The AR-15 Thread - AR-15's and Magazines

[projectvxn]

I'd prefer new-manufactured bodies because they have improved internal geometry and better spot welds compared to older service models. But other than that, nothing.

EDIT:

Right now, these are the best magazines for a low budget on the market if you can't afford the Okay mags.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/d-h-5-56...-8416.html

You and I will have to differ on mag choices, but differing opinions is what makes the world go around. eh? I'll fault no man for picking the poison he's willing to bet his own life on - your choice just isn't mine. that's all.


From what I can see of those magazines on the page you linked to, they have the exact same internal geometry as the 40 year old former USMC GI mags I have right now, and appear to have been made on the same machinery. The main difference between the ones I have and those is the teflon coating on the inside of the mag, and the Magpul followers. I only have two Magpuls with Magpul followers, and have not had any trouble out of either one, but neither had had hard use - mostly because I never trusted them. Plastic feed lips and plastic magazine catch notches are not my idea of reliable when the heat is on. The teflon coating in the mags you recommend is a nice touch, and should prevent the stickiness that sometimes develops in the aluminum mags.

My gripe with the GI aluminum mags is that they are... aluminum. When bent, they stay bent, and that includes the aluminum feed lips. Now, one can make a convincing argument that dropping a mag on it's feed lips is bad practice, and I'd have to agree - but the fact remains that IF they get dinged, bent, or spread, that's where they stay on aluminum mags.

On the plus side, it's rare to see one separate along the back seam as I have seem Magpuls do, and the occasional spot-welded aluminum mag if the welds weaken. I'm pretty sure that's what happened to the Sanchez aluminum mag I have - the one that won't drop free of the mag well without a stout tug.

At 10 bucks a pop, the price isn't bad, but it's only about a quarter less each than the Lancers I bought in bulk.

Now, keeping in mind that all 6 of the aluminum mags I have are well over 40 years old, all of them have the black followers, and none of the followers are of the anti-tilt sort, so there is that. They served me well for 30 years or so, so I can't complain. As I said before, only one is unserviceable now, since it sticks in the mag well. All the rest are still good to go, which is why I still keep them in reserve just in case. I keep the Sticky Sanchez to demonstrate to folks why I don't use aluminum magazines any more - a practical demonstration is worth a thousand words.

I agree with you about the steel mags. I have 3 40 round steel mags made by national Magazine in California, all Colt marked on the floor plate, and they are all crap. They're hard to load, and when loaded they rattle too much, which tells me the follower - even though it's an anti-tilt follower (green) - is sticking somewhere in the magazine body. Kinda sucks, since they were all brand new straight from the factory when I got them, and they were crap right out of the wrapper.

Like I said before, though, I'll fault no man for betting his own life on his own preference. You have yours, I have mine, and it's all good. Mine are Lancers for the reasons I've outlined in the OP, and yours are the aluminum ones. I wish you the best of luck with them, and a long life to tell tales to your grandchildren, as I do mine.

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I don't disagree with anything you said here honestly, I just have a different philosophy that guides my choice. 

My philosophy is this:

Magazines are disposable. Typically, a polymer magazine will be useless if it splits or something happens to the feed lips. There is little you can do to repair a broken polymer magazine if disposing of them isn't an option. If mine gets so dinged up that I can't use them anymore they get taken to the shop, dings get hammered out, bent feed lips get unbent, and typically I will apply SFL. It is at this point that I replace the springs. If the followers are ok and haven't been chewed up they get reused, otherwise, they too get replaced.  

I used to own many Magpul mags, some lancers, a few Amend2's, some MFTs, and ETS mags and all of them have the problems I listed above. While I understand the issues you have with dinged-up aluminum mags, trust me, you can do wonders with a jewelers hammer, a mallet and punch set, and a spray can of SFL. I had to repair every magazine we had in our inventory before we deployed. Couldn't get new ones due to Obama's budget cuts. 

Not one of my repair mags failed when needed and believe me, they were needed.