Airtronic GI mags

[Slater]

Airtronic is evidently the current manufacturer for GI M9 mags. Anyone know how these rate for overall quality? I see them for sale every now and then on various forums and Gunbroker (along with Checkmates).

[Airborne12b]

I have a couple and haven't had an issue, though I will say I only have a couple hundred rounds through them. CDNN has them as well.

[ThirdWatcher]

In order of preference: Beretta, MDS, Mec-Gar (before Airtronic and the newer Checkmates).

[Airborne12b]

In order of preference: Beretta, MDS, Mec-Gar (before Airtronic and the newer Checkmates).

I agree with your list, though doesn't MDS and Mec-Gar produce all of the mags for Beretta?

[556A2]

They are great range magazines, but they are not on par with factory Beretta magazines.

You can make them nearly on par with a Wolff +5% or +10% XP magazine spring. However, that pushes the cost up to a factory magazine.

Unless you are getting them NIW for under $10, stick with factory magazines.

[ThirdWatcher]

MDS is owned by Beretta (and they are the same mag except for the markings). Mec-Gar is a completely separate company (and IMO they make the best aftermarket mags available).

I have purchased MDS mags for my Models 86 & 87, but Beretta 92 mags are inexpensive and available so why not spend the few extra dollars and buy Beretta mags?

I do own a few Airtronics and Checkmate mags (as I wanted to try them out), but they're relegated to range mag status.

[ShipWreck]

Mecgar made factory 92 mags at 1 time - years ago.

Honestly, with factory mags on sale at CDNN for like $17 - why mess with anything else. On weekends, they have 1/2 price shipping. I ordered a mag Sat and got it yesterday, in fact...

[Slater]

I ended up ordering a couple of the MDS 15-rounders from Beretta USA's web store. 20% off plus free shipping - a pretty decent deal.

[JonInWA]

Airtronics is not the current DoD contractor; after having the contract for a relatively brief period, it was re-awarded to Check-Mate Industries.

My preference for my 92D is Check-Mate's dry-film magazine, MDS (w/aluminum baseplate), Beretta. If Beretta has resumed using aluminum baseplates, I would place them slightly above MDS for reasons of cosmetics.

I prefer the Check-Mate dry-film magazines for operational smoothness and their hardened steel, low-profile baseplates.

Probably the "best" 92 magazine is the Beretta PVD anti-sand magazine, but they're pretty pricey, so I'll stick with the Check-Mates.

Best, Jon

[viperashes]

Out here in the desert, the mags that see the most failures are airtronics followed by checkmates.

THe Mec-gars are decent, but I still prefer factory mags over anything else. If they're going to see heavy use, or especially be carry mags, buy Beretta. They're more expensive, but remember, you get what you pay for. Buy right or buy twice.

I had no issues buying 2 factory Beretta mags, RSA, and a new locking block for my M9 out of pocket. I'd rather not see this thing eat shit when if/when I need it.

[JonInWA]

Viper, there are in effect 2 Check-Mate magazines finishes-the almost crackle-finish type, where the finish was applied to both the exterior and the interior of the magazine tube; this finish was IAW DoD specifications (which were probably aimed a preventing corrosion in more temperate climates)-it tends to trap fine sand/dust particles, inducing operational issues with cartridges; and the second, subesquent to 2004, which is the smooth dry-film finish. All Check-Mate 92 magazines have a month/year date stamp as part of their rollmarking; so erring on the side of conservatism, anything from 2005 on will be a dry-film magazine by definition. Unfortunately, after the dry-film magazines were rushed into the supply chain, DoD in their infinite wisdom did not purge the earlier finish magazines from the Iraq/Afghanistan theater-so they're intermixed with the new ones...

Another issue regards springs-you should ask your armorer if/when was the last time he checked/replaced magazine and recoil springs. A still-circulating myth is that magazine spring performance is improved by removing the magazine spring and literally stretching it, and then re-inserting it-all this does is further decrease magazine spring performance. A suspect/non-performing magazine spring needs to be replaced, period.

Recoil springs are to be changes (along with trigger return springs) every 5K rounds. The armorer should check for magazine spring operational specified tensility parameters-or simply replacing them annually isn't the world's worst of ideas.

And, of course, unit weapons need to be appropriately cleaned, lubed and maintained by both operators and armorers.

Best, Jon