Untested Magazine Preference? [Archive]

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Vapor Trail

03-27-12, 21:44

These are two very new magazines that haven't been scrutinized yet by an independent tester. Just by looking at specs, I was wondering which of the mags you would prefer to run in your rifle. I believe that these will be the PMAG-killers, solely based on ergonomic and reliability improvements.

steelonsteel

03-27-12, 22:33

the lancers promise better than the troy in my opinion, but I HIGHLY doubt either will bump off the PMAG.

VIP3R 237

03-27-12, 22:44

Im on the troy bandwagon, after just over 2500 flawless rounds ive stopped buying pmags. The troys are every bit as reliable and I prefer the slimmer profile especially when extracting from a double mag carrier vs the pmags. Im not saying anything bad about pmags, they do own the market and its a well deserved reputation, just imo there are more refined options now.

As far as the awm's go I picked 2 black 30's up today and im heading to the range tomorrow to hopefully put 500 rounds through them.

Vapor Trail

03-27-12, 22:47

Im on the troy bandwagon, after just over 2500 flawless rounds ive stopped buying pmags. They troys are every bit as reliable and I prefer the slimmer profile especially when extracting from a double mag carrier vs the pmags. As far as the awm's go I picked 2 black 30's up today and im heading to the range tomorrow to hopefully put 500 rounds through them.

Nice!! let us know how they behave.

P2000

03-28-12, 20:28

Ive got 2 cases of ammo (2,000) through AWM's, zero malfs. I like them! The spring is pretty damn strong until it gets some cycles in it. I would like to hear a write up.

The only criticism that I have heard is that they have an opening on the bottom which dirt can enter and cause problems if using the mag as a monopod. I heard that the manufacturer closed this hole, but I have not verified this.

VIP3R 237

03-28-12, 22:10

Took them out today and between my lmt, acr, and my friends scar I had a grand total of 0 malfunctions. Hell we got bored so we dropped them in the dirt and I punted one just for the hell of it and they still worked, maybe ill set one on top of some tannerite next time. Ive used the previous lancer mags and while the ran well they always felt slightly flimsy to me, not so with the awm. Overal l I feel like its a great design and another quality polymer option.

SomeOtherGuy

03-28-12, 22:30

I've been using a couple of each in competition and practice. So far no problems with either one. The L5AWM is a tight fit in some lowers though.

I like the Troy for being more compatible with having two in a two-mag pouch, without the interference typical of most other plastic designs.

If you're interested in the newest greatest mags, you should also look at the generation 2 of the Tangodown ARC mags. Gen 1 is working great for me, but can cause malfunctions when fully loaded if used in a gun without M4 feedramps. Gen 2 apparently fixes that and makes other minor improvements.

Magpul unveiled an updated Pmag design at SHOT, so I don't think the Pmag is in much peril. I also think the Pmag's dustcover is great for storing loaded mags, and I'm under the impression they have a patent on that feature.

It's great to have so many good options right now.

Col_Crocs

03-29-12, 00:07

Cant say if theyre better but Im definitely interested in the Bulgarian mags TOrrock tested a while back. Hoping to hear more about it.
A couple of things I would personally like to know...
- crush test results
- depth of the mag catch slot compared to the PMAG.

richiecotite

03-29-12, 05:18

I bought 3 troys at the last fun show and ordered 3 more yesterday. Ive only put 200 or so rounds through 2 of them, but they've not given me a problem.

I like troy products, the mags are generally priced on point or a little cheaper than Pmags (though I think they're more comparable to emags, which makes them a better value), but since theyre newer they're harder to get locally (for me at least).

rob_s

03-29-12, 05:37

djmorris

03-29-12, 12:07

Troy Battlemags are nice Pmag (Emag) alternatives with some extra features.

Moltke

03-29-12, 12:26

Black windowless Pmag. It works, it's cheap, it's available.

P2000

03-29-12, 18:53

2 questions regarding the AWM

1. Is there still a rectangular shaped hole in the retaining plate of the new AWM mags? I am not talking about the square hole which is filled in by the floorplate under spring tension. I am talking about the open drainage hole. I just want to see if it is still there, or if it has been filled in by the manufacturer.

2. Rob_s, I am curious. Are the mags always a little hard to seat on a closed bolt or is it every now and then there is one that is nearly impossible to seat?

Thanks

Hunter Rose

03-29-12, 20:21

I was less than impressed with Lancer AWM mags. They worked fine for zeroing weapons. Took them to a Redback One class and experienced a doublefeed on literally my first reload. After trying the "a couple firm slaps to the bottom of the mag test" all my AWMs had rounds moving around significantly and 3 of the 5 mags were popping rounds loose with ease. Rounds didn't budge in my USGI aluminum mags. This, coupled with the SME's less than enthusiastic endorsment put me back on the GI mag bandwagon.

Small sample size but that was my experience. Saw a couple PMag failures as well.

BufordTJustice

03-29-12, 20:23

I love the way the AWM mags feed. The metal feedlips are surprisingly friction-free. Even steel-cased ammo feeds out of them very easily. However...

I find them extremely difficult to seat on a closed bolt, even with only 28 rounds in a mag. Need to load some up and try them in every gun in the safe just to see, but at a match last weekend I lost time due to a dropped magazine when it didn't seat.

My findings were the same. I've got about 500 rounds between two AMW's that I've been abusing lately. They load just as fast as any aluminum magazines I have and are easier to insert in my lowers than PMAGs (though both fit).

I noticed that the AWMs seem to have an increased power mag spring. I left both magazines loaded to 30rds for two months solid (in addition to normal use during range days) and the springs became a little more compliant. Now they seat with just a little bit of extra pressure.

I've become a big AWM fan. I own 4 now and my collection will continue to grow. One sits ready in my patrol rifle.

badness

03-29-12, 20:37

i chose "something else". I think it was on m4carbine.net that i saw a thread on an ar15 magazine imported from bulgaria made by the same guy that designed the bulgarian waffle AK magazine.

if i were to purchase a handful of untested un-tried and true magazines, i'd probably go with some of those lol :D

zibby43

03-30-12, 00:08

thopkins22

03-30-12, 00:30

I didn't like the Troy magazines, the follower isn't nearly as tilt-free as what you get with a PMAG, and the little pull thingy on the baseplate kept getting dislodged and decided to join the spring and follower when I'd shoot from the prone. I didn't find it to be killer of anything, but a bandwagon magazine with considerable drawbacks.

The Lancers are fine, and the way to go if you want translucence...I do not prefer them though.

My money will continue to buy PMAGs and NHMTG magazines.

SomeOtherGuy

03-30-12, 08:12

I've been doing a little bit of research regarding the Troy mags as well. From what I've read/seen, the Troy anti-tilt follower really isn't anti-tilt compared to the Magpul follower. Until I can test one personally, I'll stick with PMAGS/NHMTG/D&H all w/ Magpul followers.

However, I didn't notice any follower-related comments in this thread with respect to the Battlemag.

The Troy follower will tilt and even jam if you push down on the front end with a finger. This is true of many followers including.... drumroll please.... the follower in the Magpul .308 Pmag (LR20), which has an even worse case of the tiltsies. However I have not experienced any issues of tilting or binding in actual use with the Troy (or LR20) or read of anyone else having any.

FWIW the most tilt-resistant follower I've found in an OEM mag is the one in the TAPCO AR15 mags, which have not been reliable in my limited use and, as far as I can tell, are not very well thought of. I think that pushing on the follower with a finger or pencil eraser just isn't a valid test of how the follower will perform in use.

NongShim

03-31-12, 10:30

I think that pushing on the follower with a finger or pencil eraser just isn't a valid test of how the follower will perform in use.

Spot on. Rounds don't press on a follower like that, so who cares if you can push on end down with your finger? It's called having too much time on one's hands.

I have not had any experience with the Troy mags. I almost got some at a gunshow the other day, but decided against it because I've been over the plastic mag fad for years. I only run GI mags at work, no HK and no Pmags (though I have ample supplies of each). Of the plastic 5.56 mags, the only I'll use are the Lancers. I took a few overseas last year that never had a hiccup. The ones I have don't have the new huge steel feed lip reinforcements, they are the older, smaller ones. I have no reason to think the new ones would be anything other than good, considering how well my older ones worked. They take up more space in mag holders though, so they're relegated to fun use only.

The only form of Pmag that I'll stand near are the LR20s, as they are the only ones that I have not seen catastrophically fail (i.e. break apart). I have no qualms using the LR20s in my SR25. It also helps that they cost about 1/5 the price of KAC mags, so if I have one fail, it's not so significant a loss.

hotrodder636

03-31-12, 16:55

I only have some standard aluminum ones (30 rounders) from Bravo, a few P-Mags and a Surefire 60rd. I am content and have no issues with any of the aluminum mags (SF included) nor any issues with the P-Mags. They work, so why change?

Texassixguns

03-31-12, 18:35

Black Windowless 30 round pmags. I get them from Brownells for 13 bucks and Joebobs for i think 14.50 and they dont rattle like my Alum GI mags

Tennesseevolz

03-31-12, 18:38

I purchased a Troy Mag to go with my Troy rail covers- looks good, and seems to cycle well- guess we will see over time

Todd00000

03-31-12, 19:30

I didn't by Pmags until after plenty of people had deployed with them, that's the real test; I'll let others spend their money first.