Anyone have any recommendations for M16 magazine couplers? The Redi-Mag is out because it’s not left-hand friendly.
Thanks in advance.
I have no first hand experience with the commercial varients but was advised by a fellow officer who I trust greatly to stay away from the plastic molded couplers.
During a training session, in the heat of the moment the mag(s) struck the ground and the plastic cracked and separated the mags. He has since gone to the Buffer Tech Mag-Cinches and been recommending them to anyone interested in carrying two mags on the rifle.
As far as what I have done; in 2003 while in Baghdad I had to improvise. Using the cardboard from the liner of a box of MREs, I cut a section to fit between the mags. The width was just enough to clear the side of the lower receiver. I then secured the mags with wraps of 100mph tape with the left mag set high. That setup was secure, I could have thrown the mags against a wall and they’d have stayed joined. Just a D.I.Y. recommendation.
Most of the shooters that regularly attend our matches have gotten away from couplers of any kind for a variety of reasons. These include:
- Round jumping. during firing the top round of the mag that is outside the gun jumps forward and makes inserting that mag problematic. You can generally sweep the mag on your leg to strip the protruding round, but if you’re going to move your hand away from the gun anyway, why not just do it to pick up a new mag.
- Mag sliding. Oftentimes one mag or the other will slide around in the coupler causing one mag to obstruct the ejection port or preventing one or both mags from being inserted at all.
- Losing track. It’s mostly a training issue, but I’ve seen guys have a hard time making the switch to coupled mags. The more training they’ve had using single mags the more difficult it is to learn to use coupled mags. Most people will still just hit the button to drop the mag when the gun goes dry, dumping the empty and the loaded mag onto the deck.
We also haven’t noticed any real improvement in times using coupled mags. One of our top shooters used to use them but he is extremely fast even without them and I doubt it ever would have made the difference between his winning and losing.
We used to do the same thing using the plastic trays from boxes of pistol ammo. Anything can be accomplished by a Marine with enough rigger’s tape! 
Is that seen more or less in particular magazines or mag/rifle combinations?
That’s getting to the info I’m looking for - which couplers are more prone (or not…) to that sort of thing than others?
Definitely a “hey, dummy” moment!
My intended application for a mag coupler is simply to have two mags on the gun. For instance, when I may have to pick up the rifle and get busy before having a chance to pick up that nice chest rig chock full o’ mags. Using a coupler to speed up reloads isn’t in the mix, for me.
That’s why I have one on my Home D bean. The MAG GRIP is the best one in my opinion. It is all metal. (no straps or plastic nonsense) rainierarms.com has them.
But, Rob_s has a valid point about the round jumping. If you’re aware of it, you can push it back before you change mags, or use the inside of the mag well to push it back during the mag change with a rocking motion when you insert.
If you find any of these set-ups that are even close to being L/H friendly please let me know.
Erick
Erick,
Current gen Redimag with it’s independent release is actually pretty easy to use left handed.
Right thumb hits mag release.
Right hand sweeps past now empty magwell to grab mag in Redimag just as left trigger finger presses the Redimag release.
Right hand inserts fresh mag into magwell. (Push/pull)
Left trigger finger presses bolt release.
http://www.blueforcegear.com/product.cfm?type=cat&cat_id=1&prod_id=91
Ashley
Ashley,
How far out on that next batch of lightweight RediMags???
Giff,
They are out for park’ing now so it won’t be too much longer.
Ashley
I have the plastic ones from FOBUS. I dont like it that much, sometimes the mags will slide and that could block my ejection port which is bad JuJu
Im thinking about the GI type couplers w/elastic or the RediMag
Stopped using any kind of mag coupler due to experiencing most of the problems laid out by Rob S. It was all the rage when I first joined though. Personal experience in shitty places taught me that I made a stupid choice.
One other thing that I experienced was mag-catch isses. I assume the following: The original M16 mag catch has remained relatively unchanged since the M16 was originally fielded. The original mag-catch was designed to hold an aluminum magazine stuffed with 20 rounds. It was not intended or designed to hold the weight of 60 rounds.
They also interfere with my preferred mag-well hold.
I have not used the Redi-Mag, but also as stated by Rob S., I did not see any improvement in speed by those that were using them. Thus, to me, they unnecessarily complicate the system. I am not referring to onesies and twosies I peeped on at a local range, I am talking about high stress training with several participants. At least the Redi-mag is the preferred choice, as it will not volcano your rounds out when you rapidly assume the prone.
I hate to tell someone that they are making a bad choice, as the person has usually spent quite some time deciding that the choice is the best thing possible for them, and they ususally don’t listen until they have their own personal bad experience. So, good luck with the quest, hope your goes better than mine did.
Looks like a good concept. Have you had any lefties T&E it for you?
Interesting. I hadn’t considered that.
That’s pretty funny!
I appreciate all of the feedback. The reason I asked the question was to solicit feedback from people who’ve gone before me, so to speak.
Just one, actually.
I’m a very right handed shooter but I got good left-handed results with the GEN II RM in less than 7 repetitions. For all the reasons others have stated, clamped/taped mags are a NOGO IMO.
Ashley
Ashley,
I’ve had good results running it both left and right handed, and I’ve had lefty officers shoot it without any issues. No problems with either side that I can see.
I shoot a long gun left handed and actually with proper training the Redi Mag is perfectly usable for a lefty- in particular the gen II but also the older versions
The Redi Mag, with training, is most definately the fastest way to reload an AR - however as usual there is no free lunch - you pay for that with additional weight and bulk
That is what led Ashley at Blue Force Gear to make the lightweight gen II Redi Mag which is without a doubt the preferred version - albiet a ‘custom’ model - probably the best flavor of it we will ever see as a polymer version is not forthcoming and most likely never will be
A word of warning about the redi mag- it requires some time to master it; you either commit to it or not - jumping back and forth between guns that have one and ones that don’t does not work well at all - and with the older versions a sure way to dump the extra mag on the ground at the worst time
be safe
Larry Vickers
Larry,
I had mine on my gun for a while. I also had the extended bolt release attachment they sell with it, but it always came loose - even with locktite. Is there a tip for mastering the bolt release (stock one or redimag extended attachment) to make chambering a round as fast as without the redimag on the gun?
Ashley-
You going to have that set-up at SHOT? I’d really like to try it … first. Email sent too.
Erick
Eric,
We will have a demo unit at SHOT. This version also works better for both right and left handed shooters since it makes it much easier for you to manage the mags INDEPENDENTLY while dealing with malfunctions.
Ashley