FALL BACK
“Spring forward, fall back.” It’s that day again.
The daylight savings time thing got a smart enhancement this year when they postponed the turning back of the clocks to today. It allowed the trick-or-treaters another hour of daylight last night, and made things safer for all those excited little pedestrians running around the streets in the evening hours. (I noticed last night that ninjas seem to be “in” for Halloween this year. Black clad in the dark, scampering across streets…sigh. And I didn’t see a one of the little ninjas wearing the usual light-stick around their neck. Doesn’t go with the ninja costume, I guess.)
I dunno who came up with the idea of changing flashlight batteries and especially smoke alarm batteries at time change, but it made excellent sense and has probably saved lives. I’ll be doing that today. (As noted in an earlier blog entry, flashlight batteries can be expensive, especially the modern lithium type, but not being good-to-go in fast breaking emergencies is MORE expensive.)
As a gun person, I extend the concept a little and on “spring forward, fall back” days also change out the magazines in my autoloading firearms. For instance, the standard “load-out” for a duty pistol is three magazines, one in the gun and two on the uniform belt, so I try to keep at least six mags on hand for any auto pistol I use regularly. When I change the clocks and the batteries, I’ll also unload the carry mags that have been full up, and “let ‘em rest” until the next time change. The ones that have had their springs at rest will be filled up and put into the “carry rotation.” A good way to keep track of them is with a tiny spot of white or yellow paint on the floorplates, yellow for summer and white denoting winter.
I’ve heard many engineers say that this isn’t necessary, and that they learned in metallurgy class that it’s flexion of the springs caused by action and use that wears them out, and they’re not under stress when compressed. Well, I ain’t never been to metallurgy class, and can’t speak to that. However, there are other studies that say otherwise, and tell us that being constantly under maximum pressure can cause magazine springs to “take a set,” resulting in them being too weak to keep doing their job when the cartridge reservoir in the magazine has been reduced by firing, and the tired spring has to keep pushing them up. Mike Izumi is one who has studied this, and he holds several aerospace patents. When guys who are literally rocket scientists talk about this, I tend to listen. In his avocation as a part-time cop and firearms instructor, Mike determined that it was a good idea not only to rotate full and empty magazines, but to store the full ones a cartridge or two down from full capacity to lighten their load, and top them off only when he was “taking them to work.”
Maybe it’s a belt-and-suspenders approach, but that kind of caution is what firearms are all about.
November 1st, 2009 at 3:01 pm
My logic process when dealing with this type of situation (two groups of experts disagreeing on a thing, both groups credible) is essentially “Which position costs less if I’m wrong?”
Extra mags and rotating them costs some money, and a bit of time.
A mag failures on a carry gun costs – well, depends on the situation, but that cost can go awfully high.
Maybe the metallurgist is right; I don’t know. I’ll look at the cost of more spare mags, and the time and effort to rotate them, as an insurance premium.
November 1st, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Daylight Savings Time is an idea whose time has long passed. We should abolish DST, and end the foolish rigamarole once and for all.
I’ve tried to find a definitive reason for why DST was instituted. It seems everyone has a different idea about what it’s for, and what it does. What’s certain is that it costs money and effort, and produces little effective results in an age of electric lights and reliable clocks.
I say we should stop switching the clocks forward an hour in the Spring, and just stay on Standard time all the time.
November 1st, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Could I repost this (giving credit to you, of course) because there are too many people who do not believe springs take a “set” and I’d like to show this to them…
I would appreciate it.
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:52 am
If you want to save a lot of loot, buy some magazine springs from Wolff for your weapon and just swap springs back and forth in the mags every 6 months or so. Magazines for my weapon ( S&W 6906 ) cost about $45.00 a piece. The springs from Wolff cost $17.00 for three. You can also get + 5% and +10% power springs for the same price. Just my opinion.
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:52 am
I don’t worry about springs. I just take the 6 old cartridges out of the cylinder, and replace them with 6 new ones. I do the same with the speed loaders and Bianchi Speed-Strips. Old rounds go into the practice box.
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Gary:
Feel free, but be prepared for a fatwa. For some reason, there are folks who debate this issue with the fervor of True Believers. Please let me know where you use it.
Cordially,
Mas
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Here is some purly anecdotal info that may or may not be important. Last year I found a Glock 17 magazine that had been stored fully loaded for well over 10 years. It had been loaded and stored by my wifes first husband who had passed away a few years before I met her. I have no idea when he loaded it, but based on how long it had been since his passing it was well over 10 years and may have been closer to 12 or 13 years that it had sat in a box in the shed. Definetly not ideal storage conditions.
I decided to perform an experiment with the mag and took it to the range where I fired the entire magazine of hollowpoint reloads as fast as I could pull the trigger. All shots fed and fired just fine into the center mass of a B27 target at 10 yards.
I know this settles nothing, but how often do we get a chance to test a mag that had been loaded that long. I still change out my mags periodically because it costs me nothing to do it. I already own plenty of mags for shooting matches where I use my home defense guns mostly.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Whether most all mags will or won’t hold up to loaded storage is one issue – but there really are some brands/models that won’t. I had some Ramline combo mags for ARs and Mini-14s that wouldn’t hold up two weeks in loaded storage. Just my experience.
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:44 pm
I’m no genius so I just rotate them every three months and worry about other more important stuff, of which there’s always plenty.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:09 am
Mas,
FWIW, I always write the date on my 123 batteries when I install them. Some of my lights get a lot of use, and others sit on the shelf, tested occasionally, but basically awaiting the “day”.. or is that the ‘night’? With the shelf life of 123’s, I change them, or not, depending on their usage. Anything with antique alkaline batteries get changed annually, tho’.
I ain’t even getting into the DST issue. I’d be cool with keeping the spring ahead all year.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:19 am
I change mine once a month. I only get to shoot once or twice a month and I figure that’s as good a time as any to switch out the mags.
Dave
November 4th, 2009 at 5:49 am
Standards of metallurgy have probably changed over the years, but a possibly relevant anecdote:
In the UK the most famous case of magazine spring failure was in 1974. Some nutter tried to kidnap Princess Anne and her bodyguard’s PPK jammed after the first shot because the magazine had been carried too long fully loaded.
The bodyguard, another police officer and a member of the public who intervened were all wounded, but made full recoveries. Princess Anne escaped unharmed. (Reputedly when the would-be kidnapper ordered her out of the car she replied, “Not bloody likely!”) And the nutter ended up in an institution.
And very shortly afterwards the 7.65mm PPK was replaced in police service by .38 Special revolvers.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
well, i thought i was the only one.
yes, i change from “spring to winter” springs,
or magazines, or guns. when DST comes or
goes, i change all batteries (and write the date
on the batteries with a Sharpie), and switch
out my Kahr .40 or Browning .40, depending
upon the upcoming season. i have 4 mags for
each, 3 loaded for the appropriate season.
November 14th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Before I knew it, it was 5 o’clock and dark. Stupid “fall back.” I had wanted to retest the M&P that was throwing brass at me, but failed to get to the outdoor range in time.
As far as magazines go, the only QUALITY magazine I’ve ever really had any trouble with was one that came with a pretty-well-used Glock 17. I tried respringing it, but the feedlips were tweaked or something.
I leave magazines loaded until they get emptied by shooting, or manually unloaded to fill with practice ammo. The magazines don’t seem to mind being loaded.