There are varying opinions on if you should store ammunition in your magazines. I have come across so many different opinions about this topic, that I decided to research it for myself. I didn't really have an opinion on this matter, because I shoot and rotate ammunition regularly, in other words, it doesn't stay in my magazines for very long anyway. My research was pretty much fruitless, and I found that there are only varying opinions about storing ammo in magazines and not any scientific or set standards. There are too many variables to form an opinion due to the multitudes of different ammo and an endless selection of magazines, and of course, don't forget your tube magazines. Since there are not any industry standards, we can narrow it down an answer, it may not be the answer, but it is an answer that makes sense to me. You must consider that there are two different shooting components that we have in this question, and we should know a little about each. We need to look at the shelf life for ammo and magazines in general, as well as the conditions that they are stored in. Make sure you don't miss Clint's video on this same topic!
 

AMMUNITION

Most ammunition manufacturers say that there is an approximate 10-year shelf life for their ammunition. That is a safe zone with a lot of cushion. Ammunition from wars in the 1800s is still located and carefully disposed of by professionals even to this day. Why? Because it is still as functional in discharging as it was created to be. I'm not saying all old ammunition will function as designed after such a length of time, but I am saying I wouldn't pick it up or move it with my bare hands. A lot factors into ammunition shelf life, the most notable is the condition in which the ammunition is stored. Given the right circumstances, ammunition shelf life could be years, decades, or even forever. Though the shelf life of ammo can be nearly forever, given the right circumstances, the person who buys the ammunition should treat it according to how it's to be used. Some prefer to rotate their ammunition if stored in a magazine, including a tube magazine. Because of all of the variables involved, there is no science behind it, just personal preference. Storing your range ammunition in a moisture-free space is usually the best bet for performance while on the firing line. Duty ammunition for military and law enforcement often encounters natural elements such as heat, rain, ice, cold and frequent movement with the footsteps of the soldier or officer. Qualifying twice a year allows them to shoot through their old ammo and refresh their magazines. Hunting rounds, however, are a different matter altogether. If the hunting rounds have never been taken into the field, they are fine to be stored as normal, in a moisture-free space. Some hunters practice safe disposal for rounds that have been taken into the field and exposed to any amount of moisture. These rounds should probably be fired as soon as possible or safely discarded. Just like everything else that I found while researching, there are different opinions about ammunition stored in a magazine of your everyday concealed carry. The most common opinion seems to be that it should be expended at the range every so often. There are actually some pretty good reasons to support this train of thought. Just like how you are exposed to daily elements so is your everyday carry. Exposure to elements in addition to some leftover lubricant can cause gunk that builds up and will gum up your gun, hindering the best operation of your firearm. You can check for indentations from the feed ramp by running through a magazine every so often. You should always practice with the ammunition that you carry. Show yourself and your concealed daily carry some love and make a date for the range.

Brown Bear 7.62x39 196gr FMJ Subsonic Ammunition

MAGAZINES

The first thing that comes to mind while pondering if I should store ammunition in a magazine is the ability to grab and go with loaded magazines should the need ever present itself, so for that reason, I would say heck yeah, store ammo in every magazine that you have. The only thing that I was conflicted about is if it would damage the spring in the magazine, or if magazines themself have a shelf life. So I did some more research and found exactly what I found when I researched the ammunition side of this question, a whole lotta varying opinions and different scenarios of "what if". Today's magazines and magazine springs are developed to maintain their integrity under stress. That means that they are manufactured to be completely compressed when fully loaded with ammunition. One school of thought is that if you purchased a brand new magazine, loaded it, and store it in a dry, safe place, that it could maintain the same condition for decades and operate with the function of a new magazine with new ammunition as soon as you insert it into your semiautomatic firearm. On the other hand, elements, corrosion, debris, and moisture can predicate the longevity of a magazine spring. It all circles back to proper storage for both ammunition and magazines. Any amount of loading and unloading will affect or degrade the springs function over time. They are not made to last forever. Your magazine should be able to run through tens of thousands of cycles before you begin to feel a noticeable difference in the feel of the spring. An easy way to tell if the spring has wear is that it becomes easier to load. Just as you maintain your firearm, maintain your magazines. Loading and unloading a magazine will eventually degrade the spring's usefulness over time, so the reality is that it will weaken over the years, especially if there is sufficient movement in the magazine such as unloading and reloading frequently.

Classic Firearms AR-15 223/5.56/.300BLK 30 Round Enhanced Magazine with Yellow/Gold Accents

NO CLEAR ANSWER

So while there isn't a clear answer as to if we should store ammunition in our magazines, I think that we can readily discern that our magazines, ammunition, and our magazines stored with ammunition under the right conditions and with no intrusion of elements, dust, dirt, fouling, or moisture will be just fine for many years or decades to come. Shop All Magazines
Shop All Ammunition