Short/long term storage

My main 22 is a Mod 41 and backuo is a Buckmark. My question, which I have not seen in the forums is :

I shoot nearly every weekend, that includes weekend matches and 100 shot practices during the week. Is it better to NOT keep the actions open between shooting trips. My concern is that the assorted springs are under tension when the actions are open. (recoil, firing pin, firing pin block recoil buffer, trigger, etc.)

I use the M41 more than the Buckmark, but I am aiming (LOL) to use the Buckmark as my EIC pistol. hence more practice with it, but with fewer matches.

What is the consensus of the members?

I use snap caps in everyone of my firearms and release the spring tensions. 

Bob

Disclaimer - I am not an engineeror have extensive knowledge, but did read lots of forums with serious engineering posts.

General consensus is that COIL springs do not lose tension under constant load. In fact they retain tension better when loaded. LEAF springs may or may not lose tension under constant load, depends on materials, shape, size, etc. There was an agreement that leaving gun in open action or cocked and loaded does nothing bad for the gun and does not reduce spring longevity.

Not my words, take it with a grain of salt. I leave my guns with mechanisms in relaxed position.

No engineer here either. Also going by what I've been told over the years. Maybe right, maybe wrong. What I was told is that it's cycles that wear out a coil spring. The example was given of a 1911 mag loaded in WWII and left that way for years would have 1 cycle when it was shot. Whether it was 20 min later or 20 years later, still 1 cycle.
FWIW
Allen

rkittine wrote:I use snap caps in everyone of my firearms and release the spring tensions. 

Bob

Right now I use white colored dry wall anchors as snap caps. Work real nice so I do have a way to relieve firing pin spring tension if suggested.

Tripscape wrote:Disclaimer - I am not an engineeror have extensive knowledge, but did read lots of forums with serious engineering posts.

General consensus is that COIL springs do not lose tension under constant load. In fact they retain tension better when loaded. LEAF springs may or may not lose tension under constant load, depends on materials, shape, size, etc. There was an agreement that leaving gun in open action or cocked and loaded does nothing bad for the gun and does not reduce spring longevity.

Not my words, take it with a grain of salt. I leave my guns with mechanisms in relaxed position.

True, to a point.  Whether a coil spring takes a set depends on too many factors.  The biggest one is material and processing which have disappeared for the most part.  So in theory you can leave your guns in any spring state you like.

I leave mine with slides forward and hammers cocked.  Every once in a wile I pull the slide off the breech face and pull the trigger to release the mainspring for the 22s. But it isn’t a general thing.

I didn’t stay in a Holiday Inn Express but I am an Engineer.  At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.