AR 22lr sub caliber kit and mag compatibility

[ID-shooting]

I have a 22lr kit for my 1911 and love training with it.

Thinking of getting one for my AR but am not sure about the mags. Most kits only come with one and they are stupid expensive to buy more. Every now and then I stumble on them in pawn shops, secondary market at decent prices.

So my question, and search didn't seem to help, are the magazines interchangeable between brands?

 

[maxxhavoc]

Most use Ciener compatible mags, and if there is a standard, that is it.

The "PMAG quality level" product for these is Black Dog X-form magazines. They are better than the factory mag that came with my Chiappa...and they run $11-22 based on metal vs plastic feedlips and whether you get a "slider" on the side to speedload.

Here is what I use:
https://www.44mag.com/product/bdm_26_round_x_form_22_ar_magazine/black_dog_machine

 

[wally]

+1 to the Black Dog Machine X-form mags, especially the ones with the metal lips.

The CMMG/Ciener conversions are the way to go, or a dedicated upper that uses the same mags.

The Colt/Umarex and S&W .22lr AR15-like guns use proprietary mags. I also think Olympic has made .22lr uppers and conversions that use yet another different magazine design.

 

[Fishbed77]

Another +1 to the Black Dog Machine X-Form mags with metal lips.

Though, to be honest, I have some with polymer lips and they have never given me any problems.

Note that you need to get a BHO insert for your lower and BHO followers for the Black Dog Machine mags if you want the bolt release to work.

 

[wally]

Though, to be honest, I have some with polymer lips and they have never given me any problems.

If you mean the nylon lips, that like the metal ones are replaceable then I'd agree, they are fine if you want to save a buck or so.

The ones with the lips that are molded along with the two body halves, I'd say try to avoid these. After several years they started cracking and spitting out the rounds. Black Dog replaced them under warranty and for a $5 fee upgraded them to the mags with the metal lips mags. After the third one cracked they agreed to replace all ten of my remaining mags with metal lips for $5 each so I didn't have to wait for them all to crack.

These mags also work in the SIG 522.

 

[Zach S]

Get a Ciener-based kit, which is the most common, and mags aren't an issue.

I have seven of the old Black Dog magazines, while some of the feed lips are cracked, it doesn't effect function. Yet.

If I were buying today, I would get the ones with the steel lips.

CMMG magazines offer a bolt hold open, with an additional part. While I dont have any CMMG magazines, I do have the BHO adapter, just to have a BHO...

I also think Olympic has made .22lr uppers and conversions that use yet another different magazine design.

Olympic's kit is/was based on the M261. Black Dog used to make mags for it, dont know about now...

 

[highlander 5]

I have 2 ARs in 22rf and they take both Ciener and Black Dog mags.