AR Magazines PMAG, USGI, Premium Metal?

Synthetic/composite magazines are great. However, there might be some valid reasons for one choosing metal magazines over others, such as MagPul PMAGS.

At very cold temperatures plastics generally become more brittle. Metal will not be as vulnerable in this way. Plastics are generally more vulnerable to direct sunlight as compared to metals.

Some synthetic/composite magazines have variances in dimensions which can affect how they fit into the magwell... Sometimes they do not fit quite right... perhaps they don't drop out as they should, or some other fit problem. Metal magazines that are gauge checked to ensure each magazine is Mil-Spec may perform more consistently.

An empty 30rnd PMAG is ~140g, whereas an empty aluminum 30rnd mag is ~116g. Packing 20 empty magazines... that is ~1/2kg difference between the PMAGs and the aluminum mags.


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I like my Pmags, they are the best price ($17 for gen 2), I have a few different brands of metal body mags and a couple of the HERA polymer mags and they all work well. I have an HK 5/30 as well and it is definitely heavier and tougher than a standard Gi mag.

The best mags are whichever ones you can get for a decent price that work well in your rifle.
 
"The best mags are whichever ones you can get for a decent price that work well in your rifle."

True that!!
 
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4thGenTactical.com said:
However, there might be some valid reasons for one choosing metal magazines over others, such as MagPul PMAGS.
At very cold temperatures plastics generally become more brittle. Metal will not be as vulnerable in this way. Plastics are generally more vulnerable to direct sunlight as compared to metals.

Some synthetic/composite magazines have variances in dimensions which can affect how they fit into the magwell... Sometimes they do not fit quite right... perhaps they don't drop out as they should, or some other fit problem. Metal magazines that are gauge checked to ensure each magazine is Mil-Spec may perform more consistently.
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I'd like to know some more about this. I actually spent this whole winter shooting at the range.

If GI mags are the same price as Pmags it seems ridiculous not to choose Pmag but any modern rifle worth beans is going to take stanag mags, USGI magazines are stanag compliant so they have cross-compatibility. Chest rigs and such as designed with these mags in mind. For this I'm leaning towards GI type magazines.
 
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mini15 said:
I'd like to know some more about this. I actually spent this whole winter shooting at the range.

If GI mags are the same price as Pmags it seems ridiculous not to choose Pmag but any modern rifle worth beans is going to take stanag mags, USGI magazines are stanag compliant so they have cross-compatibility. Chest rigs and such as designed with these mags in mind. For this I'm leaning towards GI type magazines.
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Pmags are cheaper and tougher.
A metal body mag is fine for people that don't abuse their stuff but if you compete in 3-gun or other action shooting events where your mag may get stepped on or dropped on a hard surface the Pmag will take more abuse.
My Pmags and my metal mags all feed 100% reliably but I don't drop them in the dirt and kick them around.
Don't worry about the Pmags in cold weather, these aren't made of toy plastic from China they are polymer which is much different.
 
LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1 said:
SFRC has DH mags, which as far as metal mags go seem to be some of the better ones. $160 for a ten pack aint bad either.
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The CF uses DH mags exclusively. The teflon finish is so much better than regular USGI.

I'm sure that Pmags are great but all of my experience has been with Thermold and then aluminum mags. I won't talk about the Thermolds but will say that I've seldom had issues with aluminum mags. I use regular followers and have never had any problems with them. Too many people out there slamming them without the experience to back it up. Not saying that anti-tilt aren't a good idea or worth it, just that in my experience they haven't been necessary. The few issues that I have seen were because the mag bodies had been dented/damaged. I give them a good stomp under the heel to ensure that they don't get reissued and carry on.

I'd say buy whatever you can find at a decent price. Lots of choices these days, not so much when I first started out in this hobby. I remember paying $50 for Colt 5/20 mags just over a decade ago. When Pmags first came out no dealers were regularly bringing them into Canada so the few that did surface commanded a ridiculous premium. I wouldn't buy them at the time for that reason. I have too many aluminum mags to bother making the switch now, plus its what I use at work so I prefer to stick with them.
 
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Max Owner said:
In my limited experience I asked on here what the best AR mag was.

Bout 95% said PMAG. A couple said Lancer (which I had never heard of before said thread) and one other brand was mentioned.

My Norinco likes the D&H mags, but not the PMAGs. My NEA likes the PMAGs and not the D&H. Why......?
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its all aboot tolerence stacking on each individual gun, size and placement of the magazine catch, m4 feed lips, speed of the bolt and buffer weight , magazine spring tension, extractor tension.... all of it has function on how well your magazines work. most guys admit a mid-length gas system is much more forgiving on the magazines then a carbine length because the gas pulse is less. most of these issues ony appear in full auto usage with mil spec guns.

talking about your guns, and not banging on them but norinco and nea are not mil sepc by any means, the norinco has tolerence issues from when they converted the blueprints from standard to metric, the nea has hit or miss QC..... but even namebrand rifles will have have issues if the tolerences of everything are stacked the wrong way, they may not be out of "spec" but the addition of many pieces that JUST make spec may screw things up.
 
Coming down to D&H or Okay industries/Colt magazines which are Okay industries. Surprisingly I found a deal and the pony stamped Colt ones from Okay are cheaper then just generic Okay by about $10.

Wondering if new production Colt ones have anti-tilt followers?
 
I think P-mags and all those new mags are sh!!!t. Ya, they're durable, bla bla

Nothing rivals a USGI Mil-Spec factory Colt 30 round banana. It's served the US military for 50+years, just have the updated Magpul anti tilt followers, new quality springs, and grey aluminum mag bodies.

Colt 30 rounders are KING ....even 20 rounders are ###y, and ideal for a Patrolmans Carbine sitting inside the cruiser.
 
Pietro Beretta said:
I think P-mags and all those new mags are sh!!!t. Ya, they're durable, bla bla

Nothing rivals a USGI Mil-Spec factory Colt 30 round banana. It's served the US military for 50+years, just have the updated Magpul anti tilt followers, new quality springs, and grey aluminum mag bodies.

Colt 30 rounders are KING ....even 20 rounders are ###y, and ideal for a Patrolmans Carbine sitting inside the cruiser.
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Are u kiddin? lol I hope so.
 
Pietro Beretta said:
I think P-mags and all those new mags are sh!!!t. Ya, they're durable, bla bla

Nothing rivals a USGI Mil-Spec factory Colt 30 round banana. It's served the US military for 50+years, just have the updated Magpul anti tilt followers, new quality springs, and grey aluminum mag bodies.

Colt 30 rounders are KING ....even 20 rounders are ###y, and ideal for a Patrolmans Carbine sitting inside the cruiser.
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I am sure you have based this opinion on decades of hands on experience and consultation with industry insiders. Thanks for sharing.
 
Dorian Gray said:
Don't want to hi-jack the OP's thread but i got a quick question that's related. For the Tavor owners, what mags do you find work the best? Pmags (if so, what gen?), usgi's, lar or?
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P-mags need to be modified to prevent it from damaging the bolt catch. And they don't drop free. But other than the P-mags, I'm yet to use a mag that hasn't functioned flawlessly. I pretty much just use USGI, AT-15, and LAR-15 mags in my Tavor. P-mags have been fine after modifying, but I don't like how they don't drop free.
 
Madmardigan said:
P-mags need to be modified to prevent it from damaging the bolt catch. And they don't drop free. But other than the P-mags, I'm yet to use a mag that hasn't functioned flawlessly. I pretty much just use USGI, AT-15, and LAR-15 mags in my Tavor. P-mags have been fine after modifying, but I don't like how they don't drop free.
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IF your pmags doesnt drop fee is either you have a magwell problem (out of spec) or youre not using an AR. All my pmags follows newtons gravity law.
 
Let's not forget that it depends on which bozo riveted the PMag if they will drop freely or insert completely on a closed bolt.
Sometimes (most of the time) the rivet needs to be drilled out and the hole countersunk and a new rivet installed.

Other times the follower needs to be filed down where the rivet hits so that 5.5-5.7 but not 6 rounds can be inserted.
This will allow the mag to be inserted on a closed bolt without issue.
Remember you are a criminal during the time these modifications are being performed.
 
Madmardigan said:
P-mags need to be modified to prevent it from damaging the bolt catch. And they don't drop free. But other than the P-mags, I'm yet to use a mag that hasn't functioned flawlessly. I pretty much just use USGI, AT-15, and LAR-15 mags in my Tavor. P-mags have been fine after modifying, but I don't like how they don't drop free.
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This is simply incorrect. Only generation 2 PMAGs need to be modified. Generation 3 PMAGs are optimized to run in tavors, and they drop free...
 
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