mags. I refuse to use those anymore. Stretching old springs is a poor, ops immediate band-aid at best....replace them. Stretching good modern springs that have taken a set isn't necessary. And I've left mags with Wolff and equivalent quality springs loaded for years with no ill effect/malfunction when used.

[Bawanna]

^^^^This.

Back in the day I had 6 mags for each carry gun. And I'd rotate every two weeks give or take to let the loaded mags rest.
Looking back I think it was a complete waste of time on my part. Never had issues.
The clincher was my gifted 1942 Colt that was fully loaded since Korea. I cleaned and oiled the gun (wasn't necessary as it was dry and would have run but safety first).
I didn't touch the fully loaded magazine. It fired all rounds with no issues. I only used that magazine a few times after but it never balked.

[Handy]

"Gentle stretching" of a spring is only going to wear the spring out faster, because permanently deforming it like that damages the structure of the steel. It is no different than bending a wire back and forth - both directions contribute to the work hardening that makes the wire eventually crack.

The best things you can do for a spring are not cycle it, not cycle it fully or leave it as uncompressed as possible when not in use (as long as that doesn't involve more cycling). In other words, loading and unloading a carry magazine will not make it last as long as just leaving it loaded, and leaving it partially loaded will put less wear on it than fully loaded.

But you can't take the set out of spring by setting it in the other direction. The only thing you can do is re-heat treat the spring (which is not as practical as replacing the spring).

[ripley16]

I clean the mags of guns I shoot a lot maybe annually. Others can go years. I like to use Eezox on the spring and mag tube to keep them rust free and slick. Takes just a few minutes to run a cloth through the tube and a patch around the spring coils. I do it mainly for corrosion protection as much for function.

[JohnR]

Internet lore says with modern metallurgy there's no need to let springs "rest" by unloading them.

[Barth]

Only mags I've ever disassembled are Glock.
Reason = FTF.
Replaced springs with Wolff 10% Extra Power.
Still occasional FTF.
Really don't like Glocks :mad:

Full Disclosure:
Have cracked open my HK mags to go with flat base plates.
My Hks are bombproof.
No troubles with my MK40 Elite Stainless factory mags either :D
I'll wipe my mag bodies down with Ballistol and then wipe off the residual Ballistol.
All my mags never fail (except Glock).
Tripp Cobra, Wilson Combat ETM and Checkmate have been 100% too.

[Handy]

Internet lore says with modern metallurgy there's no need to let springs "rest" by unloading them.
Not-so-modern springs don't benefit from "rest" either.

[340pd]

Bored one day and disassembled a Ruger MKII mag. I was amazed at the gunk in that sucker. Lots of dry lube and Q-Tips. Now, I pay more attention to mags when cleaning the gun.

[Bawanna]

Some 22 ammo can be quite messy and I'm sure a lot of that nasty gets into the mags.

[Handy]

Some 22 ammo can be quite messy and I'm sure a lot of that nasty gets into the mags.
Especially in blowback operated guns.

[SgtStone]

I disassemble, clean, & polish new mags. Center-fire are good for a few years after that unless dropped in the gritty sand that passes for soil here in the desert. Sand usually means disassembly. Otherwise, I brush & wipe each mag before loading, using a nylon brush & soft cloth; sometimes compressed air.

Rim-fire mags, particularly for my favorite target rifles, get taken apart for cleaning around 1 to 2,000 rounds to remove powder residue & bullet wax (.22LR) when external methods fail to come clean.

Why? New mags come with protective coatings that interfere w/ correct function.

I prefer clean machinery. You'd be just as dead if I killed you w/ a rusty knife but that would disrespect the blade. :cool:

[pist]

"Gentle stretching" of a spring is only going to wear the spring out faster, because permanently deforming it like that damages the structure of the steel. It is no different than bending a wire back and forth - both directions contribute to the work hardening that makes the wire eventually crack.

The best things you can do for a spring are not cycle it, not cycle it fully or leave it as uncompressed as possible when not in use (as long as that doesn't involve more cycling). In other words, loading and unloading a carry magazine will not make it last as long as just leaving it loaded, and leaving it partially loaded will put less wear on it than fully loaded.

But you can't take the set out of spring by setting it in the other direction. The only thing you can do is re-heat treat the spring (which is not as practical as replacing the spring).

Everything said in this quote agrees with what I've come to understand about magazine springs. This is why I don't understand or necessarily agree with the advice I recently saw in a LuckyGunner.com article/video (http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/magazine-springs-and-ammo-cycling/) about unloading and rotating your magazines every 90 days. I think it's better to just leave them loaded. If you use them regularly, then sure, bring it home from the range unloaded and swap another one into rotation, but I don't think it makes sense to unload a magazine just to "rest" it.

I have a K9 that I bought in 1996. For a few years, I bought extra magazines and springs and used to rotate the springs regularly. Then I left 4 magazines fully loaded for about 18 years. I recently fired ~35 rounds with those magazines (which admittedly is not much), but they worked absolutely fine. I'd think if the springs were really worn out, I would have had at least some failures.

But I do think it makes good sense to clean magazines occasionally. If I look in the holes of my (unloaded) magazines after shooting, I can see debris particles in there. Kahr also advises cleaning magazines after each shooting session. And Kahr magazines (at least 9mm magazines) are super easy to disassemble--too easy, I think, since I can very easily do it with a finger in the magazine base lock, and the first time I used my new PM9, I had a magazine literally fall apart on me during preparation to fire.

[marshal kane]

Ditto what Handy said especially the part of "damages the structure of the steel". I see it as taking some of the spring our of the spring as once deformed (made longer) makes it weaker. YMMV

[downtownv]

I was talking to a buddy of mine who does that competition stuff and because the mags get dropped on sand etc he cleans his after every match, but that is extreme abuse.

[jeepster09]

Can't remember the last time I had to disassemble a mag for cleaning. Also can't remember the last time I've had to change out a spring. Though back in the day spring changes were a fairly common ritual....especially with stock Colt/GI 1911 mags. I refuse to use those anymore. Stretching old springs is a poor, ops immediate band-aid at best....replace them. Stretching good modern springs that have taken a set isn't necessary. And I've left mags with Wolff and equivalent quality springs loaded for years with no ill effect/malfunction when used.


Ya....and I can't remember yesterday. But my wife can remember everything from 20 years ago. :behindsofa: