Keeping loaded magazines (handgun)?

Springs do not suffer appreciable wear from being loaded for long amounts of time. Compression and decompression wears them.

The only thing to worry about with a loaded magazine is that the force of the spring on the feed lips can slowly cause them to creep out. This could eventually cause problems. On magazines with very brittle metal, you sometimes see the feed lips develop a crack.

Any problems will take many years to occur. You're best to leave your magazine loaded for quick use.

Go talk to an engineer.... preferably of the mechanical variety. They will tell you this same thing, except with bigger words.

I agree with the poster that mentioned a handgun isn't terribly useful without a loaded magazine... I would say keep them loaded. Springs are supposed to withstand pressure - They're pressure treated to be sure they retain their memory for that reason.

As a side note, I think it's an incredibly sexy accessory that you've decided to sport!!!

I don't unload my magazines to relax the springs for the same reason I don't park my truck on jack stands to relax the springs. Springs are made to withstand pressure. What wears a spring out is repeated flexing and relaxing of the spring, in other words, you do more damage to the springs in a guns magazine by loading and unloading than you do leaving it loaded.

compressing a spring is not what damages it

It is the constant compression and decompression that comes from loading and unloading the magazine that causes the wear

Take a paperclip and press the two sides of the curved end together.

You can hold it in that position for years and never cause it to break

But if you bend the metal back and forth it cause metal fatigue that eventually causes the clip t break

Keeping them loaded does not harm the spring. Repeatedly compressing and decompressing the spring will eventually wear it out but you'd have to shoot competitively to have much chance of seeing that happen. This question has been beaten to death on here and a quick search will get you more information than you'll probably ever want.

this is one of those questions that can lead to a never ending argument, as everyone has a different opinion.

I leave mine loaded, and have done so for over six years with no bad affects or obvious weakening of the spring.

I do, however, remove all cartridges at least once every six months, and clean and oil everything about the guns, as they do collect dust, and a dirty gun can be a problem.

I don't jack up my car when I park it to protect the springs and I don't unload my magazines.

A handgun is of no use if there isn't a loaded magazine in close proximity.