Are Magpul Glock Mags Good - The Glock 17 is one of the most popular handguns since the 1911 or Hi-Power. They are relatively inexpensive and easy for beginners to shoot. While the gun itself is relatively inexpensive, the magazines are not. Until recently, Glock had a monopoly on magazines to feed your 9mm Glock. This kept retail prices around $25, with LE prices not much lower. That reason alone got me excited when Magpul announced a Glock compatible Pmag.
We first got our hands on the Pmag 17 GL9 at the 2015 SHOT Show. Magpul had some for visitors to pamper at the booth. I was happy to see that the capacity was correct (the same as the factory magazine) and that they fell free when the magazine release button was pressed.
Are Magpul Glock Mags Good
One of the most interesting features of the Pmag GL9 is the new base plate design. Borrowing from the original Pmag, the Magpul GL9 is designed so that it can be removed from the weapon with a cartridge. In this case, it was a 9mm projectile. Pushing the nose of the chuck into the base plate detent allows the base plate to slide. This is much easier than removing the plate from Glock magazines with a gun tool.
Magpul Glock Gen3 Enhanced Magazine Well 2 Pack G19 G23 G32 G38 Mag940
Magpul also takes into account the fact that shooters like to number their magazines for better record keeping (age, defects, etc.). They formed the mesh underneath the base plate. Just a few seconds with the pen, and after a few days of practice you'll have an indelible mark.
The Magpul Pmag GL9 does not use a metal liner like modern non-drop Glock magazines. They are completely polymer body. This initially caused me some concern, but after a few weeks and countless hundreds of rounds, my concerns proved to be unfounded. I mixed factory mags and Magpul mags for several days of practice. I couldn't tell any difference between the Magpul or the Glock. Both load with equal ease. Both can be hand loaded with a Glock or Applula loader. Performance on the G17 was 100%.
The question that always comes up when discussing the Magpul GL9 is "Why?" Why would a professional or competitive shooter choose these over factory Glock magazines? My "Blue Label" Glock 17 came from the factory with three 17 round magazines. That's plenty for daytime range, concealment, or uniform use. However, it's not good enough for an advanced pistol class, steel challenge competition, or serious practice at the range. For this, I recommend at least 5-10 magazines. At $25 a pop of factory magazines, it's a small investment. Magpul GL9 magazines currently retail for around $15-$16. We should not be the determining factor in what we bet our lives on. However, if I can get a similar or more effective product for less money, that's a consideration. In our testing, the GL9 performed at least as well as the stock alternative. Add ease of disassembly to the equation and they'll be hard to turn down.
I understand that there will be people who run factory mags in their Glocks for service or personal use. That said, I recommend picking up some Pmags and saving wear on your factory mags. Run your factory magazines for transfer and qualification. Hit the Pmags on those long training days where you're slamming magazines into gravel or concrete.
Ets Glock Magazine Review: Good To Go
The Pmag 17 GL9 is not without its flaws. Our GL9 mags worked great in our 4th generation Glock 17. They also worked well on a friend's 4th gen G19. Some early releases of the GL9 had issues with the G19. That seems to be resolved. If you have some early magazines, I encourage you to contact Magpul. The only problem we found was when we tried to use the Pmag 17 GL9 in our 3rd gen Glock 26. This G26 is one of my regular CCW pistols and is very reliable with the factory 17 and 10 round magazines. I couldn't run a full magazine (rapid fire) from the GL9 without crashing. I attribute this to the short grip of the G26, which forced my hand down on the magazine. The GL9 seems to have enough of a size difference that pressure on the magazine can cause it to lean into the gun and misfeed.
Another drawback we encountered with the Pmag 17 GL9 was related to accessories. Our G17 is equipped with a Dawson Precision ICE magwell. This leaves the factory magazine base plate flush with the bottom of the magwell. We experienced no problems with the loaded magazine landing. However, it was almost impossible to make sure the magazine was in place. Despite the serrations on the side of the GL9's buttplate, we didn't get a good grip on the magazine. Our factory Glock magazines are equipped with +2 base plates for easy mounting or breaking. There are several options for optional base plates that work with factory magazines. ZEV has recently released +5 expansions for Pmag 17 that address this issue.
Shortly after receiving our GL9 magazines, Magpul released the L-Plate. Magpul's L-plate is a rubber base plate for the GL9 magazine that extends the magazine 1/8 inch above the included hard plastic plate. The L-plate also provides a slight cushion when magazines are repeatedly dropped onto a hard concrete surface. The L-plate was the solution to using the Pmag 17 GL9 in our Magwell G17 setup. Installing the L-plate is as simple as removing the original plate and using a 9mm cartridge to slide it into the L-plate. Unfortunately, installing an L-plate means you lose the store numbering feature of the standard floor plate.
The L-plate should have been on the GL9 from the start, not an after-the-fact accessory. In that case, the marking grid could be placed to the side or away from the magazine route. The only reason I can think of to put a GL9 with hard plastic plates is to keep the price down.
Magpul Gl9 For Glock 17, 19x, 34 Magazine 10 Round 9mm Mag801 Mag Clip 10rd 840815117568
After putting hundreds of rounds through it, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Pmag 17 GL9 for Glock 17 and Glock 19 owners. For those G26 owners, I recommend sticking with the factory mags until Magpul releases the Pmag 12 GL9. One of Glock's greatest strengths is its mass market support. It ranges from holsters to spare parts and magazines. When Magpul announced the development of the GL9, a PMG for Glock, it was a game changer. To date, no other handgun has received this much support. GL9 magazines, while strictly limited to 9mm, come in a variety of sizes. From the government banned 10 round magazines to the 50 round Magpul has you covered. But how do they work?
Instead of a plastic body with a steel insert like factory Glock magazines, the GL9 has all polymer construction. Because of this, Magpul GL9 magazines are some of the lightest magazines on the market. Their 17-round magazines are 1.7 ounces, which is lighter than OEM. The 21-round GL9 weighs just 2 ounces; A full ounce lighter than OEM 19 round options and a full 2.6 ounces lighter than some +5 expansions. Despite this difference in weight, the form factor is familiar. If you've ever used a Glock magazine, you have a clear idea of what a GL9 magazine is.
I find that the GL9 can usually hold an extra round over its stated capacity. However, I do not advise shooters to overload their magazines. Loading this extra cartridge is very difficult, often leading to feeding problems and preventing the magazine from locking when the action is closed.
Be prepared to fully count your rounds or load to maximum capacity. The Magpul includes 10 witness holes and a maximum number of rounds with additional witness holes depending on capacity. To help shooters see when their magazines are empty, adherents paint them bright orange — something Magpul did before jumping on the Glock bandwagon.
Magpul Glock Magazine
Magpul GL9 magazines are my primary magazines for practice, USPSA, mid 2016 to early 2019 range. They were used during Pistolcraft 1 at Valor Ridge, Haley Strategic D5 Handgun, and Shooter Symposium. Each has 500-1000 rounds depending on when purchased. Functionally, they are completely reliable in terms of feed. They've been thrown into dirt and mud, used in rain and snow, kept in hot cars without any change in reliability.
If your magazines are clogged with debris, cleaning is a simple matter. Press the big button at the bottom, then slide the floor. The procedure is similar to the factory magazine, but requires much less effort.
Despite the praise, the Magpul GL9 magazines aren't perfect. They are not always
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