The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Help finding AR10-A2 compatible magazine

USMCGrunt · December 7, 2017, 01:04 AM

Before you blow a gasket and vapor-lock on us here, do you have any idea about the history behind the Armalite AR-10 series of rifles? Keep in mind that Knights Armament and Armalite were the first to bring out the AR-10 platform as we know it today. Knights went with the design that would become standard by designing their rifle around the original Armalite AR-10 rifle designed in the 50's and 60's. The waffle mags those rifles used were not always easy to come by. Armalite brought their rifles to market shortly afterwards during the 1994 assault weapons ban. Not sure if you were around for those days but newly manufactured magazines were banned from civilian sales and non-neutered magazines were generally VERY expensive. I remember Glock 21 mags with a going rate of $125 EACH! They needed a magazine that was already in circulation and lower priced. M-14 surplus mags in those days were still quite affordable and the modifications to those mags were able to work in the AR-10 rifles and still a far cry cheaper and more durable than Stoner/Armalite AR-10 waffle mags. Many owners that already owned an M1A and had a supply of magazines for it could convert them to run in the Armalite AR-10 as well. This is why what you refer to as a propriety magazine was a workable solution to a very dark time in our history. Had you lived through those days, you'd understand why things are the way they are. It wasn't until after 2004 when we seen the sun again that makers like DPMS began to market rifles designed to take the old Stoner pattern magazines that became popular today.
As far as the A/B series confusion goes, are you aware that Armalite at one time marketed the AR-10B rifle? It was built on the same modified M-14 magazine platform of the day but with brown plastic furniture and the charging handle located inside the carrying handle in a similar fashion to the original Stoner/Armalite AR-10 rifles. Now while I agree that today, the original M-14 style magazine rifles should have been designated as an "A" style lower receiver and the newer AR-10s using the DMPS/PMag style magazines that came along much, much later be designated as a "B" style power receiver, I'm sure you can see where that would cause confusion with the old AR-10B rifles.
Yes, it does sound like they screwed up in telling you which rifle would work with which kind of magazine. However, if I were you, I'd just return them and watch for when they make another batch of B-series magazines then stock up on them then. I've got 3 B-series AR-10s and while they can't use the latest and greatest PMags and other more standardized DPMS pattern magazines, the AR-10 B series magazines are as bomb-proof as my M-14 mags and should give decades of decent service.

December 7, 2017, 01:04 AM	#10
USMCGrunt Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2000 Location: Somewhere in 14T NT Posts: 730	Before you blow a gasket and vapor-lock on us here, do you have any idea about the history behind the Armalite AR-10 series of rifles? Keep in mind that Knights Armament and Armalite were the first to bring out the AR-10 platform as we know it today. Knights went with the design that would become standard by designing their rifle around the original Armalite AR-10 rifle designed in the 50's and 60's. The waffle mags those rifles used were not always easy to come by. Armalite brought their rifles to market shortly afterwards during the 1994 assault weapons ban. Not sure if you were around for those days but newly manufactured magazines were banned from civilian sales and non-neutered magazines were generally VERY expensive. I remember Glock 21 mags with a going rate of $125 EACH! They needed a magazine that was already in circulation and lower priced. M-14 surplus mags in those days were still quite affordable and the modifications to those mags were able to work in the AR-10 rifles and still a far cry cheaper and more durable than Stoner/Armalite AR-10 waffle mags. Many owners that already owned an M1A and had a supply of magazines for it could convert them to run in the Armalite AR-10 as well. This is why what you refer to as a propriety magazine was a workable solution to a very dark time in our history. Had you lived through those days, you'd understand why things are the way they are. It wasn't until after 2004 when we seen the sun again that makers like DPMS began to market rifles designed to take the old Stoner pattern magazines that became popular today. As far as the A/B series confusion goes, are you aware that Armalite at one time marketed the AR-10B rifle? It was built on the same modified M-14 magazine platform of the day but with brown plastic furniture and the charging handle located inside the carrying handle in a similar fashion to the original Stoner/Armalite AR-10 rifles. Now while I agree that today, the original M-14 style magazine rifles should have been designated as an "A" style lower receiver and the newer AR-10s using the DMPS/PMag style magazines that came along much, much later be designated as a "B" style power receiver, I'm sure you can see where that would cause confusion with the old AR-10B rifles. Yes, it does sound like they screwed up in telling you which rifle would work with which kind of magazine. However, if I were you, I'd just return them and watch for when they make another batch of B-series magazines then stock up on them then. I've got 3 B-series AR-10s and while they can't use the latest and greatest PMags and other more standardized DPMS pattern magazines, the AR-10 B series magazines are as bomb-proof as my M-14 mags and should give decades of decent service.