View Full Version : AR mag longevity and reliability ?
i have a large excess of AR mags,esp aluminum. i am asking if anyone has any experience with the various brands. i have brownell,duramag,bravo and palmetto. BTW the guy that built my excellent custom AR spent time in africa and mid east as an operator. he swears that the only mags he trusts are the brownells editions. any input or experience comparing these ? also,comparing to pmags. he does relate a serious failure with pmags-shattering when dropped out of pouch when exiting a vehicle. i suspect gen 2s. my smith reports a similar failure with aluminum mags,so only trusts Ps. planning on offing a few as i am in the hunt for an ak-74. any comparative knowledge,opinions or experience? hope this is right place to ask.
I have experience with GI mags in the Army and they had no issues, but as far as polymer magazines I use on my AR I like the MFT Extreme Duty. I've never had a problem with Magpul mags but these feel more durable so that's what I buy now.
I've been using legit GI issued aluminum mags for a couple decades.
I've damaged a few, but trust them very much.
I've also been off an on with Pmags since the RevM and they're fine, but I have had issues.
No experience with any others.
Personally I like different mags but tend to choose what the braintrust on the forum recommend...Lancer, Pmags, DH, Okay... I even have a few Beretta steel mags..and a couple of Brownells
Haven't tried out MFT mags yet..but I have one... I already Posted about my clear HK mag..the rest I will dedicate to the range only.
All you need to know is that after years of testing, hundreds of thousands of rounds and untold millions of $$$ the EPM and Gen 3 PMAG were approved for issue with the PMAG being the only magazine the USMC will go to war with. Granted that was with the M855A1 which is unobtainable right now but if you happen to stumble across a can of A1 that falls out of the back of JTLV you best have some Gen 3's or EPM's to run it through.
"The USMC chose the PMAG because through multiple rounds of testing at Aberdeen over several years, it was best. In the end, the GEN M3 PMAG was the most reliable commercial or government magazine tested by a very, very large margin, and passed all TOP 03-02-045 durability and environmental tests. In the USMC tests, the Lancer L5AWM finished dead last, with multiple ammunition types in the test, not just M855A1. Those test results were published, and you can find them online. Later rounds of testing, including one round of tests that went to 250,000 rounds through PMAGs convinced Army to approve the SEP proposal and fully approve fielding the M3 with regular magazine funds. SOCOM approved as an authorized user when USMC did. AirForce adopted, as did Coast Guard and NSW. Last round of testing was over 30,000 rounds between magazine-related stoppages for the M3."
But it's your money so by all means feel free to pick the latest and greatest polymer mag to hit the market because you "like" the way it feels.
Five_Point_Five_Six
06-07-20, 09:01
Magazines are one of those things that some people have an odd emotional attachment to. Magazines are consumable items, so if they stop working and a spring or follower swap doesn't fix them, I toss them.
With that said, Colt marked/Okay Industries/NHMTG USGI mags have given me the least amount of headaches for the last twenty years. I stopped buying PMAGs for quite some time until the gen 3's came out, I ran into some consistency issues with the gen 2's. I've got 20 or so of the gen 3 MCT PMAGs and they are by far the best PMAG but for stacking deep I prefer true USGI mags.
I don't have very many Brownell's magazines, maybe a half dozen or so, but they seem to be decent mags, along the lines of D&H. It's odd that those are the only one's he trusts though.
as said, i too prefer Colt/Okay/NHMTG/USGI/Brownells
not very fond of pmags
My immediate reaction to people who claim to "operate" is to disregard everything they said or did, do the opposite and if warranted ask for my money back!
thanks. just the kind of input i was looking for.
SeriousStudent
06-07-20, 16:09
They are not family heirlooms, they are an expendable item as other people mentioned.
As I have both 5.56 and 300BLK AR's, I stick with polymer for 300BLK, and aluminum for 5.56. I want to be able to instantly distinguish between them by sight and feel.
Polymer - I have some of the very earliest PMAG's, and keep waiting for them to fail. They have not. I also like the Lancers. Their 300-specific mag is superb with the 220-grain subsonic loads in a suppressed SBR. The PMAG's run great with the supersonic Barnes TSX loads. I probably have a 150+. I have had exactly one problem with one - I slammed a pickup tailgate on the feedlips of one and broke it. Hardly the mag's fault.
Aluminum - I have NHMTG, Okay and D&H from BCM. I have no idea, probably 300 or so. You know those big tubs you keep Christmas decorations in? I run Magpul followers and chrome silicon springs.
I treat mags the same way I treat a lady. Respectfully, and I don't abuse them. But at the first sign of treachery, they are discarded without a backwards glance.
Hope that helps.
Good information already here. I'll add that I prefer aluminum, used to replace the followers with magpul, no need to anymore. You can wear them out and I used to regularly, not so much anymore.
I own many different types but actually have put more rounds thru the mags I've bought from DSG over the years than any others.
I'll add that anyone with any real experience that says there's only one type they trust would be considered of questionable knowledge and experience by me.
Mysteryman
06-08-20, 18:52
i have a large excess of AR mags,esp aluminum. i am asking if anyone has any experience with the various brands. i have brownell,duramag,bravo and palmetto. BTW the guy that built my excellent custom AR spent time in africa and mid east as an operator. he swears that the only mags he trusts are the brownells editions. any input or experience comparing these ? also,comparing to pmags. he does relate a serious failure with pmags-shattering when dropped out of pouch when exiting a vehicle. i suspect gen 2s. my smith reports a similar failure with aluminum mags,so only trusts Ps. planning on offing a few as i am in the hunt for an ak-74. any comparative knowledge,opinions or experience? hope this is right place to ask.
Absolutely 100% complete bullshit right there.
...... for stacking deep I prefer true USGI mags........
Magpul gen3 MCT magazines are true USGI. ;)
Don't Tread On Me
06-09-20, 07:38
Absolutely 100% complete bullshit right there.
What makes it bullshit? I have witnessed numerous gen 2 FDE pmags split up the spine and vomit the remainder of the rounds when dropped on concrete. Granted, I have only ever seen this with the gen2 FDE colored pmags and only when partially loaded. Never saw it happen with fully loaded or empty pmags.
For some reason the M1 Magpull does not fit well in the well of my LMT Defender 2000 receiver. But M2's and 3's do. I like the Lancers for their translucent bodies so I can easily see how many rounds I have, very handy for 2 gun competition which I am all about these days. But lately I've been buying M2's on sale every chance I get.
I'm of the mindset that everyone buying an AR-15 should simply but 20 USGI Aluminum mags from Okay / D&H - a mix of 20 and 30rd as it fits your preference.
Most people would go broke trying to break a quality AR15 and 20 USGI mags.
Five_Point_Five_Six
06-09-20, 11:22
Magpul gen3 MCT magazines are true USGI. ;)
Only for the Marine Corps unless something has changed.
tacticaldesire
06-09-20, 14:54
I have used pretty much everything at this point from Steel Israeli mags to Aluminum GI from all makes to all kinds of PMAGs.
No magazine is infallible. I've had Gen 2 and 3 pmags split up the spine and USGI mags bend to the point of no salvation. I&I your gear and move on.
My advice; Get PMAGS or Aluminum GI mags with magpul followers and forget about it and worry about something else. Magazines are consumable, semi disposable items.
Glock9mm1990
06-10-20, 14:57
The correct answer is to buy both M3 Pmags and Okay Surefeed USGI mags. My go to rifles have windowed M3 Pmags but have Surefeeds loaded as backup mags.
Colt marked/Okay Industries/NHMTG USGI mags as previously stated. Ive had no problems with Pmags that I remember. But I'll toss a mag in a heartbeat if it starts causing issues. Any mag for any gun-rifle or pistol.
PB
FYI Just because your GI mags stop dropping free from the magwell doesn't mean you have to toss them...I have several heavily used aluminum mags that didn't drop free from any of my lowers. I used a filer to wear down the areas on the mags that were getting stuck in the magwell, they're all good to go now. Of course they are relegated to training/range use only.
I have used pretty much everything at this point from Steel Israeli mags to Aluminum GI from all makes to all kinds of PMAGs.
No magazine is infallible. I've had Gen 2 and 3 pmags split up the spine and USGI mags bend to the point of no salvation. I&I your gear and move on.
My advice; Get PMAGS or Aluminum GI mags with magpul followers and forget about it and worry about something else. Magazines are consumable, semi disposable items.
I wholeheartedly agree; I have had a couple of out of the wrapper Brownells aluminum mags with Magpul followers that repeatedly double fed on me (I smashed them and kept the followers), yet I have had two Colt aluminum 20-rd. mags with the old steel followers that are thus far rock-solid. For Duty I have had Lancers for the last 11 years that are qualled with quarterly and kept loaded for duty use and they are what I prefer. Before that, C Products steel ones used the same way for 5 years and they are still 100%.
Periodically I load them to 15 rounds and gently slap the base plate; if the rounds pop out I figure it's time to smash it and get another, if it double-feeds I smash it and get another. I no longer waste ammo and time trying to fix mags; it's better spent fixing the shooter! I think this test is better described in Kyle Lamb's carbine book as a way to test mags for lip-spreading.
I use Gen 3 PMAGs as my service mags. The OKAYs go into storage for the kid/grandkids.
Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
grizzlyblake
06-18-20, 23:11
One of the new BCM lowers I just got had a sticking bolt catch. I RMAd it and they replaced the catch (still in transit) but one interesting note is that Gen 3 Pmags had no issue overcoming the high resistance and properly activating the catch, while my 2019 20rd Okays would not and would not lock the bolt back on empty.
You could look at it as a Pmag hiding an out of spec problem, or the Okays operating on the ragged edge of functional follower spring pressure, but an interesting thing to note nonetheless.
Hammer_Man
06-19-20, 09:54
I use Okay Surefeeds, Magpul Gen 3s, and Lancers. I have a few 20 round FDE ASC mags that seem to function just fine as well. In general terms magazines are consumables, so just keep lots of spares on hand. In fact I made it a habit to buy 1 or 2 mags per month, just so I could build up my supply.
I have 3 types, PMAG Gen3, Lancer AWM5, and Okays. I dig the Lancer durability, but to be honest, they are not the best feeding, that goes to PMAGS. Still, Lancer is my fave training mag because of durability and the see thru to check round count. If it has a bauble while training, that’s not such a bad thing. One thing I love about USGI, I love the way they fly outta the gun when you hit the release, so they definitely are fastest to reload.
The_War_Wagon
07-06-20, 18:20
PMags will outlive my unborn grandchildren, if kept in a cool, dark place.
THAT said, magazines are expendable. Use 'em 'TIL they break, and give it not a second thought.
I guess I'm the only one old enough to remember COOPERS and SANCHEZ usgi mags? :blink: (shitty mags from when they'd let idiots use the tooling to manufacture and supply the military mags)
Colt/NHMTG 20s are often overlooked property. But any good Aluminum 30 with mil spec stainless spring is ok for me. Pmags are sprinkled in here and there too. I have an ETS see through mag that's pretty cool and has never givin me a problem.
I have 3 types, PMAG Gen3, Lancer AWM5, and Okays. I dig the Lancer durability, but to be honest, they are not the best feeding, that goes to PMAGS. Still, Lancer is my fave training mag because of durability and the see thru to check round count. If it has a bauble while training, that’s not such a bad thing. One thing I love about USGI, I love the way they fly outta the gun when you hit the release, so they definitely are fastest to reload.You had feeding issues with the Lancers? I'm heavy on Lancers, could you give some details, please? Has it happened more than once? What ammo, rifles?
grizzlyblake
07-06-20, 22:09
I’ve owned and used NHMTGs and OKAYs and they are good quality for what they are. They have that cool retro gun hipster aesthetic too, which is cool. However, I got rid of them all and solely use Gen 3 Pmags now. I really dig all their testing and R&D, and I like the company overall.
I guess I'm the only one old enough to remember COOPERS and SANCHEZ usgi mags? :blink: (shitty mags from when they'd let idiots use the tooling to manufacture and supply the military mags)
Colt/NHMTG 20s are often overlooked property. But any good Aluminum 30 with mil spec stainless spring is ok for me. Pmags are sprinkled in here and there too. I have an ETS see through mag that's pretty cool and has never givin me a problem.
No; you're not... ;)
-Rainman
Colt/NHMTG 20s are often overlooked property.I'm a BIG fan of NHMTG/Okay straight 20rd mags. They are about the lowest profile 20rd mag made. I have a bunch.
Lancers are by far the most over-rated and underperforming magazine made. My biggest issue with them is they are too slick and more difficult to load a full mag on a closed bolt. They will seem locked in but aren't. And at the cost ratio of 1.5-2x the cost of Okays / PMAGs, I let the Instagram kids get them all. I had 2 of the original Lancer 30s and traded into 6 of the newer 30s. Tried them out but eventually sold the off locally and bought more Okays / PMAGs.
Lancers are by far the most over-rated and underperforming magazine made.
I remember getting one very early on. Wouldn't feed. Never played that nonsense again.
I remember getting one very early on. Wouldn't feed. Never played that nonsense again.
My rule of thumb is if a product has to tout being used by Operators / Warfighters / etc in the name of the product, it's likely never been used by people downrange other than some individual purchased stuff.
hotrodder636
07-07-20, 16:34
I own Okays, NHMTG, Colt, a couple LMT marked, Brownells, Lancer, HK polymer, E-Lander steel and a pile of PMAG G2 and G3.
I use the Lancers for 300 BLK...that way I don’t confuse ammo/guns.
All the others, I just load and go. As said before, magazines are tossed if they don’t work right. They are a disposable item.
this has really given me a lot of food for thought. anyone have opions on the steel mags?
I have 2 30 round colt (okay) magazines from 1999, they have the original green followers (not anti tilt). I was issued a bunch of them in 2005 for a class and after the class I just kept two of em. I have been running these 2 magazines since 2005 in various ARs. They both probably have about 2000 rounds each through them, just by my usage. Who knows how many rounds they have had run through em before I got them.
Basically these two okay mags that were built in 1999 with thousands of rounds through em still run fine to this day. They are dirty as hell as I have also never cleaned them. I just keep using them to see how long they will last. Mags in my experience last a long time, but I also have a lot of mags because they are expendable.
this has really given me a lot of food for thought. anyone have opions on the steel mags?
I ran some Brit SA-80 steel mags that were surplussed here years back. I think I put a magpul follower in them at some point. They run great, but are way too heavy for any sort of load out.
I ran them weekly to keep my USGI mags away from wear and tear, but these things never quit.
this has really given me a lot of food for thought. anyone have opions on the steel mags?
I have some FN Steel magazines, as they came with a lot of the early civilian SCAR 16s. Because I got one with the rifle, I bought several more and then another small batch with MGWs had a special on military contract over-run SCAR 16 / 17 mags from Belgium ($19 for SCAR 16 mags, $29 for SCAR 17). Most of them are contract made for FN by D&H, but some of them are Belgian (FN) direct, with the main difference being the finish (FN seem smoother / glossier).
All the ones I've used have been great (4 I think), but in comparison to aluminum / polymer, they are heavier. Doesn't matter at the range or if carrying a handful of mags, but I bet if you kit up with 6-8 of them and hump some distance, you could tell the difference.
That and they are more expensive than aluminum & poly mags. I'm glad I have 10-12 of them in my stash, but right now 4 are loaded away in an ammo can and the rest are NIB, so I don't use them much. And at 2-3x the cost of aluminium, I would gladly trade 10 of them for 30 Okays without a second thought.
this has really given me a lot of food for thought. anyone have opions on the steel mags?If they work use them. When they fail toss them. It's just a mag, don't overthink it! For every person who had a problem with a Lancer there's one who had a problem with OKEY, or Pmag or DH or C- products, or Hexmag...blah ...blah... Blah...
that is a sensible summation
But remember you actually have to use items to see if there is a problem with them.... ;)
I ran some Brit SA-80 steel mags that were surplussed here years back. I think I put a magpul follower in them at some point. They run great, but are way too heavy for any sort of load out.
I ran them weekly to keep my USGI mags away from wear and tear, but these things never quit.
Lol I remember when they first came out... Heavier they were indeed but way better than the cheap shitty aluminum ones we had beforehand which you just had to look at wrong to result in bent feed lips and which had maximum tilt followers 😁😁
Lol I remember when they first came out... Heavier they were indeed but way better than the cheap shitty aluminum ones we had beforehand which you just had to look at wrong to result in bent feed lips and which had maximum tilt followers ����
I still have them somewhere. Rattle canned and all. I need to dig them out.
I still have them somewhere. Rattle canned and all. I need to dig them out.
Nice. If I remember right I think there was a batch of the HK mags which were complained about due to weak springs (but of course that's easily rectified).
Colt Carson
07-08-20, 00:40
This thread reminded me of some HK metal mags I got for barely over half price years ago. I have two 20 rounders and two 30 rounders. They are buried in the safe and never used. Any thoughts on these?
I guess I'm the only one old enough to remember COOPERS and SANCHEZ usgi mags? :blink: (shitty mags from when they'd let idiots use the tooling to manufacture and supply the military mags)
Colt/NHMTG 20s are often overlooked property. But any good Aluminum 30 with mil spec stainless spring is ok for me. Pmags are sprinkled in here and there too. I have an ETS see through mag that's pretty cool and has never givin me a problem.
I was looking at my aluminum mags yesterday and found a Sanchez 30. I've never used it much and it's never given me any problems... yet.
What the verdict on Mission First Tactical? They are on sale at my LGS.
You had feeding issues with the Lancers? I'm heavy on Lancers, could you give some details, please? Has it happened more than once? What ammo, rifles?
Not me personally, I’m going off the USMC trials. But I take that seriously since the Lancers were the worst performing mag they tested. Since I have a number of them, I’ll just use for training and if they get abused, so what? But I won’t buy any more. I’ve got plenty of USGI aluminum for long term storage, and to leave in vehicles, as I know those won’t really age or get brittle, with PMAG M3 as the go to mag for trouble.
bummer kinda. just got 8 lancers
Not me personally, I’m going off the USMC trials. But I take that seriously since the Lancers were the worst performing mag they tested. Since I have a number of them, I’ll just use for training and if they get abused, so what? But I won’t buy any more. I’ve got plenty of USGI aluminum for long term storage, and to leave in vehicles, as I know those won’t really age or get brittle, with PMAG M3 as the go to mag for trouble.
bummer kinda. just got 8 lancers
Wasn't that test done with M855A1 ammo? I think that's where the Lancer was beaten by the gen 3 PMAGs. As I'm a little short on m855A1, there's probably no reason for concern.
thanks. my assortment is what it is right now. gen3s,lancers and asc steel. and i hope they stay good loaded because they are and will be. everything i have found says they will be fine. guess everyone has heard the story of some ww2 1911 mags being found fully loaded,stowed away since then and still functional. prob true story?
Hammer_Man
07-10-20, 14:09
I hear Brownell's is now shipping their GI mags with Magpul followers. Would any of you recommend these over Okay, or NHMTG?
I hear Brownell's is now shipping their GI mags with Magpul followers. Would any of you recommend these over Okay, or NHMTG?
I don’t know that I’d recommend them over Okay, but if they have stainless springs they’ll be good mags.
I personally use mostly Okay USGI magazines, but I've got a number of gen. M2/M3 PMAGs, too. They both have advantages/disadvantages: PMAGs can split when dropped while loaded onto hard surfaces (I've personally never had it happen, because I almost never drop a loaded magazine in a hurry). USGI mags can be bent and have issues when guys try to bend them back into the appropriate shape. Some people have the patience; some don't.
It's probably good to note that partially spine-split PMAGs will sometimes continue to feed reliably in a pinch, from what I've read. I can't (won't) personally verify that, and unless you're up against an acutely life-and-death scenario, just pitch the ****ed up magazine and carry on.
Perhaps my sole complaint about the gen 3 PMAGs is that, while they included the 'dust cover', they removed the coolest part of the gen 2 dust covers: the ability to snap it to the bottom of the magazine while not in use. Like any of us need one more thing in our pockets.
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