AR 15 Magazines?

I have some sweet VietNam era 20x4 mag pouches, unfortunately, as was mentioned, Magpuls don’t fit... I’ve gone to open top mag pouches, which I don’t like.

another nice thing about a 20rd, you can carry one on your pocket without it sticking out. That’s usually what I do when I’m out and about, rather than strapping up the web gear.

someone also mentioned a failure to lock, I download my mags (both my AR and M14 mags) one round and don’t really have that problem anymore. Yes, I know... it’s a workaround of a design flaw, yadda, yadda... but I prefer to call it Field Expedience, because it works and gets the job done.

It’s hard to argue against Pmags. Anecdotally, since Pmags got popular at my local shoot and move rifle match, failure rates went way down. Various failures were pretty common and unremarkable. Since Pmags came out every malfunction gets noticed and commented on.

That said, I’ve got a generic aluminum AR mag that I’ve had for about 5-6 years. Every time I got tot the range and am shooting something compatible with a AR mag that one gets used, dumped in the dirt during reloads, and put away wet. After a couple of years the follower seized and I had to strip the magazine and clean it, after which it worked fine again ever since.

Pmags can fail, but when they do they are usually obviously broken with a split seam or busted feed lip. If you break one throw it away and get another. Metal mags can be subtlety damaged where they throw a FTFeed every 120th round and drive you crazy trying to figure out if the problem is the gun, the mag, or the ammo.

BSW

For the short while I had an AR, I tried many different mags, including the Magpuls, and they all worked fine.

I especially like the Lancers because they had metal feed lips and due to the fact that they were translucent. I could readily see how many rounds were in it. Easier even than the Magpuls with the little window.

My Mini-14 is the opposite, very little outside of factory mags work well. Wish Magpul would get off their butt and make some cheap mags for them. lol

Just decided to order a trio of M3 Pmags. Guess ill see what all the hooplah is about!

Really, most AR mags are STANAG, so the brand & size are mostly personal preference and experience.

WestKentucky said:

I’m always suprised by the volume of actual shooters who prefer the 20rd mags

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It's a handy size, does not take long to load, and, for the longest time, were about $10 cheaper than a thirty. I'm extra picky about the tens, since they get used on the bench, and any hiccups interfere with enjoying the bench shooting.

I think (only think, there's no way I'm going to sight inventory them all) I have one of every maker's twenty. And a sizable selection in thirties, too. Probably more PMags than any other kind of thirty.

I like Magpul and USGI mags.

The good thing about the USGI mags is that most non-AR platforms that accept AR mags will accept USGI mags, but may not accommodate other manufacturers’ polymer AR magazines simply as a result of minor geometric differences.

Most companies have figured out how to make reliable AR mags for under $15. I would avoid ProMag though.

This thread seems to imply that everybody is running 5.56. I am not. I use AR Stoner 6.8 mags in my Valkyrie and I prefer 10 round mags because they are just handier. AR Stoner 6.8 mags come in 5, 10, 15, and 25 rounds capacity. I do have a couple of 25 rounders.

If my house burned down and I had to start from scratch: PMAG windows. 100%, seen them used a lot, and abused, and I have complete confidence.

But since I bought a million (okay, like 40ish) long ago, I still have a selection of (mostly) C-Products and Colt 20 (curved, not straight) and 30 round aluminums with old school Magpul rubber pulls on the bottom. They won't break. The Colts are so used up they are mostly zinc chromate green, but... then I painted them. Still work fine.

DO change out followers and springs if you buy a used mag, and on some schedule. As far as I can tell, and I have been advised by those who maintain thousands of mags, all currently sold followers are fine. The old black and beige ones are just okay, but not sold. Magpul is good, but whatever. I do a change every 5 years or so, and then do not track individual mag use, just buy a 50 pack and change ALL the mags, clean them, repaint them, etc.


(P.S. "USGI" is too vague, often any time, but especially for magazines. The government has issued everything. Steel, aluminum, plastic. If you mean "aluminum," then there's lots of variability still in generations, and individual makers. I track who is on the floorplate even for my aluminum ones).

Okay Surefeed (I still prefer metal mags)
Magpul
Lancer
D&H (Good mags for the price, but rougher finishing than OKAY mags)

HowieG said:

This thread seems to imply that everybody is running 5.56. I am not. I use AR Stoner 6.8 mags in my Valkyrie and I prefer 10 round mags because they are just handier. AR Stoner 6.8 mags come in 5, 10, 15, and 25 rounds capacity. I do have a couple of 25 rounders.

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My Grendel and Beowulf mags are Stoner. My 7.62x39 mags are (gasp!) Pro-mag. We will see how that goes... I have a mini-14 Pro-mag that runs flawless. I have a Pro-mag 10/22 mag that isn't even good as a paperweight.

Pmags and Lancers

I'm still working my way through a bunch of Colt 20 and 30 rounders that I have had for years. Will let everybody know when I have one that won't run anymore.

Magpul are great magazines. I stock up on them and keep them in reserve. Very reliable. However I really like the Lancer mags. They are just a little more expensive. But I live in Colorado and have to pay a premium for magazines.

I've always liked Magpuls too but over the past couple years have been migrating to ASC mags. They're listed as allowing an OAL of 2.3", though I run just 2.27" and those work without a hitch. Maybe a minor point, but I'll take anything that gets me longer seating with full reliability.

I've been running ASC Colt 9mm mags for quite a few years and they're great. This is what lead me to the AR mags.

https://gunmagwarehouse.com/brands/asc

I seem to recall that ASC formed as a breakaway from C-Products.

Not much reason to use anything other than Pmags.

I love my Okay USGI mags, the just give me a warm and fuzzy lol.

I’ve used Pmags, Palmetto State (re branded D&H mags), NHMTG, Okay, Center Industries. They all work fine and I’d buy any of them.

Fishbed77 said:

Not much reason to use anything other than Pmags.

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I can think of a couple.



Pmags are the best plastic feed lip mag I have used by good margin, it’s almost like they used the plastic Ford used to cover 8 N steering wheels, durable, abrasion resistant and last for years with a lot of use. Being a metal guy though, they are still plastic, wouldn’t want them to be the only mag I have if I couldn’t get more.

Lancer mags have metal feed lips and I have ran them long enough to say they are solid performers too

but again, I haven’t owned any of the plastic ones as long as my old Colt mags, that still work just fine.

jmorris said:

I can think of a couple.

View attachment 980247

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You just have to push harder.



I actually modified a 10rd PMAG to feed 450 Bushmaster. The 10 rds magazine are straight with no internal curve so it's easy to remove the rib down the front with a file. Filed the follower flat to allow enough room to get the fourth round in the magazine and able to insert it on a close bolt.




I still like my NHMTG straight 20rds with new center feed followers the best. I am sort of surprise PMAG never came out with a big bore magazine.

Our office bought some original magpul 30-rounders. We had several split about 3/4” down right on the mold line so we canned them .

I believe later generations addressed what ailed the first Gen, so this shouldn’t be an issue with newly bought magpul magazines.

In my personal stash I use C-products, Okay, Brownells, Colt, Center Industries and a few others I can’t recall.

All my mags get new Wolff springs and Magpul followers though, their followers are great .

Stay safe.

Riomouse911 said:

I believe later generations addressed what ailed the first Gen, so this shouldn’t be an issue with newly bought magpul magazines.

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That. I still have my original 'Gen 1' 20rd mag, it's OK, but you can see where the newer Gen mags are better.

bannockburn said:

I'm still working my way through a bunch of Colt 20 and 30 rounders that I have had for years. Will let everybody know when I have one that won't run anymore.

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Yep, my 30 round USGI mags are all 1980s vintage.

My Colt 20 round USGI mags are Vietnam era. All running fine. 50 years or so old, and all humming along.

I vastly prefer 20 round magazines for anything that I need to do currently. They keep the rifles more manageable than 30 or 40 rounders.


For 556 it's hard to beat the three listed below
-MagPul PMAG G3's with dustcover
-Lancer's
-D&H Mags

For 556 my magpuls get used mostly, but I have a stash of D&H's because I don't like the idea of relying on plastic in a long term scenario where magazines cannot get purchased no longer. But with the military using magpul now its hard to refute the fact they are who they are because their products just plain work.

As far as boutique AR cartridge magazines, these below have a good rep
-Lancer 300BLK (300BLK)
-C-Products (6.8SPC, 7.62x39)
-Duramag (450BM)
-ASC (6.8SPC) they make a longer COAL magazine that lets one load longer which is nice for chasing performance.

Anybody use E-Lander mags? I just received at AR-15 10-rounder and I am really impressed. No, I haven't shot it yet, but it is the best mag that I have every "looked" at. It has a coated, hardened steel case that they advertised as withstanding a 96 hour salt spray test and seems to be all high quality parts.

I have enough 30 round P-Mags, so I decided I better buy a 10 rounder for range time and it will sit lower on the shooting bench. Better buy before they might ban "high capacity" and then you know the legal 10 rounders will be sold out too.

I see they make a 40, 30, and a 20 also. Not too high price. Maybe should buy some of the 30's, as these mags seem they should last a very, long time.

BigAlShooter said:

Anybody use E-Lander mags? I just received at AR-15 10-rounder and I am really impressed. No, I haven't shot it yet, but it is the best mag that I have every "looked" at. It has a coated, hardened steel case that they advertised as withstanding a 96 hour salt spray test and seems to be all high quality parts.

I have enough 30 round P-Mags, so I decided I better buy a 10 rounder for range time and it will sit lower on the shooting bench. Better buy before they might ban "high capacity" and then you know the legal 10 rounders will be sold out too.

I see they make a 40, 30, and a 20 also. Not too high price. Maybe should buy some of the 30's, as these mags seem they should last a very, long time.

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I’ve got some of the E Lander mags for rifles that aren’t compatible with Pmags. They have run well and I’ve yet to need to trash one because of damage.

They are steel and will rust. The paint does scratch off and they need some maintenance. OTOH, I live on the wet side of Oregon and steel rusting is just life here. When I lived in New Mexico that wasn’t a problem for some reason...

BSW