What is the best way to couple mags for faster speed in swapping mags out? I need some advice.
That’s the question that’s haunted man since the dawn of time. 
Each system has it’s trade offs. I’m partial to the MAG GRIP. But it holds the mags so good that the top round in the extra mag drifts forward under recoil.
I have a silly idea…
If MAG GRIP made a model that fit PMAGS, you could tie the latch part of the cover of the extra pmag to the carry handle so it would hold the ammo in place. But when you made a mag change the tether would pull the cover off automatically.
Crazy? 
I used the mag cinch when I was in afghanistan. Never had a problem. If you decide to use this you might also want to get a dump pouch. It’s kinda hard sticking coupled mags in your cargo pocket in a hurry.
I have yet to see any of our match shooters use any kind of coupled mags without issue. Most have learned ways to deal with it or stopped using them altogether. Ironically, this turns out to generally be yet another place where people are trying to substitute gear for ability as the coupler users aren’t among our best shooters, and none of our typical top 5 or 10 are coupler users.
I’m experimenting with the Blue Force Gear Redi-Mod version of the Redi-Mag, but am not wholly convinced yet that it’s viable.
The thing with the ready mag is… If you like it… do you have to outfit every AR you own for consistency? That would get expensive.
The coupler topic has been covered several times here, and I always post the same opinion…
The coupler definitely has it’s limitations. For competition? I can see that it would be better to go straight single mags since you’re all geared up anyway. A speed reload is going to be just about as fast with straight mags - and none of the aggrivation of the coupler.
The coupler does however work, in my opinion, when you’re grabbing your gun and going. For example, if some nut is trying to kick your front door in and you don’t have time to do anything besides grab your rifle and take up position. In a grab and go situation, you have an extra mag of ammo, even if the top round gets cock eyed from firing.
Granted, the odds are slim that you’ll be drawn into an extended rifle fight. But if your fight spills out into the front of your home or something, you’re that much further from more ammo for your weapon.
I agree on one hand, however… (and this is a total thread hijack here)
Most people are running around with way more guns than they “need”. They talk about a “need” to carry a spare magazine on a 5.56 carbine, yet get offended when you question their “need” to own 5 versions of the same gun.
More and more, I’m realizing that I have guns that I use and would “go to” and guns that I play with. Guns that I play with get used for T&E equipment, “proof of concept” testing, etc. while Guns that I use are the ones that actually get shot in matches and classes 90% of the time. In truth, “guns that I use” (plural) could easily be “gun that I use” (singular) with a spare for backup at training classes and matches, which even then wouldn’t necessarily “need” the Redi-Mag.
So, while on the one hand I can see where the idea that you’d “need” the Redi-Mag on every gun comes from, I just don’t think it stands up to much scrutiny.
FWIW, I see the spare magazine on the gun in much the same light as you do, although for me it’s more about malfunctions than anything else. I’m fairly confident that if I find myself in need of 60 (or 56) rounds of 5.56 I’ll be good and well fucked long before I get to that second magazine.
So true. In the civilian world, if you can’t do it with 30 then you probably aren’t going to get it done with 60.
Certainly true too.
On the other hand, in this political environment.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m far from getting down on anyone for owning more than one gun, and certainly understand the panic buying, I’m just talking about people being honest with themselves about what their use is for some of these things. It’s something I’ve had a hard time with myself.
Sometimes clearing a stoppage requires getting the mag out of the gun. In the case of a double feed it’s best NOT to put the same mag back into the gun. Stoppages occur in the civilian world too (and probably at a higher rate of frequency) so YMMV.
Best coupler for PMAGs is the Springer Precision Firebird.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=26292&highlight=coupler
Wow. I missed the firebird coupler thread.
I had a similar idea, but never made the link to tying the tether to the gun, then of course I just gave up on the idea of coupling pmags since it looked like more trouble than it’s worth. The Springer Precision Coupler looks like the ticket, but I just can’t over the idea that if a person just saved a little longer, they could get a redi-mag.
I run a Ready Mag on my work gun. Many of my team mates run a mag cinch or some other form of coupler. One thing I see very often, is that the top round of the second mag seems to work itself forward, especially during firing. Thus, when it comes time to change mags, the mag won’t go in. This does not happen with the Ready Mag.
I don’t trust the couplers.
Keep in mind that the top of the open spare mag is exposed to the elements.
None of my guns at home have a Ready Mag, and I don’t see a consistency problem. Consistency concepts are great for people on the low end of the skill curve who spend little time with their weapon system. If you are moderately skilled, then these things are a non issue.
Truthfully, this is where most people are though. I know that adjusting to the Redi-Mag has been giving me fits, frankly. I don’t shoot as much as I’d like, but I shoot at least one match and one drills night a month. I was hoping to run the Redi-Mag/BAD through Jeff Gonzles class last weekend but circumstances conspired against me and I couldn’t make it and the class didn’t happen. I’m hoping that an intensive training session like that will cure me.
You are correct Rob, and I hope the folks who visit our forum strive to rise about mediocrity. Reminds of the time I asked someone how much time they spend dry firing, and the response was “Never. I always run my guns soaking wet”.
I run the Ready Mag left handed, and the angle of the release lever gives me fits at times. I know it is bent in to prevent an accidental release of the spare mag, but it seems to take more effort than it should. On retrospect, maybe this is a good thing LOL. It needs to be roughened up a bit, or maybe a thin piece of tape at the very end to give the finger a bit more bite, and to prevent the finger from sliding off.
I thought I had the RM manipulation down after many many dry runs with two empty mags in the gun, but last night I really stumbled on the fist stage that I ran. I’ll post a link to the video later tonight. You can actually hear me “grrrr” after I fumble it, haha.
Unless the round is like half of its lenth hanging out, I’ve found that I can just rock the second mag in like an AK reload and push the top round back in the mag most of the way with the front interior of the AR’s magwell.
If the round is really hanging out, I just sweep it off the top of the mag.
I had a Mag-Cinch fail on my first 2-way range experience.
I have, at home in MI, a Redi-Mag (BFG version) on my “go to gun”.
I’ll never trust another mag-cinch or any coupler for that matter.
Has anybody else used the Safariland coupler? It holds the (non-Pmag) mags really well (molded body with floor and 3 screws). There is an internal ‘shelf’ to keep the higher mag from sliding out of place. It has a cover with an elastic strap on the 2nd mag. It’s really easy to pop it out with your left thumb during mag swaps and the mags spring tension makes it really pop out. Keeps the top round in place and dirt/dust out. Only $20.
http://www.safariland.com/product.aspx?pid=7742
I don’t have a rifle for patrol yet (this is my Stag range toy). I got this incase they don’t let me modify the issued rifle w/ a Redi-mod, I can still keep a 2nd mag on the gun. I will train with the Redi-mag as soon as I get my shipment from G&R.
Blurry pic of mine showing where to ‘pop’ the cover off. Just a little up and foward pressure gets it out fast, but it won’t come out from the recoil:
