As far back as I can remember, probably since I learned to shoot as a youngster, I have heard the same two “tips” repeated when it comes to magazine care. One, “Never load your magazine to full capacity,” and two, “Unload the magazine when it is not in use.” I have since learned the truth, and today I will share what I have learned with you.

The world is full of “gun experts.” Some are self-taught, while others have spent years attending training and honing their skills professionally. While many are valuable sources of information and learning, some are hardly worth a YouTube video. The problem is that even some of the less credible experts are convincing, and that is all you need to have your misguided advice take root and spread like the gospel. That seems to be the case with the two-time honored tips. Both of which are incorrect.

Never load your magazine to full capacity.

This is one of those misguided tips that may have been good advice at one time. However, it no longer holds true for most magazines. When the M-16 was first adopted by the DOD, there were problems with magazines not seating, feeding, or otherwise operating as designed. Perplexed instructors and armorers, failing to find any other fix, recommended loading 30-round magazines to only 28 rounds. Problems lessened, and this became the norm.

But the problem was not the firearm or the general principle of using magazines; it was a quality control issue. Many of the magazines in question were of inferior quality, poorly designed, and unable to withstand the strain those two extra rounds added. Magazines would bulge or distort, leading to a host of problems. However, with modern magazines, at least those from a reputable maker, this problem is a thing of the past.

I became so fed up with having this debate that I reached out to the head armorer for the manufacturer of my current AR platform. His response, which I did not save to win future arguments, was classic — “If it could not safely handle 30 rounds. We would have called it a 28-round magazine.”

Enough said.

Unload your magazines when not in use.

I cannot count how many times I have heard this advice repeated. I have even heard other well-educated and highly experienced instructors tell students the same thing. At times, I have debated with those same instructors. Nonetheless, it is false.

The spring in the magazine, or any other similar spring, is not damaged by being compressed. That is what it is designed to do. If it were to be weakened, it would be by repeated stretching, possibly during cleaning or removal. If you do not believe me, check with the manufacturer or a trusted armorer.

But this does not mean that there are not times when you would not want to unload a magazine. When cleaning, of course, after experiencing malfunctions or during general inspection. I would also recommend doing so occasionally, not to release tension on the spring but to rotate or change ammunition. Old ammunition is more prone to malfunction than magazines, especially if exposed to moisture.