I am one that thinks my mags need to seat with the advertised # of rounds or they get sidelined pretty quickly.
If you have to deal with issued mags and your issued mags will not seat when fully loaded then the 28 or so round count is a very good plan.
If you buy your mags it is pretty simple these days to buy mags that will seat when loaded to capacity. I have very little use for 30 rnd mags but all mine that are front line mags will seat when loaded to capacity as will all my 20 rounders which are much preferred for my use.
While it would hardly be a detriment to load my 20 rnds with 18 rnds I do like how easy it is to tell when they are full with a simple short push.
The PMAG has shown us that we can have our cake and eat it to in this regard and current correct Aluminum mags work very well when filled to the brim.
I even fill my 60 round SF mag all the way to the top because it just seems silly to have a 58 round mag. Of course given how I use an AR the 60 round mag is just as silly but I had to give it a try.
On the spring life I am in �the # of complete cycles determines spring life camp� and not �the time said spring is compressed determines life camp�.
