Ar15 mags

[Geezerbiker]

I figure since some people can't handle talking about more than one problem in a thread, I'd split the discussion of what I'm working though on my first AR15 into 2 (maybe more) threads.

I bought 3 Stoner AR mags from Midway then one more when I ordered other stuff. I've had them too long to even bother trying to return them so I'm going to consider them project mags...

The Stoner AR mags feed well but 3 of them won't hold all 20 rounds they are supposed to take. The 4th one will hold 20 rounds but getting the last one in is tough. I've taken them all apart and a couple of them seemed to be squished in ever so slightly at the bottom. I wedged them open also ever so slightly since I didn't want to make it worse. I have it now so that 3 of them will take 18 rounds and I don't know when I'll get back to working on them.

The last time I went shooting, I put 15 rounds each in the Stoner AR mags and they all feed just fine. If I didn't try to put more rounds in them, they would be great as 15 round mags.

Someone here recommended Brownells mags, so I bought a couple. The price was right and I had the bux on hand... I thought for sure they were stainless but I must have misread the description. They're aluminum but they have a life time guaranty and I think Brownells will be around longer than me.. Anyway not only do they hold all 20 rounds, getting the last round in isn't much more effort than the first round. I expect they will work fine and I'll report back in a few days.

I'm going shooting in a couple days with my daughter and grandkids and any more energy I put into gun stuff before then will be loading more ammo.

I have one more mag that I'd like to try if I can ever remember where the hell I put it. This one is a stainless steel body, 10 round mag made in Israel. I bought it from Midsouth Shooters Supply at the same time I bought the Trinity Force A2 stock. Anyway it was the cheapest mag they had and I didn't need one yet but I wanted one to make sure the mag catch I had just installed in the lower receiver worked properly...

So this is where I'm at on the magazine issue...

Tony

[armoredman]

My AR magazine experience isn't very extensive, but my best luck has been with PMags. Of course, good solid GI aluminum works fine too, but I replace the followers with MagPul anti tilt followers. Only mags I have used and will never use again is Promag. Pure unadulterated garbage.

[dahermit]

The 4th one will hold 20 rounds but getting the last one in is tough.

Are you loading the rounds into the mags with your fingers or are you using G.I. stripper clips or a magazine loader?

[Dunross]

For 20rd mags I've come to favor the Okay Industries and Brownells aluminum mags. Never had a failure with them and can load all twenty rounds.

I usually don't load them by hand though. I have a Maglula for that. Much easier on the fingers!

[Geezerbiker]

I load them with my fingers. I've seen mag loading gizmos for handguns but I never thought I needed one and still don't.

Tony

[chadio]

Have used the Colt aluminum 20, and the Lancer L5 AWM 20. Personally, I don't burn through ammo (which is stupid expensive now) and typically only load 10 or 15 rounds. My mags may or may not easily swallow 20, but I see no need. Trying to force in round # 20 and getting frustrated about it - absolutely not worth the annoyance.

p.s. I just put 20 into the Lancer, it took them all without protest. Round 20 went in just fine. Did this just for you - good luck, safe and happy shooting.. my Lancer is black, but they come in other colors and translucent...

[chadio]

Lancer

[kymasabe]

Magpul mags, and Okays are my go-to.
I've also had good luck with Palmetto State Armory's mags, but I prefer the other two I mentioned.

[rickyrick]

I weigh out my cartridges if loading a bunch of mags with the same capacity, that way I only count them one time.

[Nathan]

3 Stoner AR mags from Midway

I think this is your issue. There just seems to be low cost AR and 1911 parts to deceive owners who don’t understand what the good parts are in the plethora available.

Buying from Brownell’s is a great idea when in doubt. Everything is lifetime satisfaction…or whatever they call it now.

That said, Colt, Okay, D&H, or PMags work. All others are suspect to me.

[Shadow9mm]

I have had good luck with c-products Duramags SS (stainless) mags. I get mine here
https://www.joeboboutfitters.com/C-P...pd-223-mag.htm

they are reasonably priced, about $14 each, and have worked well for me so far. 10, 20, 30rnd mags available

Never had a problem with p-mags. I just dont like the plastic feed lips, I have several, just dont like using the dust covers for storage but great for range use and training.

Got a couple lancers in testing. Polymer body with steel feed lips. the body flexes a lot. when loading sometimes the rounds bind in the mag. however in the gun under recoil it jars them enough to feed. undecided.

Got some Hera mags. No issues so far, but I dont like them. they feel too light and brittle. range use only for me

got a couple c-products aluminum mags, no issues so far.

[jetinteriorguy]

Originally Posted by Geezerbiker

I load them with my fingers. I've seen mag loading gizmos for handguns but I never thought I needed one and still don't.

Tony

Oh man, once you try a Maglula and an Uplula you’ll wonder why you waited. They just make everything so much easier, I don’t even think it’s humanly possible to fully load the mags in my Hellcat without one. Of course I’m sure people do, but for an old coot with arthritis like me it ain’t happening.

[Geezerbiker]

I've been buying stuff from Midway for over 30 years and I this is the first time I've gotten something from them that I wasn't happy with. Anyway I now have all the .223 AR15 mags I"m likely to need. Eventually I'll sort out the AR Stoner mags but the Brownells mags work flawlessly...

I don't normally blast away when shooting but I did a little rapid fire while testing the function of the rifle. Now that's done, I'll likely not put an more rounds though it than with my bolt guns...

I'll look into a mag loader. I tend to like gadgets and this might be one I'd like...

Tony

[Shadow9mm]

I just got done downloading about 350rnds out of p-mags. My fingers hurt. Loading is fine, its the unloading that is not cool. I ordered the maglula, im not doing that again.

[sevt_chevelle]

Lancer

[jonnyc]

Got a big bunch of 20 and 30 round M2 P-Mags. Always work for me.

[dahermit]

Originally Posted by Geezerbiker

I load them with my fingers. I've seen mag loading gizmos for handguns but I never thought I needed one and still don't.

Tony

The military expects soldiers to use the stripper clips and the magazine loaders that they supply with the bandoleers. It is a tried and true system... why do some people think that loading one at a time has any advantage?

[Ralph Allen]

Magpul 30 round magazines loaded with 28 rounds are what I carry. $14.00 each at my local gun store.
Ralph

[101combatvet]

All my AR mags are mil-spec; they work better than great. I never load them to max capacity; for thirty round mags, I'll load twenty-eight rounds.

[Geezerbiker]

Originally Posted by dahermit

The military expects soldiers to use the stripper clips and the magazine loaders that they supply with the bandoleers. It is a tried and true system... why do some people think that loading one at a time has any advantage?

Maybe I don't shoot enough to worry about how fast I can load a mag... I'm old and crippled, I'm not going to war.

Tony

[Geezerbiker]

Originally Posted by Ralph Allen

Magpul 30 round magazines loaded with 28 rounds are what I carry. $14.00 each at my local gun store.
Ralph

I always thought the 30 round mags were just a little unwieldy. To each his own I suppose.

I once saw an interview with both Eugene Stoner and Mikael Kalashnikov. They were talking about how the features of each others guns sent them both back to the drawing board by their respective governments. Stoner said we didn't need 30 round mags until we went up against AK's with them in Vietnam.

Tony

[rickyrick]

I only have 30rd mags because they are so prevalent. I think they are a little unwieldy too.

[MarkCO]

Bummer that Brownell's dropped their stainless mags. I have several of their Aluminum and Stainless and they all work.

Lancers are top shelf, PMags for abuse.

[Willie Lowman]

I have had great success with the gen 2 and gen 3 Pmags. I really decided I liked them better after a 3 day class where mags were dropped in sand/pea gravel. The Pmags proved easier to dissemble to get the grit out of than the USGI mags I had.

[ballardw]

Originally Posted by Shadow9mm

I just got done downloading about 350rnds out of p-mags. My fingers hurt.

Must be a stiff trigger!

I've always just grabbed another case and use it to push rounds out from rear-front like the bolt does. The cartridge gives enough of a handle there isn't much pressure on the fingers. None of my mags are P-mags though so maybe there's a difference in feed lips or springs involved.