Just got a Ruger Mk II

[wakosama]

In nice condition, came with several mags. the old guy never shot it and kept it loaded on a shelf in his closet. the mags have been loaded for at least 5 years. worried the springs are worn out. what do you think?

 

[V-Tach]

I think it's dirty, field strip it and get back with us next week when it's back together..............

 

[t-astragal]

I think it's dirty, field strip it and get back with us next week when it's back together..............

YouTube to the rescue.


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[wakosama]

It's not my first, and that's already taken care of. Ballistol still stinks. just wondering about the mag springs. tks.

 

[or.slacker]

Mine are always loaded for years, no issues.

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[V-Tach]

Springs/Mags are fine........

 

[Axxe55]

In nice condition, came with several mags. the old guy never shot it and kept it loaded on a shelf in his closet. the mags have been loaded for at least 5 years. worried the springs are worn out. what do you think?

take it out and shoot it if they are worn out shooting it will tell you real quick !

 

[zackmars]

It'll be fine. Typically it's repeated loading/unloading that wears out springs.

 

[General Zod]

My dad kept an M1 carbine mag loaded for a couple of decades. Worked just fine when I shot it.

 

[Hoji]

In nice condition, came with several mags. the old guy never shot it and kept it loaded on a shelf in his closet. the mags have been loaded for at least 5 years. worried the springs are worn out. what do you think?

Found a loaded mag in the trunk of my car under the spare tire that had to have been there for years. Worked fine.

 

[Hoji]

I think it's dirty, field strip it and get back with us next week when it's back together..............

That operation can be done in less than a minute.

@Big Dipper can attest to the above statement

 

[Bozz10mm]

5 years is nothing. If the mags were good when they were loaded, they are good now.

 

[majormadmax]

Springs don't wear out from being compressed for long periods. They wear out from being extended, then compressed, then extended, then compressed, rinse, repeat, etc., etc.

As stated, clean it then take it to the range. If the springs are worn out, it will let you know. If it functions fine, then you're golden!

Plus, unless it's a defensive weapon, then there's no real worry!

 

[TipBledsoe]

^ +1 what he said

And if you can put the damned thing back together after field strip, without YouTube or any other instruction, you’re a better man than me!

 

[Gordo]

The only mags I've ever had issues with being stored loaded were TAPCO plastic SKS mags.
Went to the mag storage closet one day, and the 120 rounds that were in the mags for nearly a decade here mostly on the floor.
The wonderful plastic lips had relaxed, and let the rounds do their own thing...
Never a plastic magazine in my stash ever again, thank you.

Springs can go bad, but only after thousands, and thousands of cycles, like on a car engine over years.
I know there are some trigger happy folks around, but doubt if even they will ever hit those kinds of numbers.

 

[red442joe]

The only mags I've ever had issues with being stored loaded were TAPCO plastic SKS mags.
Went to the mag storage closet one day, and the 120 rounds that were in the mags for nearly a decade here mostly on the floor.
The wonderful plastic lips had relaxed, and let the rounds do their own thing...
Never a plastic magazine in my stash ever again, thank you.

Springs can go bad, but only after thousands, and thousands of cycles, like on a car engine over years.
I know there are some trigger happy folks around, but doubt if even they will ever hit those kinds of numbers.

Just a fyi
Gen 3 P-Mags use a clip/cover that holds rounds down to take the load off the feed lips.

Joe

 

[wakosama]

thanks all. I did cheat. I had a strip and clean youtube bookmarked.

 

[deemus]

Springs don't wear out from being compressed for long periods. They wear out from being extended, then compressed, then extended, then compressed, rinse, repeat, etc., etc.

As stated, clean it then take it to the range. If the springs are worn out, it will let you know. If it functions fine, then you're golden!

Plus, unless it's a defensive weapon, then there's no real worry!

Learn something new every day

 

[Bozz10mm]

thanks all. I did cheat. I had a strip and clean youtube bookmarked.

I've had my Mark I Target model since 1978. The first time I field stripped it was a real struggle reassembling it. Pretty much the same thing every time until the advent of the internet. Just by pure luck everything would unexplainably fall in place. There are many YouTube videos on reassembly of the Ruger Mark series. None of them seem to follow the same procedure and not all of them work.

 

[A1Oni]

In nice condition, came with several mags. the old guy never shot it and kept it loaded on a shelf in his closet. the mags have been loaded for at least 5 years. worried the springs are worn out. what do you think?

springs only get worn by constant use, if they are only compressed they should be fine.