I've changed plenty of front sprockets over the years and never found one that was loose. However I can certainly see how it could work loose even if it was properly tightened at initial fitment. If there is excessive clearance between the sprocket and the splines, either because the splines are worn or the sprocket is hardened at the teeth only, then it would be possible for the sprocket to slip a few degrees round on every acceleration and braking. This will wear the abutment faces causing the sprocket to become loose, and given that there is very little elasticity in the bolted-up assembly, even a tiny amount of wear will result in looseness. That's why you should always have a secondary locking method such as a serviceable tab washer installed and properly fastened.
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