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Dutch
30 June 2007, 17:39
I am always on the hunt for new magazines for M16/AR15 rifle platforms, with the magazine normally being the weakest link. I have used everything from standard issue aluminum GI magazines, the British SA80 steel magazines, Orlites, and even the H&K magazines.

For the cost, weight and reliability I would have to say the PMAGS are tops in all these categories. I find the polymer magazine bodies to be stronger than other "plastic" or aluminum magazines, and weigh considerable less loaded than the steel magazines. The anti-tilt followers are great for positive feeding of cartridges in both experienced (older) and new weapons.

A big plus I have found is the base plate covers the bottom of the magazine body rather than sitting flush with the body. When other magazines are dropped repeatedly I have found the base of the body, or the retaining feet to crack and occassionally the base plate to go flying along with the spring the follower and all the remaining ammo. I like MAGPULS design in that the base plate covers and surrounds the bottom protecting the mag body.

The magazines do show wear and tear but don't seem to suffer from it. They scuff and scratch with heavy abuse yet continues to function as designed.

I have shared these with my LE/MIL buddies and students who are also greatly impressed as am I.

Dutch

Stickman
19 August 2007, 10:32
Here is a review that I wrote up in 2/07 when PMAGs were still in prototype stage. It gives a little history with the pictures.


I'm sure a lot of you have seen the new line of PMAG (polymer 30 round magazines) that Magpul has created. I've had a chance to play around with these for several months, and I figured I would write a quick review based off first hand use over a bit of time.

When I first saw the PMAGs, they were in a preproduction stage. They had been rapid prototyped, and they were a bit rough. That wasn't a big deal to me as they were simply a prototype, and I really liked the concept. The magazine is pictured below, and was textured. It had ribs across the body, and a wide baseplate that tapered out for a positive grip even with wet hands, cold finger, or wearing gloves. You can see in the prototype that the "window" is uninstalled with this model

The design layout was outstanding, but it still begged the question, how would they function?

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_9255%20Stick.jpg


Moving ahead in time to the present, you can see from the below pictures that the design has changed a little, but not by much. The materials are different, and the windows are now installed. The wide baseplate continues to be present (thankyou), and the cover is still part of the package. The cover is designed to protect the feedlips of the magazine, which is the section that is most often damaged. The cover works with an empty magazine, as well as fully or partially loaded magazines.

I have been running the PMAGs through my duty and training weapons for awhile now, and have found them to be boring and even mundane in their function. They simply work, and work, and work.

I've thrown fully loaded magazines around in the snow, left them out overnight loaded and then thrown them onto concrete slabs 40 feet away. The mags seem less than impressed with my efforts. I've already seen much heavier people than myself jump up and down on them, so I haven't bothered trying to recreate that visual oddity. I've run hundreds and hundreds of reload drills, and the magazines have a great feel in handling. I attribute that good "feel" to the ribbing, and wide floorplate that really allow for a solid nonslip grasp under stres.

Overall, Magpul seems to have created a high reliability magazine that will be capable of mass production. I anticipate having a stock pile of them for myself, as well as having a dedicated training pile to let other officers, MIL friends, and trainers/ instructors use.


http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_8905%20Stick.jpg

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_8906%20Stick.jpg

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_8909%20Stick%202.jpg

Stickman
19 August 2007, 10:41
There seem to be a series of questions that I've been asked over and over.

QUESTION

1. My question is why should I buy Pmags over USGI mags?

2. Are they better, same, or just different than USGI mags.

3. Also do you think that the feed lips will last long enough to make them worth it?

ANSWER
1. I could ask the same question as to why you would buy an aluminum magazine. I know you have seen plenty of mags go bad from use and wear. Now think of a glock frame, how many have you seen go bad? Proper material selection makes or breaks the product.

2. There are millions of USGI magazines scattered all over the earth. To make a basis on the ones I've used, and that others have used would be flawed at best. I can speak from experience on what I've seen and used, and give my opinion, but it needs to be with the understanding that it is a small sample.

The PMAGs have taken abuse with me that would kill any of my USGI magazines. The items like the wider floorplate, and ribbed body are nice features for a working mans magazine. The antitilt follower is nice and smooth as well. Reliability has shown itself to be high from what I've seen.

Perhaps the best answer I can give you is that at this point, it is different, but in areas, I think its better. Until they are mainstream, and in heavy use, I am simply one city cop running drills with the input of fellow instructors, LEOs, and MIL. So far, we are all enjoying the PMAGs.

3. Feedlips are a weak point on aluminum magazines, so I would guess that they would be on these as well. I do know that I've stood on the feedlips and bounced up and down trying to see if they will give, and they haven't. I do not think my aluminum body mags would fare as well, though dropping is usually where I've seen the USGI ones damaged. Most people have seen the video of the PMAGs getting run over by a truck. I've done the same thing with my cruiser, and its not a joke. The PMAGs hold up to abuse that kills other magazines.

Glock frames seem to hold up well, and so have the Magpul polymer items that they have produced, especially the CTR stock I use. All things considered, I don't think the feedlips will be an issue, and if they are the weak link, they may still prove to take more abuse/ wear/ impact than their USGI cousins, from what I've seen, I'm not personally worried about the feedlips going bad.

Stickman
19 August 2007, 10:43
Here are some additional pictures.

This shows a Magpul PMAG disassembled.

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_8797%20Stick.jpg


This picture shows some of the growing family of PMAGs that I've got around the house.

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_2906%20Stick.jpg

Stickman
19 August 2007, 10:47
Here is a series of pictures that was taken while we were doing some abuse of the PMAGs. The mags were run over on packed earth, then thrown in mud, then run over again. The magazines functioned, but after doing this several times there was so much dirt and grit that the bolt couldn't lock into the barrel extension.

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_9672%20Stick.jpg

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_9696%20Stick%20a.jpg

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_9697%20Stick%20a.jpg

Stickman
19 August 2007, 10:53
For cold weather testing I left out a loaded PMAG in 15 degree weather overnight. The next morning, I threw it underhand in an arc roughly 30 feet onto concrete. This was done several times with no visible damage. After that, I chucked the PMAG onto the snow covered ground and jumped up and down on it, there was no damage observed. Finally, I put the PMAG on rocks, and again jumped up and down, and again, there was no damage found. At the end of this, the PMAG feed rounds which were cycled manually ( I did not have the capability to fire the weapon that morning with the mag being frozen).

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_8831%20Stick.jpg

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_8834%20Stick.jpg

Stickman
19 August 2007, 10:57
In addition to standard and windowed PMAGs in black, Flat Dark Earth, O.D. Green, and Foliage Green, Magpul is also releasing clear and smoke tinted PMAGs as well.


Clear PMAG
http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_0083%20Stick%20a.jpg

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_0196%20Stick.jpg


Smoked PMAG
http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_2766%20Stick.jpg

http://stickman.rainierarms.com/galleries/Magpul/IMG_2813%20Stick.jpg

Stickman
24 February 2008, 19:17
A separate thread has been written detailing destruction testing of the Magpul PMAG, it can be found at the below link.


PMAG Tested Past Destruction Link (http://www.weaponevolution.com/forum/showthread.php?t=312)