Posted: 9/11/2010 6:14:33 PM EDT
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How many AR magazines are enough ??
How many AR magazines do you keep loaded ?? How often do you change you AR mag springs that are kept loaded on 365/7/24 basis ?? |
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Can there REALLY BE Enough? They are perishable items, they get damaged and go bad etc...
I generally buy 5 or so every time I see them in a shop or a good price... I need to just send Somebody some money and have them ship me out a hundred mag case... I need some more P-Mags too, I only have one! Quoted:
How many AR magazines are enough ?? How many AR magazines do you keep loaded ?? How often do you change you AR mag springs that are kept loaded on 365/7/24 basis ?? |
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There have been cases where loaded WWII mags have been found loaded and the springs were fine.
Springs go bad with use, not by staying relaxed or compressed. So going by that theory you should never need to change the springs in a mag that isn't being used(loaded and unloaded). That said I don't have an AR but I do have a FAL and I have 20-20 round mags and 1-10 round mag. I think I have about half of them loaded, .308 is expensive. |
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Quoted:
I'm a sucker for a good deal ... so now I have well over 100 AR mags. My Zombie kit has 18 mags loaded to 28 per mag, 500 round total (504 actually) ... but I figured 500 was a nice round number, and I keep another 500 rounds in the bag too. I keep about 10 mags loaded in the go bag, and 3 in my car with my AR. I honestly should keep more in the car, but I have found the trunk temps are hard on the ammo so I try to replace it yearly. |
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I'm a sucker for a good deal ... so now I have well over 100 AR mags. My Zombie kit has 18 mags loaded to 28 per mag, 500 round total (504 actually) ... but I figured 500 was a nice round number, and I keep another 500 rounds in the bag too. I keep about 10 mags loaded in the go bag, and 3 in my car with my AR. I honestly should keep more in the car, but I have found the trunk temps are hard on the ammo so I try to replace it yearly. Can you explain this? I didn't realize simple temperature extremes could affect modern ammo. And by simple I mean trunk temps shouldn't exceed 130 degrees in MO. |
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I'm a sucker for a good deal ... so now I have well over 100 AR mags. My Zombie kit has 18 mags loaded to 28 per mag, 500 round total (504 actually) ... but I figured 500 was a nice round number, and I keep another 500 rounds in the bag too. I keep about 10 mags loaded in the go bag, and 3 in my car with my AR. I honestly should keep more in the car, but I have found the trunk temps are hard on the ammo so I try to replace it yearly. Can you explain this? I didn't realize simple temperature extremes could affect modern ammo. And by simple I mean trunk temps shouldn't exceed 130 degrees in MO. Its a combination of temperature extremes (130+ to -10 or more) and the humidity. its probably the humidity that effects it more than anything and simply keeping the rifle and ammo in a decent case would probably help significantly. Also I don't know that I have ever had a failure of the ammunition I have cycled out of the trunk, however its just like my the ammunition in my carry gun (which I cycle out atleast every 6 months), its a piece of mind thing. I can honestly say that there is few things I would have a harder time living with than not being able to protect those around me because of the 2-3 year old ammo in my trunk having a high rate of FTF. |
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I think I have around 15. I can carry 8 on my chest rig, then a few extra 30 rounders and 1 20 rounder to shoot from the bench with. Only one loaded is the one with HD ammo. I checked the springs when I bought them and changed out the followers to Magpul's. I have the same amount of AK mags too. 1 loaded. |
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I'm a sucker for a good deal ... so now I have well over 100 AR mags. My Zombie kit has 18 mags loaded to 28 per mag, 500 round total (504 actually) ... but I figured 500 was a nice round number, and I keep another 500 rounds in the bag too. I keep about 10 mags loaded in the go bag, and 3 in my car with my AR. I honestly should keep more in the car, but I have found the trunk temps are hard on the ammo so I try to replace it yearly. Can you explain this? I didn't realize simple temperature extremes could affect modern ammo. And by simple I mean trunk temps shouldn't exceed 130 degrees in MO. Its a combination of temperature extremes (130+ to -10 or more) and the humidity. its probably the humidity that effects it more than anything and simply keeping the rifle and ammo in a decent case would probably help significantly. Also I don't know that I have ever had a failure of the ammunition I have cycled out of the trunk, however its just like my the ammunition in my carry gun (which I cycle out atleast every 6 months), its a piece of mind thing. I can honestly say that there is few things I would have a harder time living with than not being able to protect those around me because of the 2-3 year old ammo in my trunk having a high rate of FTF. Fair enough, I thought there was as study or some personal experience. Its kind of like taking a pistol apart just to check it and then putting it back together three times in a month after not shooting it once. Peace of mind goes a long way. |
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All I can say is that gun powder is an organic compound. And like anything that is organic, it will decay with time. The decay time is shortened with heat. As for the humidity, they do make a sealer that can be put on the junction of the bullet and case, primer and case.
Frankly, I think this is just an excuse to shoot up some more ammo. So, does the wife buy into this excuse? Reason I ask is that I might try this ploy myself. I would think that a few years along with all of the vibration would still be safe ammo. For those who say, ya but the government / military usually have a 10 yr self live on their ammo. Well most bunkers are cooler than a vehicle during the summer. And the ammo sure does not get daily vibrations while bouncing along down a hi-way. |
This year it got hot enough in my car that it busted the seal and deformed the coke can below. I still haven't cycled the hd ammo from my xdsc9 in the glove box in about 2 years so I hope it won't be a factor if I ever need it. I guess I oughtta shoot it up some just to make sure it's still gtg.
ETA: For the most part, I keep all 20 or so of my ar mags loaded at all times, as well as all my pistol mags. |
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From my experience.....
I keep 60 mags (30 for each type of hand gun - every command vehicle does) plus each car equipped with a rifle has another 10 mags in our dept's fleet. Above and beyond the typical heat, we also have radio/repeaters and various other electronics generating a great deal of heat. Now, our trunks are opened at least 4 times a day, but even after this summer with 15+ days over 95 degrees, we never had a failure. When I run a course of fire, the first thing we do is burn up the old ammo. YMMV |
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Here is a statement made by an instructor, Armorer and cop...
In MOST cases the magazine IN the weapons will solve your problem, if you are in a situation where that magazine WON'T then the next one will. So for the most part two mags will solve most any issue you may face... That would be 60 rounds or 58 rounds if you are a "Downloader" Say it takes you TWO shots PER BAD GUY, then you could do at least 29 of em! I have been in several scrapes and the most mags I have spent in one exchange was 18... Yes 18 mags in the primary and two in the secondary... But that was an extreme case... the others maybe two... that was partials by the way because I reloaded every "Lull" in the action. |