REVIEW - Magpul PMag 35 rd for CZ Scorpion Evo 3

[TheChunkNorris]

I’ve been happy with my Manticore mags, they run on every Scorpion I’ve used and ran flawless on a posty.

[Tx_Aggie]

Has Magpul been contacted about this?

I was wondering the same. I thought it was forum SOP to contact a manufacturer and give them a chance to address an issue before posting something like this.

[Naphtali]

I was wondering the same. I thought it was forum SOP to contact a manufacturer and give them a chance to address an issue before posting something like this.

I talked to the Magpul tech support person who said he was the most knowledgeable person regarding the Scorpion PMags. He said the following:

-- Magpul has no access to the Scorpion specs or the tolerances allowed by CZ (these are trade secrets)
-- They chose 3 (three) Scorpions at random and designed a magazine that worked with those 3 weapons, and only those 3 weapons. At no time during development was a 4th (or more) weapon involved, either for taking parts measurements or for function testing.
-- Then they released their PMag as one that would work with "all Scorpions"
-- He took my contact info but said the engineering folks might not be contacting me for further investigation. He recommended that I return all of my mags to Brownell's.

I won't elaborate, but I basically explained the top 5 reasons why that made absolutely no sense and would guaranteed fail if they were using a joke process like that to try to get a govt contract, for a new weapon with unpublished specs. He had no response and seemed mildly annoyed.

That definitely explains the problem.

[Naphtali]

I usually order new Magpul mags right away but I have been gun shy after having so many 30rd OEM EVO3 mags crack feed lips when left loaded. I have even had post 2017 OEM mags show cracks although not break off yet. My 20s have been fine, I assume due to less spring pressure. As much as I like my EVOs the can't-leave-mags-loaded issue guarantees it stays in the "range toy" zone.

So after all that I appreciate the detailed Magpul report! I would have been pretty sad to get mags that did not work...

As much as I am trying not to like them, I have a few PSA AK/EVO mags that are working out well after several months. Although they did need some sanding to drop free.

Dennis.

Have you reported this to CZ? I called them after I read your post, and their tech support rep said he was aware of zero reports of cracked feed lips in their 2016 and later model mags.

[Naphtali]

I’ve been happy with my Manticore mags, they run on every Scorpion I’ve used and ran flawless on a posty.

I posted on these years ago when they first came out. I had 3 mags from manticore, and all 3 would double-feed Speer Lawman 124gr about 2-3 rounds per fully loaded mag, with no pattern as to which specific rounds would do this. I returned them after each mag did this in both of my Scorpions. In retrospect, they actually would have been great for doing double-feed training on a Scorpion.

I have no idea if they've modified them since the initial release.

[Dennis]

Have you reported this to CZ? I called them after I read your post, and their tech support rep said he was aware of zero reports of cracked feed lips in their 2016 and later model mags.

Yes but CZ only offered replacement with no explanation. I just stopped leaving them loaded and have been waiting on Magpul as well as using the PSA ones. Maybe I will try some 2019 CZ and see if they are better.

Dennis.

[Naphtali]

Yes but CZ only offered replacement with no explanation. I just stopped leaving them loaded and have been waiting on Magpul as well as using the PSA ones. Maybe I will try some 2019 CZ and see if they are better.

Dennis.

You might try the CZ windowed mags (part # 11355). Most of the reviews are 5 stars, and these are OEM. Made of some more durable material than the default polymer mags. Reviews at most online stores claim that these do not crack at the feed lips. The only problem I can find is 2 reviews that say they will not seat or require a lot of force to seat (on CZ's online store: https://shop.cz-usa.com/ProductDetai...d-Black-Window). They also have no 922r compliant parts.


For such a great weapon, it's odd that there may actually be zero magazines fit for duty use / long-term storage while loaded.


-- Polymer Gen 1 OEM mags cracked at the feed lips enough that CZ changed the design

-- Polymer Gen 2 OEM mags continue to crack in the same way despite redesigned feed lips

-- 3 of 3 Manticore mags have a ~10% double-feed rate using Speer ammo in both of my Scorpions. Also numerous reports of the steel feed lips separating from and falling off the polymer body.

-- 16 of 16 Magpul mags fit improperly (impede bolt movement) or don't fit at all in both of my Scorpions

-- PSA AK-V mags are maybe reliable, but they're designed for a different gun in the first place, by a company that doesn't know CZ's factory specs, and oh by the way they work in glocks (???) too, and they work in the Scorpion too (but don't drop free), and there's not that much written about them... am I wrong to judge that as too sketchy for home defense?

-- Lastly the windowed OEM mags (11355)... apparently stronger polymer than the clear polymer mags with no known feed lip cracking issues, and designed by CZ = a huge theoretical plus for reliability and fit (though there are 2 reviews of poor fit online, so as long as yours happen to fit then you're maybe gtg), but they're probably illegal to use if your Scorpion is an SBR unless you've changed out a ton of extra 922r internals to U.S. parts.


So if you had to run a Scorpion SBR during the zombie apocalypse, would the windowed OEM mags be the best / most reliable overall for the long-term, so long as you made sure they fit beforehand? (no 922r when the ATF employees are all zombies)


Imagine if, when the mp5 came out, it had only unreliable magazines for years even from 3rd parties... what a waste.

[Dennis]

While I too am disappointed with my mag options so far, you might be asking a bit much given what you have already determined.

Maybe newer 2017/18/19 OEM mags are better than my late 2016 batch?

PSA AKV mags definitely don't fit in Glocks...

The OEM mag I keep loaded in the gun has never cracked (as there is no constant pressure on the lips)

I am sure Magpul will make it right as they did with their AK mags.

I wouldn't grab a 9mm during the Zombie Apocalypse anyways

Dennis.

[TheChunkNorris]

I posted on these years ago when they first came out. I had 3 mags from manticore, and all 3 would double-feed Speer Lawman 124gr about 2-3 rounds per fully loaded mag, with no pattern as to which specific rounds would do this. I returned them after each mag did this in both of my Scorpions. In retrospect, they actually would have been great for doing double-feed training on a Scorpion.

I have no idea if they've modified them since the initial release.

Our experiences are very different. I mostly shoot 124gr MEN NATO through mine with 0 malfunctions and routinely shoot 147gr subsonic ammo as well. I can’t speak for the Magpul because I don’t own any.

[Fatorangecat]

I talked to the Magpul tech support person who said he was the most knowledgeable person regarding the Scorpion PMags. He said the following:

-- Magpul has no access to the Scorpion specs or the tolerances allowed by CZ (these are trade secrets)
-- They chose 3 (three) Scorpions at random and designed a magazine that worked with those 3 weapons, and only those 3 weapons. At no time during development was a 4th (or more) weapon involved, either for taking parts measurements or for function testing.
-- Then they released their PMag as one that would work with "all Scorpions"
-- He took my contact info but said the engineering folks might not be contacting me for further investigation. He recommended that I return all of my mags to Brownell's.

I won't elaborate, but I basically explained the top 5 reasons why that made absolutely no sense and would guaranteed fail if they were using a joke process like that to try to get a govt contract, for a new weapon with unpublished specs. He had no response and seemed mildly annoyed.

That definitely explains the problem.

This all seems very hard to believe. Magpul has a lot of experience developing products that work very well especially polymer mags. I have trouble believing Magpul would invest time and money developing and producing a product that had been only tested in 3 weapons. And I have trouble believing any customer service rep would tell you any of this even if it was true. And it seems odd that you also had trouble with another brand of mag.