Were the old green followers considered problematic or were they reasonably reliable?
Check this out:
Move back to GI magazines - a journey
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?81074-Move-back-to-GI-magazines-a-journey
That thread is huuuuge. OP, I’ve never had an issue with green followers, but they are an older generation. Tan is the newest. As long as the feed lips look fine, I just put in new followers, but that’s probably not really necessary.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you think about it, it’s not all about the feed lips but that’s likely going to be at least 75% of your issues.
Green followers, Tan Followers and Springs can all be swapped, feed lips, well, not so much.
I would say if the magazine body is in good condition and the feed lips aren’t damaged regardless of the follow color, use it until you have issues then change to Tan and a new spring.
In my opinion (based on what I’ve read), most of the problems with one type of follower or another mostly show up when the gun can shoot full auto. I think most of the issues with unreliability of older follower types are greatly exaggerated in M4’s that are semi-auto only. It’s nice to have all the latest upgrades, but green followers are perfectly functional. What you do NOT want is black followers in your 30-rounders. Those are so obsolete that they are universally condemned as problematic. I have some 20-rounders with black followers, though, and they are fine.
Okay, now 15 people will post why I’m wrong. :jester:
I have been buying new OKAY mags with the older green followers and replacing them with KAC followers for peace of mind. You can do it for 10 bucks shipped if you watch the sales.
I’ve had issues with the green follower mags over the years, but honestly, I contribute the malfunctions to just being old worn out training mags, and or in a lot of cases, running blanks through them. I don’t have any experience with blanks through the newer generation of mags, or even Pmags as I haven’t had to use blanks in like 8 years, combination of rank taking me out of the training and before that budget issues leading us to running around the hills of Camp Roberts and San Luis Obispo shouting “pew pew”.
On the older mags with green followers it’s also the manufacturer of the magazine that matters. Okay and Labelle we’re good, Center Industries not so much. Like someone said previously, you can swap a follower and spring but not the feed lips/mag body.
Change “KAC” for “Magpul,” and that’s what I do for mine.