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If you have been searching for the best magazine for your AR-15 rifle, your search bears fruit and ends today.
Perhaps you have been searching with very little knowledge of what to look for in a good magazine? Or you have endless questions you can't find definite answers to. Worry no more.
This article will show you the things to consider when making your purchase as well as reveal the industry's best AR-15 magazines.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best AR-15 Magazines
- OUR TOP PICK: Hexmag HX AR-15 5.56x45 Magazine
- RUNNER-UP: ProMag AR-15 10-Round 5.56 Rollermag Magazine
- LARGEST AR-15 MAGAZINE: SUREFIRE - AR-15 60RD MAGAZINE 223/5.56
Comparison of the Best AR-15 Magazines
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Are All AR-15 Magazines The Same?
Although an AR-15 magazine can be defined as one compatible with a standard AR-15 lower receiver, AR-15 magazines are not always similar.
Differences depend on the manufacturer since some make variations to their designs to differentiate them. But basically, every magazine will have similar anatomy comprising an internal compression spring, follower, and feed lips. They all also function in the same way in loading rounds.
The main notable differences would be the material and carrying capacity. Most magazines are either made of polymer or metal such as aluminum. Polymer magazines, which usually come with translucent windows, are by far the most reliable since they are flexible and so the feed lips are durable and hard to damage. For this reason, the polymer ones are usually more expensive than their metal counterparts. Metal magazines are lighter, thinner, and cheaper.
The carrying capacity of magazines varies from between five to sixty rounds per magazine.
Why Did These AR-15 Magazines Make Our List?
The following are the features of a good magazine that we considered for our list:
Capacity
The most common capacities in AR-15 magazines are 5, 10, 20, 25, and 30 rounds. Some go up to 40 and 60. 30-round magazines have become the most widely adopted over the years. Some states limit the capacity you can use for activities like hunting to 5 and 10-round magazines. Our list includes magazines of different capacities to provide you with a wide choice range.
Construction Material
Polymer magazines make for a good option for durability and flexibility. They have flexible followers that are less prone to bends or breakages.
Aluminum-made magazines are good for a lower price point compared to polymer ones.
Follower
It is important to check that the follower is in good shape. The best AR-15 magazines have anti-tilt followers to allow for easy loading of rounds. Tilting followers run you the risk of hurting your fingers. We checked our list for good followers since this is a sensitive part of the magazine since it holds the tension and pressure of the spring.
Review of the Best AR-15 Magazines
Having considered what to look for in an AR-15 magazine, let’s now review our 2020 picks of the best ones for your AR-15. Use this review to arm yourself with facts as you narrow down your choices.
Best Overall:
Hexmag HX AR-15 5.56x45 Magazine
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
According to recent buyers, this magazine fits in and functions well with AR-15 rifles. Most of them love the choice of four colors that allows them to find the best fit to enhance the aesthetics of their rifle. However, most buyers are dissatisfied with the 10-round capacity, which they say is way too low.
Why it Stands Out to Us
One key feature in this magazine is the option to adapt from 10-round to 30-round capacity just by changing the compression spring to a stronger one. The wide range of multi-caliber options makes for a great magazine easy to switch from one type of round to another to fit varying target needs. To top this up, the magazine is compatible with several weapons to offer users the chance to use it with other guns besides their AR-15.
Bottom Line
The allowance to change from 10 rounds to 30 makes this magazine a good option for users to upgrade to a higher-capacity magazine without having to buy a new one. The polymer construction will give users a durable magazine with a functional anti-tilt follower for easy loading of rounds.
Runner-up:
ProMag AR-15 10-Round 5.56 Rollermag Magazine
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers love the compact design of the magazine which eliminates slippage and rattling. For most users, it is easy to fix and ejects smoothly. They recommend it for the easy reloads and smooth feeding of rounds into the chamber.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The roller follower mechanism provides easy loading of rounds onto the magazine with reduced risks of the follower tilting, bending, or breaking. The wriggling on the magazine is a plus for users with firm gripping when fitting on or reloading.
Bottom Line
This Promag magazine is a top-notch product given the many deliberations that have been made to the polymer construction to optimize it for durability, smooth functionality on a rifle, and ease of loading up rounds. These unique features make it fit for users of all walks from beginner, amateur, and expert.
Largest AR-15 Magazine:
SUREFIRE - AR-15 60RD MAGAZINE 223/5.56
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers say the magazine is easy to load and feeds bullets into the rifle smoothly. They love the deep-cut grooves for the firm grip on the magazine. They also love the low-weight feature for easy portability even when the magazine is fully loaded.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The cadmium coating on the spring stands out with reduced internal friction and more resistance to corrosion especially in areas with high humidity. Deep grooves on the surface provide both a solid grip and characteristic differentiation from other non-grooved magazines.
Bottom Line
This SureFire high-capacity 60-round magazine greatly reduces stop times as you won't have to keep reloading frequently. The weight when the magazine is fully loaded won't give you any problems given the light aluminum used.
Best AR-15 10 Round Magazine:
MAGPUL Industries PMAG 10 GEN M3
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers love the magazine for the light weight at full capacity. They recommend it as an easy to load magazine that feeds the rifle smoothly. They all love the dust cover as it keeps their magazine dirt-free.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The main unique feature has to be the dust cover which helps keep the magazine free from moisture and debris that would otherwise clog it up. Adding the buying option of 10 magazines at a go is a good way to encourage users to stock their magazine store in bulk. One thus won't need to keep shopping often.
Bottom Line
This polymer magazine makes the loading process quite easy with the anti-tilt, self-lubricating follower. The durability of the follower is guaranteed as it isn't prone to wear and tear. This is a product that all classes of gun users will enjoy using.
Best AR-15 Fixed Magazine:
MAGPUL PMAG D-60 AR/M4
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers rampantly report ease of loading rounds. The round-base design is not a favorite. Many users say it makes their rifles look awkward. They however love the dust cover as it comes in handy in keeping the magazine free from destructive debris.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The main outstanding feature in this magazine has to be the anti-glare translucent window on the backside of the drum that allows for checking the remaining number of rounds. It also has a paint dot panel on the rear body to allow for identification marking as a safety measure against mixing up where several similar drums are in use.
Bottom Line
So much to say about this drum magazine. Save for the awkwardness of the drum, everything else is top-notch. Users will particularly love the anti-glare window and enclosed design that allows for keeping the magazine loaded for a long time with no risk of degradation.
Best AR-15 5 Round Magazine:
Ammunition Storage Components AR-15
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers recommend this magazine for its sturdy build and durability. The rugged marble finishes are good for a firm grip for ease of installation and subsequent reloading. The main satisfaction is the low 5-round capacity as it causes them to keep stopping for reloading.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Treating the stainless steel enhances its durability which means that this magazine will last a long time with good resistance to elements of nature. Making the follower out of polymer is also a unique approach for its flexibility and resistance to bending or tilting.
Bottom Line
Given the low 5-round capacity, this magazine is suitable for beginners looking to gradually enhance their gun handling experience. It presents a good opportunity to learn and practice at one's pace.
Best High Capacity AR-15 Magazine:
MAGPUL - AR-15 30RD PMAG GEN M3 MAGAZINE 223/5.56
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers report easy loading of rounds and seamless feeding into rifles. They love the solid grip made possible by the boxed exterior. The magazine is praised for the easy cleaning without having to use any tool to disassemble it.
Why it Stands Out to Us
One key feature that stands out is the four-way polymer that makes both loading the magazine and feeding the rifle flawless procedures. It comes out unique given the easy cleaning process where no tool is needed to disassemble the magazine. To add to these, the pen dot matrix for identification marking assures users of safety as they won't have to worry about similar magazines getting mixed up.
Bottom Line
This high-capacity 30-round magazine will give you more shooting time with fewer stops for reloading. Enjoy seamless magazine loading and rifle feeding as a result of the four-way polymer follower that will be gentle on your fingers. The major setback is the low aesthetic appeal, but this shouldn't worry you as long as the magazine delivers efficiently.
Best AR-15 Extended Magazine:
ATI Schmeisser 5.56/.223
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers love this extended magazine for the high 60-round capacity as they don't have to keep reloading frequently. They are happy with the appealing black finish that mates well with their rifles. The grip, they say, is a unique feature that comes in handy when loading rounds especially because the last 15 or rounds are quite difficult to load.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The grip enhanced by the patterned lines on the body is a key feature that helps users firmly hold the magazine down during the loading of the last few rounds as they prove hard to load.
Reinforcing the polymer with glass adds to its capacity durability while remaining lightweight for easy carrying. To top up, the inclusion of a bolt integrated into the follower for the extraction of the last round becomes a key feature that none of the products in our list has.
Bottom Line
If you have had magazines in the past that we’re unable to feed the last round into the rifle, then this Schmeisser magazine is for you. Worry no more about having that last bullet having to stay tucked away unused. The magazine will look beautiful on your rifle with the well-patterned lines and shiny black finish.
9. Brownells - AR-15 MAGAZINE 5.56MM
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers say this aluminum magazine is super-light and hence comfortable to carry outdoors even when fully loaded. Loading is quite smooth and the follower remains gentle on the fingers. Most customers report that the magazine feeds rounds into the chamber smoothly without any jams.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It comes with an anti-tilt follower which is a good addition to a metal magazine given that the followers in metal makes are more prone to damage by breaking or bending. Customers have the liberty to choose from 6 models because the desert tan finish has several variations. Aluminum construction on the magazine is a bold assertion by the manufacturer that they are confident in their craftsmanship seeing that metal magazines are not easy to make to perfection.
Bottom Line
This magazine is for you if you have no issues handling one that accepts only one caliber of rounds. The low-weight characteristic will allow you to freely carry your magazine around even in its loaded state. Plus you get options for quick-fire and lesser stop times as the 30-round capacity favors this.
Best AR-15 7.62x39 Magazine:
D&H 7.62x39mm 30 Round AR-15 Magazine
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
From the reviews of recent buyers, this carbon steel magazine is easy to load because of the non-tilt follower. The major problem with it is the feeding process as some customers report that it doesn't feed bullets into the chamber easily.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The carbon steel construction is a unique and rare combination for magazines but one that gives it high corrosion resistance. It also has the characteristic black hostile finish for protection from adverse elements of nature like high humidity that would cause corrosion.
Bottom Line
Durability will be a key feature given the carbon steel construction. Enjoy flawless shooting as the magazine feeds bullets into the chamber smoothly. The magazine is curved and has large protruding grooves for a solid grip during installation and reloading.
Perks of Getting a New AR-15 Magazine
You stand to enjoy the following benefits when you buy a new AR-15 magazine.
Enhanced Shooting
Overall, buying a new magazine to replace an old faulty one gives you the chance to enjoy a better shooting experience. The new magazine will not only make it easy to load, it will also feed bullets into your rifle seamlessly. This comes in handy when you need rapid fire.
Spare Magazines
Undoubtedly, having several magazines at hand is good because you can pick any one of them for your rifle. You will have spare ones to use in place of the new ones especially when you can't access the latter.
Easy to Switch Ammunitions
Standard AR-15 rifles allow the use of different calibers. As such, if you choose a magazine that allows inter-changing rounds, it will be easy to switch from one caliber to the other without having to use a different magazine altogether. This is necessary because different calibers are best fit for different purposes.
If you are in competitive shooting, two different rounds would be necessary to serve both long and short range targets with precision.
How to Load an AR-15 Magazine
To load an AR-15 magazine, you will need to have the correct corresponding rounds for the magazine, say 5.56 or .223.
It's important to understand basics such as the type of rounds compatible with the magazine you have and the magazine's anatomy and capacity. Magazines have a compression spring inside, which compresses downwards to take in a bullet off the follower at the head of the magazine.
It is advisable to load with the magazine resting against a flat surface to avoid slips or slides during the loading itself.
To load, place the round on the follower with the tapering end corresponding with the slimmer end on the follower. Press down lightly to lock the bullet in place.
For a dual-stack magazine, place another round by the side of the first one by following the same placement procedure.
Place another round on top of the first, and press downwards to load the first round into the magazine. Repeat this procedure for consecutive rounds on each side of the dual.
For a detailed overview of this process, please refer to the video below.
Conclusion
Finding the best magazine for your AR-15 doesn't have to be a tricky affair anymore if you follow the tenets of this article keenly. We have so far learned what to look for when buying a magazine and reviewed the best ones on the market. You are welcome to pick your favorite from the list. Feel free to let us know how well your new choice serves you.
People Also Ask
Why not box this article up by considering the most frequently asked questions concerning loading magazines? We hope this section answers any question you have for now. Otherwise, feel free to reach out to us and we will gladly answer your burning questions. Just shoot them over.
Is it OK to Keep AR-15 Magazines Loaded?
It’s okay to keep an AR-15 magazine loaded even as there have been claims that this might ruin the compression springs. The trick here then would be to keep it loaded with only a few rounds so that the pressure on the spring is reduced significantly. For efficiency purposes, keeping your magazine loaded comes in handy during emergencies since then it will be just plug-in-and-shoot.
How Many Mags Should I Have For My AR-15?
You can have as many magazines for your AR-15 as is practically possible and reasonable. Several of them would come in handy for interchangeable use or back-up during critical situations. For a start, you can keep six to seven magazines for every rifle you own.
But be sure to mark them appropriately to avoid mix-ups in case your different rifles have varying caliber compatibilities. Marking magazines for a single rifle is good so you use them on a first-loaded-first-used basis.
Is it OK to Leave Ammo in Magazines?
It is okay to leave ammo in magazines for a short time. You want your compression spring to still be usable for a long time. You can put some ammo in the magazine without putting excessive pressure on it throughout the short storage time.
Other than spring issues, environmental conditions come into play. It wouldn't be safe to leave ammo inside in places where humidity, temperature, sunlight, and chemical exposure levels are high. Accumulation of these elements around ammo in non-airtight and non-watertight magazines would damage the ammo and reduce functionality significantly.
What Calibers Fit in an AR-15 Magazine?
The following rounds can go into magazines that are AR-15-compatible:
5.56x45 NATO
.223 Remington
6.5 Grendel
6.8 SPC
.458 SOCOM
.50 Beowulf
.224 Valkyrie
.300 Blackout
7.62x39
.450 Bushmaster
And so many more.
The key thing to note here is that while these rounds may not fit the same magazine, they can all work with AR-15 compatible magazines. It is also important to check whether the rest of the rifle can shoot each specific type of cartridge. The 300 blackouts, for example, would require a different barrel because of the increased diameter.
Hexmag HX Ar-15 5.56x45 Magazine
How Long Can You Keep an AR-15 Mag Loaded?
There is no one exact way to determine this. You can keep an AR-15 magazine loaded for days, weeks, months, years, and up to infinite time. To preserve the spring, you can regularly exercise it to varying levels so that it doesn't take one position based on the number of rounds you have put in the magazine. The trick is to strike a balance between environmental conditions, exercising the spring regularly, and maintaining the entire magazine through regular cleaning.
Which of These Are Cal Legal Mags?
The state of California has restrictions on the use of high-capacity magazines which they define as any magazine that holds over 10 rounds. All the magazines that we have reviewed that have a capacity of 10 rounds and below are legal in the state. These include ProMag AR-15 10-Round 5.56 Rollermag Magazine, Ammunition Storage Components AR-15, and ATI Schmeisser 5.56/.223 from our list.
How Many Rounds Does an AR-15 Magazine Hold?
This amount depends on several factors such as the manufacturer and the construction material. The number of rounds an AR-15 holds ranges from five to 60, but there is no harm in sliding in a lesser number than the actual capacity of the magazine.