I'm about to get my first AR-15 and I have been looking at getting about 5 more mags for it (A friend of mine who thought he knows everything about guns bought me 5 new 30rd U.S.A. mags for my Ruger mini-14.)


Anyway I saw a deal that was 10 30 rd Orlites for $89.95 I know thats a good deal for mags but I have also read on this site not to get them. Please help me tell me what are the best mags to get for my new rifle. Thanks

There is a Magazine FAQ at [url]http://magfaq.tripod.com/[/url] you could check, but the Executive Summary is:

1.  USGI - Very good.  Get some 20's for prone, 30's for firepower  (avoid Coopers w/less than 5 welds)

2.  Thermold - USA made Wilsons are very good.  

3.  Orlite - good.  May have to trim to fit some Bushmasters

4.  Beta C - excellent 100 round mags

5.  USA mags - total crap.  avoid like the plague

6.  all other commercial mags - avoid

As far as AR15s go, stay away from USA mags or just about any other aftermarket brand if you can.
As long as you can find them. I suggest you look for new or used USGI(United States Government Issue) or factory mags. Thermolds are pretty good also.
I won't say USA mags won't always work, because I have a couple. But they are known to have problems. Spend the few dollars extra for USGI or factory mags.

Where can you get good cheap GI mags from.

Best place I've found is right here.  Click on EQUIPMENT EXCHANGE at the top of the page, then click on MAGAZINES FOR SALE.

If they're new (or "like new"), you've already found them!

Mags are great food for the infighting that goes on around here, sometimes we're our own worst enemy.
The guys who bought a lot of Thermolds want to believe they have the best mags around, & vica-versa. Even if it means picking on "that other plastic mag".
A lot of Orlite AND Thermold owners are perfectly willing to give the other ones a bad rap, or talk about the virtues of [s]plasti[/s] [i]sorry[/i] "Synthetic" mags over the aluminum ones.

Owners of aluminum mags are worse, they hold every mag that isn't a "real" (Colt, OKay, Sanchez, Adven, Pars, Univ, blah, blah, blah,,,) USGI in contempt.[:D]

[i]Try shooting with someone who owns the "holly grail" of mags (Sterling - talk about the ultimate elitists!), they're usually made out of the same material as the best mags of all -[u]USA![/u][/i][;D]



Buy the Orlites if you like them, they work just fine.


[i]BTW, who's selling them for that price?[/i]

They have them at http://www.sarcoinc.com/ they also have some mags for $12.50 I just asked them who made them and I'll post it if they are any good.

Any thing but usa or steel mags.Go with the gis do get the 20s if you can find them nothing wrong with the 30s although they do get in the way when shooting off the floor.

Nothing wrong with Orlites.  For under $9 each, you can buy 20 have have a good supply of magazines.  I have a couple dozen Orlites, sometimes minor fitting is required to drop freely from my Bushmaster.  

Go ahead and buy those [b]10 30 rd Orlites for $89.95[/b] from [url]www.sarcoinc.com[/url].  This will give you a good start.  Then as you see deals on magazines, pick them up, and soon you will have more than you care to count.  

OSA

The only thing I would add as part of [i][b]2. Thermold[/b][/i] would be Master Molder 20 round magazines.  They were made by the same company as Thermold 30 round magazines.  They are kinda hard to find, but are well made and excellent for prone or bench shooting.

Don't forget to check the [i][b]Equipment Exchange[/b][/i] area here for good deals on magazines.

USPC40

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