Current Magpul and ETS Glock Magazine Reliability?

[Esq.]

Anyone have any data points or even recent personal experience?

I know the Magpuls had some issues early on. I would expect a company of their size and experience in the space to have made any necessary changes at this point.

Personally, I have run some ETS magazines as practice magazines and in a couple of classes for the last 3 years. They seem to run fine though I have a few that are not locking back the slide it seems. I need to keep up with it better but generally, they seem to work well, certainly well enough for Range Use.

[Firefly]

I have both. I actually use my OEM mags as “put aways” and run straight pmags now. The ETS magazines are a’ight but I wouldn’t use them outside of a training class or the range. I got first runs and they haven’t messed up yet but I just don’t feel comfortable yet. Maybe in a few years more. I will say that ETS mags and Lancers are outstanding for round accountability. Being translucent you know they are empty. If you are doing reload in battery or something.

[Esq.]

I have both. I actually use my OEM mags as “put aways” and run straight pmags now. The ETS magazines are a’ight but I wouldn’t use them outside of a training class or the range. I got first runs and they haven’t messed up yet but I just don’t feel comfortable yet. Maybe in a few years more. I will say that ETS mags and Lancers are outstanding for round accountability. Being translucent you know they are empty. If you are doing reload in battery or something.

Yea, that's kinda where I am too. I carry Glock mags, mostly Gen 5's now on the street but in practice I beat up the ETS and a few Magpuls that I got in trades or just scrounged up. I have quite a few factory Glock mags- about (3) .50 cal cans full (the 17's in particular stack very nicely sideways in the cans), of various generations put back and I see no reason to beat them up dropping them on our graveled or muddy ranges. The cost differential isn't that much I know but I'd rather keep my Factory Mags as nice as I can as long as I can.

[26 Inf]

I have both, OEM, PMAGS and ETS.

I don't care for the PMAGS I have because they don't have reference holes to give me an idea of how many rounds I have in a mag. I don't know if PMAG has a later version that addresses this.

I haven't had any problems with the ETS mags.

Likewise, in the short time that I used the PMAGS I didn't have any problems.

There have been reports of polymer pistol mags not feeding correctly when using steel case ammo. I cant opine on this because, thank goodness, I'm not reduced to using ammo produced by the enemies of my Nation

There was a thread on this very subject - ETS and PMAGS - not long ago, search is your friend!

[nightchief]

I also use pmags exclusively in training, keeping the OEM mags for defensive use. I've been running the Pmags thru my G4's and G5 for several years thousands of rounds without an issue. One thing I have noticed recently, is they have gotten much harder to load. I assume this is related to them being dirty and I will be doing a mass cleaning of all them this week to see if makes loading them easier. Certain brands of ammo are more difficult than others, even the same grain and FMJ.

[Esq.]

I have both, OEM, PMAGS and ETS.

I don't care for the PMAGS I have because they don't have reference holes to give me an idea of how many rounds I have in a mag. I don't know if PMAG has a later version that addresses this.

I haven't had any problems with the ETS mags.

Likewise, in the short time that I used the PMAGS I didn't have any problems.

There have been reports of polymer pistol mags not feeding correctly when using steel case ammo. I cant opine on this because, thank goodness, I'm not reduced to using ammo produced by the enemies of my Nation

There was a thread on this very subject - ETS and PMAGS - not long ago, search is your friend!

I understand what you are saying and I almost never use steel cased ammo in anything other than ComBloc weapons....HOWEVER, for many years I have trained with a number of instructors who do a lot of training in South Africa, the Philippines and South America. When they go to these places to train they are literally training the Creme de la Creme of that given society- they are the only people there who 1. Can afford a gun and ammo, tuition etc...and 2. Have the political stroke necessary to even HAVE a legal firearm.

They tell me that steel cased ammo is VERY PREVALENT in their classes. The students make do with what they can get. Honestly, and not to be too political but I foresee the same thing happening here at some point- You will be dang lucky to have ANYTHING to shoot- much less "Premium" first run, fresh ammo..... One of the top priorities of the neo communists now taking over is going to be access to weapons and ammo. They will use a broad based and sustained campaign against both..... So, personally, I won't own a gun that won't cycle steel cased ammo. The only exception being a few SPR's that I own.

[Straight Shooter]

Ive sang the praises of ETS for a long time here. Ive got well over a dozen, including several AR mags. LOVE THEM. Ive had some Ive kept loaded for years now, they run 100%. I had one mag, several years ago, that they sent me a new spring for..free...its been 100% ever since.
As for steel-Ive never fired the first round in an AR, and only 100 rounds of Winchester steel cases 9mm. With ammo as cheap as it is now..I dont see the need.
I use Winchester NATO for the range, myself.
Oh yeah...their mag loader is awesome too.

[jsbhike]

Not a huge sample, but Winchester Forged will choke every PMAG I have tried it in. It choked one ETS, but couldn't tell if it was front to rear or sides getting the bind.

[RHINOWSO]

Yes, some of us who pay for our own ammo used cheap steel cased stuff.

I have found that over time, PMAGs will start to choke horrifically on steel of all brands - rounds will not feed into position in a timely matter (taking up to several seconds to move up into position), which leads to all manner of malfunctions.

I have ETS G19/17 and 24rd mags and these have been very good, but honestly after about 500-1000rds through ETS and PMAGs, I sidelined them and went back to all Glock OEM.

ETS & PMAGs at $15ea made sense when Glock OEMs were $25 (all my PMAGs were had for $12/ea, ETS $14/ea).

But now that I can get 10 OEM G17/19 mags from Brownells for $189.99, plus 10% off = $179.99 or $18/mag for OEMs, there is no way a $15 PMAG is worth it to me.

Adequate for range mags, yes but they lost me for serious use and for ease, I just bought another 10 OEMs and orange baseplates and those are my training mags now.

[Achilles11B]

I use OEM mags for carry and Pmags and ETS mags for the range. Both of them have about a thousand rounds through them without issue, I’d use either of them for carry without hesitation.