NEW Dept of Defense AR Mag Follower to be issued

[TRguy]

NEW Dept of Defense AR Mag Follower to be issued

http://www.defencetalk.com/improved-magazine-increases-weapons-reliability-23413/

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj131/TRguy/ARmagfollower.jpg

The Army has begun fielding a new 5.56mm 30-round "improved magazine" that delivers a significant increase in reliability for M-16 and M-4 weapons.

Bolstering the already high reliability ratings of the M-16 and M-4, the improved magazine reduces the risk of magazine-related stoppages by more than 50 percent compared to the older magazine variants.....

[Submariner]

Gotta' keep the .gov parasites employed. They could have bought Magpul Self-Leveling Followers (or PMAGs) off the shelf.

From Mr. Magpul on barfcom:


We developed our follower, magazine and several complete weapon systems with ZERO taxpayer dollars. All the government has to do is embrace fair and open competition and the private sector will supply the military with everything they need at reduced cost. Remember, the longest serving service rifle, the M16, was commercially developed along with venerable Ma Deuce M2HB which has been in service for 80 something years.

No commercial follower was even evaluated before the quasi government agency requested and received funding to develop a follower replacement. In commercial manufacturing the first thing we do before building any parts is look for a COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) item, because it is always (and I mean always) cheaper then developing the item in house.

But that is what it is all about. Keeping the funding in house, not about finding the most cost effective solution for the warfighter.

Even putting substantial costs aside- the development of this program took over five years, produced only the follower replacement, no working polymer magazine and provided NOTHING to the military during most combat the United States seen in 20 years. Rich

[ForTehNguyen]

govt would reinvent the wheel if it had the chance despite there being superior wheels in the market already at a cheaper price

[Buckaroo]

Looks like this will move the first round to the right side. Any reason why this would be?

Buckaroo

[Outlander Systems]

What a joke.

On this issue, I do have a qualified opinion:

RFP really means "Rake Financial Profits" for the one with the "homey hookup".

The only thing the government does extremely well is spend other peoples' money.

[glocktogo]

Looks like this will move the first round to the right side. Any reason why this would be?

Buckaroo

Program must have been initiated under the Republican administration.

[Ash Hess]

Regardless of how your Government and my employer got these followers, they are 75% better than the standard USGI mags. We used them last few months, well the guys that refuse to spend own money to upgrade their kit used them, of this tour.
While not Magpul and ignoring the Pork Barrel politics involved in them, the average Soldier has a better magazine. Not the best, but better. As far as I know, the magpul follower is still available thru the "system"
Besides, if the Army bought 3.5 million PMAGs the only people smiling would be Soldiers and some outstanding folks in Colorado.

And since we're bashing, I fired 5 150,000 plus missiles certifying a mounting configuration on a truck, yet was short on optics and batteries for a year........

[Voodoochild]

Field your concerns and disappointment here.

http://www.gao.gov/fraudnet/fraudnet.htm

[ForTehNguyen]

would be funny if DoDs design infringed on Magpuls patent

[SIGguy229]

Before I left for Afghanistan (Dec 08), I took all of my GI mags and switched out the followers with Magpul Gen III followers...then I brought my private PMAGs with me. I carried the PMAGs as my basic load and the GI Mags with the Magpul followers in my "go-bag" as extra ammo. Fortunately I never had to go to my "go bag" for ammo...but it was easy to throw someone another basic load if they needed it.

[99HMC4]

Your all missing the big picture here. The new one is orange, not green....:p

[welchtactical]

wonder how long it'll be before chinese plastic molding company are making these things off of pics on the internet. "$25 for 3, your rifle will never jam. Used by SEALs, and Special Forces!" I can see it now. Need to check ebay, probably already there!

[RAM Engineer]

"Soldiers can remember it like this: 'Tan - is the plan. Green - start to lean. Black - take it back,'" said Lehner.
:rolleyes:

[Submariner]

would be funny if DoDs design infringed on Magpuls patent

No, it would be sad. Sue the .gov? Who pays the judge's salary?

[Failure2Stop]

"New" follower?

*sigh*