Cleaning and Maintaining Your Magazines – Why, How Often and How to Do It

[Annihilator]

Good little read on cleaning and maintaining your magazines, how many do this…..

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Magazines - Why, How Often and How to Do It - The Truth About Guns

Magazine maintenance isn’t really a hot topic among gun owners. People love talking about what they do and don’t do in regards to their firearms, but their magazines are often forgotten. This is due, in part, to the idea that they don’t really need much care. While that’s relatively true in...

www.thetruthaboutguns.com

 

[Net Engineer]

Good little read on cleaning and maintaining your magazines, how many do this…..

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Magazines - Why, How Often and How to Do It - The Truth About Guns

Magazine maintenance isn’t really a hot topic among gun owners. People love talking about what they do and don’t do in regards to their firearms, but their magazines are often forgotten. This is due, in part, to the idea that they don’t really need much care. While that’s relatively true in...

www.thetruthaboutguns.com

I clean magazines occasionally, if they get exceptionally dirty from being dropped on the range during classes, doesn't happen very often though, most of the time just a simple cleaning (without disassembly) with my hand-held air duster suffices.

I also keep a lot of magazines which helps since I can rotate them.

 

[Keystone19250]

No matter how much they are used I take mine apart once a year and wipe down everything with a very, very lightly oiled old t-shirt which is then thrown away. Following this procedure I’ve never had an issue whatsoever with any of my mags.

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

Metal mags I can see possible issues, but poly AR mags would be nonexistent. The wind gets to really blowing and most at 20 and above. So lots of dirt in the air, not counting what's on the ground when a mag is there. Those get taken care of when range day is over.

 

[yotehtr]

Anyone disassembled 10 rnd Ruger rotary magazines? I usually fill them up with WD-40, then blow them out with the air compressor.

 

[Bassbob]

No matter how much they are used I take mine apart once a year and wipe down everything with a very, very lightly oiled old t-shirt which is then thrown away. Following this procedure I’ve never had an issue whatsoever with any of my mags.

I periodically do the same thing. Maybe not once a year. I get bored on days I don't get to the range and start messing with stuff.

 

[Belt Fed]

I spent most of the day wiping down guns from the safe that haven't seen the light of day in years.

 

[4FishLimit]

Shooting suppressed means cleaning your mags after every range trip. Metal or polymer, both get gummed up quickly with a can.

This is also why I prefer to keep a handful of dedicated range mags. Keeps wear and tear isolated to a few mags.

 

[somorris]

Thanks, Anni. When I see videos of folks pushing the mag release and letting the mag drop to the ground (supposedly practicing tactical reloads), I can see why mag cleaning could be pretty important.

 

[Old_Me]

after an hour or two at the range, all i do is wipe them down, put'em away.

all my range times are indoors, so, now wind, dirt issues.

 

[wolfpack076]

I use a white tube sock. Disassemble the magazine and push the sock through. I get amazed at all the crud that comes out and then of course I dispose of the sock. And I check out all the magazines after I use them. Just my two cents...

 

[Net Engineer]

I use a white tube sock. Disassemble the magazine and push the sock through. I get amazed at all the crud that comes out and then of course I dispose of the sock. Just my two cents...

Good idea but keep them socks, wear them with the pride & dignity that comes with being a true RANGE BUM.

 

[Lock n' Load]

I disassemble, inspect, clean, and rotate my mags after each use, especially after an outdoor training where they are repeatedly dropped in the dirt. Any questionable part is replaced as needed, including getting a new OEM mag if necessary. I keep a few spare springs, followers, and base plates on hand as well, just in case.