View Full Version : Brown follower GI mags
Someone told me that the GI mags with brown followers have the spring connected in a different spot than the older green and black ones. They said that it was to prevent the mag body from splitting, with the implication that the metal bodies could last indefinitely. Just wondering if that's true and if it actually worked.
TLDR, will brown follower mags last longer than previous gen GI mags?
Someone told me that the GI mags with brown followers have the spring connected in a different spot than the older green and black ones. They said that it was to prevent the mag body from splitting, with the implication that the metal bodies could last indefinitely. Just wondering if that's true and if it actually worked.
TLDR, will brown follower mags last longer than previous gen GI mags?
I've seen a bunch of split PMAGs, and a lot of bent lip USGI mags, but not the reverse.
I've seen a bunch of split PMAGs, and a lot of bent lip USGI mags, but not the reverse.
Yea the GI mags will eventually pop the welds and separate, and supposedly, allegedly, according to this person...the tan ones won't do that because they moved the point where the spring connects to the follower and this somehow removed the stress on the spine.
Whether that's true or not I have no idea. Figured someone here might know.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210310/6fa59f8df103f645f9de18cf7418d349.jpg
This is what I’m talking about. There is a difference, just not sure why. Could be anti tilt, but would be cool if it is true that it extends mag life.
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I have never heard that but I’ve been using tan follower mags off and on since ‘09 and have zero issues with them. They’re damn good mags.
I have never heard that but I’ve been using tan follower mags off and on since ‘09 and have zero issues with them. They’re damn good mags.
Agreed. I scored some Colt marked Okay contract ones and they’re gtg.
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I have never heard that but I’ve been using tan follower mags off and on since ‘09 and have zero issues with them. They’re damn good mags.
If I recall right Bartocci in his mags video says not so great.....Maybe I remember wrong....
The reason why the spring attachment changed was to prevent putting old design springs in new magazines because the spring rate also changed.
The reason why the spring attachment changed was to prevent putting old design springs in new magazines because the spring rate also changed.
That makes sense. So no increase in lifespan of the mag body itself?
The reason why the spring attachment changed was to prevent putting old design springs in new magazines because the spring rate also changed.
Can you provide any detailed technical information or personal thoughts on the changes?
Joe Mamma
If I recall right Bartocci in his mags video says not so great.....Maybe I remember wrong....
Yeah I remember Magpul saying that they thought the green follower mags were better than the tan but I’ve never heard of anything wrong with ‘em.
Can you provide any detailed technical information or personal thoughts on the changes?
Joe Mamma
During the development of the first "anti-tilt" magazine follower (the green one), there was no modification to magazine spring, and that type magazine does use the same spring. After the green follower didn't quite work as well as hoped, there was a renewed effort for an anti-tilt follower. One of the things discovered was the the original spring does not provide uniform pressure on the follower. If you examine a spring for the black or green follower magazine, you can see that it only presses on the rear 3/4 of the follower, and the actual last coil pressure is only 0.75 inch from the rear of the follower. A new spring was designed that was slightly thinner, long enough to press on the entire bottom of the follower, and slightly stiffer (6.3 vs 7 lbs).
Since magazine are repairable at the user level of maintenance, and the two springs obviously must fit inside the same magazine box, there was the distinct possibility that the wrong springs would be assembled into the magazine unless they were distinctly incompatible.
Same reason they color coded the followers.
During the development of the first "anti-tilt" magazine follower (the green one), there was no modification to magazine spring, and that type magazine does use the same spring. After the green follower didn't quite work as well as hoped, there was a renewed effort for an anti-tilt follower. One of the things discovered was the the original spring does not provide uniform pressure on the follower. If you examine a spring for the black or green follower magazine, you can see that it only presses on the rear 3/4 of the follower, and the actual last coil pressure is only 0.75 inch from the rear of the follower. A new spring was designed that was slightly thinner, long enough to press on the entire bottom of the follower, and slightly stiffer (6.3 vs 7 lbs).
Since magazine are repairable at the user level of maintenance, and the two springs obviously must fit inside the same magazine box, there was the distinct possibility that the wrong springs would be assembled into the magazine unless they were distinctly incompatible.
Same reason they color coded the followers.
Is it possible that placing more distributed pressure on the follower also relieved pressure from the spine?
When the magazine is loaded, the only load trying to separate the two halves is the pressure from the two stacks of cartridges trying to get next to each other rather than being staggered. The follower only pushes upwards, it's the geometry of the stagger that creates the outward forces.
Since the spring is stiffer in the tan follower magazine, if anything, the force trying to separate the two halves is going to be greater.
When the magazine is loaded, the only load trying to separate the two halves is the pressure from the two stacks of cartridges trying to get next to each other rather than being staggered. The follower only pushes upwards, it's the geometry of the stagger that creates the outward forces.
Since the spring is stiffer in the tan follower magazine, if anything, the force trying to separate the two halves is going to be greater.
Makes sense.
Grand58742
03-12-21, 11:26
Same reason they color coded the followers.
And moved the bolt hold open to the opposite side?
And moved the bolt hold open to the opposite side?
The bolt hold open is on the rifle, not the magazine. The part of the follower that actuates the bolt hold open is the center back of the follower, that has not changed.
You're thinking of the "bullet lump", and yes, that switched sides.
Grand58742
03-15-21, 11:10
The bolt hold open is on the rifle, not the magazine. The part of the follower that actuates the bolt hold open is the center back of the follower, that has not changed.
You're thinking of the "bullet lump", and yes, that switched sides.
Yes, the bullet lump. I figured there was a more technical term for it and I know the hold open is on the rifle.
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