Jaybird78
Member
I've got C-products and they work great. I have had NO problems as of yet. I would give them good-to-go!
AR magazine question
- Thread starter Scoutsout2645
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blackhawk2000
member
Jaybird78 What kind of use do these see? How many full loadings through each mag? Al or SS? 5.56?
Anyone else want to give out actual usage stats?
Anyone else want to give out actual usage stats?
dispatch55126
Member
Stay with USGI, CProduct or PMag and you'll do fine. If the USGI are reliable enough for war, they are reliable enough for you. CProduct gets mixed reviews but I've never had a problem.
PMag right now is overrated. Yes, I own several and they are my preferred mags for many reasons, but they work just as well as quality USGI mags.
Get one of each and find out what you like for yourself.
PMag right now is overrated. Yes, I own several and they are my preferred mags for many reasons, but they work just as well as quality USGI mags.
Get one of each and find out what you like for yourself.
Sure.
I've got 5 CP aluminum mags (dry film, green follower) bought in 2006 that've gone through one single-day carbine class (500 rounds were slated, but it was lost brass, so I don't know) and a few IDPA provisional DMG matches. Plus whatever I've shot outside the class/competition environment. Not ZOMFGLOTS, but they've at least been used. The finish sucks, and the mags don't exactly look great from all the throwing at the ground (lefty). But they work. Function was 100%. Only malfunctions were the what we set up for clearance drills in the class.
I've also got 6 CP SS mags that I gave cursory test and called good. I used one of them in a DMG match, once. Oops. Turns out, they're garbage. The chrome-silicon springs are slack. They worked initially (by sheer happenstance) when I "tested" them, but at the last DMG match I had the bolt close on an empty chamber. Hmm. It happened again off the clock. Upon further (re: detailed) inspection one of the mags has a misshapen feed lip, another had a sloppy weld that binds the follower if more than 10 rounds are loaded. That's from the 3 that I've opened (the third mag body looks good, but has the same weak CS spring the others do). The other three are still in the plastic bag. Need to check them.
So, CP mags don't necessarily suck. But their QC sure does. For aluminum mags, there are better options at the same or cheaper prices. For SS mags, well, dunno. HK? Heh, sure. Would I buy CP mags again? Aluminum, no. SS, yes. But I'd buy in small enough quantities that I could check each individual magazine to my satisfaction.
And to my mind, that explains the love/hate fests that CP mags get on the internet. The ones that work do so as expected. (At this point, my aluminum mags are well into the bathtub failure curve, and running fine.) However, the ones that don't, well, don't.
Check your mags people, regardless of manufacturer. They're kinda important.
Rubber_Duck
Member
My mags consist mostly of USGI 30-rounders made by Okay Industries, and I have a few Lancer L5s. All run flawlessly. Besides that, I've been in the market for new mags (I might just a get a Pmag or two just to see what all the hype is about).
IMHO, the best mag for the money is a USGI with MagPul follower.
As for C Products, well I'm about to find out, as I just recieved a 20-round stainless steel mag today.
I haven't had the opportunity to go to the range yet, but upon handling, I'm not too impressed. The metal body is very thin, and the body flexes a lot when I squeeze the sides of the mag. Also, the "anti-tilt" follower tilts in either direction easily, although I understand this is because the followers in the 20-rounders don't have the long legs on them like they do in the 30s. The follwer appears to be a MagPul knockoff, but I could be wrong about that (it's orange).
On the plus side however, the mag drops free from the magwell (Bushmaster) and consistently locks the bolt back on empty when hand-cycling. How it performs is what matters though, so I'll report back if it does NOT work.
P.S.- Does anyone know how to tell chrome-silicon springs apart from stainless steel or piano wire? The CProducts mag has a different-colored spring compared to the rest of my mags.
P.P.S.- What's the consensus on the HK high-reliabilty steel 30-rd mag?
IMHO, the best mag for the money is a USGI with MagPul follower.
As for C Products, well I'm about to find out, as I just recieved a 20-round stainless steel mag today.
I haven't had the opportunity to go to the range yet, but upon handling, I'm not too impressed. The metal body is very thin, and the body flexes a lot when I squeeze the sides of the mag. Also, the "anti-tilt" follower tilts in either direction easily, although I understand this is because the followers in the 20-rounders don't have the long legs on them like they do in the 30s. The follwer appears to be a MagPul knockoff, but I could be wrong about that (it's orange).
On the plus side however, the mag drops free from the magwell (Bushmaster) and consistently locks the bolt back on empty when hand-cycling. How it performs is what matters though, so I'll report back if it does NOT work.
P.S.- Does anyone know how to tell chrome-silicon springs apart from stainless steel or piano wire? The CProducts mag has a different-colored spring compared to the rest of my mags.
P.P.S.- What's the consensus on the HK high-reliabilty steel 30-rd mag?
kymarkh
Member
Bravo Company is my magazine supplier of choice. For 12 bucks each you can't go wrong. I'd like to try the lancer 'see-through' mags though.
blackhawk2000
member
HK mags are "highly" overpriced.
CS springs will rust. No idea if piano wire does.
CS springs will rust. No idea if piano wire does.
Rubber_Duck
Member
Well, it is HK afterall, but are they worth the premium? Are they really $50 better than a good 'ol USGI mag? I may buy one (and only one!) just for the heck of it.
And how do I tell if my magazine spring are CS or not? I lube my magazine springs with CLP, so I can't tell the material by using rust as a guide. Perhaps it would help if I mention that most of my magazine springs have copperish color to them.
New Okay USGI mags from LC Industries for $11.74 Shipped minimum order of $50
http://www.buylci.com/ Click " Shop as guest " then search m16
http://www.buylci.com/ Click " Shop as guest " then search m16
sarduy
Member
if you want plastic use Magpul, if you want metal use C-Product, i use them both are they are great!
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
John Farnam recommends Pmags and the C Products stainless steel mags (not aluminum) that come with the Magpul followers, IIRC.
stiletto raggio
Member
The last issue of SWAT had a really good articlea bout magazine loading, maintenance and inspection. I made copies and am handing them out to the armorers in my battalion.
I have fired thousands of rounds through GI mags and they usually work well. I recommend (as many people do) loading with only 28 rounds to ensure a solid lock-up when loading on a closed bolt.
I used HK mags throughout my whole deployment, with a few GI mags as backups because I only had six HK mags. I got them for free and was very impressed by the construction. Unfortunately, the buddy who provided them to me carried them through his whole deployment with 31 rounds loaded, and between the extra pressure of having one too many rounds smashed in there and him getting blow up by a VBIED, the feed lips were a bit bent. I fixed them with my multitool and they ran great from there on out, but it made me question the use of emtal mags altogether.
I ordered a PMag and began using it as my "in gun" magazine. I love it. All future magazine purchases will be PMags (unless I am impressed by a Lancer I am ordering shortly). Considering the lighter weight, better fit, anti-tilt follower, witness window and dust cover, I don't see a reason to save two dollars a mag on metal mags and get such a dramatically inferior product.
I will be ordering MagPul followers for all of my GI mags and picking up a bunch of extra springs so I can replace them as they wear out. I am not dumping my metal mags, just not wasting any more money purchasing them.
I have fired thousands of rounds through GI mags and they usually work well. I recommend (as many people do) loading with only 28 rounds to ensure a solid lock-up when loading on a closed bolt.
I used HK mags throughout my whole deployment, with a few GI mags as backups because I only had six HK mags. I got them for free and was very impressed by the construction. Unfortunately, the buddy who provided them to me carried them through his whole deployment with 31 rounds loaded, and between the extra pressure of having one too many rounds smashed in there and him getting blow up by a VBIED, the feed lips were a bit bent. I fixed them with my multitool and they ran great from there on out, but it made me question the use of emtal mags altogether.
I ordered a PMag and began using it as my "in gun" magazine. I love it. All future magazine purchases will be PMags (unless I am impressed by a Lancer I am ordering shortly). Considering the lighter weight, better fit, anti-tilt follower, witness window and dust cover, I don't see a reason to save two dollars a mag on metal mags and get such a dramatically inferior product.
I will be ordering MagPul followers for all of my GI mags and picking up a bunch of extra springs so I can replace them as they wear out. I am not dumping my metal mags, just not wasting any more money purchasing them.
BsChoy
Member
I have 4 20 round pmags, 2 30 round pmags, and 5 new cproducts 30 rounders...love'em all the others not so sure on as I have never owned them
Seven High
Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2004
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- 755
There are still USA brand magazines for sale on the internet for AR15s. They are a waste of money.
browningguy
Member
I've got a dozen C products mags that have had no issues shooting .223 and 6x45, also have a bunch of Stoner MAgs I bought a year or two ago when they had a good sale on them and they have worked great. Other than that I stick with USGI mags and with modern followers none have any problems.
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