Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Magazine Preferences?

I'm looking to pick up a handfull of new 20 round mags and don't know what out there is best.
So far I think I've got it narrowed down to Brownells, Colt, C-Products or Magpull. Who has the better of this bunch, or is there something out there that's better?

Also looking for a Good five rounder for coyote hunting. Need one I can keep in the field bag loaded and ready to go. The one I have now already has feed lip and spring issues from keeping four rounds in it.

Good article in one of the latest gun rags on mags. I beleive it was an NRA publication? I don't think you can go wrong with any of the current production versions you mention.

A good FAQ listing http://www.rawles.to/AR-15_M16_Magazine_FAQ.html

Magpul PMAG is probably the overall best in the 30 round department.

Only ones I use anymore, still have a fair amount of Colt 20's but the P-Mags are tops.

pmag

P-Mags and Brownells are both good to go. I have no experience with the C-Products. I have a bunch of Colt and other Milspec 20's (such as Adventure Line) that work OK but give an occasional bobble, probably due to follower tilt.

My first choice is P-Mag. I have 5 of them and they are great.

Call me old fashioned, but I like the aluminum mags. Got a bunch of the old Adventureline 20 rd with the dull aluminum follower.

elkhunter76, there is nothing wrong with the old aluminum 20 rounders, I have a bunch,Adventure,Colt and misc and they all work.
Just since the P-mags have hit the market and the fact they can stay preloaded without worrying about feedlips and such I have made the switch. I also like the dust cover on P-mags.
I have pretty much made the switch to all 20's though as much of my shooting is from the bench and for a walk around I still have a few 30's just in case I get charged by sage rats.....

Hard to convince old pharts... especially when you have a stack of working 20s...

I know if I buy more for any reason( I doubt I will see the need really) they'll be pmags.

Have they changed the composotion of the "plastic" at all? Last experience I had with a "plastic" mag it was less than good. Also I am thinking most of you gentlemen live where it doesn't get too cold very often. Ever dropped a loaded plastic mag on a hard surface when it is below zero? I did once.... that cured me. Are the P-Mags that much better with the new advancements in synthetics? I might have to pick up a couple to play with.

jimmy I agree on 20 rd mags...work better off the bench and in a dog town. In fact I have one with a single shot follower for the dog towns.

Jeff smile when you say old phart!

If I've got it right, the P-mag are polymer, right? Granted, there's a difference between polyvinyls and polymer plastics, but how well do the feed lips hold up?

Oh, forgot to mention. I work with plastics and have a familiarity with their benefits and shortcomings.

When I bought this rifle the seller included two mags. One is a Colt that's 223 and Pony marked that's in perfect condition. The other is a no-name, unmarked mag that looks like it's been dropped on the feed lips several times. I get more than twelve rounds into that thing and it will unload itself. It's bound for the scrap bin. That leaves me with just the one Colt I can rely on.

I'm not entirely sold on plastic mags yet. But thought I'd try one, run the snott out of it just to see how it stands up. Would the steel or stainless steel bodied mags be any more durable or reliable than aluminum?

Metal Brownells , Polymer Magpul P-Mags

Watch Video of Magizine test. Good Video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdesKUSUchA

AC, the only thing I have heard bad about the P-mags is some/not all first generation mags were splitting at the back of the mag on the top. I know P-mag was standing behind these and replacing for free,IIRC.
I have ran several thousand rounds through mine with zero problems, feedlips look great.
I have run several thousand rounds through Center Industries mags and never had any issues, these had the new green followers though.
I think pretty much any of the current mags will give you good service.

I had a couple that cracked, these were the 30 rounders, sent em back and they replaced them. No further issues, nor have I heard of any.

I have used P-mags so long now that the other day I was function testing an upper so I grabbed a couple of 30 rd GI mags (w/Magpul followers) and failed to get the first one to seat on the first attempt. P-mags are better designed and work flawlessly, just don't know for how long since they haven't been with us that long.

For 20's you can't beat the straight GI mags with the alloy followers. Those are as bulletproof as they come. I will be testing my P-mags for another 20 years or so though and we'll see if they hold up. So far so good.

Just stay away from curved 20's and you should be good.

Holy cow. That's real world testing. They need that guy at Aberdeen on a test team.

Now I'm thinking five of each. P-Mag and the Brownells.

The last batch I bought was D&M brand. Got them from .44mag.com, priced at $9.99 each.

They have proved flawless.

original GI 20 rd mags is all I use anymore Russ

A good magazine for hunting is the polymer DPMS . I use the 10 round in my calling rifles.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=12962/sku/AR_15_Polymer_Magazine

I would also say I personally think they are the overall best in the 20 round mag department. I use them in my .223, .204, and modify them just slightly for use in my .458 Socom with no issues what so ever. I like the 20 round mag over the 30 rounder because it doesnt stick out in the way as much. Go with the PMAG you wont regret it.

I've got near 100 Aluminum mags (Colt's, Brownells', etc.) and they all work fine.

That said, I have accumulated some 75 PMags, mainly 30 rounders and have no need to look further. All my 30 rounders are the "windowed" version which is totally a personal deal.

Tough as nails, feed reliably and nice to know how many rounds spent/to go (again, in regards to the windowed versions).

Darn......plastic guns, gun parts (shrouds....), stocks and now a plastic magazine that has proven to be very reliable and has taken the world by storm.

Amazing............