Gear
Pistol & Rifle Magazines
The magazine is the single most common cause of a stoppage in a semi-automatic firearm, and it is also the cheapest part to replace. Feed lips, follower geometry and spring tension do the work of presenting a cartridge at the right angle at the right moment, and all three wear. Buying magazines from the manufacturer of the gun, or from an aftermarket maker with a genuine track record in that platform, removes more reliability problems than any other single purchase.
Out of stock
Military SurplusISRAELI MILITARY SURPLUS STANAG PATTERN AR15 30RD MAGAZINE
each
$10.79Currently unavailable
- Military Surplus
VZ-58 30rd Magazine, Czech Military SURPLUS VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT CONDITION
each
$21.59In stock
Before you buy
What to know about magazines
Springs take a set from cycling, not from being loaded
The long-standing worry about leaving magazines loaded is largely misplaced: a quality spring held at a constant compression does not lose much. What tires springs is repeated compression and release, which is to say shooting. If a magazine that used to run starts failing to feed the last few rounds, a new spring and follower usually fixes it for a few dollars.
Number your magazines
When a malfunction happens, the useful question is whether it happens with one magazine or all of them. Numbering them with a paint pen turns a vague reliability worry into a specific, cheap fix. It is the most valuable free thing you can do for a semi-automatic.
Capacity limits are set by where you live
Several states and municipalities restrict magazine capacity, and the limits differ. We block what we cannot ship at the address step with a plain reason rather than failing silently, but it is worth knowing your own local rule before ordering.
Keep competition and carry magazines separate
Extended base pads, competition springs and heavily used magazines belong in a range bag. The magazines that go in a defensive firearm should be current-production, lightly used, and retired well before they start to look tired. They are inexpensive relative to what they are asked to do.
Questions
Common questions
Does leaving a magazine loaded wear out the spring?
Not appreciably, in a quality magazine. Springs weaken from repeated cycling (compression and release) far more than from being held at constant compression. Magazines kept loaded for long periods in reputable designs generally still function. What does cause failures is a magazine that has been shot hard for years and never had its spring replaced.
Are OEM magazines worth the extra cost?
Usually, yes. The manufacturer designed the gun around their magazine, and magazine problems are the most common source of malfunctions in any semi-automatic. Some aftermarket makers have earned their reputations on specific platforms and are entirely trustworthy. Bargain-bin magazines from unknown makers are the cheapest possible way to make a reliable gun unreliable.
How do I know when a magazine is worn out?
Failures that follow one particular magazine rather than the gun, rounds that nose-dive or ride up under the feed lips, or a last round that will not feed. Number your magazines so you can tell. Springs and followers are inexpensive and are the first thing to replace; visibly spread or damaged feed lips mean the body is finished.