AR-15 Magzine Recommendations...

[Rourke]

I have a new Stag Arms AR and looking to get some magazines for it. I'd like to know what magazines work for everybody.

So, what do you suggest me getting?

Thanks - Rourke

[jvencius]

PMAG's if you can find 'em and if not, than a USGI mag with the Magpul folower.

[Creeky73]

yep, I'm glad I got my PMAG's before the Obamamania Effect kicked in. Of course, I learn the other night that they started making their new style of PMAGs literally one month after I got my last ones. Not that I think I will ever know a serious difference, but it would have been nice to be able to snap the covers onto the bottom of the magazine. Magpul rocks.

[Stickman]

PMAG's if you can find 'em and if not, than a USGI mag with the Magpul folower.

That would be my input as well.

[Army Chief]

USGI mags work. USGI mags will keep right on working ... until they get too bent up or abused, at which point they start doing things like double-feeding, or worse.

PMAGs work. PMAGS will keep right on working ... and working ... and working. Uh, and working. You get the idea.

Unless you're a hard-use guy, or a serious trainer, the odds are that the less-expensive GI mags will more than suit your purposes, but if there is a better mousetrap out there (and there is), then it certainly makes sense to invest in it while you can. The PMAG is that mousetrap in the eyes of most, but I still don't know any serious student of the AR that doesn't have a nice stock of USGI mags in his kit.

AC

[Eric]

USGI mags have been the standard for some time now. They have a proven track record and have been produced in the millions. While they are usually very much reliable as is, the Magpul anti-tilt follower is an inexpensive and reasonable upgrade. All of my duty mags have them. While the Pmags have only been around for a few years, they have already taken the market by storm and are arguably superior to USGI mags in strength and function. Of course the trick right now is finding them right now.

[Army Chief]

Eric's point is well-made. I conveniently overlooked the fact that, for the past 25 years, I've yet to put a single PMAG into a service M-16A1/M-16A2/M4, and I've rarely (if ever) encountered a significant problem with the tried-and-true aluminum USGI mags. Assuming you perform even a cursory inspection of your equipment, these mags do just fine, even without enhanced followers or other improvements. Can we make a good thing better? Absolutely. Is the good thing somehow suspect, now that newer, better alternatives exist? Not at all.

AC

[m24shooter]

As stated, the GI mags or PMAGs. Watch the floorplates for the mfr data to make sure you have an actual GI mag.
On the topic of PMCS on mags, there is an easy way to determine if your feed lips are malf'd.
Load the mag to 10 or 11 round and hold it vertically in one hand. Slap the bottom of the mag with the palm of your other hand with some force.
If the top round pops loose, you will have trouble with your feed lips and you should rotate the mag to the DX pile or use it for training malf drills.

[SHIHAN]

PMAG's if you can find 'em and if not, than a USGI mag with the Magpul folower.

What he said.

[SERT103]

I stock mostly USGI's (D&H, Okay, NHMTG) with magpul followers. I also have 11 pmags which I usually use as training mags. 2 of them have already been replaced by magpul due to cracking at the rear notch. They had less than 100 rounds through them and were not abused. I have also got a few Lancer L5's and I feel that they are the most under appreciated mags out there. The only complaints that I have heard about them is they don't fit well in most magazine carriers because of the rib on the outside. Other than that I have put about 100 rounds through each on thrusday and no problems whatsoever.

[louie]

You can't go wrong with C-Products Stainless Steel mags.

And, they can be found, 'For Sale', all over the interweb.

[JustMatt]

+ 1 for the L5 Lancer's. They work great. Still prefer PMags because of the anti tilt follower but the Lancers are easily obtainable and work fine. Also the PMag can be loaded with 30 rnds and seated in the magwell fairly easy but the Lancer takes a little more convincing. And like SERT said, they are a little bulkier and don't fit as well in my EMDOM mag pouches as the PMags and USGI mags.

[SHIHAN]

Pmags, Lancer's and USGI in that order. I would stay away from Cprod of any type.

[Custom-X_Sponjah]

I started using USGI's that Marines handed down to me, Collected about 60 of them. Then I picked up 25 C-Products Standard Aluminum's w/Anti-tilts. I used and abused the shit out of them and they all lasted fine. I moved to PMags last year, and fell in love.. I have since sold every Pre-Ban and Old USGI mag I have, except for the C-Products, so I can buy more P-Mags when they become available..

CXS

[SHIHAN]

I started using USGI's that Marines handed down to me, Collected about 60 of them. Then I picked up 25 C-Products Standard Aluminum's w/Anti-tilts. I used and abused the shit out of them and they all lasted fine. I moved to PMags last year, and fell in love.. I have since sold every Pre-Ban and Old USGI mag I have, except for the C-Products, so I can buy more P-Mags when they become available..

CXS

I have found with CProd you will either get very good ones or those on the opposite side of good. I was once a Cprod dealer and sent back over a couple hundread for function issues. The mags ranged from standard USGI type to stainless with the Magpul followers. What I found is that the mags and their function was tied to lots. I have a couple of dozen that are flawless and some new ones from the same lots in the mag case. However after what I have seen I would not trust buying them again.