View Full Version : Current choice among 20 round magazines?
Moonlight Again
11-06-12, 19:10
Gentlemen:
This may have been covered---my search fu is really very weak.
What are the best twenty round magazines today for the AR?
I am interested in picking up some 20 round magazines to use as dedicated 300 Blackout mags. I've been using black, 2d gen Pmags for both 5.56 and 300 Blackout. Then last weekend I arrived at the range only to realize that the finest 5.56 carbine is mostly worthless when your magazines are full of Blackout ammo. Rather than simply using color variant Pmags, I'd rather switch to a twenty round magazine. This should reduce the chances of confusing the one with the other.
I prefer 20 rd mags. I like the Lancer AWM 20s.
This is my favorite. Reliable and durable.
http://dsgarms.com/ProductInfo/MA-01DSGB.aspx
I may or may not have something to add to this thread in about a month. :-)
I may or may not have something to add to this thread in about a month. :-)
May or may not? Haha cant wait!
I may or may not have something to add to this thread in about a month. :-)
You may or not be a big tease. ;)
Fairweather8588
11-06-12, 20:09
NHMTG 20 rounders have been flawless for me
The two 20 round mags that came with my Colt 6920 have been perfect. I wouldn't hesitate to get more if I wanted 20 round mags.
I have few Colts that came with 6920s.
They're perfect.
Moonlight Again
11-06-12, 20:46
Thanks, gents.
I just ordered ten of the twenty round Lancer mags from AIM Surplus, $8.95/per.
This is my favorite. Reliable and durable.
http://dsgarms.com/ProductInfo/MA-01DSGB.aspx
Op, I see you ordered the Lancers- they seem to be liked by most. I have a bunch of old Colt and Adventureline that have worked perfectly, for many years (and many rounds). A couple years ago, I bought 12-15 of these DSG 20's, with the slight curve. They also have been flawless so far, but only cycled them 2-3 times.
I wonder why these DSGs are not more popular? I prefer metal mags (not c-p metal), but my 20 p-mags have worked well so far also. Am rambling, looks like O'bummer just won again, Lord help us:eek:
thermold 20 rounders work just fine for me. they're cheap and just work. I just shoot .223/5.56s though.
may want to look into blackout only magazines though, they might be better if you shoot higher grain rounds.
NHMTG 20 rounders have been flawless for me
These are by far the best. PMAGs have not been problematic for us, but some people have had bolt lock back issues.
Moonlight Again
11-07-12, 07:28
Hey, now that I've got the "NHMTG" tag in my head, it's a lot easier to find their magazines! I have no objection to metal magazines, and will work some of the NHMTG's into the rotation after I get a chance to play with the Lancers. If I'd found NHMTGs for that price, I'd have snapped them up as well.
Thanks again, guys.
I wouldn't take Lancers for free. Seen too many mistery malfs with those shits.
Moonlight Again
11-07-12, 07:42
I wouldn't take Lancers for free. Seen too many mistery malfs with those shits.
Just with the twenties, Mark, or with the thirties as well?
Just with the twenties, Mark, or with the thirties as well?
Just the thirties... Never seen any twenties... With Pmag and NHMTG, no need to roll the dice on them is all.
Moonlight Again
11-07-12, 07:58
Just the thirties... Never seen any twenties... With Pmag and NHMTG, no need to roll the dice on them is all.
Hey, I'll finally have value then! I can test and submit a data point! I'm a part of the system, I am no longer useless!
My initial thought had been to go with the Pmag twenties but I had read somewhere about problems with them, of some sort, somewhere. I'll just hold off until the potential development that might be on the horizon is announced by Magpul.
Hey, I'll finally have value then! I can test and submit a data point! I'm a part of the system, I am no longer useless!
Ha ha... well wear those suckers out and keep us posted on how they do! :p
Moonlight: Did you get the newer Lancer AWM mags or the older L5 mags? The ones I use are the AWM mags. I don't care for the L5 version.
The AWM mags have a one piece "wrap around" steel feed lip design. The L5s have two piece molded in steel feed lips.
I agree the NHMTG 20 rd mags (loaded to 18 rds) are also excellent mags.
Moonlight Again
11-07-12, 11:16
I think they're L5s. Hmm, well, uh, if they're crap . . . I need practice with failure drills anyway.
Doc. Holiday
11-07-12, 14:19
Pmags and Colt.
thermold 20 rounders work just fine for me. they're cheap and just work. I just shoot .223/5.56s though.
may want to look into blackout only magazines though, they might be better if you shoot higher grain rounds.
I must have gotten a bad batch of the Thermold 20's. Of the six I bought, none were reliable. Three of them had feed lips so weak they couldn't hold more than 15 to 18 rounds without the rounds popping out of the magazine.
The original Thermold company made some good magazines (IMHO). I'm not so sure about the new company that bought the name and molds.
Besides my bad experience with their 20 round AR magazines, I had feeding issues with two of their HK91 magazines (the only ones I ever tried).
OTOH, their AK magazines seem to work well.
YMMV.
I use the Colt 20s that came with my 6920 they have been flawless.
Moonlight Again
11-09-12, 18:54
Wait, what? Colt makes quality? I have never heard that in my life.
(j/k.)
My 6920 had it's first malfunction today (1,600 rounds so far). It was a failure to feed of the 2nd to last round of Federal M193 in a March 2009 production 20 round PMAG.
I haven't used that magazine very much, mostly because of threads like this.
Coincidence? I don't know, but I don't see myself using that magazine again any time soon.
Ready.Fire.Aim
11-11-12, 21:16
For 300 Black I use Brownell's 20 round magazines.
http://www.brownells.com/magazines/rifle-magazines/magazines/ar-15-m16-20-30-round-magazines-prod21225.aspx?avs|Action%20Type_1=Semi-Auto&avs|Capacity_1=1-Round|20-Round&avs|Cartridge_1=AKK_5xzzx56%20mm%20NATO
Have fun,
RFA
LonghunterCO
11-11-12, 21:48
I may or may not have something to add to this thread in about a month. :-)
In for the information!
I cannot recommend the Lancer 20 round AWM.
I love 20 round mags for their compactness. I love Glocks with plastic frames. I LOVE the idea of translucent mag bodies to monitor rounds left. The Lancer AWM is a plastic, translucent 20 rounder. What’s not to like? I ordered two of them from Brownells to try out.
Because of a bad experience with a couple of similarly designed Ramline 30 round translucent mags, where the mags would water fountain 2 or 3 or more rounds, out of the top of the mag when slapping into the magwell. I was a bit cautious but hopeful 25 or so years have improved translucent AR mag design.
I fully loaded both mags to 20. I “settled the rounds in the mag” in the usual way and sure enough, 1 or 2 rounds would water fountain out of the top of both mags. The AWM’s have wrap around metal feed lips, so I didn’t think that would happen. I “slapped” the mags into several Colt AR’s with bolt carrier locked back, figuring the mag well would “reinforce” the wrap around feed lips to reduce the water fountain effect. Nope….one or two rounds would pop out into the open AR action. I repeated the test numerous times with the same result. YMMV.
I suppose 1 or 2 pop outs per slap are better than 2 or 3 pop outs a generation ago. I suppose they would be great mags if they were loaded gently and NEVER slapped into an bolt-locked-back AR. Without shooting them, I returned the mags to Brownells with a comment on the return receipt. I don’t need to see if they are shooting reliable as I already have reliable USGI mags. I REALLY wanted the translucence feature. I repeated the same test with 20-round and 30-round USGI mags with the same slapping force, if not WAAAY harder, and no rounds popped out.
Furthermore, the 20 round AWM’s are significantly longer than 20 round straight mags. Nevermind the significantly thicker baseplate area verses straight mags. I took photos of this size difference as a reminder.
I believe the dimensional restrictions of the AR mag well prohibits the thickness required to allow a reliable clear plastic mag. (AUGs use MUCH thicker translucent plastic in their mags.) With present technology, clear plastics is < colored plastics < black plastics is the rule. I believe even Magpul recommends their black mags are stronger than their “other colors” mags.
I don't know about your intended 300 Blackout use. YMMV. Good luck, but test those mags if you intend any serious use.
I cannot recommend the Lancer 20 round AWM.
I love 20 round mags for their compactness. I love Glocks with plastic frames. I LOVE the idea of translucent mag bodies to monitor rounds left. The Lancer AWM is a plastic, translucent 20 rounder. What’s not to like? I ordered two of them from Brownells to try out.
Because of a bad experience with a couple of similarly designed Ramline 30 round translucent mags, where the mags would water fountain 2 or 3 or more rounds, out of the top of the mag when slapping into the magwell. I was a bit cautious but hopeful 25 or so years have improved translucent AR mag design.
I fully loaded both mags to 20. I “settled the rounds in the mag” in the usual way and sure enough, 1 or 2 rounds would water fountain out of the top of both mags. The AWM’s have wrap around metal feed lips, so I didn’t think that would happen. I “slapped” the mags into several Colt AR’s with bolt carrier locked back, figuring the mag well would “reinforce” the wrap around feed lips to reduce the water fountain effect. Nope….one or two rounds would pop out into the open AR action. I repeated the test numerous times with the same result. YMMV.
I suppose 1 or 2 pop outs per slap are better than 2 or 3 pop outs a generation ago. I suppose they would be great mags if they were loaded gently and NEVER slapped into an bolt-locked-back AR. Without shooting them, I returned the mags to Brownells with a comment on the return receipt. I don’t need to see if they are shooting reliable as I already have reliable USGI mags. I REALLY wanted the translucence feature. I repeated the same test with 20-round and 30-round USGI mags with the same slapping force, if not WAAAY harder, and no rounds popped out.
Furthermore, the 20 round AWM’s are significantly longer than 20 round straight mags. Nevermind the significantly thicker baseplate area verses straight mags. I took photos of this size difference as a reminder.
I believe the dimensional restrictions of the AR mag well prohibits the thickness required to allow a reliable clear plastic mag. (AUGs use MUCH thicker translucent plastic in their mags.) With present technology, clear plastics is < colored plastics < black plastics is the rule. I believe even Magpul recommends their black mags are stronger than their “other colors” mags.
I don't know about your intended 300 Blackout use. YMMV. Good luck, but test those mags if you intend any serious use.
Short answer is yes, I believe you are correct.
But the 20 round PMAGs are not very reputable, anyway. The 30 rounders are GTG. For 20s...not so much.
There is no reason to deviate from straight body OEM 20 round aluminum magazines.
Still using " horsey " marked, 20 rounders from early eighty's...original springs and followers...no issues,gtg...! I have p-mag 20's...they do not make me warm and fuzzy...I have on occasion,had double feeds...
FChen17213
02-23-13, 01:54
The Colts are great. Old school USGI 20 rounders made by different manufacturers are also fine I think.
I prefer the pre-bans.....cuz I had to. I spent some significant $$ buying old Colts. I managed to get some NIP, which are still in the plastic and paper. All of them have been flawless. As for their future, I decline to comment. ;)
There is no reason to deviate from straight body OEM 20 round aluminum magazines.
Sure there is... progress involves change. You'll never know if you don't try.
Even if there isn't a good 20 out there now (which I don't believe), we'd all be shooting skinny barrels and triangular handguards if everyone had that attitude.
Sure there is... progress involves change. You'll never know if you don't try.
Even if there isn't a good 20 out there now (which I don't believe), we'd all be shooting skinny barrels and triangular handguards if everyone had that attitude.
Hahaha.
We're slowly but surely gettin' back to it.;)
Never used anything but Pmags. Never had an issue so why change. I use different colors and windowed/ non-windowed to differentiate.
You could also just write 300BLK on a few mags so you know, cheapest route if you already have a bunch of mags.
Magpul for me, 20s or 30s.
NHMTG 20 rounders have been flawless for me
I like mine too and also have some 20rd PMAGs that work great.
For 20 round magazines NHMTG/Colt mags are the way to go.
Even Magpul won't argue with you when you point out that the Gen2 20 round PMAGs don't have the greatest track record with everybody.
AND you can get $20 NHMTG 20's right now.
Yes, they are in stock.
http://www.buffertech.com/M16-20-round-magazines-new-P151.aspx
David55Indiana
02-23-13, 18:29
Just ordered three.
There is no reason to deviate from straight body OEM 20 round aluminum magazines.
Those mags are pretty friggn reliable. Don't even need an anti-tilt follower.
Usgi /colt and magpul are the best I have used.
For 20 round magazines NHMTG/Colt mags are the way to go.
AND you can get $20 NHMTG 20's right now.
http://www.buffertech.com/M16-20-round-magazines-new-P151.aspx
I grabbed two of those a week ago... I'd forgotten about Buffertech, It'd been so long.
Retiredbroke
02-25-13, 22:06
I have been hoarding the Colt 20's for a long time, my personal favorite.
I have been hoarding the Colt 20's for a long time, my personal favorite.
This. I do intend to score 1 or 2 of the new Magpul 10 rounders when they finally hit for bench use though.
Sent from my Droid RAZR MAXX using Tapatalk2
I may or may not have something to add to this thread in about a month. :-)
I saw your company's post on FB last December.
Because I am in CA, I look forward to the 10 rounders. (Which are actually nice for mere target shooting too).
Those mags are pretty friggn reliable. Don't even need an anti-tilt follower.
You don't?!?!
How come?
You don't
How come?
20 round NHMTG mags absolutely do not need, nor want, an anti tilt follower
20 round NHMTG mags absolutely do not need, nor want, an anti tilt follower
Alrighty.
I guess this is why people have always liked the Colt 20 rounders since day one....
Learn something new every day.
Colt mags or pmags are my favorite 20 round mags.
NHMTG/Colt (same thing) 20 rounders have never let me down.
HelloLarry
02-26-13, 09:02
I've had problems with bolt over rides on 20 rnd Pmags.
For 20 round magazines NHMTG/Colt mags are the way to go.
Even Magpul won't argue with you when you point out that the Gen2 20 round PMAGs don't have the greatest track record with everybody.
AND you can get $20 NHMTG 20's right now.
Yes, they are in stock.
http://www.buffertech.com/M16-20-round-magazines-new-P151.aspx
Good info. thanks
I'm getting some of Brownells 20s next week. If I remember to I'll post any impressions here.
Their USGI 30s have been good. I'm eager to run their 20s.
You don't?!?!
How come?
The anti-tilt is only needed for the curved bodies of the 30 round mags. The straight body of the 20, with its shorter stack of rounds, has always done fine with regular followers.
Doc Safari
02-27-13, 17:49
I'm getting some of Brownells 20s next week. If I remember to I'll post any impressions here.
Their USGI 30s have been good. I'm eager to run their 20s.
I've got 5 FDE Brownells mags that are part of my everyday kit. They have worked just fine.
I've got 5 FDE Brownells mags that are part of my everyday kit. They have worked just fine.
Nice... I'd love some of those. I got the FDE 30 that have run like a champ. I had one that had a funky body... real wide at the bottom.. but it ran fine.
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