Only because a buddy gave me one.
Printable View
Tavor was up this past range trip.
http://imageshack.us/a/img17/1269/iafo.png
FS2000 might come out next time....
http://imageshack.com/a/img17/1269/iafo.pngUploaded with ImageShack.com
http://imageshack.com/a/img22/7120/4fxx.pngUploaded with ImageShack.com
I did a little shooting with the H&K translucent mag and here's my initial impressions:
Pros:
-0 issues at all
-Both steel & brass case ammo feed flawlessly
-Bolt locks open on last round
-Good texturing on mag body
-They look good
-Did well when dropped on their feed lips on concrete repeatedly (see video)
-Disassembles easily
Cons:
-Price. These are coming to market at $20/ea
-Thicker than other mags, may be an issue in double mag pouch set-ups.
Here's the review with a bunch of shooting, a discussion of the pros/cons, disassembly, and a drop test:
HK Translucent AR Magazine HD Video Review Link
I had several HK SA80 mags. Never had problems with springs in those (maybe circa 3000 rounds per mag was not enough to kill them). They have proprietary springs, but out of pure curiosity I fitted Magpul E-Mag spring to HK mag. Worked without problem.
BTT
One of things I noticed when I first got new HK mags were feed lips that taper toward front and put to round at upwards angle for feeding. This gave me some idea. I own 5.56 AK style SBR, that is in process of being converted to use AR15 mags (using prototype mag adapter). Mag adapter is already fitted and trunion milled to allow seating mag. However feed ramps are too low for AR mag and rounds from right side of mag are feeding to the side of chamber (5 o'clock) just near chamber edge (actually when rifle cycles it manages to chamber rounds, but bullets are pushed back into case - they shoot all right, but accuracy sucks).
Rifle was tested with USGI, HK SA80, Lancer L5AWM, Surefire and Magpul E-mags. All of those mags do not feed into chamber in this rifle. Actually Magpul E-mag feeds about 1 round out of 3, probably due to shorter feed lips, that allow earlier round rise up. But when I put there new HK polymer mag, if fed every round into chamber. Those tapered feed lips and side round guides definitely works. Probably not important on good, in-spec rifles, but even for those it can reduce chambering effort.
I have four of the new HK Polymer mags and they appear well made. I have only put 10 rounds through one of them. (6 year old grand daughter range day is the reason for only 10 rounds.)
Time will tell I am sure, I was impressed enough to order 4 more.
The rounds do not go into the magazine as "crisply" as they do with the metal HK magazines. -That certainly isn't an issue for 1/4 the price.
I ordered 1, if it works then I'll order some more.
http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps67f65aa2.jpg
Maybe I missed something but the HK mags I just got look like they are not grooved for stripper clips.
The lack of stripper clip grooves also means the Strip Lula won't work with the HK mags. The regular Lula loader does work OK.
These HK mags don't drop free. I tried about 10 different manufactured lowers. The only receiver that it would was a Mag Tactical Systems magnesium lower.
Guess I might have over inserted them into the lowers. (No upper installed).
LMT, two Colts, and a stag lower all eject the mags fine here.
Doing my own tests on the new HK mags vs. Gen 3 PMAG's, I have frozen them to 20*F (what my cheap freezer gets to, apparently). 6' drops onto concrete directly onto feed-lips. Fully loaded to 30 rounds with XTAC M193:
Drop #1:
PMAG lost 1 round. No visible damage save LIGHT scuffing.
HK lost 0. Scuffing on feed-lips.
Lancer L5 AWM lost 0 rounds, but the feed-lips bowed out and 2 rounds presented, jammed, both in the "top" position. Pressing hard with a thump returned the round stack to normal.
both landed squarely on the feed-lips. It sounded brutal. Back in the freezer they went and were later dropped again.
Drop #2:
PMAG lost 5 rounds and split down the right rear corner roughly 1.5" in length and would no-longer accept any of those 5 rounds back. When I unloaded it, the lip on the right side spread and it spit out a round on the right every time I stripped one by hand from the left.
The HK mag lost 0 rounds and just looked a bit more scuffed.
Lancer L5 AWM repeated its performance from drop #1, but the right feed-lip toward the rear bent in, and the bowing of the feed-lip "insert" continued. After re-seating the mag stack, it did feed the top round in the stack when the bolt-release was depressed. It could be felt pressing against the inside of the mag well upon insertion into the weapon. I feel that it would have "run", but maybe not the best and statistically could have had some failures. I did no live-fire testing.
The PMAG is a paperweight, now.
Drops 3 and 4 were done only with the HK mag. It lost 1 round each drop. It appears scuffed but fine. To preserve the cold temperature of the test, only 2 drops were performed back-to-back on any one mag before placing it back in the freezer. Time from freezer to concrete was <30 seconds for the first drop.
I used them in 3 ARs and a Tavor---dropped free in all.
I showed it in the review I did below.
H&K Translucent Magazine Test & Review Video Link