Is it Okay to keep AK mags loaded?

[midnight_cougar]

i got 2-10 round i sometimes keep like 5 rnds in one, and i got a 30rnd i normally keep 15 in there

[waizen]

I had a similar question regarding regular handguns. I was paranoid enough about that to consider buying a revolver just to keep next to my bed.

Then, I realized that guns, in general, have springs in them under constant pressure. They're under pressure for 99.99999% of their lives and all is good.

Based on that, my Glock is next to my bed, loaded, all the time. I do change mags every once in a while, but that is just my ongoing nagging paranoia, I think

[polishshooter]

While guys for years have been worried about springs taking a "set," there is no proof that they actually DO, short of wearing out just from wear. And not only in firearms, when I raced, I was told to "hang" the car between races to keep the CAR'S springs from taking a "set," which I did religiously, but really I think all it did was make it easier to get underneath it with a creeper to inspect, change rears, transmissions, etc....

I have had loaded .45 mags (Wilson, Pachmayr and Devel) that are over 20 years old, and several of them were left loaded for over 15 years and they all worked fine when I finally shot them...several of them are loaded now as we speak...the Devel 8 rounder in the .45 right now is one of the original mags I competed with in IPSC in the 80s....(I RARELY have empty mags laying around) ...I have had mags fail for other reasons, but not once due to springs.....

[Laufer]

Some experienced rifle owners claim that a mag loaded with room for just one or two rounds allows the spring to function much better than after squeezing in the last, then storing for months.

[infidel_2_dabone]

Originally Posted by midnight_cougar

i got 2-10 round i sometimes keep like 5 rnds in one, and i got a 30rnd i normally keep 15 in there

Back in 94 just before clinton came out with banning hi cap. mags I purchased all the hi cap mags for all my semi auto pistols and rifles that I could afford.I also fully loaded some of them save space for 1 round.
back in JAN. O8 this year, I was curious to se if they were any good so I went to the indoor range and tested them firing at least 25-30 rounds through each.
I did not experience any malfunctioning problems, by the way the magazines were factory Glock and CZ. 14 yrs without a hitch!

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by polishshooter

I have had loaded .45 mags (Wilson, Pachmayr and Devel) that are over 20 years old, and several of them were left loaded for over 15 years and they all worked fine when I finally shot them

I was told to rotate loaded magazines. Having said that about twenty years ago I came across some .45 1911 mags loaded since WW2, the springs felt a little weaker than they should, but they worked well. GI quality I guess.

[AngelDeville]

Originally Posted by Cheimison

And yes, I'm fully aware that an AK is a terrible choice for home defense, but that's exactly why I'm getting a shotgun later on.

I have 6-8 fully loaded mags on hand at all time, and my AK is my first choice for home defense.

I have a couple 20 round mags on the way to help with portability.

[Bill DeShivs]

Properly designed and manufactured springs do not take a "set," unless they are flexed past their elastic limit. When properly made springs DO fail, they get brittle and break from flexing.

[green_metalflake]

There are many threads on dedicated AK forums saying leaving them loaded is no problem. Many stories of mags loaded, 5, 10, or 15+ years ago & forgotten then found again and fired without issue.