Any reason NOT to buy PMAGS?

[Eightball]

Sitting around, a thought occurred to me. In many shops, AR15 mags cost $14~17 apiece, usually for assorted metal ones (at the shops I've seen), and then a premium for the "good stuff." Now, the other day, I got 2x PMAGS 30s for about the same price, and it got me to wondering.......aside from the need to order through the internet to get those kind of prices (a shop guy once explained his place's horrible markup of PMAGS as "we've got used metal mags for $15, why would we be inclined to sell a brand-new plastic mag for the same price), is there any reason not to get PMAGs when looking for additional magazines for an AR platform?

And no, I'm not a paid marketer.

 

[Andrewsky]

I'd only buy the GI mags because I like my guns to look like military-issue guns.

 

[Coronach]

You assume that no military guys are using Pmags. I assure you this is not the case.

I'm kinda in the same conundrum. You can get good USGI mags for $10/each. Pmags are $14-$18, depending on whether or not you're getting windowed mags or not.

My understanding is that current generation USGI mags are a solid bet to perform well. They're even better if you replace the follower with the latest no-tilt follower by Magpul (this will add $$$, though). However, they will eventually wear out (feed lips bowing outwards or seams failing), though most of us civvies will never see that happen.

Pmags, on the other hand, very well may demonstrate better wear characteristics. Or, they may not. My guess is that they'll probably no worse than USGI mags (especially if you don't keep them loaded, or use the cover if you do), and might be better. They certainly seem to be more durable in the short term, vs abuse.

Whether that's worth the extra $4, I dunno.


Mike

 

[rbernie]

The PMAG durability demo video on the MagPul web site was pretty interesting. Might help you make that decision.

 

[Vaarok]

They're not preban, and thus illegal where I am.

 

[ckay]

If I could own PMAGs, I'd be buying PMAGs. BUT, my GI mags, which are at least 14 years old function perfectly with new springs and A-T followers.

 

[El Tejon]

I lent my PMAGs to a fellow student at Thunder Ranch last week. They performed brilliantly.

I have 3 dozen, I will be buying 3 dozen more.

Any reason not to buy? Cost. If I can buy metal AR mags at say $8 and rip out the old follower and put in a Magpul follower, I do.

 

[Soybomb]

However, they will eventually wear out (feed lips bowing outwards

How confident are we that the pmags won't do the same over time though?

 

[Coronach]

That's why I'm saying that their long term durability is not clear.

Mike

 

[Quiet]

I have no need to buy them, since I still have a footlocker full of USGI mags.

If I was in the market for new mags, I'd buy them.

 

[Oohrah]

Very extensively tested by one group of military. Burried in sand,
run over by a truck, dropped loaded and unloaded, plus a few others
that I forget. Out performed all manners of abuse with metal body
(run over a metal body mag (flattened nonfuctional) Magpul scratched
but keeps on running. Magazine lips on the MagP kind of separate the
double collum cartridges and the smooth follower travel make single
loading very easy. With the added Magpul rubber lower magazine
loops, it makes the easy handle, and most reliable magazine out there.
Most are not pumped up on the window type for an added cost.

 

[SwampWolf]

Are PMAGs legitimate for Service Rifle competition( National Match/CMP) events?

 

[Cesiumsponge]

Outside of Magpul's video, there are a lot of impressive independant "torture tests" of Pmags on youtube.

Enjoy!

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=pmag&search_type=