Short answer is yes, I believe you are correct.I cannot recommend the Lancer 20 round AWM.
I love 20 round mags for their compactness. I love Glocks with plastic frames. I LOVE the idea of translucent mag bodies to monitor rounds left. The Lancer AWM is a plastic, translucent 20 rounder. What’s not to like? I ordered two of them from Brownells to try out.
Because of a bad experience with a couple of similarly designed Ramline 30 round translucent mags, where the mags would water fountain 2 or 3 or more rounds, out of the top of the mag when slapping into the magwell. I was a bit cautious but hopeful 25 or so years have improved translucent AR mag design.
I fully loaded both mags to 20. I “settled the rounds in the mag” in the usual way and sure enough, 1 or 2 rounds would water fountain out of the top of both mags. The AWM’s have wrap around metal feed lips, so I didn’t think that would happen. I “slapped” the mags into several Colt AR’s with bolt carrier locked back, figuring the mag well would “reinforce” the wrap around feed lips to reduce the water fountain effect. Nope….one or two rounds would pop out into the open AR action. I repeated the test numerous times with the same result. YMMV.
I suppose 1 or 2 pop outs per slap are better than 2 or 3 pop outs a generation ago. I suppose they would be great mags if they were loaded gently and NEVER slapped into an bolt-locked-back AR. Without shooting them, I returned the mags to Brownells with a comment on the return receipt. I don’t need to see if they are shooting reliable as I already have reliable USGI mags. I REALLY wanted the translucence feature. I repeated the same test with 20-round and 30-round USGI mags with the same slapping force, if not WAAAY harder, and no rounds popped out.
Furthermore, the 20 round AWM’s are significantly longer than 20 round straight mags. Nevermind the significantly thicker baseplate area verses straight mags. I took photos of this size difference as a reminder.
I believe the dimensional restrictions of the AR mag well prohibits the thickness required to allow a reliable clear plastic mag. (AUGs use MUCH thicker translucent plastic in their mags.) With present technology, clear plastics is < colored plastics < black plastics is the rule. I believe even Magpul recommends their black mags are stronger than their “other colors” mags.
I don't know about your intended 300 Blackout use. YMMV. Good luck, but test those mags if you intend any serious use.
But the 20 round PMAGs are not very reputable, anyway. The 30 rounders are GTG. For 20s...not so much.



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