Are "plastic" mags for AR OK?

[Fatelvis]

Today I went shooting in the cold, with steel, quality, mags, and found that something happened to them in the cold, that caused feeding problems. Seems they are looser, and dont lock "home" as well. Im thinking of getting some "plastic" mags, to avoid this confidence-busting phenominon. What are the best kind? (Orlite, thermo-something, etc.?)

 

[Erich]

You, my friend, want to go to AR15.com and look at the mag FAQ.

My answer to your question is that you're okay if you stick with American-made Thermolds.

 

[Bacchus]

FWIW, I've heard many people say that the Orlites work well. The ones that I have seen seem to be in pretty good shape. They are reasonably priced (<$15) and readily available.

 

[KMKeller]

I picked up some American made Thermolds a while back and although a bit tight, have had great luck with them. The tightness was alleviated by taking a very fine file to the molding marks around the feed lips.

 

[Marko Kloos]

I have nothing but Orlites for my DPMS, and they work very well. They're stronger than GI aluminum mags, and will take more abuse as they don't dent easily. Their base plates are also much easier to slide off for cleaning, and they don't have the sharp retention tabs at the bottim like USGI mags.

 

[Tamara]

I bought an Orlite on a whim...

...and it's run fine in both my FAL and Daewoo.

 

[Fatelvis]

Dillon has used Olites for $15 right now. Anyone know of a place that has `em cheaper?

 

[Schuey2002]

That sounds like a good deal.

CDNN has them,but they are about $19.00 each.

 

[Jeff White]

Some Orlites won't fit into Bushmaster lowers without modification. The Orlites have a lip that rides against the bottom of the magazine well. On some Orlites (How to ID them should be on the mag FAQ on AR15.com) you have to cut down this lip or they won't lock into a Bushmaster lower. No problems on any of the other manufacturer's lowers though.

Jeff

 

[W.Va.Glassman]

Anybody tried the Ramline AR,Mini-14 mags?

 

[444]

I have Orolites and Themolds and they seem to work fine in all my ARs including the two Bushmasters. I have had no feeding problems, failures to lock in.................
I haven't torture tested them or anything. I don't know how they are going to hold up over time. I don't know how they would work in all kinds of temperature extremes. But they have done fine so far for me.

 

[Schuey2002]

Anybody tried the Ramline AR,Mini-14 mags?

1) Yes.
2) They suck.
3) Don't waste your money on them.

 

[Redlg155]

Yep, the Ramline ones suck pretty bad. The plastic gets brittle, especially at the feedlips.

Good Shooting
Red

 

[Swamp Yankee]

I too, have had good luck with Thermolds and Orlites. I had a couple of Orlites that would not lock into either of my Bushmaster lowers because of the previously mentioned lip, but 5 minutes with the Dremel corrected that issue.
Take Care

 

[Soap]

I've had very good results with Thermolds. I think I own 8 of them right now and they work 100% in my AR.

 

[wingnutx]

Orlites work fine in my Bushmaster. I haven't worked them too hard yet, but so far so good. I got mine for $16 each at a gun show last month.

 

[thisaway]

I have had good luck with the US-made Thermolds.

I wasn't impressed with the Orlites, even though they worked OK...I saw way too many of them with the feedlips cracked (or missing entirely!).

YMMV.

 

[benEzra]

I've actually had very good luck with the Ram-Line combo mags in my mini-14, but the milsurp AR-only mags are cheaper and probably more tolerant of abuse.

bE

 

[Big Iron]

Ditto, I've never had a problem with either Thremolds or Orlites in my Bushmaster. I have had to "bump" the Thermolds a bit occassionally to get them to lock in, but no biggie. I use them mostly for range shooting, and save my USGI's for a rainy day.