Problems with P-Mags?

[Digger]

I just bought 2 P-Mags with windows new in the package at a gun show this weekend, got a smokin' deal on them, $10 each. When I paid, the dealer said he was glad to see them go as they were junk. I was surprised to say the least. He went on to say that the bottoms will fall out of them if dropped on a hard surface. My response was "Well, don't drop it!" He says that the military is turning them back in by the truckload, using the aluminum ones. I'm kinda throwing the BS flag on this. American Rifleman did a test a while back, and I thought the Magpul mags fared pretty well. Has anyone else heard there is trouble with the P-Mags?

 

[Gottahaveone]

I don't have any experience with the windowed ones, but the standard 30 round P-Mags are all I use and I've never had any type of issue at all.

Granted, I don't "abuse" them, but I've never even heard of an issue with them. I hope your BS flag is accurate because I have way too many of them to junk them

 

[Robert]

Never heard this about P Mags. If you are worried get the Ranger Base Plates for the P Mag and worry no more. Any mag can be damaged or ruined if you "drop" them too hard or abuse them too much. Everything breaks.

 

[WardenWolf]

The military got rid of metal mags because they dent when you drop them and become useless, whereas the polymer mags usually survive just fine. P-Mags have an excellent reputation. The military recently upgraded their polymer magazines. They're not going back to metal any time soon.

 

[RX-178]

Right after reading this, I took some windowed P-Mags, both fully loaded and not, as well as with the ranger baseplate and the standard baseplate. Dropped them from shoulder height onto a tile floor.

No problems at all.

 

[tangomike706]

I'm just one guy . but we used them during my last deployment (06-07) and no one had any complaints. I use them at home, and likewise no complaints . I'm sure , someone , somewhere .. might have had a bad experience with them .. but as far as I'm concerned P-mags with or without the windows work just fine .

 

[Jeremy2171]

The military got rid of metal mags because they dent when you drop them and become useless, whereas the polymer mags usually survive just fine. P-Mags have an excellent reputation. The military recently upgraded their polymer magazines. They're not going back to metal any time soon.

Clarification.....they haven't got rid of the aluminum mags but they are allowing units to purchase Pmags with unit funds if they desire....

 

[Animal Mother]

Yeah that's BS. About two years ago I made a bulk purchase of AR-15 mags, and spent a lot of time over at Arfcom reading all I could on AR-15 mags because I wanted to buy the best. Back then P-Mags were the gold standard for AR-15 mags. I'd be really surprised if they were not still considered excellent magazines.

 

[W.E.G.]

The only problem I've ever had with PMAG's is bolt-over-base malfunction on the 20-rounders while trying to slingsot the bolt as required for loading the first mag in rapid-fire in CMP matches. Problem occurred with Colt AND Bushmaster rifles. I "heard" on ARFCOM that the Army has dropped the PMAG for CMP competition.

 

[taliv]

for 223, i had some problems with cracked spines on some of the first gen in a particular date range. since then, no problems.

for the 308 pmags, i don't like them nearly as much. they have a much shorter OAL than KAC mags, and the anti-tilt doesn't work at all. if you push the follower down unevenly, it will stick. but still, for $14 vs $90, i'm using them

 

[Doc1911]

Never had a problem with P-Mags. Christmas this year gave me a re-supply:

 

[matrem]

Only problem I've had with one, was trying to quickly insert it, and the plastic chipped at the mag catch. It went into the rifle too deep causing a round to find it's way into the charge handle slot!
I own a dozen or so & they all work great, but since that incident, I keep 20 rd aluminum GIs at the ready.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Never had an issue with a P-Mag or Colt marked magazine. $10 is a great price on the window models. I would have bought all of them he had at that price.

 

[walking arsenal]

I'm also chiming in with a B.S.

I have three P-mags and they are good mags. I dropped a fully loaded P-mag once and the feed lip cover didn't even fall off.

I dropped an aluminum mag once that didn't seat in my rifle and when that hit the floor the base plate blew out and the mag body under full tension of the spring and 30 rounds hit the ceiling.

The aluminum mags are "junk" to me.

 

[Digger]

Never had an issue with a P-Mag or Colt marked magazine. $10 is a great price on the window models. I would have bought all of them he had at that price.

I bought all he had, problem was, there was only 2 left.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Maybe he confused P-mag with ProMag.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

Maybe he confused P-mag with ProMag.

Now, that could be the case.... PMAG's have a great reputation though. If he seriously thinks PMAG's are trash he either is totally clueless or confused.

 

[spartan00054]

+1 on the ProMag PMAG confusion hypothesis. We've all seen and heard retarded things at the gun show, but that kind of disdain for PMAGs goes beyond the pale.

ProMags, on the other hand, ARE awful and unreliable.