The American ones, not the Canadian?

Why?  Metal mags are better and now they're more plentiful than ever before.  There's no market for plastic mags.

Quoted: Why?  Metal mags are better and now they're more plentiful than ever before.  There's no market for plastic mags.

There is at this house

And based on posts I've seen from others now and then, there is elsewhere as well.

Sorry, but I'm just not into buying special paint,  making sure I don't drop the mag on the feed lips, checking for cracked feed lips after every use, having knots in my stomach every time I take the thing apart to clean the inside, because I might break off a retaining tab, etc,etc.

Quoted: D&D no longer exists.  There will be no more Thermolds.  Which is fine, given that USGI mags are superior anyway. -Troy

Ditto

Quoted: Quoted: D&D no longer exists.  There will be no more Thermolds.  Which is fine, given that USGI mags are superior anyway. -Troy Ditto

Double ditto. Plastic feed lips wear faster than the metal ones.

Sorry, but I'm just not into buying special paint, making sure I don't drop the mag on the feed lips, checking for cracked feed lips after every use, having knots in my stomach every time I take the thing apart to clean the inside, because I might break off a retaining tab, etc,etc.

Wow... kinda sweatin  a whole lot of nuthing. if you get knots in your stomach every time you take apart a mag,,,,
You may wanna rethink your hobby. Thermolds and Orlites were junk back in the day and still are. go drop $11 bucks on new GI and relax..

Quoted: Thermolds... were junk back in the day and still are.

Really?  Junk?  Junk, you say.  Wow.  Thanks.

Oh let me guess. You have a bunch and the work awesome... I'm happy for you. I know a few people who bought AMC Pacers and thought they were great to.

I have a few orelites never had a problem with them

And I'm Happy for you as well.

To each his own. Quit worrying about what everyone else likes/uses compared to what you do.  He asked a simple question that only needed a simple answer.

Quoted: Quoted: Thermolds... were junk back in the day and still are. Really?  Junk?  Junk, you say.  Wow.  Thanks.

+1 on the reply.

You think Harv has any friends?  I mean because he's soooo honest

Quoted: You think Harv has any friends?  I mean because he's soooo honest

Well, to give Harv the benefit of the doubt, maybe he's one of those guys that just speaks that way.  You know, there's the stuff he thinks is good and everything else is 'junk'.  As in, "My Ford is awesome, but those Chevy's -- they're JUNK!"  Or maybe he's the kind of guy who would throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Who knows.  Who cares.

What I do care about is new folks here reading the board looking for guidance and AR15 wisdom, coming across some guy trying to sound knowledgeable by portraying the world as black and white when it's really shades of grey.

Well, if we can get back to the original topic...

If those of you who use and trust thermold-style mags are a viable market, then make yourself heard and the open market will "fill your niche".

Actually I think Chevys and Fords and Dodges are pretty good.

What I do care about is new folks here reading the board looking for guidance and AR15 wisdom, coming across some guy trying to sound knowledgeable by portraying the world as black and white when it's really shades of grey.

So you would steer a new guy towards Plastic Mags???? Why don't ya just tell um his rifle is self cleaning and you don't  have to clean it while your at it.

If your going to give advice, at least try to make it good advice. Cause those rotten GI aluminum mags that have been serving the Armed forces for almost 40 years require all that painting and those chessy fee lips break .......
That's some wisdom.

And after I gave my daughter a bath last night, I let her get out of the tub first...then I pulled the drain..

Harv, you're a riot.

I have and use about every type of AR mag made.  I have had no more problems from Thermolds than metal ones.
And just so that everyones understands, just because something is "mil-spec" does not make it magical...just that it follows standard size and function. It is still made by the lowest bidder.

Quoted: Thermolds have two very serious problems: - In cold weather, the plastic becomes brittle, and dropping a mag or flopping down on the ground and hitting the floorplate will often break them, resulting in your ammo pouring out the bottom of the mag. - In dusty conditions, grit buildup will lock up the follower.  Because both the follower and the mag body is plastic, this problem is much much worse than on a USGI mag, as dust won't inbed itself in the aluminum like it does the plastic. Now, neither of these problems are likely to be a major issue at the range, which for most folks is fairly light duty that doesn't push their weapons system much.  At a shooting school, or even worse, in actual combat, their shortcomings become far more evident. That's why both Canada and Israel abandoned plastic AR mags for USGI, even though in both cases the plastic mags were domestically manufactured and much less expensive.  Neither country puts their own people out of work to pay more for a competing product for no reason, so it should be easy to figure out how strongly they felt the need to do so. -Troy

I do not doubt Troy on mag issues.  He is, no doubt, one of the best authorities on the issue.  

I've personally had great experience with Thermolds, however.  No combat use, but lots of match and shooting school use and they've all been 100% for me.  I've had them coverd in dirt and they worked fine an they're much easier to dissassemble and clean than USGI.

I have had problems with USGI: cracked lips, feed lips that are spread too wide and the occasional mag that just won't work despite changing the followers, springs, etc.  

I'd love to see a Thermold made similar  to Glock mags (which are excelent mags) -  full metal lined inside the plastic.  That could be a great mag.  

Quoted: I do not doubt Troy on mag issues.  He is, no doubt, one of the best authorities on the issue.

Second only to Harv.

There is a reason the Canadians called them Thermelts!

                           Jim

The reason they were refered to as Thermelts is that the Canadian manufactured mags were made of a different polymer and did not take heat as well as the ones made in NC, USA. Could explain cold weather bittleness also?

As for Isreali orlites, it was my understanding, though I could be wrong, that there was a reason they were issued to the IDF preloaded. They were not intended to be used over and over.

I personally use thermolds and USGI and have had zero problems with the thermolds and have had feed issues with USGIs. I used orlites once. Once and then got rid of them.(fit problem in all my ARs) Oh, I also use thermolds in my HK91 with zero issues.

I do think the thermolds could be better. Like the metal liner mentioned by chp5. Just for the record if I could afford it I would replace all my many thermolds for the new METAL HK mags.

Just my two cents worth and two cents don't buy much any more.

Second only to Harv.

Now that's a compliment I'll take....

Yea..I know I sound like a Know it all SOB. but everyone needs a Hobby

The problen I had with Orlites is the mag seam will actually split open when you load rds in them and make the lips on the top of the Mag actually spread open. and when you slap the bottom of the mag to hard when making sure you have  positive lock, you can actually push the mag past the mag catch and jam the mag in the mag well. and it takes some doing to pull the mag out.  I guess I never liked the theory of range mags and wanting to accept using so so mags at the range and hording other mags for what ever other purpose guys have.  With the availability and the proven track record and now the lower price of GI mags why would anyone want to use buy Thermolds or orlites. especially when the countries that use to issue them stopped issuing them to their troops. That should clue people in right there. but to each their own.

I'm just a weekend shooter now a days and don't cap off rounds for Uncle Sugar anymore, But I still want to use the best. cause I may only need to depend on my rifle ONCE in my lifetime to defend myself and my loved one's, and if
I do, God forbid, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have the time to sort through my "Range Mags" and make sure I load up a "Good" one. That's just my view point.  For the guys who just go out to the range and shoot paper and gongs and never think about that stuff..... well, you know what they say about bliss, sleep well and don't worry.

Quoted: I've personally had great experience with Thermolds, however.  No combat use, but lots of match and shooting school use and they've all been 100% for me.  I've had them coverd in dirt and they worked fine an they're much easier to dissassemble and clean than USGI.

My experience as well.

Where can  I buy thermolds online?

You can go here if you want to get thoroughly hosed.

Thieving b*stards.

Yeah that is very pricey.  They show up on the EE on a regular basis.  Just do a search and see what you can find.