Yeah, I did a search (been here long enough to know that before posting). None of the threads were any more recent than 2009. A few months ago I bought a box of 25 mags, date code 3-13 with “improved USGI followers” (they are green). Have there been any changes in the last 4 years since these mags were made to negate having to switch the followers?
ETA: haven’t used any yet, have plenty of PMags and other USGI ones. Was basically leaving them NIW for a rainy day.
There’s been a few threads where there was dialog about Brownell’s magazines. Here’s one of them:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=145532
There were some issues around that specific time frame (post SH panic) of mags having tight followers, especially when switching to Magpul followers. Some people had issues, some did not. I think QC slipped a little the following months after SH. All my Brownell’s purchased during that time (also 3/13 date code) have been relegated to the practice/back up pile.
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Sample of one around the SH time frame was not spectacular. Fed fine, but it was on the wide side and would not drop free out of any AR I tried it in(~8). Again sample of one, but currently sticking with Pmags since I really like the M3 mags and at $9 a piece from DSG hard to beat, and D&H 30s for the back stockpile since have bought a lot recently at ~$7 a piece with magpul followers.
I’ve got mostly Pmags and have been looking to add some aluminum mags. I picked up a Brownell’s 30 rounder last week for testing, (04-13) but haven’t made it to the range yet. It came with what appears to be an anti-tilt follower and a ranger plate. Empty it does drop free from at least two rifles that I have tried it in.
My biggest complaint is sharp edges on the feed lips. Not smoothly formed lip edges such as most OEM magazines. They have fed adequately for me, but I only have one mag in my standard rotation.
Nearly all my Brownell’s mags date to 2010 IIRC.
I bought 2 of their tac mags (w/ ranger plate) and have had problems with at least one of them out of 2 different rifles (JP & Noveske). Wish I had tracked the malfunctions a little more, but i didn’t bother then. No problems with my DSG aluminum mags.
Ive got a box full of the Brownells 20 and 30 round mags of various years mfg.Only issue Ive run into is a couple 20 round mags, date code 01-09, that had a raised stamping edge on the top backside feed area that tended to hang the bolt catch(had to give it a good slap) when trying to release the bolt on the loaded mag.Worked fine otherwise.I simply filed the offending protrusion down with my Gerber MT at the range at the time rather than returning the mags,and no further issues to this day.
Don’t forget Brownells has a forever warranty,so if the mags have problems, yall need to call and get a replacement.
I’ve used and observed a few hundred of the NSN’d Brownells mags with the new brown follower. No issues, work just like any other USGI magazine. Our unit replaced all of our black follower mags and older green followers with these brownell’s mags.
My experience with Brownells mags has been good, no issues.
We bought a handful of Brownell mags around SH. We didn’t have any issues with the followers, but the feed lips were too high. They weren’t allowing the rounds to chamber. The brass lip would get caught on the lip. I ended up filing them down.
Would it be possible for those experiencing problematic magazines to post the date code?
There was a thread about these on TOS and I put in my two cents. IIRC, the front of the mag just forward of the feedlips was just a touch higher than similar Okay mags. Also IIRC, folks were having feeding issues with them however I believe it was in their initial use - the mags weren’t plug and play, they had to be run a bit to “wear” them in.
I want to say they were date coded 03-13 and 04-13.
ETA: Second page in the Brownell’s section in the Industry forum at TOS for more info. It seems they worked for me in very limited “testing”.
I’ve had some sketchy looking stamping on these “clips”. But every one of them has run perfectly.
Every one of these I examined during the panic has wide bodies and gaps between the body and floorplate.
The folded over and welded seams were not flush.
The overall workmanship was poor.
I have 9 of these, and I have had no issues. Mine are around 2 years old.
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Mine are back on the mainland, otherwise I would. Pretty sure I bought my 2 before SH.
That’s my findings exactly. I run a lot of them on the range and they’ve never missed a beat, but yeah… a little rough in the workmanship area.
Didn’t you have to shave some tight followers too? I thought we compared notes on that awhile back.
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Shoot… I think those were Center Industries mags. But maybe you’re right.
OP, here’s more info on the Brownell mags from your timeframe.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=134523
Mark, I think those were Brownell mags that you had to mod for Papabear.
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