L1A1 SLR mags

[daryldiane]

Just wondered how long it was prudent to leave SLR mags full. I presume the spring will suffer eventually.
Was there a service directive? They must have been carried loaded in combat for protracted periods?
Thanks

[DL.]

My understanding from reading AR forum, is that the commonly held belief is that wear occurs when the magazine spring is being worked. So a mag kept in the loaded/unloaded state for an extended period of time should not be a problem.

[meles meles]

Magazine springs were debated a while ago on this forum too, oomans. We offered a metallurgical opinion: in short, if they were good springs to begin with they won't suffer in use...

[Rearlugs]

I think "magazine spring fatigue" is one of those healthy urban legend topics....

I can't help noticing that in the very old rifles I deal with - Lee Metfords, Long Lees, etc - where the magazine appears to be original or at least contemporary - the magazine springs appear just as functional and effective as the "new, unused" No4 mag springs and followers that have never even been in a magazine at all....

[ovenpaa]

I had a lazy spring in a No4 Mk1 a while ago, I swapped it out with a spring from a No3 Mk1 which was fine and probably over 70 years old..

Having said that I never leave magazines loaded at home, nor do I drive anywhere with loaded magazines.