VABAM

Magazine maintenance mostly depends on the mag itself. Some mags need to be cleaned and lubed regularly some don't. Also some mag's springs don't need to be relaxed on a regular basis either.

My Pmags and Lancer AR-15 mags don't need to be lubed and unless they get really dirty, like if I dropped one in mud or sand, don't really need to be cleaned. If they do get really dirty I just take them apart and wipe them down with a clean dry rag with out any solvent or oil. My HK pistol mags (with one exception) are the same way.

Like cleaning and lubing, mags spring maintenance varies depending on the mag. Some mags need to be exercised, unloaded, and/or rotated and some mags don't. This varies a lot even with the same gun. Depending on the manufacture some AR-15 mags need to unloaded and rotated while other don't. I usually rotate my AR-15 mags just because.

Now my HK USP 45 10 round brady bill mags (that one exception) springs can only stay loaded a month or two before encountering slide lock back issues. Also they need regular cleaning and light lubing to ensure the slide locks back on the last round. When the brady bill ended and I was able to get the 12 round USP 45 mags all those issue went away. I can run those mags dirty and leave them loaded for very long periods of time. One time I was out of country for over a year and had accidentally left some of my UPS 45 12 round mags and HK45 mags fully loaded. When I got back and realized that had happened I thought I had messed up my mags. I didn't unload them instead I took them to the range still fully loaded and tested them. To my surprise they all worked flawlessly and I have never had an issue with them.

It really boils down to you knowing what your firearm needs and doesn't need when it comes to cleaning and maintenance.

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