Praxis: Gun Tests Magazine - May 2014 Issue - AR-15 mags by brand with torture testing results."
Received this via email from a faithful reader and supporter. with the note: "All mags they rated below an 'A' have been edited from this post."
"Troy Industries Battlemag Magazine AR-15 30-Round Polymer, $14.29 (MidwayUSA.com #859891) The Troy Industries Battlemag is an advanced polymer 30-round magazine. The polymers used in the magazine are chemical, biological and impact resistant. The feed lips have been reinforced and the mag uses an anti-tilt follower. The mag body features a aggressive scale texture that provides a sure grip but will also extract from magazine pouches easily. The spine of the magazine is designed to prevent over-insertion common with some polymer mags. The floor plate features a shock absorbing pull tab, or can be used with the flush locking plate. Functions with all M4, M16, AR-15, HK416, and FN SCAR rifles.
The Troy magazine made it to the top of the list just below the NHMTG, PMag and OKAY magazines. This is based upon the fact that the Troy Mag lost more average rounds — a total of 9 — during drop testing. It did not crack, however and remained functional. It lost no rounds during the vehicle testing. Having passed all other testing and surviving until the firing test, the Troy Mag is a robust and reliable magazine. Gun Tests Grade: A-
OKAY Industries USGI 30-Round Mag, $8.99 (Gunsamerica.com) The OKAY magazines gave excellent results. They were tied with the NHMGT magazines, and the Brownells in practical terms was no better. The only slight mark against the OKAY was that in corrosion testing, these magazines picked up a light dusting of red rust the others did not, but function wasn’t affected. The OKAY magazines may have been older than the others tested. Gun Tests Grade: A-
NHMTG AR-15/M16 30-Round Magazine MA02L, $19.99 (Brownells.com, #100-012-166WB) We tested both 20-round and 30-round NHMTG magazines, both of which made it to the end of the test. However, by the time this issue came out, the 20-round versions were no longer available from Brownells. Function was good and so was durability. These magazines, the OKAY magazine, and the PMag tied for second place by a narrow margin, based on the aggregate number of rounds they lost during various phases of testing. Gun Tests Grade: A
Magpul AR-15/M16 PMag Gen M3 MAG557BLK, $14.20 (Brownells.com #100-011-220WB) The PMag was the top performer among the polymer magazines. Ease of disassembly and general handling were a big plus. Gun Tests Grade: A
Magpul PMag 30 AR/M4 Window Gen M3 MAG556BLK, $17.05 (Brownells.com #100-011-219WB) Despite the use of a slide window, which theoretically weakens the magazine body according to some opinions, the PMag with window actually performed slightly better than the standard PMag, losing fewer total rounds during the test program. When run over by vehicles, this unit and the window did not crack. Gun Tests Grade: A
Brownells 30-Round Gray AR-15/M16 Magazine w/SS Spring 200200, $9.99(Brownells.com #078-000-113WB) These magazines are very similar to the models that Brownells supplies to the US Military. All components are made of mil-spec materials and are manufactured under strict, ISO quality control standards. The heat-treated, welded aluminum body is hard-anodized for superior corrosion resistance, then given a tough, dry-lube coating to eliminate the need for additional lubricants that would attract dust, sand, or dirt. The latest military-type, glass-fiber reinforced composite follower further guarantees flawless feeding in the harshest tactical conditions. We tested the mil-spec stainless-steel spring, but a version with a high lubricity dry-lube-coated chrome silicon spring is also available. They are affordable, well made, and reliable. Gun Tests Grade: A
Our Team Said: "Test 12 was the final test we ran, taking the winners through the first 11 rounds and leaving them fully loaded for a month at full compression. Then we ran more shooting function tests and found there were no feed or fire issues with any of the remaining magazines."
"In our view, the Brownells, NHMTG, and OKAY magazines are excellent examples of aluminum magazines. All of them were easy to maintain, proven to be reliable, and are competitively priced."
"If you prefer polymer bodies, the PMags were both top choices, with the cartridge-counter window option giving that model the edge over the regular PMag. The Troy was also a good choice. If we were buying AR-15 magazines, we would decide whether we wanted aluminum or polymer bodies, then shop the top-ranked items for the best price."
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