I am planning to pick up some additional bulk 30-round magazines and I am finally looking at changing from the traditional aluminum body type to the PMAG if there is a positive benefit. I know they have been on the market for some time and have been used in the mil service. I have not used the PMAG's more than a couple of times when using associates weapon's, but liked them and they seemed to perform well. During my military period we used nothing but the aluminum bodied magazines and never seemed to have any issues with them of note, if maintained properly, so I have never been compelled to try anything different. My question for those Monkey's that have used both is what are the pro's/con's to switching over to the PMAG. Is there a weight reduction benefit, do they hold up well in usage, failure to feed issues with any particular types, have there been issues that would cause one to sway others away from their use....and so on. I also note that there are Gen 2 and Gen 3 currently available and wonder if there is a notable difference in the Gen 3 performance. Thanks in advance for any advice. YD
Pros: weight savings is phenomenal. They have high abrasive, impact, and crush resistance. If they get scratched, they will not rust. I switched from steel to PMAGs for my AR-10 weapon and will not go back to steel. I have never had a FTF from a Magpul Pmag. Cons: you have to make sure that the magazine works for your specific weapon. There are at least 2 styles of AR-10 style Pmag out there. One for the A style and one for the B style. I am not aware that such an issue exists for the 5.56 peashooters.
At one time, I owned two Norinco 120rd steel drums. I decided to sell them to finance the purchase of a number of PMAGs that would hold and exceed the total number of rounds that the Drums could hold. The drums could be stored loaded, and that was the primary reason I decided to go with the PMAGs. The PMAGs were relatively new at the time, only on the market for a year or so, and storing magazines loaded was originally taboo. Needless to say, I have some PMAGs that have been loaded for the last 5+ years. Pros: I've loaded and shot .50 Beowulf and .300 Blackout from PMAGs. They will shoot these oddball calibers with ease, as long as they are not too long and fit in the magazine. What can I say, I'm a magazine fashonista- they come in colors other than black. Cons: PMAGs may not fit into your slab magazine carriers, even with the dust caps off. I still have a few OKAY industries aluminum magazines, and use them from time to time. I was shooting with a friend of mine about a year ago, and when using some of the milsurp magazines, experienced some failures. Mostly failure to feed- it would eject the empty casing and fail to pick up the next. It wasn't short-stroking, it the magazine actually backed out of the magwell somehow. After the first time, I would slap it hard, listening for the click, and still the magazines (all three of them) would back out. I never had that problem with any of my PMAGs.
I only use polymer mags, they are virtually indistructible (to a limit obviously) and they are crazy lite. Also look into the Troy industries Battle Mag. They are also a high quality polymer mag
I picked up two of the Magpul Gen 3 PMAG's yesterday to test fit them and they worked fine in my AR. I will be picking up more pretty quick and make the transition as well. Are the ranger plates for the mag's a benefit to use.... they are appealing per the advertised benefits, but I have not used them?
I haven't tested them. Brownell's has a 10 pack of Gen M3 pmags for around $135 (free shipping with code EB2 if you spend more than $100 - maybe 150 don't remember). Seemed to be about the best deal I could find for 30
Same deal I found...everywhere else is either sold out or more costly. Paid $16.95 or so per mag yesterday for the two I picked up locally.
You can catch great deals all the time on Gunbroker. People selling three or more at a reduced prices to compete with the next guy. The market is flooded right now on Grunbroker.
I <3 my Pmags! One my ARs came with an aluminum mag. It rattled empty, rattled loaded, & tried to cut my fingers reloading it. I have about 30+ Pmags now in 5.56
I have a bunch of gen 1 & 2 30 round P-mags and recently split a case of 3rd gen 30 rounders with a friend. No issues with any of then so far running them between a couple different AR's . Been picking up some of the 40 round P-mags and they work just fine too. Now if they'd only make a P-Mag for my FAL....
The ranger plates only work with the gen2 pmags.. I have not seen them for the gen 3 yet. Also Magpul is now making AK mags. As far as those with AR10's they have 2 version of mags the emag ..European style guns and then they have American spec ones as well.
I will wait for the Gen 2 AK Pmags, they are supposed to have metal in the front and rear locking lugs. That being said they are going to have to be darn good to compete with com-bloc Mil-Surps.
I think with Magpul quality and the price point being very close to the imports, they already do compete with the Combloc mags. And being that supply will dry up eventually, whether it's by our Marxist president or supplies growing thin, it's nice to have a cheaper alternative that's US made.
Crot Ak47 Mags for sale at AIM for $10.95 and they have the last round hold open follower. These are all metal and New, marked in the country of mfg.
I am speaking from a quality/longevity point, regarding the competitiveness. I have not tested a Magpul AK mag, but have ripped non-reinforced lugs out of several other polymer mags that lacked the metal lugs. I just personally prefer metal in my AK mags, but I am sure Magpul is making a mint and more power to them. Those that use and like them, do you man and rock it.
