Are they both allowed?

Bumpy

•Via official message traffic, DTG191737Z Dec 16, SUBJ/M4/M16 SERIES/M27MAGAZINE GUIDANCE UPDATE, the USMC announced that the authorized magazines for combat use will be NSN 1005-01-615-5169 (GEN M3 Window, Black) and NSN 1005-01-659-7086 (Gen M3 Window, Medium Coyote Tan). All units within the USMC are authorized to requisition these magazines with unit funds. The current USGI EPM aluminum magazine has been relegated to training use only.

•Air Force guidance on magazines states that 1005-01-615-5169 (Black) and 1005-01-659-7086 (Tan) Magpul – Gen 3 Polymer Magazine with window will replace 1005-01-630-9508 through attrition. 
(1005-01-630-9508 is the EPM).

Attached File

Thanks Tigwelder1971!

Army also authorized the window mags specifically. Here’s an article from Soldier Systems that quote the maintenance update message back in 2017:

Army Now Authorized Users Of Magpul GEN M3 PMAG Magazine NSNs

“According to Maintenance Information (MI) Message 17-045, although the Enhanced Performance Magazine (NSN 1005-01-630-9508) is still the primary magazine for the M4/M16 series rifles and carbines, units are now authorized to requisition the following polymer magazines NSN 1005-01-615-5169 (BLACK) and NSN 1005-01-659-7086 (COYOTE TAN) as Additional Authorization List (AAL) items.”

Interesting that the two colors are priced differently:

“d. Cost Impact: NSN 1005-01-615-5169 $14.00
NSN 1005-01-659-7086 $10.00”

I have a lower that will accept some black non-windowed PMAG's with zero drag, and some with a little bit of drag. Of the windowed PMAG's, it accepts 100% of them with 0 drag. All mags are very recent production and brand new. Just a datapoint I found interesting.

PMAG dimensions are all over the place.


Most often comes to light on lowers with magwell dimensions on the stingy end.

I am of the opinion that axial twist is the reason, not width. This because the drag starts only 3/4 into the mag well, on the ones that drag. Also, the drag is on a rear side and front side, or the tab. Just as you would expect from axial variance.

Every unit is different but since PMAGs have been out, in the Army anyway, I've never known of a unit that didn't approve of PMAGs for individual unit card (i.e. the supply sergeant's card) purchase of them.

I believe that Magpul M3 contract is for Maglevel Black & MCT

The Marine Corps started getting PMags around 2017/2018. Both black and coyote ones can be ordered through the supply system, but only windowed ones.

Dupe

Speaking on dimensions, there is an area on the Standard M3 that causes more friction than on any other Pmag. If you have a tight tolerance magwell, you may have noticed this!

Its due to the Ridge/Ramp ABOVE the rectangular notch in the mag for the catch being huge on the Standard M3! (Maybe not huge, but even with the lower "catch stop" ramp)

The Windowed M3, 40, 20 have about half or less of the material in that location, and only has a faint outline of it on the M2's! (Non existent on the older M2s, which I personally like better although the polymer may be of a lower grade)

Keep in mind, this is ONLY with lowers with tight tolerance magwells which most say happens almost fully across the board with "Andy's Poverty Pony" Lowers (don't want to bash them by name but their specs are terrible from what I've seen in LPKs also), my buddy had a Lower of theirs and that upper ridge would catch the magwell lip when inserting, rub all the way up causing drag, and then only drop free if the mag was full. (It grinds the polymer ramp down if you insert and pull out over and over but sucks to have to do that)

Head of tech at Magpul said it has that "beefed up" secondary (upper) ramp around the mag catch cutout so that it will be compatible with most MIL rifles and not have any slop in certain ones (Scar, HK416, Colt, etc etc).

I mentioned the issue to Magpuls tech (ex mil armorer) about that particular brand lower having that issue more than any I've read about and he said of the several of that brand he owned before, that Pmags would never drop free and I advised him on this and he said he had never thought of that and got to thinking....

He said that the others lack it being they arent made for contract, although Tig and others just spoke on the Windowed version being contracted also so that's a bit confusing and makes me trust the reps word a tad less now. Unless that's a "super" new contract (since my buddy inquired like a.month ago and forwarded me the email)

I NEVER had this issue, a buddy had on of the tight magwell lowers, said the Pmag he had was not dropping Free, so I compared Pmags of the same year, plus different years, and ALL Standard M3s had that beefy tab above the mag catch on the non Windowed M3 causeing the extra friction, the others fit as one should. This is very common to "Andy's" but other brands with accidental tight spec magwells will give the same result.

So again, if your M3 Pmags are fitting too tight or NOT dropping Free from your lower, get a Windowed M3, M3-20, M3-40, or an M2.

Or just file at the upper tab, or remove and insert a bunch of times and I'm sure it'll polish itself out (aka remove the polymers rough spot)

SW370-A8-TRS-010 REV 04, Feb 2021

P-MAGs are available through supply system under the following National Stock Numbers
(NSNs):
• NSN 1005-01-615-5169 (Black) Window
• NSN 1005-01-659-7086 (Coyote Tan) Window

CD

Don't believe everything that you hear/read.

Magpul is always changing and improving their polymer. I had a batch of PMAG M3 mags that literally had drag in my Daniel Defense rifle. They would drop free without an issue in my BCM and Aero Precision rifles. It was just that specific batch. Everything before and after was drop free, no drag. I contacted Magpul and they sent me replacements for all that had drag/drop free issues. Even gave me a return label.

Magpul customer service is outstanding.

Gen 3's are the only mag that drops freely and I don't have to jam in while inserting.

Sold a bunch of Gen 2's and gave away several OKAY's. Kept several OKAY's.

After I gave those Okay's away. I realized after use, they dropped freely and I didn't have to jam them in.

Just now seeing the responses to my post....

Guess it is indeed "batch specific" then!

My Buddy's issue with a tight spec magwell was the standard M3s binding when inserting and not dropping free.

I brought some mags over and noticed standard M3s having an equal sized ridge *above* the mag catch cutout, same size as the ramp below the mag catch cut on the side of the mag, maybe it was larger on that batch, idk.

Yet on the Windowed M3s and 40s it was half the size... and on M2s, it only had an outline of the upper ramp but hardly any material there.

The M3s were all 2020/21 though, some M2s were older but a couple were the same year.

Ive read in other threads how if a Pmag fits too tight, that a windowed one will fit better and found that area to be the difference between them.

Asked a Tech Guy at Magpul and he said the standard (non window) M3 has that upper ramp above the mag catch cutout to be compatible with different platforms, opposed to the other M3 styles.

Odd, being the window ones were adopted likey for the same rifle compatibility aswell.

I think their aware of this kind of stuff happening in certain batches as their return/swap policy is excellent!

PS:
I personally love the new follower guides and especially the geometry on the rear of the follower that engages the "bolt catch" much better (and works on ARs with stacking tolerance issues in which older Pmag followers would bypass the bolt catch altogether, or grab the very edge on an empty mag and then slip off the back, showing what would likely happen after the final round)

If they (M3s) say "Copyright 2017" on the package, as even the newest ones do, they have that rrevision which IMO made them much more superior than before, any before then have the standard follower and lack those addition guide tabs that keep the follower from tilting remotely, also prevents it from sliding back and forth on the spring. If an issue with the bolt catch and Pmags, call them and swap yours out for their new M3s! (It's an isolated issue, but it's more common than many may know)