Magazines and the XCR. your experience

6976 Views 39 Replies 18 Participants Last post by MickeyC, May 4, 2008

G

Discussion Starter · Sep 7, 2007

who has tried what?
I have had fine results with GI, GI bodies with magpull followers, H&K steel wonder mags.

I have not tried the P-Mgas yet but did see them this weekend and was sufficiently impressed witht he materials used, but am hesitant to buy because of the mag cap that is required to keep the lips from stretching out. anybody have expereince with these and have shot them a bunch?

1 - 20 of 40 Posts

Sloan441

· #2 · Sep 7, 2007

I'm strictly using Pmags in my XCR. When I first got them I was struck by how similar they are to AUG mags--which is a good thing. In fact, I've been seriously considering picking up an AUG STANAG stock and using the Pmags in it as well.

I don't think the cap is really necessary to keep the lips from spreading. I think they're more for long term storage to minimize the chances of it happening over a year or more of disuse. On the other hand, Pmags are cheap and available enough that I don't much care. The one thing that the AUG mag has to it's advantage as opposed to the Pmag is the mag lips. They're about half again as thick on an AUG. But, at $14 as opposed to $30-$40, I'm willing to take that risk, heh.

ny32182

· #3 · Sep 7, 2007

They recalled all of them that were made prior to July of this year. If you buy, make sure they are *brand new* production, like, made in the last month.

Not that there isn't some slight room for improvement on the normal USGI mag (I guess), but I've never had the slightest problem with them... even the ones with old style black followers. In fact that is mostly what I still use. I've got a few green followers and they work too.

I'm not opposed to buying a new wonder mag if they can get the function and price point worked out, and demonstrate that they are actually better than milspec, but that hasn't happened yet to my satisfaction. I'm not paying 5 times USGI cost for an HK mag, and I'm going to wait a while on the PMAG to make sure they don't just recall them again.

Till then, my USGIs will continue working as well as they always have.

SigsRule

· #4 · Sep 8, 2007

ny32182 said:
I'm going to wait a while on the PMAG to make sure they don't just recall them again.

Till then, my USGIs will continue working as well as they always have.

In logical terms you're waiting for a negative assertion to reality to be proved - you might be waiting a long time if they are never recalled again. I just bought 20 of them and tried them out yesterday. Performed flawlessly. Also check out the videa of the Pmag testing with trucks running over them.

Prior to the Pmags I tried some aluminum ones and had problems getting them to feed reliably. That led to buying some of the Magpul followers which still didn't work too well in the aluminum magazines. Next up was the stainless steel magazines sold by C-Products. These mags mostly worked fine but some of them had deformaties near the front of the magazine where the bullet tips are. In playing with them with my Eula loader I noticed some that didn't want to feed or let the bullets drop out cleanly and was uncomfortable trusting my life to them. The Pmags on the other hand appear stronger, have the natural lubricity of plastic, and just seem cooler. Every one I have works fine.

ny32182

· #5 · Sep 8, 2007

I'll wait a few months, buy some samples, see how they work, and if we are another year or so down the line and no recall, I'll feel comfortable with them as long as they work well. The only weakness I see with the USGI mag is that it can be crushed if subjected to a massive force, and while highly unlikely, it is still something that can possibly be improved upon. The bodies have been unchanged since the 50's/60's as far as I know.

Not sure what kind of aluminum mags you had, but there are a few crappy manufactures out there. C-products shouldn't be one of them (aluminum or steel), but they are not an actual military contractor as far as know at this point. As long as you stick to a known USGI supplier, the number you will find that are out of spec will be very minimal.

SigsRule

· #6 · Sep 8, 2007

The video I was referring to shows them running trucks over various magazines including the Pmags. Even the stainless steel magazines were crushed while the Pmags survived everything. Don't wait, they're good mags.

magikbullet

· #7 · Sep 8, 2007

I've used nhmtg 30 and 20 round mags, and pmags with my xcr. The only malfunction I've had with the rifle was with one of the nhmtg 30 rounders that was beat up and had a bent lip from getting knocked around. All three generations of pmags I've had worked flawlessly in the xcr.

i303

· #8 · Sep 8, 2007

I've used Pmags, Hk SA80, USGI (issued Colts, and others) some w/green followers or Magpul followers, and 20 round Colt (old USGI) in my XCR. My other mags experiences, all other brands of USGI aluminum mags, Thermold, and orlite. Avoid Thermold (any generations) and Orlites!!!

All these mags work great in the XCR as they do in any AR. Only on "the net" is where I hear about other brands of AR's having problems w/mags, but I only have used Colt's and a few times FN made M16's and my basic training and first duty station original M16A1 made by GM Hydramatic Division.

For a rifle as tough as the XCR is I recommend Pmags and Hk mags. Both mags are tough although pmags have had some initial production issuesl. I like them both. The Hk ones are very smooth and I'd rate them #1 in reliability, pmags #1 in toughness and best value.

USGI mags all now exclusively come w/the "less" tilt green followers instead of the old black "often" tilt followers. They are reliable. The magpul "no-tilt" (and I really mean no tilt!) followers make the USGI mags about as reliable as they are going to get.

One of the AR/M16 weakness has been the mags, particularly the followers tilting b/c of debris or most commonly the mag body getting dented or deformed, followed by the mag lips getting the same treatment. You'd step on one accidentaly and then wouldn't work w/o noticing any damage on the mag. Now all the AR cool-aid drinkers who swear that the AR is uber reliable had missed those dark days of the crappy mags. Pretty much since it's inseption up until the mid 90's when the green followers came out AFTER the Gulf War and Somalia, both of which I went to.

Unless you plan on running them over with your truck the original USGI aluminum mags will be fine, but as I said the pmags and Hk mags are best. We ran the almost exact same tests and managed to break them both the Hk and Pmags after the 6th or 7th run under a fully loaded Tahoe on a hard packed and gravel strewn dirt road. I'm sure if there were a fire test the Hk mags would win, BUT at $15 bucks a pop and still as tough, if not tougher, the Pmags are the shizzle. You'll get 2 Pmags for the price of one Hk SA80 and still have money left over to get a few Gatorade's.

Historically plastic mags have always sucked. Looks as if the Pmags will be the exception.

And no, I don't work for Magpul, but both MP president and I were in the Gulf War, so I know where he had his experience.

See less See more

UDT

· #9 · Sep 9, 2007

HK or Pmags, but I like the HK's the best. JMO.

i303

· #10 · Sep 9, 2007

Anyone seen the Hk mags sell below $39.99 on CDNN, other than hunting on Strum, GunBroker and such???

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/hkar22330leh.html

G

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 10, 2007

i303 said:
Anyone seen the Hk mags sell below .99 on CDNN, other than hunting on Strum, GunBroker and such???

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/hkar22330leh.html

that would be the same H&K mags we are discussing in this thread

magikbullet

· #12 · Sep 10, 2007

The Hk mags seem nice, but I just can't justify getting them over more pmags... I can't see them having any substantial reliability advantage in the xcr.

For me, after accumulating ~ 60 1-3$ g3 mags, buying $13-15 pmags was bad enough...$40+ for the hk mags is

this reminds me...time to get 6 or 7 more pmags ;D

i303

· #13 · Sep 10, 2007

I've only bought Pmags and 4 Hk mags from CDNN. I got the rest from "work".

Chieftain

· #14 · Sep 13, 2007

I have some of Brownells aluminum in both 30 and 20 round profiles.

And I bought 10 Pmag stainless.

In the XCR I only run the Pmag stainless. Whoops, I lied. For HD I use the Brownell 20 rounders. I use Remington 50gr HP in the 20's. That is how I know what ammo I have on board.

All of them run just fine.

Fred

Sloan441

· #15 · Sep 13, 2007

Frigging HK mags. I just had to blow a wad on P7 M-series magazines, since they seem to be suddenly drying up across the net. It was ugly.

All I can say is I'm extremely glad Magpul is making a decent, affordable, apparently durable alternative to HK's 416 mag. Don't get me started on other AR mags. As soon as I recover from this latest expenditure I'm in for another 10 Pmags.

Oh, and in case no one has noticed, Magpul is working on a 20 round AR mag now.

Grey

· #16 · Sep 15, 2007

I have about 60 USGI mags with MagPul followers installed. I have not had any issues with them in my XCR. I also have a few P-Mags. These also work well.

I am really looking forward to the P-Mags in smoke/clear. If they ever hit the market I will be in for many, many of those.

TEXAS SOLFTAIL

· #17 · Sep 22, 2007

D&H w/black teflon finish is the best looking GI mag (works great in all my guns) www.bravocompanyusa.com NHMTG USGI mag. works great in all my guns. http://www.44Mag.com/

ny32182

· #18 · Sep 23, 2007

Well I've got 5 Pmags coming so I can try them out. Newest generation of production. If they work well I will get more.

I was hoping to use them at a match at the end of the month, but now it looks like I won't be able to go.

ny32182

· #19 · Sep 28, 2007

Well they came today, and they are in fact 8/07 production (newest generation). Pressing on the front and back of the follower, it looks like the anti-tilt feature works. The follower doesn't appear to hang up when I press it as far in there as I can with my finger... wasn't that the problem with the old ones?

For those with more extensive experience with them, can they be loaded into a rifle with a closed bolt, with 30 rounds in them, without the use of a mallet? ;D That is the first thing I would change about the USGI mag... put a little more clearance in the bottom.

Also I'm a little curious about the note that says something to the effect of "use the dust cover when storing the mag loaded"... what is the reasoning for this?

If these eventually live up to their internet hype, I'm going to be curious as to how HK is going to sell any more $50 steel wonder mags... especially since these should be lighter and a little less likely to rust.

SigsRule

· #20 · Sep 28, 2007

As I understand it, the dust cover presses the top round down slightly taking the spring pressure off the feed lips of the magazine and preventing them from getting bent out of shape.

I also heard, although I haven't tried it that they can be loaded to the full 30 rounds and still be seated with the bolt closed. Of course, when they said that they were referring to AR type rifles. Someone needs to try it with the XCR. I do know my XCR wouldn't let a C-Mag seat with 30 rounds in it, but I haven't tried it with a fully loaded Pmag yet.

1 - 20 of 40 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top