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This is a review of the new PMAG from Magpull industries. I've used thier stuff for years, and I was excited when I heard that they were finally going to address the magazine issue on the M-16/AR-15 rifles.

I have, up to this point, simply avoided the issue of USGI magazine induced failures by using Israeli Orlites, which I find to function flawlessly in my own AR and in my issued weapon. Many others have issues with them, the gratest of which is that they will not fit in many weapons without first grinding off the dust ridge, which then allows them to be over-inserted in the magwell. This can be a pain in the ass whether on the range or slinging lead in the 'box, so I have kept my eye out for a more universal solution. I am excited about these magazines, which based on my initial testing, will replace the Orlites, H&Ks, Sterlings, USGIs, and Thermolds that currently rotate through my rifle like Johns through a cheap Bancock whore.

First off a note: If you have a magazine manufactured prior to July 2007, there are known feeding issues due to the body dimensions being out of spec. Magpull will replace these for free via their website.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...er/PMAG007.jpg

Ok, so my first impression was that they are very well made, there is no sloppy overmolding or flash from the manufacturing process. They are made of a heavy duty plastic that appears to be the same stuff the rail covers on Knights rail systems are made of. The printing is clear and clean, showing that at least as of the manufacture date of January 2008 the molds were fresh and not worn as with some of my old Thermolds. The version I bought have a clear window as a round indicator, with the number of rounds left being indicated by an orange painted coil of spring. The magazine reminds you near the feed lips that it is designed for 5.56x45 and explains which end goes where. There is a cage number (1LX50) molded in just in case you have government purchasing authority. On the left side of the magazine is stamped the date of manufacture.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...er/PMAG008.jpg

The magazines come with a snap on cover which serves the dual purposes of keeping the magazine free of dust and also removing tension from the feed lips when it is stored loaded. There is a note to use the cover when store in such a state stamped on the magazines right side, as well as a reminder on the cover to "Remove before use". However, if you can get it into your mag-well with the cover on I encourage you to do so and post your findings here. The cover is removed by unsnapping the rear and rocking it forward where two "claws" hold on to a reinforcing ridge on the magazine body.

The cover is very stiff. It can be removed with a thumb as you grasp the magazine, but it is difficult. The magazine will fit into a mag pouch with the cover on, but I would recommend keeping them off if you feel time may be of the essence.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...er/PMAG005.jpg

The follower is truely anti-tilt. I attempted to tilt it by riding it all the way to full compression with a pen pressing only on the very front of the follower. No dice. Pressing on the very back (hold open) portion yielded the same result. The spring tension is very smooth and consistant throughout the entire cycle. There is a ridge that runs along the inside front of the magazine, which separates the rounds on the left and right. This also obviously serves as a guide for the follower to ride on.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...er/PMAG011.jpg

The base plate is of the same material as the body and is held by a ridge on the bottom. There is a "button" on the mag insert that protrudes through the base like on a Glock magazine. Once pushed the magazine comes easily apart by sliding the base to the front and pulling the mag insert, spring, and follower out of the body. The spring is held to the follower by a tab with a hole in it through which the spring passes. The insert is held to the spring by two ridges and can easily be removed simply by pulling on it. Dissassembly took less than 20 seconds for the first time, and took no tools.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...er/PMAG012.jpg

Reassembly is the reverse of dissasembly, and it is impossible to put together wrong.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...er/PMAG010.jpg

The windows on the side will give you an idea how many rounds you have left. A full magazine will show no orange coil, only 5 rounds and the follower. The orange painted coil appears at the bottom of the window when about 2 rounds are still visible at the top (about 14 rounds left). When the indicator reaches about 1cm from the top of the window, you are dry.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...er/PMAG014.jpg

These pictures show the magazine inserted in my rifle (an Armalite). At the range we also fit them in a Colt (small hole), 2 Bushmasters, Olympic, and RRA. There were no problems, and very little play or slop in the fit even in the "looser" guns.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...er/PMAG013.jpg

This shows the position of the feed lips in the upper receiver.

So how do they shoot? Well, we fired almost 1000 rounds out of 6 different rifles (see above) and had zero failures. We even belt looped my rifle and put 4 magazines through it to try to melt the feed lips. Nothing, they did not even get pliable. On the way off the range we did the obligatory "run over it with your truck" test (I will post pictures when I get them). With the exception of a few scuffs from the concrete, again nothing. The magazine still feeds reliably when hand feeding rounds. I will post results of a test fire with our abused mag when I get the opportunity.

All in all a very nice product that is about 20 years overdue. They run about $18 bucks for the model I got, or $15 if you can live without the window.