PMAGS have been out long enough to have some feedback regarding FEED LIP durability and structural integrity…
My concern is with LONG TERM storage of LOADED (30-rounds) PMAGS and the effect on the feed lips. I’ve seen the IN USE feedback by those in the sandbox, but no feedback on MY NEEDS yet…
Basically, I have an “Oh Crap!” rig set up with tried, trusted and tested PMAGS loaded with 30-rds. This rig sits above my safe and is only for emergency use, therefore it could very well sit for a YEAR or more UNTOUCHED (I check it every winter or so or when I take a Carbine class…). Since it is for emergency use I DO NOT leave the PMAG cap on, plus it would be tough to slip into a TT pouch with the cap on, which is why I wonder about the feed lip integrity. It is just plastic after all…
Yes, I could use my USGI mags (the rig previously did hold my best USGI mags), but I have grown to trust the PMAGS but long term feedback is still coming in… Plus, I don’t want to rotate mags… I’m just a civvy that has this rig for bumps in the night… The purpose of this rig is to be READY with trusted gear when needed. Or am I crazy to switch USGI for PMAG in this role?
I keep them feedlip side up in my rig with the caps on. If it came time I would just take the caps off and out them in the rig correctly. I do have other loaded mags ready to go besides the ones in the rig to hold me over.
Interesting workaround… But the TT single pouches are pretty snug as they are, I think the bottom plate lip might hinder removal. I will test it out…
Another PMAG testimonial thread has some info about no feed lip spread after 10 months of untouched storage…
As with most civvy, non-operator AR users, my M4 is in a safe. I do keep a full 30-rd PMAG in the M4 at all times. The primary home defense weapon is the semi-auto pistol and flashlight which is used to defend life and limb or get me to my Carbine. So when the M4 and MAV are needed… it is something BAD and needed in a hurry. But that may never happen (I hope and pray), thus my long term feed lip concern.
Uh… If it’s your security blanket and is never used, where’s the harm in leaving it with conventional mags and shooting your PMAGs for regular use?
I wouldn’t be concerned about the operational status of my carbine in the self defense role if it’s locked up and better protected than I am. But that’s just me.
You’re worrying too much. I guarantee you, the violence your Pmags experience during the feeding cycle of live fire subjects the feed lips to far more stress than just sitting loaded in your mag pouch.
Honestly - for a bump in the night gun - a PMAG in a weapon is likely enough firepower – and if you are truly concerned about the life of them for the Red Dawn scenario (realisitically who’d need more than 30 rds for a home defence scenario outside an invasion of Canadians or Mexicans)
If your feeling the need for that many mags – I’d suggest while the invaders are forming up on the DZ your going to have enough time to take the sec to pop the tab on the cover.
BigRed, myself and many others have mags in Iraq that are constantly loaded - except for brief periods they are emptied for op use or range use. Non have failed (well other than the one I drove the suburban over - it still works mind you – and the one I dropped from 20 odd feet from the roof onto the lips).
I’d much rather bet my life on a PMAG than a USGI given my experiences to date.
I keep hearing about the Thermold issues, but to be honest, I have 5 that I bought with my first AR in 2,000. They are used for range/ training Mags, are always laoded, and they have never failed. NEVER.
These are US Made, and I am aware that the Canadian made thermolds had lip separation problems. My Thermolds feel so much like my PMAG’s in form, fit and function that I can’t tell the difference when training. They all work 100%.
Man those Thermolds are ugly! I just received my first Pmags from Grant and while loading I noticed the flashings…so being a low drag neat freak I used a little file to rid them of all that flashing weight (ha ha).
I’ve been keeping one PMAG loaded 24/7 and using it on every training session for about 3 months now. Much shorter than what Magpul has already tested for “Lip Spreading” without the snap cover on. No issues to date.
FWIW…I have had 5 US Made Thermolds since 2000 that have undergone the same treatment with zero feeding, or lip spreading issues. They each have at least 750 rounds on each of them with no failures of any kind. Also no melting in some pretty hot guns.
That being said, I am a Magpul supporter because of all they’ve done for us and our troops. PMAG’s could very well replace my Teflon DSG/ USGI (laBelle tooled) Mags with Magpul Enhanced followers and Ranger plates once I get about 500 test rounds on the one I have. That;s probably overkill, but if I’m going to invest in 15-20 or so for my “Go To” Mags, I want to know they are 100%.
Does anyone know if they will make the PMAG with an integrated Ranger Type plate? Now that would be the utopia of mags! If not, I would use the traditional Magpul loop.
or Mexicans)
