Im the sort who likes to have all my defense mags be a single type. I always keep them loaded. Right now I use Pmags, but I wonder if the polymer feed lips vs steel feed lips make a difference if kept loaded day in and day out. Also...I like the translucent idea.

In your opinion (s)  aside from being translucent is it 6 of one half dozen of another between Lancer AWM and Pmags or are the steel feed lips worth switching over to Lancer Mags? Do the Steel feed lips actually make a difference if kept loaded for extended periods?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NpEOrTbzceo


This video might help you decide

Pmags feed better.  I've had loaded RevMs for seven years and they were perfectly fine.  

Gen M3s are supposed to be better than those.

I have been wondering this question myself and it is a tough one to answer even after reading many reviews.  I have always used Pmag gen 1-2 and some 3s and USGI mags without any issues.  That said, the good deals on the Lancers at times really have me wanting to stock up a few to try out.  

From what I gather and could easily be wrong - the Pmags will likely feed a little better in most situations and if your rifle is picky perhaps this is the best mag to use.  And the Troy's will likely hold up better to abuse and still feed almost as well as the Pmags.  So that said, I don't think you could go wrong with Troy-Pmag-USGI but it sure would be nice to have more data on all of them to know for sure.  

I could also see the Lancers holding up better long term since they don't seem to crack as easily as the Pmags with harsh use.  And you also aren't likely to hear of the feedlips separating since they are metal lined unlike the Pmags.  But all in all are they truly any better?  I don't know, I suppose it depends on your use.  I am pretty sure I am going to order some of the L5AWM mags here soon to try out for myself.. but I am a sample size of one and don't shoot as much as a lot of guys on here so still can't rely upon my findings as to which is best.  

I also wouldn't completely rule out other mags either if you found good deals on them.  The ETS mags seem to be getting good reviews, as well as the Daniel Defense 32 rounders (I'd like to try these too).  And I know there are plenty of others - Hexmags, Troys etc.  I'd love to see a head to head test done with all of these mags in real life situations comparing how well they feed in multiple rifles with different situations (dirt in mags, cold/hot temps, filled with water, loaded for extended periods etc).  And get an overall round count on how many rounds in-between each stoppage not on just a sample size of 1 but at least a dozen or so.  Yea, I know this isn't likely to happen but it sure would be a nice review to have.  We might actually be surprised to find out some of the lesser known ones do better then the well known ones... but until then I will use what I know works.

METAL FEEDLIPS & TRANSLUCENT BODIES.  i LIKE THE LANCER 20 ROUNDERS BETTER AND HAVE A DOZEN OR SO.  i HAVE HAD FTF issues with magpul strait 20s.

I hear you... that's my dilemma too. I get the whole use what works idea, and Pmags have always been fine for me... But my question is more about the long term. I haven't had an AR long enough to say that a loaded Pmag will not deform. The flip side is I don't want to find out the hard way that lancers have feeding problems that my Pmags don't.

What is "RevM's"?

RevM or MRev was military revision that happened in 2009 I think.  They were what the Gen M2 was before they called 'em GenM2.  

I had a pile of g.i. Pmags.  All black 30 round MRev with NSN number molded in the mag.

It's a matter of trust. Both work well pick whatever's prettier, you'll have something nice to look at.

Lancers don't crack. Period, end of story.  They win all the durability contests, hands down.  The only other mag in the same league is DTS.  These two are in a league of their own.  Nothing else comes close.

Never had one pmag crack from Iraq to Afghanistan, or here in the states. Never had one failure either. I'll continue to stay with what has worked for me 24/7.

In the end, it's all personal preference really. Flip a coin...or get both.

Extremely durable, steel feed lips don't spread and don't mind staying loaded, translucent ones beat the snot out of a silly window for checking round count, better compatibility with AR-compatible non-AR platforms... I've switched to Lancers and love them.

It's worth noting those are Gen2 PMAGs. He redid the test with the Gen3s and they performed significantly better. Magazine catch tab broke off partially, but it did manage to still lock.

Although also worth noting the Lancer he used was the same one from the first torture test, the tab did not break off of it in either test, and it suffered as many direct drops on the feedlips as both the Gen2 AND Gen3 (36 in all), with the only result being a bit tight in the magwell.

PMAG gen3 and Lancer L5AWM both did perfectly in the final function test.

Can't open the link.  "Man vs. Magazine" was a complete blowout.  ETS and Lancer could not be broken.  If he redid any of the tests I cannot find them.

Wait I found it!!!

I know I will probably feel like an idiot after you tell me what DTS is?  I can't think off what brand you mean off the top of my head.  

Edited - Nvm, from reading your next posts it appears you were talking about ETS.  I have yet to try any of those either but from the little I have read they have pretty favorable reviews.  There just hasn't been enough said about them from what I have read to trust them 100% yet even though I am sure you could.  Has there been any issues reported with them at all?  I mean every mag has issues reported even Lancers, Pmags etc.  Just wondering what their week link is compared to all the others.

Lancers have smaller diameter floor plates.

Translucent is also nice.

Lancer L5AWM:

Steel feedlips
Steel cage
Steel Mag catch edge/support
Clear/smoke options
Damn near indestructible
Work

Pmags:

Cheap
Work

Any questions?

[When Lancer's L5 magazines were introduced, Magpul's Pmags didn't have the huge reputation and market share that they now enjoy. The inclusion of steel feed lips allowed them to make a more flexible body material that would hold up better to overall abuse over time. This amount of flex is the reason that L5s and AWMs spit up more rounds if dropped or struck while fully loaded. That isn't a big deal for most owners, but I've had Lancers since they first came out and this does indeed happen. The steel feed lips also netted them a lot of sales to people who were starting to see the advantages of polymer but didn't quite trust something new and unproven at the time.

It is now 2017 and we have a ton of data that you can google about real-world usage and breakage of most magazines, but here are some quick considerations. Most user reports tell us that Lancer magazines sourced around the same time as Pmags, have outlasted the Pmags, but at a greater initial cost.

Pmag lips and spines can crack (and have), but normally after lots of the use and abuse that they were designed to take in combination with sitting around loaded for long amounts of time, not just from sitting around loaded with a few range days spread out over a year. While this does happen, the cost compared to other magazines allows you to either replace broken ones or "replace" them in advance by stocking up without a heavy expense.

If you're comparing against aluminum magazines, then Pmags can experience feed lip cracking that aluminum ones won't... but you can see those cracks and replace them. How easily can you tell that an aluminum magazine's lips are in spec without a tool? When Pmag spines crack, they'll still work, just with fewer rounds. If you get a dent in an aluminum magazine that binds the spring, it's usually done. That being said, the aluminum mags can be sourced pretty inexpensively most of the time.

(Continued in next post... new account limitations)

Here is my personal take on it...

I own Lancers, Pmags, and others, but most numerous are aluminum magazines with Magpul followers as well as US military knockoffs with the reversed follower. From my perspective, all of these magazines are equally susceptible to loss and breakage. By signing up with vendor email lists and paying attention to sales, you can usually buy any modern magazine for under $10 apiece; some shops in good areas will sell them for less as a daily price.

For my money, and yours, a patient buyer can get 2 to 3 magazines (including L5s) for the street price of an L5 AWM. AWMs themselves are also subject to bulk deals and sales. The more you have, the better prepared you are for any of them breaking for any reason.

If you are absolutely dedicated to having only one kind of magazine in your reserve, pick the type that you can not only afford, but afford to "replace in advance."

All above is practical hogwash though...

If you're obsessive about matching your furniture (like my brother), stick with Pmags, Tango Down ARCs, etc.

If you're a wannabe professional photographer (like my brother), go with Lancers... as they tend to be the prettiest and most frequently used by Oleg Volk, among others.

Sorry, DTS is "Defense Travel System" which I frequently use. I meant ETS......

One other practical consideration is how long the salad days of Democrats being impotent at banning things will last. The government can afford to chuck mags and get more till kingdom come.

OTOH, I'd like to have a decent stock of something I know will last probably as long as the rifle it's used with even if abused, so I can keep using them even long after I'm cut off from resupply.

I have both.  Lancers wiggle more in my magwell.  I also think pmags feel and look better.  In 200 pmags I have not had one spine or feedlip issue, all gen2.  Lancer is fine but 50% more expensive

I use both. I prefer Lancers, they feel less chunky, and they are lighter

I have a couple lancers and they don't do anything more than my USGI or Pmags will do.
Doubt if I buy more unless the price drops substantially.

I prefer USGI and Troy mags.

If you are paying 50% more you're buying from the wrong vendor.
I've been buying Lancers for six years and have never paid more than $12ea for translucent, $9 for opaque.
Most of mine were $9 translucent from the vendor that cannot be named.

The only feeding issue I’ve ever experienced was with a 20 round PMag.

I love the Lancer 20 rounders:  They work great in 300 BLK and 458 SOCOM to boot.