I was checking my inventory of all mags, ammo, etc. today and remembered that some years back, I bought 50 of the HK steel AR magazines. They are still in original packaging. I got them from Scottsdale Gun Club. Back then they were selling them in huge numbers.
I remember there were some concerns and issues of function problems with these, but I can’t remember what the issues were. I have one that I have used off and on over the years and no problems. So, are these good to go or not for serious use?
I was very fond of them back around 04-06.
I never would have paid the going rate on them for myself though.
While weight and size were cons, there were no function issues.
They were not a good choice for months in a humid, rainy environment.
I also noticed when dropped they tended to eject rounds, and were more sensitive to becoming am issue after repeated drops.
I became not fond of them after that.
When all is said and done though, I would load up those 50 mags, put them in a dry container, and be plenty cool with them.
I rarely drop mags on the ground if it can be avoided. Although a combat vet, I’m not a tactical shooter these days. I spent my days driving rotor aircraft with a CAR-16 behind my seat. That being said, I was curious if one’s life depended on a mag to function, would this be one to use, or stick with tried and true GI or Pmags?
Regarding rainy or humid, where I’m at we’ve not even reached 5 inches of rain so far this year on our ranch. It’s been hell keeping the livestock fed.
Yeah, they will fit any of my Colts just fine. I would consider selling a few, but considering the giant sh@* sandwich we all may be facing, I will hang onto them for a while. In the future AR underground black market, they may be worth bartering for something I need. Keep me in mind for the future.
Frankly, there are better options out there for a lot less. You could sell yours for a tidy profit and pick up some M3 Pmags or Lancer AWM when the panic buying dies down later next year.
I am fairly sure there are at least 2 different versions of the HK mags. I can’t remember the details but the earlier ones really created the bad reputation. The later ones were better.
I’ve got 8 Maritimes. Do I use them. No, too heavy. Ounces=pds. I asked several TigerSwan Instructors if they used them while in. All said no. BTW, members I have been in classes can tell you I’m in shape so don’t give me the “work out more” BS. Ounces add up over time.
If you even looked at the feedlips wrong, they bent. You could regulate them to range only use and they should be ok, I’d sell/trade them if I were you, I’d take a plain USGI mag over one of those any day
If you get the new version they will last a long time and they won’t crack like the originals that were issued to the troops in 2004 to 2006.At least they operate well in Artic enviroments, some of the early Pmags failed in that enviroment. Also you can load them to a full 30 rds but they are still heavy…
We bought a whole buttload of these to use on the training range at Lackland in maybe 2003 I think. They worked great for about a month but they wore out very fast from constant abuse. Figure 300+ students a day 4 days a week. It took 6 months or so and we were just tossing them. When I went to Iraq in 05 I took 10 or so brand new ones still in the wrapper and they worked great. I took considerably better care of them than our students did.
I did not know that. That is probably why spring from E-mag worked for me in HK magazine. I had one E-mag spring on hand, when added Nordic Components extension with longer spring, so I did that out of pure curiosity.
I had pretty much the same experience. My unit issued them and they caused a lot of mag related problems. I’d much rather use standard aluminum USGI mags. If needed to buy more mags I’d be looking for Lancer AWMs.