Hey everyone, just in the process of building my first AR. Trying to decide what brand of mags I should be stocking up on, and figured I would see what you guys think. The guy that's helping me with my build swears by PMAGs, but figured I would ask.
AR Magazine Question
- Thread starter UncleNiko
- Start date
onetwentyish
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Central AB (AKA Northern Texas)
Pmags are an excellent mag for a fair price, though I personally prefer Lancer L5's smoked translucent. You wont regret Pmags, ever. Unless you have a gun with an out of spec tight magwell (looking at you T97NSR).
That said, AR pistol mags, or .50 beo mags are where its at if you wish to enjoy yourself. Just make sure you have legal defense insurance in case you run into an over zealous officer.
ObiWanJenobi
New member
- Location
- Central Alberta
Sorry to hijack this thread, but I also have quick question! Are the LAR 15 and Beo .50 mags the only ones that can legally hold more than 5 rounds and be fit in a AR15? I know the legality of the .50 beo has been argued but lets just assume its legal for know.
So now I'm interested. Where do we find these in Canada?
(a quick google search shows CTCS but o.o.s. at the moment, and opaque black at IRG in a historical CGN post but nothing showing up today via on-website search)
Cross Industries has posted on CGN of an upcoming coupling LAR15 magazine, but no recent news lately.
Still alive
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Rainy mosquito infested part of BC
Take a look at the HEX mags from Barton’s Big Country. $22/ mag.
x2
If you're interested in 10 round magazines then I'd recommend checking out HEXMAG (if you care about looks) or LAR-15.
FYI - I called in to Barton's Big Country (BBC) as they are out of stock for "HEXMAG 10 Round Pistol Carbine Magazine" ... they apparently have 5,000 more coming to Canada, however there are some delays with the export... No timetable as the issue is with the company working with BBC, but when it's all sorted out BBC will make a post on their FB.
There's a new, apparently legal, magazine that recently just came to the Canadian market. It's similar to the LAR 15 in a sense that it's a pistol carbine magazine that can hold 10 rounds of .223/5.56 ... the only difference from my perspective is that it looks like a standard 30 round magazine and isn't small like the LAR 15.
They are out of stock for now and they can only be found with one provider (that I know of), Barton's Big Country. They will have about 5,000 more coming in the near future, however there isn't a concrete date as the issue is dependent on the U.S. company who exports these magazines to Barton's.
If you're looking for just basic AR mags, go pmag. They're boringly reliable and they're very cost effective. Gucci mags like the lancers look nice but as far as I've ever witnessed, they offer no measureable advantage in real applications over the pmag, and typically cost nearly 10 dollars more per mag. So is it worth that extra coin for hipster mags? that's your call but I'd recommend Pmags if you're looking to stock up on the most reliable AR mags we've yet to encounter.
The only instance I'd recommend lancers is like what 120 said, if you have a tight tolerance magwell like on the T97's, but then again USGI mags work just as well as Lancers at a fraction of the cost.
The only instance I'd recommend lancers is like what 120 said, if you have a tight tolerance magwell like on the T97's, but then again USGI mags work just as well as Lancers at a fraction of the cost.
From my 28 years of using C7/M16/AR15 type mags: I stick with aluminum mags, preferably military issued ones. Not all aluminum mags are created equal, with durability of the floor plate retaining tabs being my yardstick. The many failures of early model plastic mags eroded my trust in their reliability, but I still use some.
One thing to be aware of is the overall length of the ammunition you will be shooting and the internal dimension (front to rear) of the magazine. I have found the plastic mags tend to have less room for longer ammunition, due to the fact their walls are thicker. I can't put some of my hand loads (polymer tip or 68gr bullets) in the plastic mags I have. I can load everything in my aluminum mags. All the standard 55gr factory ammo I have used fits in everything I have used, so if that is what you will be shooting, this won't be an issue.
One thing to be aware of is the overall length of the ammunition you will be shooting and the internal dimension (front to rear) of the magazine. I have found the plastic mags tend to have less room for longer ammunition, due to the fact their walls are thicker. I can't put some of my hand loads (polymer tip or 68gr bullets) in the plastic mags I have. I can load everything in my aluminum mags. All the standard 55gr factory ammo I have used fits in everything I have used, so if that is what you will be shooting, this won't be an issue.
onetwentyish
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Central AB (AKA Northern Texas)
IF I was in a military environment and or was subjecting the mags to hard use I would echo the sentiment to stick with aluminum or stainless milspec mags.
They hold up better, wont crack or break as easily and more importantly they don't swell or expand their feedlips and mag bodies when left fully loaded for periods of time.
Magpul and other plastic mags can and do swell their feedlips and bodis when left loaded...especially fully loaded for extended periods. This is likely their only serious drawback compared to steel or ally mags.
Their feedlips and bodies can also crack/break during hard use easier as well.
That said Magpuls are very reliable and of excellent design, lightweight, impervious to water and corrosion and are somewhat self lubing.
Steel and or ally milspec mags have plenty of sharp edges....Magpuls and similar are pretty much dehorned by nature...a big plus.
Being limited to low mag capacity, range use and not have your life on the line makes decision making different and affords options like cost, cool factor, preference etc to rule.
Pmags work great, are inexpensive, are very user friendly for mag changing...which the CDN AR shooter does a LOT of
are arguably cool looking.
Due to our current clown circus of legalbegal bullpooh.....running LAR mags is the only way to run 10rds legally so make an obvious good choice. They are metal and of good design, are relatively inexpensive and very tough so a great choice. Their only drawback is the short mag bodies offer lil real estate when mag changing and disappear in conventional mag pouches designed for full size mags....a major problem requiring either adding features to the mag to elongate it or puill tabs/ranger plates etc....as well as mandating mag pouches designed to work well with shorter mags.
Once mounted in the rifle the LARS work excellent and make the rifle very quick and snagfree....mag changing is reall their only downfall....otherwise they are superior in many ways and offer excellent prone or barricaded shooting ergos.
Most of us likely have a mix of Pmags and LARS...I sure do.
They are both exc mags.
If/When the sillyass nanistate ever remove the ridiculous mag restrictions on already restricted firearms deployed only on restricted ranges....full size mags can always be deneutered
That or conditions deteriorate to the point where law/order is mute.
Advice:
Buy up a half dozen or so Pmags.
Buy up the same in LAR mags. When buying LAR style mags make sure they have antitilt followers. The stainless C Products are a good go. There are others similar.
Try em out and decide. Can't go wrong with either.
You have already succeeded....you bought/built an AR and AR stuff!!
Buy more....and encourage others to do same
An AR(s) in every legitimate gun owners possession is a good thing More the merrier.
They hold up better, wont crack or break as easily and more importantly they don't swell or expand their feedlips and mag bodies when left fully loaded for periods of time.
Magpul and other plastic mags can and do swell their feedlips and bodis when left loaded...especially fully loaded for extended periods. This is likely their only serious drawback compared to steel or ally mags.
Their feedlips and bodies can also crack/break during hard use easier as well.
That said Magpuls are very reliable and of excellent design, lightweight, impervious to water and corrosion and are somewhat self lubing.
Steel and or ally milspec mags have plenty of sharp edges....Magpuls and similar are pretty much dehorned by nature...a big plus.
Being limited to low mag capacity, range use and not have your life on the line makes decision making different and affords options like cost, cool factor, preference etc to rule.
Pmags work great, are inexpensive, are very user friendly for mag changing...which the CDN AR shooter does a LOT of
are arguably cool looking.Due to our current clown circus of legalbegal bullpooh.....running LAR mags is the only way to run 10rds legally so make an obvious good choice. They are metal and of good design, are relatively inexpensive and very tough so a great choice. Their only drawback is the short mag bodies offer lil real estate when mag changing and disappear in conventional mag pouches designed for full size mags....a major problem requiring either adding features to the mag to elongate it or puill tabs/ranger plates etc....as well as mandating mag pouches designed to work well with shorter mags.
Once mounted in the rifle the LARS work excellent and make the rifle very quick and snagfree....mag changing is reall their only downfall....otherwise they are superior in many ways and offer excellent prone or barricaded shooting ergos.
Most of us likely have a mix of Pmags and LARS...I sure do.
They are both exc mags.
If/When the sillyass nanistate ever remove the ridiculous mag restrictions on already restricted firearms deployed only on restricted ranges....full size mags can always be deneutered
That or conditions deteriorate to the point where law/order is mute.
Advice:
Buy up a half dozen or so Pmags.
Buy up the same in LAR mags. When buying LAR style mags make sure they have antitilt followers. The stainless C Products are a good go. There are others similar.
Try em out and decide. Can't go wrong with either.
You have already succeeded....you bought/built an AR and AR stuff!!
Buy more....and encourage others to do same
An AR(s) in every legitimate gun owners possession is a good thing
More the merrier.
