New Mag for AR Type Weapons

[4sarge]

Lancer Systems | L5 Translucent Magazine

The L5™ is a translucent 30 round magazine developed for the 5.56mm M16/M4/AR15 rifle. It has an impact resistant translucent polymer body, corrosion resistant steel feed lips and a removable, patent pending, rubber coated bottom. The L5 was designed to be used with the existing magazine pouches and carriers.
The L5™ Translucent Magazine has been tested and recommended by the members of the National Tactical Officiers Association.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Those look pretty slick. I like the reinforced feed lips so that one could keep em loaded. If I had 14 of those, I would most likely confine the rest of my mags to loaded for practice only duty!

Im still waiting for mags with a coupling built into them (like the Sig mags) towards the bottom. That would be great for a trunk monkey rifle (cant see needing more than two of those coupled mags for trunk usage).

44MAG.com-Lancer Systems
19 bucks? Not too bad for a good mag!

 

[epsylum]

I am waiting to see how they work. I am very pleased with my P-mags right now and don't see a need to swtich to anything else.

 

[shooter521]

I have yet to see a clear/translucent/smoke mag that was worth a f*ck – even Magpul's smoke PMAGS are recommended for training use only. Something about the formulation of the translucent polymers (less fiberglass reinforcement, IIRC) makes them less durable than the black or solid-colored equivalent. We've seen this with Eagle and Ram-Line back in the day, and more recently with the Bulgarian AK mags in 7.62 and 5.56, as well as with AGP (clear and smoke Saiga-12) and Magpul. When will we learn? More importantly, is there really a need to be able to count your rounds? If you think you're getting low, RELOAD. How difficult is that?

 

[epsylum]

I have yet to see a clear/translucent/smoke mag that was worth a f*ck – even Magpul's smoke PMAGS are recommended for training use only. Something about the formulation of the translucent polymers (less fiberglass reinforcement, IIRC) makes them less durable than the black or solid-colored equivalent. We've seen this with Eagle and Ram-Line back in the day, and more recently with the Bulgarian AK mags in 7.62 and 5.56, as well as with AGP (clear and smoke Saiga-12) and Magpul. When will we learn? More importantly, is there really a need to be able to count your rounds? If you think you're getting low, RELOAD. How difficult is that?

My smoke Bulgarian 5.56 AK mags work just fine.

How do SIGs 55X series mags hold up, or how about the Steyr SUG mags? (I'm not being a smartass, I'm really curious).

 

[Disposable Heart]

Sig 550 mags work They have a metal insert like these Lancers. Not to mention, those Bulgy clears look so damn cool hangin out the bottom of your AK Eric! The neat thing is when you fire them off quick, you see the rounds go up and out. Sort of neat!

My only thing is with all the AR mag stuff coming out recently, (despite the groans) why not make a Mini-14 mag that WORKS (not to mention a 30 rounder). That is the main reason I sold my Mini off (plus I will not pay 50+ dollars a mag for only 20 rounds). I know the market desire isnt there but still, at least ONE aftermarket mag that I can keep loaded and not break would be wonderous!

The one mag I bought (thankfully 1) thinking it was a joke (and finding out it was) are the damnable Cammenga mags. Broke it loading round ONE! Company wouldnt take it back unless I sent it to them, paid a "repair" fee and getting a new one. Lots of gun rags think they are the cat's meow!

I can see the reloading issue. Administrative reloads are done regardless of the amount left in the mag, not even looking at the mag. Its one of those ideas that people think is good in a firefight (clear mags, Glasers, Smith and Wesson ASP, XS sights, the list goes on) but only works as imagined on paper. They work and for their purpose they are perfect, however, an answer to a question no one asked, just imagined. I dont think one looks at a clear mag during a firefight to know how many rounds they just got off.

As for the colorant of the mag, the strongest mag "color" would actually be white. That is the usual natural color that resin comes in (despite the type of resin, I work in plastics, I know ). Colors or additives are contaminants, weaken the plastic/polymer. The clear is simply a formulation on a molecular level to allow light to pass through, therefore, allow image to come through. It also would be weak as the amount of space between each molecule bond and molecule itself would be far too great. Realistically, however, the strength variantion on that level is low (for the color) or critical (on the clear). Simply, it would weaken it, but not by a discernable amount that the average shooter would subject it to. I would think the clear ones would yellow however, due to UV contamination (building gas between the polymer strands, I cant imagine them using a high quality polymer to keep prices low, not to mention UV additives are poisonous in large amounts and have more weakening capability such as colorant). I guess I learned something from working at JECO so far .

 

[4sarge]

My only thing is with all the AR mag stuff coming out recently, (despite the groans) why not make a Mini-14 mag that WORKS (not to mention a 30 rounder). That is the main reason I sold my Mini off (plus I will not pay 50+ dollars a mag for only 20 rounds). I know the market desire isnt there but still, at least ONE aftermarket mag that I can keep loaded and not break would be wonderous!

I'll second the Mini 14 mag request. Shouldn't be that difficult for someone to make a reasonably priced functional Mini 14 mag other than Ruger

 

[shooter521]

epsylum:
The 1st Gen Bulgarian "smoke" 5.56 mags had serious cracking issues, as did the clear Polish Beryl mags. The 2nd Gen Bulgarian smoke mags appear to be much better in this regard, and the couple I've got work fine, too (although they are much tighter going in/out of the gun than the black mags).

Disposable:
Magpul claims the natural color of the polymer used in the PMAGs is black. I don't know this for sure and I'm not a plastics guy; just throwing it out there as a data point.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Shooter521: Close! And you do get a cigar! One of the plasticizers used in Polymer they use (many types of polymer, natural polymer is white, but also rubbery, requiring material to give it backbone, ec Plasticizer) could be black, also giving them strength but also color. However, SOME colorant would HAVE to be used in order to keep a consistent color. Plasticizers usually take up the color of whatever material they are (PVC as a plasticizer, not just in pipes, takes either a grey or whitish color without colorant for example) but also can have color added to them, making them not only a strengthener but also a contaminant (mixed blessing). So while no real actual colorant is hitting the polymer at Magpul (or it's contractor if one is involved), its hitting the polymer resin somewhere (most likely the resin supplier).

Now that the science is done: I have one magpul mag, I intend to get more because they simply rock.

Plastics seems really boring, but there is so much to it! Its actually really fun!

 

[epsylum]

epsylum:
The 1st Gen Bulgarian "smoke" 5.56 mags had serious cracking issues, as did the clear Polish Beryl mags. The 2nd Gen Bulgarian smoke mags appear to be much better in this regard, and the couple I've got work fine, too (although they are much tighter going in/out of the gun than the black mags).

all mine are 2nd gen and yes they are a pretty tight fit (but no wobble! ).

 

[bigcraig]

meh....I have become a PMag whore, I don't need no stinkin' clear mag!