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Posted: 4/10/2022 11:27:40 PM EDT
[#1]
I have both and they work fine. I like the gen 3 floor plates better so I just buy them now.
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Posted: 4/10/2022 11:40:13 PM EDT
[#2]
Either is fine. If you wanna save a few bucks buy the gen2. Just buy the mags if you need em, they’re cheap either way.
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Posted: 4/11/2022 12:20:05 AM EDT
[#3]
Yet to have a Gen 2 fail, or see one do so. They're fine. I think they look better.
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Posted: 4/11/2022 12:35:52 AM EDT
[#4]
The biggest difference between M2 and M3 is weapon compatibility.
The Gen 3 magazines are compatible with several weapons to include the Marine Corps M27 IAR, the SCAR 16S, the HK 416, the Brit’s SA-80, and more. In weapons like the SCAR 16S using a Gen 2 P-Mag the bolt catch is pressed slightly too high and is struck by your bolt, which results in damage to both the bolt and bolt catch. The Gen 3 magazines corrected this. Source |
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Posted: 4/11/2022 1:22:30 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yet to have a Gen 2 fail, or see one do so. They're fine. I think they look better. Gen 2 mags generally fail to actuate the LRBHO on Cav Arms Mk 2 lowers, also sold as Sabre Defense & Eagle Arms. Gen 3 work fine. |
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Posted: 4/11/2022 1:30:39 AM EDT
[#6]
They fit in many pouches that the Gen 2 doesn’t. They stack a lot easier. They are tougher. They have an alternate color option.
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Posted: 4/11/2022 8:51:47 AM EDT
[#7]
Gen 2’s have always been fine for me. I have dozens. Once I started buying ranger plates, that will only fit Gen 2, I just stayed that way.
I have a couple of Gen 3 20 rounders I think. But I do love me some straight 20’s…. |
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Posted: 4/11/2022 10:23:35 AM EDT
[#8]
The different Gen's of PMAG have been with some modifications to adapt to different rifles, but it has also been an improvement in polymer over time as well.
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Posted: 4/11/2022 10:53:21 AM EDT
[#9]
For cheap mags go aluminum, D&H or PSA are usually the same price.
There’s a reason they made a Gen 3 PMAG, stick with that if you’re wanting to play in the polymer mag world. |
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Posted: 4/12/2022 11:14:06 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: For cheap mags go aluminum, D&H or PSA are usually the same price. There’s a reason they made a Gen 3 PMAG, stick with that if you’re wanting to play in the polymer mag world. So you’d go milspec aluminum over Gen 2 PMAG’s? |
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Posted: 4/13/2022 2:51:35 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yet to have a Gen 2 fail, or see one do so. They're fine. I think they look better. The FDE M2 mags eventually split on the spine. The FDE plastic is not as strong as the black. I don't think the M3 is any better than the M2 unless you're using it in a platform that the M2 is incompatible with. I have several used and abused M2s with no issues outside of the split FDE one which is not unusual for the color. |
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Posted: 4/13/2022 6:17:58 PM EDT
[#12]
Good read on Pmags HERE
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Posted: 4/13/2022 6:40:27 PM EDT
[#13]
Quoted: I know gen 3 PMAG’s are supposed to have improvements etc., but considering the insane deals you can get for gen 2 PMAGS (like $8-$9 shipped) is it really worth the extra cash for a gen 3? To me, the main value in the Gen 3s is being able to use them in guns that had problems with the Gen 2s (e.g. SCAR, HK MR556, etc.). If you just plan to use them in standard AR pattern lowers, Gen 2s are perfectly fine. |
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Posted: 4/13/2022 7:55:36 PM EDT
[#14]
Quoted: I know gen 3 PMAG’s are supposed to have improvements etc., but considering the insane deals you can get for gen 2 PMAGS (like $8-$9 shipped) is it really worth the extra cash for a gen 3? Slimmer, better grip, over insertion stop, better floor plate. Yes. Plus the PMAG M3 with Window (MAG556) are $11.80/ea at BattlehawkArmory. |
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Posted: 4/14/2022 10:05:32 PM EDT
[#15]
Most of my training mags are gen 1. They work and feed great.
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Posted: 4/15/2022 2:04:53 AM EDT
[#16]
M3 is inferior to M2 for AR's, but is superior for non-ar rifles.
M3 has fitment issues in some AR's, not only can the over insertion tab get in the way, some M3 pmags are a bit thicker than others. Not sure why. |
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Posted: 4/15/2022 7:14:35 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: M3 is inferior to M2 for AR's, but is superior for non-ar rifles. M3 has fitment issues in some AR's, not only can the over insertion tab get in the way, some M3 pmags are a bit thicker than others. Not sure why. Depends on which flavor AR you're talking. The piston HKs won't take Gen 2 @ all IIRC, and the LRBHO isn't tripped by Gen 2 on Cav Arms Mk 2/Sabre/GWACS, but Gen 3 works in both. |
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Posted: 4/15/2022 7:45:09 AM EDT
[#18]
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Posted: 4/15/2022 8:34:20 AM EDT
[#19]
I love M3s but M2s aren’t far behind.
For an AR the only thing that really stands out is the the floor plate is slimmer and can’t really be ripped off. |
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Posted: 4/15/2022 9:43:22 AM EDT
[#20]
I’ve been buying a decent mix of M2 and M3 as well at standard aluminum mags so I have a little something of everything for guns I currently have as well as ones I might get in the future.
I remember reading something about some of the PMags not working well with some lower receivers magwells. Something about tolerance stacking made the mags very tight and not seat well or drop free. I’ll have to look it up again to find out what exactly it was. |
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Posted: 4/15/2022 10:53:35 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I hadn't seen that before - thanks for posting. Quote HistoryDitto. Good read. |
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Posted: 4/16/2022 6:34:29 PM EDT
[#22]
Gen 2 dust cover can clip to the bottom of the mag while Gen 3 can’t which is stupid.
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Posted: 4/16/2022 6:41:15 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Gen 2 dust cover can clip to the bottom of the mag while Gen 3 can’t which is stupid. Quote from Magpul: We eliminated the "clip on bottom" feature because the GEN M3 magazines have a new floorplate that not only has different dimensions but now slides on the body from the opposite direction. Basically we just couldn't get the Dust/Impact Covers to reliably fit on the bottom of the GEN M3 and so the feature was dropped in favor of the increased drop strength and pouch compatibility of the improved floorplate design. |
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Posted: 4/17/2022 10:33:00 AM EDT
[#24]
Are they "that much better"? I think it really is more of a personal preference issue.
I prefer Gen 3 mostly because of the overtravel stop and the floorplate. I have Gen 2s that work just fine, just not my preference. |
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