AR-Platform MAGAZINES Aluminum or plastic

[Sourdough]

Which is more goooooder Plastic (Magpull) or Aluminum........??? I have a lot of both. I have only had one Magpull that a feed lip broke. And I am lukewarm about the sharp shoe on the aluminum mags.

[tmttactical]

I like the steel / aluminum but am not too fond of eh plastic. Yes you do have to be aware of the sharp shoe. I have just had better luck with the steel.

[Murphy]

I think this argument has been beaten to death a million times in just as many places.

Some prefer the plastic, some prefer the metal.

I'm a plastic guy for the M4's (All magpul) but use steel with my Armalite AR10. That's just the way it worked out.

[Sierra 173]

Metal over plastic every time. I live in Illinois and the cold weather here does not always work well with the plastic ones over a long time period.

[RICHFL]

The USMC has gone with the MAGPUL Gen 2 mags so no more colt magazines. They did this with the newest AR platform in 2019.

[Garand]

Metal magazines over plastic, durability in winter is important.

[BigEd63]

Early plastic mags of all brands were either a crapshoot or plain crap. Thermolds or Thermelts ad some people called them about the worse for reputation. Of course the Ramline civiy ones that were supposed to work in 2-3 different rifles and barely worked in one.

[Garand]

Early plastic mags of all brands were either a crapshoot or plain crap. Thermolds or Thermelts ad some people called them about the worse for reputation. Of course the Ramline civiy ones that were supposed to work in 2-3 different rifles and barely worked in one.

Tell me about it, I was still in uniform at the time the Canadian Army bought Thermolds . It got to a point where guys deploying to Bosnia went to the local surplus store and bought any aluminum mags they could find to take with them. So many soldiers did this they made it a chargeable offence if you were caught with one on your rifle. I remember going to the range one day to zero my rifle. I was given a brand new Thermold in the wrapper and 5 rds for my initial relay. On the command "load", I inserted (NOT SLAMMED) the mag into the the magazine well and the right hand feed lip of the magazine broke off.

[Tugaloo]

I've bought the old style (cheap) surplus aluminum magazines; added a green follower and a new spring; they work just fine.

[Tugaloo]

The disadvantage of aluminum is if abused, they dent.

[Garand]

In the past 2 years I have bought 2 bolt action rifles in 5.56mm that fit AR Mags. Plastic mags have created fitting problems, aluminum mags haven't.

[Tugaloo]

In the past 2 years I have bought 2 bolt action rifles in 5.56mm that fit AR Mags. Plastic mags have created fitting problems, aluminum mags haven't.

Are the plastic ones dimensionally the same?

I have waffles and they are a polymer. I know the Bulgarian AK-47 mags are polymer reinforced with steel. I'm not sure about the AK-74 magazines.
I picked up 6 Weiger AK47 mags for $60. What a steal as they are supposedly the best except they don't fit any of my AKs.

[Garand]

there is a slight difference in outside dimensions, plastic is slightly thicker.

[Tugaloo]

there is a slight difference in outside dimensions, plastic is slightly thicker.

The same issue with width dimensions at the top apply to the Weiger magazines.

[Armyjimbo]

Tell me about it, I was still in uniform at the time the Canadian Army bought Thermolds . It got to a point where guys deploying to Bosnia went to the local surplus store and bought any aluminum mags they could find to take with them. So many soldiers did this they made it a chargeable offence if you were caught with one on your rifle. I remember going to the range one day to zero my rifle. I was given a brand new Thermold in the wrapper and 5 rds for my initial relay. On the command "load", I inserted (NOT SLAMMED) the mag into the the magazine well and the right hand feed lip of the magazine broke off.

I remember those, I went on an ex in FT. LEWIS, and of course brought trading materials and came back with a barracks box of mags. I then went on to sell / horse trade most of them.
The reason for this during C-7 initial training included a rundown from 400m to 25m. Me and about 1/2 dozen had at least 1 mag fail.