The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Magazines: AR-15 Reliability

Technosavant · October 9, 2012, 11:18 AM

Magazines are a major component of reliability in any semiautomatic firearm. Not just the AR-15, but all of them. However, because of the design of the AR-15 magazine well, this particular platform can be especially picky.

In my opinion, life is too short and precious to potentially waste any of it dealing with el cheapo mags of uncertain reliability. There's plenty of magazines out there with proven track record from good makers. The USGI style from quality makers (I favor Brownells, but D&H and some others also make great ones) will work and drop free from any rifle. If you like you can replace the follower with an anti-tilt such as the Magpul Gen III follower for that extra smidge of reliability. There's no shortage of polymer mags now on the market too, and many of them are from makers with great reputations- Magpul, Troy, TangoDown, etc. They'll work and work well.

If a magazine is going to give me problems, I toss it. Magazines, especially for the AR-15, are a consumable resource. If one acts up, throw it out. New ones can be had for about $12-13 without trying all that hard. I keep an eye on them and if the feed lips get cracked or bent, that mag is gone. I also stockpile the things... buy 3-5 every few months just to toss in a box in the closet. If we ever do get into another magazine limit or ban I want to have enough to handle my needs for the rest of my natural life. They're cheap, just get a few more here and there and don't spend any time worrying about bad ones.

October 9, 2012, 11:18 AM	#4
Technosavant Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2007 Location: St. Louis, MO area Posts: 4,040	Magazines are a major component of reliability in any semiautomatic firearm. Not just the AR-15, but all of them. However, because of the design of the AR-15 magazine well, this particular platform can be especially picky. In my opinion, life is too short and precious to potentially waste any of it dealing with el cheapo mags of uncertain reliability. There's plenty of magazines out there with proven track record from good makers. The USGI style from quality makers (I favor Brownells, but D&H and some others also make great ones) will work and drop free from any rifle. If you like you can replace the follower with an anti-tilt such as the Magpul Gen III follower for that extra smidge of reliability. There's no shortage of polymer mags now on the market too, and many of them are from makers with great reputations- Magpul, Troy, TangoDown, etc. They'll work and work well. If a magazine is going to give me problems, I toss it. Magazines, especially for the AR-15, are a consumable resource. If one acts up, throw it out. New ones can be had for about $12-13 without trying all that hard. I keep an eye on them and if the feed lips get cracked or bent, that mag is gone. I also stockpile the things... buy 3-5 every few months just to toss in a box in the closet. If we ever do get into another magazine limit or ban I want to have enough to handle my needs for the rest of my natural life. They're cheap, just get a few more here and there and don't spend any time worrying about bad ones.