Posted: 7/7/2026 9:58:35 AM EDT
| I noticed Glock is making all metal mags. Why when the polymer ones with steel inserts are good to go? |
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Originally Posted By Orion10182011: Only way they can squeeze 15 rounds in a G43x is to ditch the plastic. Which I don't really get why they don't do that across the whole product line. Agreed. Seems like an opportunity to increase capacity across the product line. Maybe that's the plan. Things just move slowly. |
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Factory Glock magazines were always metal; they were simply wrapped in plastic (until recently). Glock polymer-wrapped magazines were also the gold standard for reliability in their day. That enhanced reliability was a key feature behind Glock’s astounding success. |
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Originally Posted By WilsonCQB1911: Agreed. Seems like an opportunity to increase capacity across the product line. Maybe that's the plan. Things just move slowly. You'll note on the Mecgar mags they have indents running down the sides of their mag to lessen the internal width to that same optimal dimension. |
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Originally Posted By D_Man: You can't get anymore capacity in the standard Glock double stack mags by widening the internal width, they are already at optimal width inside for double stacking. Maybe by changing something in the follower or spring design they could gain a round like how the Mecgar mags do, but that's it. You'll note on the Mecgar mags they have indents running down the sides of their mag to lessen the internal width to that same optimal dimension. Originally Posted By D_Man: Originally Posted By WilsonCQB1911: Agreed. Seems like an opportunity to increase capacity across the product line. Maybe that's the plan. Things just move slowly. You'll note on the Mecgar mags they have indents running down the sides of their mag to lessen the internal width to that same optimal dimension. What thinner metal-walled mags would do, is allow them to contour the grips to not-a-brick 
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Originally Posted By Dominion21: Factory Glock magazines were always metal; they were simply wrapped in plastic (until recently). Glock polymer-wrapped magazines were also the gold standard for reliability in their day. That enhanced reliability was a key feature behind Glock’s astounding success. Going to split hairs with you. I have a vague memory of all plastic Glock mags that had a tendency to not drop free. This was fine in Europe but American's hate that. Glock started the metal lining to fix that. |
| The first Glock mags only had the metal lining at the top, the body was just plastic, and they swelled under a full load and would not drop free. That's why the early pistols had the little cutout on the bottom front side of the magwell so you could grab the mag and pull it out. These mags have the rounded coutout notch at the top of the rear face of the mag. Glock then switched to fully metal lined FML mags. |
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Originally Posted By Orion10182011: Going to split hairs with you. I have a vague memory of all plastic Glock mags that had a tendency to not drop free. This was fine in Europe but American's hate that. Glock started the metal lining to fix that. |
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Originally Posted By Orion10182011: Only way they can squeeze 15 rounds in a G43x is to ditch the plastic. Which I don't really get why they don't do that across the whole product line. This. Once they put steel liners in the full size ones it really was pointless to continue with polymer. |
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Originally Posted By Dominion21: Factory Glock magazines were always metal; they were simply wrapped in plastic (until recently). Glock polymer-wrapped magazines were also the gold standard for reliability in their day. That enhanced reliability was a key feature behind Glock’s astounding success. The early 9mm mags were polymer without the liner. They wouldn’t drop free and would bulge over time. The liner was a fix for that. |
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Originally Posted By bluemax_1: What thinner metal-walled mags would do, is allow them to contour the grips to not-a-brick Originally Posted By bluemax_1: Originally Posted By D_Man: Originally Posted By WilsonCQB1911: Agreed. Seems like an opportunity to increase capacity across the product line. Maybe that's the plan. Things just move slowly. You'll note on the Mecgar mags they have indents running down the sides of their mag to lessen the internal width to that same optimal dimension. What thinner metal-walled mags would do, is allow them to contour the grips to not-a-brick Ha! my bitch since they came out. Brick like grip. |
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Originally Posted By chemcmndr: Probably trying to capture some of the market of Shield Arms. No one wants the 10 round factory mags when you can get a flush fit 15 round mag. More like market of PSA... |
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Originally Posted By Orion10182011: Going to split hairs with you. I have a vague memory of all plastic Glock mags that had a tendency to not drop free. This was fine in Europe but American's hate that. Glock started the metal lining to fix that. Yes. Back in the 80's, mage were NFL (not fully lined) by steel. Only on 3 sides of the mag while the front was just plastic. This caused the mag to swell slightly when fully loaded. This would cause the loaded mag to stick in the magwell. Glock stated that this was by design to prevent soldiers from losing loaded mags if the mag release got bumped. FML (full metal lined) mags were subsequently introduced and were called "drop-free" while the old mags were non-drop free mags that soon disappeared from inventory. Im am not sure why Glock chose to use the plastic-wrapped steel mag bodies. But they have worked well for over 40 years. The plastic-wrapped Glock mags are easier to grip and manipulate into a magwell. They just "feel" a lot better than the steel mags from other brands that can be slippery and even hot or cold depending on the environment. Glock mags also tend to stay put in mag carriers better than steel mags that seem to require tighter fit. |
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I am pretty sure glock probably did the math and realized producing a polymer body mag with a thin metal liner to satisfy the American market was cheaper than redesigning to an all metal magazine or redesigning the gun to accept metal mags then making those models not compatible with those designed for polymer body mags. Also with glock being a plastic company you figure that was sort of their signature. Also remember back in those days the 17 round mag from the 17 had no competition, with the highest cap mag at the time in other contemporary designs ( P226 Beretta 92,S&W 59 series) being 15. One of the marketing campaigns touted the 17+1 capacity of the 17 meant as many rounds on tap as traditional revovlers had loaded with 2 reloads. |
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Originally Posted By Dominion21: Factory Glock magazines were always metal; they were simply wrapped in plastic (until recently). Glock polymer-wrapped magazines were also the gold standard for reliability in their day. That enhanced reliability was a key feature behind Glock’s astounding success. I was not aware that another maker had eclipsed the Glock magazine as the gold standard. Surely it has to be to justify those 1994-priced 20rd magazines for 2011s. Everyone and anyone who makes them must think they are the byproduct of unicorn farts or something..... |