Leave a slide open for a long time
- Thread starter OutL4w
- Start date
Hey, I am not sure why you would want to leave your slide open. And I am not sure what a "long time" is. But if you are talking days or months I would say no worries. If you are talking years I am not %100 sure but in my experiance with modern quality guns it takes a lot to damage the internal springs.
Basicly I wouldn't try it but if I had to guess I would say it would not wreck the gun. Just as an example I have mags that I leave loaded and that have been loaded (other then when being shot at the range) for going on 10 years and the springs are just fine. I know that's not exactly the same thing but you should be able to compress good spring for quite a while and have it return with no issues.
So I hope that helps some....
Basicly I wouldn't try it but if I had to guess I would say it would not wreck the gun. Just as an example I have mags that I leave loaded and that have been loaded (other then when being shot at the range) for going on 10 years and the springs are just fine. I know that's not exactly the same thing but you should be able to compress good spring for quite a while and have it return with no issues.
So I hope that helps some....
Springs wear due to rust and use. When brand new and never subjected to a load, they will take a slight set on the first use. Compression after that doesn't really matter much. The springs will wear out from cycling, not constant compression.
Others may tell you horror stories, but they are in general, full of ####.
How many cars have suffered broken springs from not being jacked up off thier tires every night??
Others may tell you horror stories, but they are in general, full of ####.
How many cars have suffered broken springs from not being jacked up off thier tires every night??
Thanks a lot for the quick answers.
The reason i'm asking this is that I bought at a local gunshow for a few bucks a gun locking system that is a full steel clip which seals the chamber with a strange key.
The small instructions says that you can close the slide if wished. Can't say I can do that with my Norc so that's why I asked for the advice about the slide.
The reason i'm asking this is that I bought at a local gunshow for a few bucks a gun locking system that is a full steel clip which seals the chamber with a strange key.
The small instructions says that you can close the slide if wished. Can't say I can do that with my Norc so that's why I asked for the advice about the slide.
That's not entirely correct. In general, springs can take a set (or permanent deformation) from a constantly-applied force through a metallurgical process called "creep." Correctly-designed springs do not suffer from creep from normal use, although I would be leery myself of leaving a Norinco slide permanently open, since you'd be applying more stress to the spring and increasing the chance of inducing creep and causing permanent deformation. If the spring has been properly designed you'd be OK, but why take a chance? Constant cycling (as long as you don't exceed the design stress of the spring) does not cause a set, although it can lead to fatigue failure, which is very rare in the coil springs used in guns.
These springs are not designed to be completly compressed for months on end and the analogy of the car is wrong, the car sitting is just how the suspension was desinged to sit.
Take a truck sitting, it could sit for years without affecting ride height, now fill the bed with 1/2 yard of dirt for just a month and check the ride height when its emptied, it`ll be totally sagging .
All springs wear, they are just that a wearing replaceable part.
It's true that some springs if not designed or heat treated properly can deform (creep) if compressed or put in tension for a long period of time. A properly designed/built spring won't have a problem. I wouldn't worry about it too much, but why risk it?
I believe the Ruger Mark II pistols have a lock that locks the action open. So damage to the spring isn't an issue with them.
I believe the Ruger Mark II pistols have a lock that locks the action open. So damage to the spring isn't an issue with them.
You can actually feel the wear on magazine springs, when they are left loaded. It wouldn't ruin the mainspring, but it would, eventually, decrease the spring weight. Don't forget, you'll also be keeping the firing pin spring compressed, at the same time. Steel has a memory, so some of the parts might align themselves in the open position. This might affect accuracy.
Then again, it's a pistol, not a hunting rifle. The effect on the weapon would be almost impossible to measure.
Then again, it's a pistol, not a hunting rifle. The effect on the weapon would be almost impossible to measure.
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My experience was with magazine springs that I left loaded with 5 rounds over a period of time of weeks. The magazine in question now makes a jiggling sound when it's fully loaded but it seems to work fine. The sound seems to be from the compressed spring tapping the front and back of the inside of the magazine when it's moved back and forth. It wasn't happening before, but it is now, again, the mag works fine.
Now I switch out which magazine is holding rounds every day.
Now I switch out which magazine is holding rounds every day.
Quality firearms(not Norinco) will suffer no ill effect should you leave the slide locked open for extended periods of time. In any event, replace the springs they're cheap and should be replaced regularly.
TDC
TDC
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