AR Newby Question about Clips

[tex45acp]

My Bushmaster Carbine came with three 30 round clips. These clips have the green plastic follower and are obviously parkerized, but grey in color as you can see in the picture below. I was told by a know it all guy I know, who has about 5 different AR's, that these are the original issue mil-spec clips, that are issued to our military. I did not think that the soldiers were given 30 rounders. I was under the impression they were given the 20 rounders that are straight, without any curve in shape. I was just wondering what I have, are they decent but mostly will they be reliable?? I have seen here many times a mention of the P-mags or P-clips. Whats this all about??:confused:

tex45acp

[Iraqgunz]

tex,

They are not called clips they are magazines. Clips are used in rifles like the M1 Garand rifle. Clips also hold the rounds of ammunition in certain types of packaging configurations of ball ammo, for example A059- M855 greentip ammo.

Yes, 30 round magazines are the normal issue magazine for members of todays military and they were when I enlisted back in 1986. 20 round magazines are the original issue mags that were issued when the M16 rifle first went to the military and they are often encountered today. As a matter of fact I have a dozen or so myself. In my opinion the Bushmaster mags are not as well made as the Colt/NHMTG, Sanchez, and other gov't contract mags. Here in country I have encouraged our personnel to use them for training only.

You are referring to Magpul PMAGS (Polymer Magazines). They are a polymer type magazine made by Magpul Military Ind. in Colorado and they are the latest in quality mags to be made and are probably the best on the market at this time.

[Failure2Stop]

Tex-

People are foaming at the mouth to jump you on this one.
The device used for feeding a firearm is referred to as a "magazine", or simply "mag".
Calling a magazine a "clip" around trained people will generally result in a reaction similar to being caught pinching a loaf in the middle of the frozen foods section.
Sure, there are all kinds of reasons for calling them a "clip", but it won't change the matter. There is a while diatribe on what constitutes a "clip" versus a "magazine", but all modern weapons utilize a magazine, and are referred to as "magazine fed". "Magazine", please, it's for the children.

Anyway-
Yes, troops were initiall issued 20 rounders from the introduction of the AR15 and M16 through the Vietnam Conflict. These soon gave way to the curved thirty-rounders. The old thirty-round magazines had a black follower that was famous for inducing stoppages (really bad with the M249) due to poor design of the follower and weak springs.

The followers were redesigned and colored an interestingly sickening green color. They are better than the originals, but still prone to nose-diving.

Magpul redesigned the follower, with (IIRC) 3 generations of followers. The first generation was leaps and bounds ahead of the GI green follower, and only got better with each successive generation. I believe that the most recent ones are a dark green. They are a recommended upgrade to any aluminium 30 round mag.

P-Mags (notice "mags" ;)) are a redesigned and improved polymer system, and my current preference. They are togher than chinese arithmatic.

Cheers and good luck.

Don't forget- Magazine.

[rob_s]

P-clips. Awesome! :D

[C4IGrant]

My Bushmaster Carbine came with three 30 round clips. These clips have the green plastic follower and are obviously parkerized, but grey in color as you can see in the picture below. I was told by a know it all guy I know, who has about 5 different AR's, that these are the original issue mil-spec clips, that are issued to our military. I did not think that the soldiers were given 30 rounders. I was under the impression they were given the 20 rounders that are straight, without any curve in shape. I was just wondering what I have, are they decent but mostly will they be reliable?? I have seen here many times a mention of the P-mags or P-clips. Whats this all about??:confused:

tex45acp


Yikes!

First, they are not called "clips."

Second, BM buys mags from whomever is the cheapest. Typically, they have used D&H mags, but made a move to CProducts mags. It is my understanding that they are back to D&H.

BM mags are fine (most likely), but I would not buy any more of them. Stick with NHMTG, D&H, Lancer, Brownells, PMAG's and Tango Down's new mag.



C4

[tex45acp]

Actually there was one "mag" that came with the gun and it has an orange follower. The other three came as a bonus to the package, from my the gunstore and they were supposed to be the GI issue. I have fully loaded and shot all 4 without any problems. Just wondering what the consensus was on the quality & longevity of the three with the green followers would be.

As far as being "corrected" for calling them clips. I have done the same with those calling semi-auto handguns clips instead of magazines or mags. I am very thick skinned so those kind of verbal assualts never bother me, and if they are of a malicious tone, I just consider the source as an unfrendly know it all, who thinks they have never made a mistake. If I am wrong I have no problem with being corrected.......thats how we learn and we should always be learning.
Keep in mind that there was only one perfect person in this world and he was crucified!!!

Thanks for all the information and correction!!

tex45acp

[MaceWindu]

This should help: :D


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/MaceWindu/clipvsmag.jpg


Mace

[C4IGrant]

Actually there was one "mag" that came with the gun and it has an orange follower. The other three came as a bonus to the package, from my the gunstore and they were supposed to be the GI issue. I have fully loaded and shot all 4 without any problems. Just wondering what the consensus was on the quality & longevity of the three with the green followers would be.

As far as being "corrected" for calling them clips. I have done the same with those calling semi-auto handguns clips instead of magazines or mags. I am very thick skinned so those kind of verbal assualts never bother me, and if they are of a malicious tone, I just consider the source as an unfrendly know it all, who thinks they have never made a mistake. If I am wrong I have no problem with being corrected.......thats how we learn and we should always be learning.
Keep in mind that there was only one perfect person in this world and he was crucified!!!

Thanks for all the information and correction!!

tex45acp


It is hard to say what or how good your mags are (as we do not know who made them).

I would put Magpul followers in them and hope for the best.

C4

[TOrrock]

Question has been asked and answered, very well I might add.

To prevent the pile on of smart assedry that I'm pretty sure might follow, I'm closing this.

Remember, none of us were born knowing everything about the AR system.