Magazine seam weld looks crappy ---- need your input

[XD40Colorado]

Is this an issue, or am I overthinking it:

Of the 24 Brownells Mags I ordered, 22 look like this. They all function and shoot fine, but I'm worried about structural integrity. Issue, or not? **click to enlarge photo**

32827

What do you guys think??

EDIT ---

Just chatted with them, this is what I was told:


Me: "What is happening is the front seam is not lying flat.
At the curved portion of the mag, it doesn't sit flush against the mag body"

Brownell's Rep: "Ok, that is very common right at the bend in the mag body It wont' effect structure at all. What happens is when they're getting plug welded right at that seam, the outer piece of metal shrinks just a hair, and leaves that tiny gap."

That make sense?

[markm]

Some of my Brownells mags have weird stuff like this. But they never fail. If the mag fits in the gun right and runs, forget about it.

[HKGuns]

Does it function properly?

[XD40Colorado]

Does it function properly?

Locks into magwell and drops free without issue. All 24 passed my "drop" test evals.

[XD40Colorado]

Some of my Brownells mags have weird stuff like this. But they never fail. If the mag fits in the gun right and runs, forget about it.


Roger that.

[Edgethane]

I just checked several of my Brownells "pre-contract" commercial and current .mil issue magazines (no current commercial though).
A few of them have this. If the issue ones with this passed Uncle's inspection criteria, I'd not worry.

[DirectDrive]

If they work, they work.
If you want more.....pay a little more....https://www.44mag.com/product/nhmtg_magazine_magpul_follower/nhmtg

[Blak1508]

Yeah I have bought my fair share of Brownells mags and while they will not win a beauty contest, I have yet to experience an issue with them. Just run the crap out of them, if you do enter a beauty contest hexmags or Magpul will fit the bill. I usually order the BCM aluminum mags when they have the 10 pack for sale.

[CAR]

I learned a long time ago not to select M16 mags by look alone. The one time I selected a magazine out of a batch of them based solely on cosmetics, was the time I got a bad mag. It was a 1980's Cooper Industries 30 rounder, nice welds and a perfect finish, but it would not feed more than 1 or 2 rounds before it would tie up the gun with a double feed. Found out later it was from a lot that the Government had rejected for being out of spec.

[XD40Colorado]

Agree with above. Thanks for the input, guys :cool:
Just took all 28 outside, fully loaded with m193, and dropped them each from shoulder height, 10 times each. Zero issues, zero visible damage. They should be good to go.

[bp7178]

PMAGs don't have welds.

Just saying.

[XD40Colorado]

True. I can't get my M2s or M3s to load on a closed bolt though.

[bp7178]

I never had a problem with them in any circumstance.

What exactly is the problem you're having? I don't know what you're attempting to describe with "load on a closed bolt".

[XD40Colorado]

I never had a problem with them in any circumstance.

What exactly is the problem you're having? I don't know what you're attempting to describe with "load on a closed bolt".

There's a whole other thread on the subject. Basically can't get Pmags to function if trying to Change mags on a closed bolt, ie, tactical reloads.

[Dave_M]

So long as they drop free (empty, full, bolt open and closed) and don't spit rounds out when you smack the bottom, they should be good to go. Looks be damned.

[BufordTJustice]

Some of my Brownells mags have weird stuff like this. But they never fail. If the mag fits in the gun right and runs, forget about it.
I damaged a Brownells magazine during a fight as it was seated in the magwell of my patrol carbine, slung across my chest.

I kneed a suspect, with the magazine between us, so hard that it crushed the magazine and left me two scars on my right thigh that healed up nicely..... Through my uniform pants.

I actually still have the mag and, despite having the walls crushed against the round stack, it still works most of the time for range use.... And I'm confident it would have likely worked then should I have needed it.

I kneed that guy so hard, it would have exploded a polymer mag. That knee stroke put the guy in the hospital.

Brownells mags are good to go. I always get the magpul follower.

[jackblack73]

I damaged a Brownells magazine during a fight as it was seated in the magwell of my patrol carbine, slung across my chest.

I kneed a suspect, with the magazine between us, so hard that it crushed the magazine and left me two scars on my right thigh that healed up nicely..... Through my uniform pants.

I actually still have the mag and, despite having the walls crushed against the round stack, it still works most of the time for range use.... And I'm confident it would have likely worked then should I have needed it.

I kneed that guy so hard, it would have exploded a polymer mag. That knee stroke put the guy in the hospital.

Brownells mags are good to go. I always get the magpul follower.

Wouldn't a quality polymer mag actually do better under those circumstance since it would flex? I doubt a Pmag would explode since they do better than aluminum mags when run over by cars.

[XD40Colorado]

Brownells look fugly, but damn they're tough. Took all 28 last night, loaded with 28 rounds of M193 each, and dropped from 6 feet high, 10 times each. Zero baseplate failures or feed-lip bending.

Then I took 3 random mags and laid them in my driveway. They actually survived being run over 3x, then backed over 3x, then driven over again, stopping with front tire on mag, and turning the wheel several times to grind into pavement. None of them died, all they fit and dropped free after the test.

[BufordTJustice]

Wouldn't a quality polymer mag actually do better under those circumstance since it would flex? I doubt a Pmag would explode since they do better than aluminum mags when run over by cars.
Polymer will allow more flex. The fact that the aluminum mag held its shape was due to it being stiffer. It forced the entire gun to rotate. I strongly doubt any polymer mag could have been struck like that and survived in one piece. And I use all gen 3 pmag s and lancer AWM mags now.

[Rifleman_04]

Brownells look fugly, but damn they're tough. Took all 28 last night, loaded with 28 rounds of M193 each, and dropped from 6 feet high, 10 times each. Zero baseplate failures or feed-lip bending.

Then I took 3 random mags and laid them in my driveway. They actually survived being run over 3x, then backed over 3x, then driven over again, stopping with front tire on mag, and turning the wheel several times to grind into pavement. None of them died, all they fit and dropped free after the test.


But why?

[Bayern]

Any opinions on mags from C Products Defense? Don't know if they would win a beauty contest but they are inexpensive.

[wildcard600]

Any opinions on mags from C Products Defense? Don't know if they would win a beauty contest but they are inexpensive.

i got two of thier SS mags when they were on sale for $5 one time to see of they worked. havent had any issues with them but with NHTMG for $11 and Pmags for $10 i dont see any reason to buy more.

[BufordTJustice]

Any opinions on mags from C Products Defense? Don't know if they would win a beauty contest but they are inexpensive.
I have owned many of them (more than 15) and haven't had very good luck with them. Neither have any of my friends. I'll leave it at that.

[lysander]

If you don't like the quality, send it back...why start a thread about it.

Unless you feel it is a systemic problem, then state why you think that...

[XD40Colorado]

If you don't like the quality, send it back...why start a thread about it.

Unless you feel it is a systemic problem, then state why you think that...


Pretty simple, really, if you READ the OP. The thread was started to get folks' input on whether the issue was cosmetic or functional. To see how people's Brownells mags are holding up, for those who have purchased any.

[texasgunhand]

If they work, they work.
If you want more.....pay a little more....https://www.44mag.com/product/nhmtg_magazine_magpul_follower/nhmtg

+1 on the nhmtg mags,they always run great and at 11.99 whats not to like? I almost ordered 2 more today but instead ordered a vickers vcas padded sling,i hope their worth it iam tired of carrying my m4 around all the time.

[Bimmer]

Yeah I have bought my fair share of Brownells mags... I usually order the BCM aluminum mags when they have the 10 pack for sale.

I have both. My BCM mags are old, and they're basically D&Hs (I have some of those, too).

I have four Brownells mags, and I won't bother with more... The finish is crappy, and I can't get a MagPul follower to slide through them. I'm DuraCoating them right now, and then I'll try to figure out why they're so damned tight on the inside.

(BTW, my BCM/D&H mags work perfectly).