drum magazines
- Thread starter raiden654
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_magazine
With the exception of aircraft cannon, an obsolete method of feeding full-auto weapons.
rcmodel
With the exception of aircraft cannon, an obsolete method of feeding full-auto weapons.
rcmodel
gunseller2
Member
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2007
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- 82
Well depends what you your reasons for using one and what weapon system you are feeding. I have a 75 round drum for my AKs and a 100 round beta-mag for my ARs. Both are heavy when loaded, ruin the balance of the weapon but have been 100% reliable. Twenty or thirty round mags are my choice for day to day use.
scott22
Member
gecko45 has never had a problem.... but then again he is also the man, the myth, the legend.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Military use of drum magazines cause several serious problems.
Weight.
Bulky for the capacity
Complexity, both in manufacture, and in loading.
Cost.
Re-supply.
Packing and transportation.
And on & on.
For SAW or heavy MG use, belt-fed disintegrating link is now the standard.
It comes pre-packed & ready to shoot.
You don't have to police up the empty magazines, transport them back, or reload them.
Belts & box mags are not as subject to dirt, mud & damage as drums.
Box mags are the standard world-wide for individual weapons.
rcmodel
Weight.
Bulky for the capacity
Complexity, both in manufacture, and in loading.
Cost.
Re-supply.
Packing and transportation.
And on & on.
For SAW or heavy MG use, belt-fed disintegrating link is now the standard.
It comes pre-packed & ready to shoot.
You don't have to police up the empty magazines, transport them back, or reload them.
Belts & box mags are not as subject to dirt, mud & damage as drums.
Box mags are the standard world-wide for individual weapons.
rcmodel
Omnivore
Member
Brownell's, CheaperThanDirt, Cabela's, your local gun stores, and about six thousand other places.
Exmasonite
Member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2006
- Messages
- 561
i dunno... aside from reliability issues, it's just a general "odds" issue when you have a jam.
say you have 6 30 rd mags... if you put a mag in and it jams on the first round/have some sort of feed malfunction, you can always eject the mag, clear the gun, and you at least have 150 rds left in your other 5 mags.
if you only carry 2 drum mags and 1 screws the pooch, you've effectively lost 1/2 your ammo if it happens early in the mag. too many eggs in one basket, if you ask me.
say you have 6 30 rd mags... if you put a mag in and it jams on the first round/have some sort of feed malfunction, you can always eject the mag, clear the gun, and you at least have 150 rds left in your other 5 mags.
if you only carry 2 drum mags and 1 screws the pooch, you've effectively lost 1/2 your ammo if it happens early in the mag. too many eggs in one basket, if you ask me.
green country shooter
Member
If you will google "Beta C Mag" you will find what you are looking for. I've seen guys use them at matches and they were reliable, but the extra weight doesn't really seem worth it unless the stage has over 60 rounds, which is rare. I think I might have trouble just holding the rifle accurately offhand with one of those on it.
Sunray
Member
"...find box mags for an m16..." Look for AR15 mags. M16's are Class 3 MG's.
Drum mags were an early way of increasing mag capacity for LMG's and SMG's. Before the technology of disintegrating belts came along. Some of 'em, like the Lewis LMG and Thompson SMG(I've seen pictures of a 20's vintage cop sidecar with a Chopper mounted on a spindle using a 100 round drum) required the spring to be wound prior to loading. There were drums that held non-disintegrating belts though. The German MG 34 and 42 used them for PBI MG's. All of 'em are heavy and difficult to lug around. Even with drum mag pouches.
"...how do I check responses to my threads..." The default is an instant e-mail notification of a reply(it can fill your e-mail 'Inbox' quickly). All responses send an e-mail notification. You can opt for 'Daily' or 'Weekly' under 'Thread Subscription'. Or shut it off and just come by the site every day like most of us do.
Drum mags were an early way of increasing mag capacity for LMG's and SMG's. Before the technology of disintegrating belts came along. Some of 'em, like the Lewis LMG and Thompson SMG(I've seen pictures of a 20's vintage cop sidecar with a Chopper mounted on a spindle using a 100 round drum) required the spring to be wound prior to loading. There were drums that held non-disintegrating belts though. The German MG 34 and 42 used them for PBI MG's. All of 'em are heavy and difficult to lug around. Even with drum mag pouches.
"...how do I check responses to my threads..." The default is an instant e-mail notification of a reply(it can fill your e-mail 'Inbox' quickly). All responses send an e-mail notification. You can opt for 'Daily' or 'Weekly' under 'Thread Subscription'. Or shut it off and just come by the site every day like most of us do.
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
I like my Beta-C magaznes (AR15) for some things. They are great for rested or podded plinking. They do make the gun heavier, but my real complaint is that they add bulk. I find that they have been very reliable for me.
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