"High capacity" magazine for Home Defense

[T755]

As long as the springs are of quality it doesn't matter. Pmags are fine. a 20rder is more than enough. Remember you won't be house clearing, but if you use it most likely confronting a problem well on its way on you while you hole up till help arrives. I happened across a Remington Rand that came with magazines loaded since 1946. Unloaded them by firing and cleaned and put away.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Downloading by 1 or 2 rounds in polymer mags (or even in higher-capacity metal mags) isn't necessarily a bad idea.

There's a lot of pressure being exerted "around" the walls of a fully loaded mag, too. Over time, this stress can indeed lead to deformation of the polymer and MAY lead to mag insertion/ejection issues and possibly even feeding issues. Granted, Glock mags have a steel sleeve/insert to help with this - but it still happens.

Another concern would be on the feed lips of said mags. The upward pressure of the rounds can also swell/deform the feed lips over time. This will also impact feeding performance.

Brand comes in to play here, too. I'd certainly download "third party" mags rather than factory mags. (KCI Glock mags vs. Glock factory, for example)

Single-stack mags will rarely, if ever, have issues like this. There's just not enough crammed in there to cause the issues like the 15-20rd double stack pistol mags that are common in today's world.

Also - are you really missing anything by having 28/29 rds of 5.56 vs. 30? Especially if having that amount, stored for a year +, will reliably run in your rifle? Or would being down to 16 rds in the dozen M&P mags in your bug out/emergency stash really matter all that much?

Another note on springs/compression: Not all spring steel is created equal. As has been said, it's the compression cycles that generally wear out a spring. BUT if it's an "off brand" / inferior spring...it may very well take a "set" and not work as reliably. Probably everything made in the last 20 years, however, will probably be safe from this. Even Promags. (I'd almost bet that most mag manufacturers buy their springs from 1 or 2 places anyhow!)

 

[rhino]

I know from personal experience double stack mags on MP 5's and M4's change the balance in a not so good way. That is also a problem with anything over 30 round mags is they cause the gun to get past the point of being practical due to added wieght. Less is more at times. 20 round mags are pretty near the perfect size in less sticking down to get caught on things. Unless you are on a Cartels list somewhere you would probably be ok with 20 rounds but to each their own.

It's easier and quicker to reload with 20rd mags too. It's more like a pistol mag in your hands.

Given that, I like to be able to use my 30rd mag as a monopod. And I feel better emotionally knowing I have 30 instead of 20 (or 18).

 

[singlesix]

Well for me the mag cap ranges from 6 to 30 rds, I have guns in all areas of the house, depending on which area I'm in when the "event" happens.

 

[in625shooter]

It's easier and quicker to reload with 20rd mags too. It's more like a pistol mag in your hands.

Given that, I like to be able to use my 30rd mag as a monopod. And I feel better emotionally knowing I have 30 instead of 20 (or 18).

​Is that what you call it, I just thought your stages at IPSC were ballistic masturbation!

 

[rhino]

​Is that what you call it, I just thought your stages at IPSC were ballistic masturbation!

Hey! I like to get my money's worth when I shoot a match.

 

[in625shooter]

Hey! I like to get my money's worth when I shoot a match.

I ain't hating, just joking, sort of enjoy that 9mm 1911 running like it does with you.

 

[rhino]

I ain't hating, just joking, sort of enjoy that 9mm 1911 running like it does with you.

Heh! I can't argue with the truth. Sometimes my shooting is . . . excessive.

It's fun, though!

 

[Slawburger]

Stick with a magazine that reliably feeds the firearm. Keep a couple of 30 round mags loaded, you can always stick an extra in your pocket if 30 doesn't seem adequate.

 

[Taurahe]

I never fill my magazines to full capacity and leave them for an extended time, as it can weaken the spring. I would put 13 rounds in a 15 round pistol magazine, etc or maybe 25 rounds in a P-Mag rather than the full 30. Just my 2c here.

Not true at all... a spring stores energy and weakens over time from expending stored energy... IE.. you have to use it. If you leave it stored, it will not weaken. This is basic metallurgy, and one of the most widely spread firearm falsifications known.

To the OP, if you honestly feel like a 30 round mag is not enough, I would seriously consider finding a new place to live. The odds of you needing 10 rounds is slim even with multiple attackers. Rock the 30 rounder and call it a night

 

[eric001]

I keep my AK handy with a 30 round mag full of hollowpoints. It also happens to have a holographic sight and attached laser. In full light, whatever is under the red dot in the holo is waiting for 1 or more holes, and in questionable light, anything exactly 1 inch to the left of the red dot being reflected is begging for holes. And yes, there are 30 loaded.

Buddy of mine tried something similar with plastic mags and they split from the spring pressure over time... I've never yet had a problem with the steel mags I use.

 

[Drail]

What people need to realize is that saying magazine springs will not go dead from sitting fully loaded does not address the issue of the quality of the springs. That statement is a gross oversimplification. With springs there are very good ones and very bad ones. Do you know what kind you have? Assuming that they will not weaken from full compression is like assuming that nothing bad will ever happen to you - or that you will never have a tire blow out. So why are you carrying a gun in the first place? People believe that springs won't weaken only because they haven't seen it happen for themselves. Over the years I have seen plenty of springs die that were in racked guns and never used. They just sat fully compressed for long periods. Most of the manufacturers buy springs in huge volumes from the lowest bidder. Want to stake your life on THAT? The best thing you can do is to replace any factory springs with quality after market springs from Wolff or ISMI. If you don't know who made your springs then you'd better not assume they high quality. There's a LOT of junk out there. Downloading the magazine by a couple of rounds in a gun that just sits around is better than having 2 or 3 rounds that may not feed because the spring has weakened over time. Think about it.

 

[Slawburger]

What people need to realize is that saying magazine springs will not go dead from sitting fully loaded does not address the issue of the quality of the springs. ...

I think that most of the people advocating keeping the mags loaded are assuming that the OP has or acquires good quality mags (e.g. Pmags). I am comfortable keeping Pmags fully loaded for long periods of time. If I had mags from "Bob's Mag Co" then I might be less confident.

Note: No offense intended toward anyone named Bob (unless you make lousy mags of course).

 

[Jeepsandguns]

I keep 1 pmag in the nightstand and 9 a couple feet away. I realize it's way overkill to ever need more, but more ammo has never been a bad thing.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Looks like I stand corrected. I swear I read this in a magazine once and have heard it at the local gun store, so it must have been true!

I am glad that you all are updating me. Do you leave your mags loaded for 3-4 months or more, say??

Longer then that. Springs have tensile strength, which allows them to form back to their original length when not under tension. As long as they are not compressed or stretched beyond said tensile strength, no damage will occur. Will they wear out over time, yes. Just like the springs on your vehicle.

 

[tripwire96]

but more ammo has never been a bad thing.

Unless you are swimming!

 

[rvb]

You want the weapon to function. Magazine capacity is way, way down on the list.

+1. I don't know if I would trust a SF 60 rounder. I think I would trust a MP 40-rounder, but I have limited time w/ mine. I'd rather have two mags cinched together as you're more likely to have a magazine failure and need another mag than need > 30 rounds, so at least that way you'd have a solution for both problems.

-rvb

 

[NIFT]

136 7.62s in my home defense magazine, plus another 144 7.62s.

Remington 870 with five 3" magnum #1 Buck (24 7.62s each) plus one 2 3/4" #1 Buck (16 7.62s) for the total of 136 in the magazine, plus six more 3" mag. #1 Buck in the side saddle with a total of 144 7.62s.

Add them up to get 280 7.62 projectiles. Not bad at all.

 

[24Carat]

Someone please explain the logic or desire to use an AR for a home defense weapon. I see a great disconnect between form, function, capability and liability exposure.

 

[Robjps]

Someone please explain the logic or desire to use an AR for a home defense weapon. I see a great disconnect between form, function, capability and liability exposure.

Easy to shoot, low recoil, accurate, rounds tend to break apart more then other projectiles? The only reason not to use an AR is if you need a weapon that's easier to use one handed say if you planned on carrying small children.