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Published Jun 27, 2023 2:24 PM
The magazine for your AR-15 is like a fuel pump for a diesel, if it’s not working right, neither will your rifle. Whether it’s a high-end, boutique build or some clapped-out mil-spec gun, if the magazine isn’t feeding cartridges properly, your rifle is little more than a single shot. So, picking the best AR-15 magazine is important.
How I Chose the Best AR-15 Magazines
My magazine recommendations are based on personal experience, testing a hodgepodge of random loads in various magazines, previous work with a major magazine manufacturer and researching the magazines used by numerous friends and industry colleagues who use them extensively in personal, professional, and competitive applications.
While magazines require little to no care and are very robust, none are perfect nor indestructible. If at some point they get damaged or are not working 100% reliably, then toss them or use them as training magazines to get some malfunction clearing repetitions. But, don’t keep them in your inventory of magazines that you rely on for hunting or personal defense.
The good news for AR owners is there are a lot of good magazines out there. Which magazine is right for you depends on personal preference and need. Here are some top options.
Best AR-15 Magazines: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall: Magpul PMAG 30 AR/M4 GEN M3 Window
Key Features
- Polymer body with a window
- Available in black or tan
- Anti-tilt follower
- Stainless steel spring
Pros
- Dent resistant body
- Bend resistant feed lips
- Easy to service design
Cons
- Heavier than aluminum magazines
- Feed lips can crack or break
In 2007 Magpul introduced the P-MAG, a polymer magazine for the AR-15, and the magazine world hasn’t been the same since. Magpul saw the advantage of polymer for this application. The magazine bodies could be deformed under pressure or take an impact and the plastic would return to its original shape rather than remaining dented or damaged. Same with the feed lips, they could flex without being bent out of alignment . But it’s not just the durability that makes the P-MAGs such a good magazine, they’re also quite reliable.
The Gen 3 PMAGs are easy to handle because of their aggressive texture. The window is a nice addition to verify the ammo status with a glance. Internally they use their own anti-tilt follower. This follower is so good that other manufacturers use it in their magazines, too. The polymer construction isn’t perfect, however. The feed lips can crack or break through wear or impact, and the bodies can swell under pressure when left in extreme heat. That said, the P-MAGs are truly an industry standard against which the performance of every other magazine is judged.
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Best USGI Type: Brownells AR-15 Magazine, Aluminum
Key Features
- Aluminum magazine body
- Magpul anti-tilt follower
- Stainless steel spring
- Available in black, gray, and tan
Pros
- Lightweight
- Impervious to extreme temperatures
Cons
- Feed lips can be bent
- Magazine body can be dented, rendering it useless
The aluminum, 30-round box magazine, developed in 1973, is the OG of standard capacity magazines for the AR-15. Made by various companies as OE suppliers to Colt, FN, and other AR manufacturers, these magazines set the standard for decades and are still an excellent choice. One of the best examples of this magazine type is Brownells AR-15 Magazine, Aluminum. Made to USGI specifications, they are light, they do not swell in extreme heat, and the feed lips will not crack if dropped. These magazines come with a stainless-steel spring and a Magpul anti-tilt follower. They are available in the mil-spec gray, black, or tan colors. The drawback to aluminum is that it bends, so if you dent the magazine body, or bend the feed lips, the magazine is toast. That said, the aluminum magazine bodies are heat treated, durable, and will provide years of service (so long as you don’t smash them).
Read Next: Best Pocket Pistols
Best Steel: DURAMAG SS 5.56/.223
Key Features
- Stainless steel body
- Available in black or tan
- Anti-tilt follower
- Stainless steel spring
Pros
- Strong, dent resistant body
- Extra interior space
- Light for the material
Cons
- Heavier than aluminum magazines
If you think plastic should be reserved for Tupperware and not guns or magazines, then Duramag has just the thing for you, an AR-15 magazine made from stainless steel. The DURAMAG SS 5.56/.223 features a stainless-steel magazine body with a black coating that adds lubricity. The magazine also features a stainless steel spring and the company’s own anti-tilt follower. The magazine body is heat-treated, making it extremely durable and less susceptible to dents or deformation. The stainless-steel construction does allow the Duramag to use thinner material, thus maximizing interior dimensions. These few thousandths of an inch could make a difference for shooters trying to maximize cartridge length using heavier bullets. It’s also interesting to note that these magazines are not as heavy as you might expect. They weigh a bit more than the aluminum mags, but less than the polymer P-Mags.
Best Hybrid: Lancer Systems L5AWM
Key Features
- Polymer construction with hardened steel feed lip inserts
- Translucent body
- Stainless steel spring
- Anti-tilt follower
- Available in opaque black and flat dark earth and in translucent smoke, flat dark earth, olive drab, blaze orange, robin’s egg blue, purple, red, and alien green
Pros
- Steel feed lips resist cracking or breaking
- Polymer body resists dents
- Translucent body allows visual confirmation of ammo type
Cons
- Heavier than the metal magazines
If you can’t decide between the benefits of polymer or metal for your magazines, then you’re just who Lancer had in mind when they made the L5SWM. This magazine has a translucent polymer body with heat-treated, steel feed lip inserts. This gives the user the benefits of both worlds. The steel reinforced feed lips will resist cracking or breaking, but the way they’re joined to the polymer body will help prevent them from getting bent. Like other polymer magazines, the body can withstand pressure or impact without being permanently deformed or dented. The translucent body lets you see how many rounds are in the mag with a simple glance. An anti-tilt follower keeps the rounds properly oriented in the magazine. The Lancer Systems L5SWM comes in a variety of colors if that’s your thing, but it also comes in some opaque options if you don’t want the translucent feature.
Best New Polymer Magazine: Amend2 AR-15 5.56/.223 30-Round Black Magazine Mod-2 Model
Key Features
- Polymer construction
- Aggressive texture
- Stainless steel spring
- Anti-tilt follower
Pros
- Dent resistant body and feed lips
- More color options than some other polymer magazines
Cons
- Heavier than the metal magazines
- Feed lips can be cracked or damaged upon impact
The Amend2 magazines are relatively new to the scene, bringing consumers another option for magazines that take advantage of the benefits of polymer. Some older models of polymer magazines were difficult to grip securely because they lacked texture and were pretty slick. The Amend2 magazine addressed this out of the gate with very aggressive texture and gripping surfaces, which will be great if your hands are wet or muddy. Internally they use their own anti-tilt follower supported by a stainless-steel spring. While the bodies and feed lips will resist bending on impact, potential cracking or breaking is a possibility, just like it is with any polymer magazine. It’s just something to keep in mind. Amend2 magazines are available in black, FDE, ODG, and gray.
Read Next: Best 5.56 Ammo
How To Choose the Best AR-15 Magazine
Let Your Rifle Choose
Your rifle and ammo will dictate what magazine you should use. It’s that simple. The myriad of rifle components and ammo combinations mean you should probably try a couple different mags to see which works best with your rig. If everything you try out works reliably, then it’s just a matter of personal preference. Most likely any of the magazines we’ve listed are going to work great.
Any Color You Want As Long As It’s Black, Tan, or…Red?
Does the color of the magazine matter? Well, if you spent a lot of money on that fancy Cerakote job or took a lot of time to painstakingly paint your rifle, then yes, it probably matters. There is a very practical reason for color options (like red) though. If you shoot 300BKL and .223/5.56MM, then relegating the 300BLK ammo to one specific color of magazine is a good idea so it is never confused for a magazine loaded with .223/5.56MM. Shooting 300BLK is a lot of fun. Shooting 300BLK in a rifle chambered in .223/5.56MM will not be fun.
FAQs
Q: Should I use metal magazines or polymer magazines?
Yes. But seriously, you should try both and see which your rifle and ammo combination likes best. You are going to want more than one magazine anyway, so there’s nothing wrong with having both types on hand if they both work reliably with your setup.
Q: Will Most AR-15 magazines work for other cartridges like 6.5 Grendel, 450 Bushmaster?
No. Standard AR-15 magazines will work with .223 Rem, .223 Wylde and 5.56NATO. Other cartridges like 6.5 Grendel, 6mm Arc, 450 Bushmaster, etc., will need magazines that are designed for those cartridges specifically.
Q: Will standard AR-15 magazines work for 300BLK?
Yes, but again, be very careful never to mix up magazines loaded with 300BLK for use in your AR-15 chambered in .223/5.56MM.
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Final Thoughts on the Best AR-15 Magazines
It can be intimidating to think that a ubiquitous piece of gear that usually costs less than $20 can mean the life or death of your rifle whether it costs $400 or $4,000 dollars. Yes, the magazines you use are really that important. Fortunately, it is a buyer’s market for magazines and there are field-proven, time-tested options available that will be just as reliable and well built as your favorite AR-15.
