What's the Best AR Mag? 

It’s a shame that Surefeed stopped making AR15 mags.

During my time on the service, I remember being told that keeping our mags loaded for a long period of time won't cause the spring to fail, but rather the more the spring has been compressed & decompressed is what causes it to wear out/fail. In Iraq we would unload our mags once every week or 2. Not to decompress the spring but to clean out the dust/dirt. So as far as keeping a mag loaded for an extended period of time, I think the body of the mag keeping its shape would be the most important factor. Not the spring. Great video BTW!

How about a "test" of 35 years? About a year ago I was going through accumulated boxes of mags and found the missing mag mate to my SP1 that was bought in 1980. Yep it was loaded with 20 rounds of Lake City ball. I almost unloaded it but then thought to keep it for my next range trip. I was using an excellent local build AR within Mil spec. Not only did all rounds feed perfectly but I reloaded the mag and shot another 20 rounds with noting no difference from all the other brands of mags in polymer, alum and steel. Springs seemed fine to me as well. This mag came with the rifle. It was one with the rampant colt on the base plate. So there you are. Load a good alum mag and leave it alone and you should be ok. Who really knows how polymer will act in 10, 20, or 30 years. That being said, I have plenty of polymers, I mean I don't think I'll be needing to worry about it thirty years from now as I will be approaching 100 years young by then.

I know it's not a new vid, but thank you for doing the work and putting this data out there for people who want it.

Great analysis Graham. Food for thought.

I’ve got to tell you I really liked this. Give me a bar chart with meaningful data anyday over other peoples opinions! For what it’s worth you just got a new subscriber.

Fabulous video.. highly enjoyed the data .. keep up the great work man!

Great presentation and thank you for detailed analysis of these various magazines for the AR. Great job!

Something about the C products and or Okay, about the only mags that work with the new CETME L rifle.

I am new to the AR world. I have lots of questions. This is actually the answer to questions I asked to many AR shooters. As I was concerned with the amount of wiggle between different mags. I don’t know was the common answer. Thank you for this in-depth and tedious task.

It's an old video but it's good info and will be for years. I have old OK industry GI mags that have been loaded for years with some over ten years. From time to time I use the mags then reload them and they have never failed me. I also have a bunch of Magpul mags that set loaded all the time that do just fine so i'm not sure how helpful all this is. If you're worried just keep all your mags loaded and find out for yourself. For me all of my Lancer, Magpul and GI mags do just fine so why change.

Thanks for puttin' in that work!

wow amazing charting.....i just bought some ETS for my glock what do you think? they do not have metal lips. i want to get some ar15 mags and i like the ets and lancer but the lancer was looking bad on the chart i always thought metal lips with a plus

I left my Amend2 (ATI mag) loaded for over a year and shot it without any malfunctions. I wish I would've took measurements, but the polymer on one of the feed lips is slightly worn after it was shot. Not enough to hinder feeding, just cosmetic.

Awsome video man what trigger is that on the lower?

I use Ammunition Storage Components (ASC) exclusively. 30 rounders, 20 rounders and 10 rounders. They are made of stainless steel and I swap out the ASC followers for Magpul enhanced self leveling followers. 1,000's of rounds and never a malfunction.

Very interesting data. Makes me wonder how long you could keep certain mags loaded with a full 20 or 30 rounds before a failure.

Have kept Okays loaded with 28 rounds for a decade+. Zero issues when I fire a few every now and then to test.

This was very interesting. Thanks.

Good to know , thanks . Are you going to do a long term mag video while you have them loaded ?

Thank you for you're service sir 🇺🇲

My list I like polymer Magpul,Lancer,admend2,tapco. Us gi ones

I had a mag catch break on a DD mag with less than 400 rounds. The DD rifle wouldn't go in battery. Put in a Pmag with no problems. Now I'm looking for new mags. I'm thinking Lancer. But I got 3 brand new DD mags I need to unload on Ebay.

Are the C-Products mags featured stainless steel or Aluminum?

Wow this is an awesome video

Man I had to like this video before it even got started thanks to the megadeth intro 🤘

So in the end, what are your top recommendations you would say on metal and plastic mags? Say a list of top three for each material?

Thumbs up Just for Dawn Patrol opening! \m/ \m/

If I were to only pick one - SS DURAMAG with Lancers a close second.

I really like C products USGI type mags.

Troy floor plates are delicate and pop open when dropped. Tactical speed tape will fix.

Would those feed lips get put back in shape, once inserted?

MAGnificent

Can you remake this video as there has been new mags that came out

nice data ... would be interesting to see data for mags loaded to full capacity.

I have interece on buying how do I?

good info, thanks

Awesome work.. My go to mag since a while now is DD and your numbers prouve me right. Thank you sir.

So I have all my pmags MOE loaded and ready to go. Some have been loaded for months. Is this a potential problem?

Yes quite helpful thanks alot

note to self: update my old Center Industries aluminum mags with those new Pmags...

Cool Megadeth intro.

As interesting as this is there are just too many variables to make definitive conclusions here. I feel like you could probably grab a new mag of all these same brands and get completely different results with each. Not to mention these are not all new mags. That has to have a huge effect on the results. Your best bet is to do some real world testing and abuse and take notes of how each individual mag performs and then over a period of time make an educated determination on which ones perform the best.

Beretta steel mags all the way the best!! Little pricey even on sale at 18$ but really have it all !!!

My favorites are dh, daniel defense, okay.

Was the c products mag that you used stainless steel or aluminum?

I have some steel c-products but mainly aluminum d&h and one lancer, all have or are currently doing long term storage going on a year or more. So far, the only issue ive had is a failure to feed with the lancer but that was b4 the storage. With your data, idk. It shows the mft doing decent, but theres vids all over of loaded mfts spewing out rounds with no warning.

This is exactly why manufacturers need to follow Milspec tolerances once you start doing your own thing it disrupts compatibility.

Great analysis but we don't fill halve way is all the way

I thought all your videos were “nerdy” That’s why I subscribe

This is a great video

Dura mag ss simply the best.

Little late to the party but man this is a awesome video with great info

Gi mags are just fine. No need for plastic parts

I always have trouble feeding with steel mags. The necks of the bullets will catch on the lip of the mags. I would rather run metal mags but the fear of missing one when grinding the front down or maybe I didn't get it ground enough and a bullet hangs up when I need it....this keeps me from them. Some cheaper polymer or plastic mags will hang up the bolt because the slit isn't wide enough. So, you definitely need to run all of your mags before they are needed. Thanks for doing this video Graham.

IMO I like HK and Daniel

Definitely dry, as you stated. But, very interesting just the same. Thanks for doing this. Looks like it was a real PIA.

What is the measurement using of width, height and debt?

I can't see the chart on the phone so does metal magazines do the best

No weights?

I know this video is 7 years old from the date of the this comment, but the Mag Tactical (now Fostech) magnesium lower is the WORST possible lower to test mags with. I've had to, living in Indiana where they are made, and both magwells were out of spec. I can pull a mag out without pushing the button.

Large frame are even more finicky, many wont lock the bolt back.

I have a serious doubt on your testing. Though Pmag M3 apparently would have the best result, some USGI mags are well-known for their durability and reliability, yet your test showed those USGI mags performed the worst, and some were even not reliable? e.g., Okay and C-product, after a week of your testing with loaded cartridges, they would fail? Then why many other gun pundits praised those USGI mags?

Personally I like D&H.

Psa (d&h) mags are crap. I have about 50 of them and I had to modify them. Rounds would get hold up by the case mouth

Did I miss the Hex Mag?

I have c products, I leave them loaded, they never fail when I use them.

Great! Cool mags. I own the best loader for them #Podavach loader. I like to keep all my mags loaded.

Okay mags?

What's the best? It's the one that works for you. As an instructor I advocate a stainless steel magazine with a green Magpul anti tilt follower. Many people have used my equipment and I have not had one failure.

Don`t know which mag is the best. But I know which loader is the best. Check it here at www.podavach.com !

You need to lower your introductory music! It's ridiculously to loud.

Mil spec is mil spec, doesn’t mean it will be in spec on cheap parts

I take the metal mags anyday

Go C-products!

If you don't have at least one of every mag out there you aren't very smart. You need to try every single one so you can see which one works best for you gun, because everyone is different.

Understand the acronym AR first

Megadeth

i buy all my mags from "defense solution group" they have magpul antitilt followers. the best anttilt on the the market. they are all aluminum. i feel they are the best mags on the market. bar none.

Name-ammunitionlab.com

hexmags are the best

This is a meaningless and useless test. All the buddies I know leave their USGI mags full loaded and sitting there for months even years, and when bring to the range no malfunction at all. The reason is no matter what kind of mags, the lip can't keep swelling with no limit, the expanding will stop within the reliability range. You can't expect an on-duty soldier to carry all empty mags only load them when needs fire.

I run the D&H mags and have never had an issue.

HEXMAG beats them all... except maybe C-Products