Just out of curiosity how long can you leave your mags loaded

They are called magazines. And leaving them loaded doesnt hurt the spring strength, its the loading and unloading that weakens the springs.
 
I think it has a lot to do with the specific material of the springs, would not surprise me if cheap springs can get damaged by prolonged compression.
However, I have heard anecdotes of a guy loading some mags during WWII and his son shooting them a few years ago and they functioned normally.

I have noticed among my own magazines a certain change in pressure between the ones I have left loaded and the ones I left empty, but it seems to be a minor change that has since stopped, mostly it just means I'm not tearing my thumb quite as raw on the mags that have been left loaded. But that might be all in my head.

If there is truth to it, you'd probably be looking at years or decades. A bigger issue would be if you are constantly loading and unloading a mag, such as when practicing drills.
 
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A couple years ago I was given my grandpas WWII issued Browning HP. In the holster was a loaded magazine, been that way since the war. I haven't shot it, but the spring in the mag seems to function fine, I'm sure those old 9mm rounds will go bang too :)
 
Spring steel does not lose strength from compression, it loses "strength" from the repetition of compression/expansion - just like the metal fatique of a pull top pop can tab you want off.
So, stored from the war is better for a spring then actually using it, where heat builds and metal grains realign to "lose strength".
If they're loaded, you don't have to load them. Springs don't have stamina. They just sproing.
 
Jeff Cooper said he left a 1911 with two loaded magazines with his wife Janine when he went off the to war in the Pacific. When he got back, they were fine.
 
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