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The Best AR-15 Magazines For Home Defense, SHTF, and Fun At The Range
Having a proven firearm in a sticky situation is one of the best ways to ensure survival. It is crucial to ensure that the firearm functions reliably.
What is the leading cause of malfunctions with the AR-15 platform? If you guessed the magazine, you’d be correct. The wrong magazine can turn your rifle into an expensive paperweight, so it’s paramount that you choose a good magazine.
It’s hard to argue with a Magpul PMAG. Source: reddit
We’ll discuss the best magazines for your AR-15, whether for home defense, the range, SHTF, or all three.
There are many quality magazines out there, but here are some of our favorites that we highly recommend.
Home Defense & SHTF
Home defense is arguably the most important scenario in which you can utilize your rifle, so having a magazine you can trust to feed your AR-15 is crucial. It can be the difference between life and death. The same applies if and when SHTF.
Magpul has been supplying magazines to law enforcement agencies, the military, and civilians for many years. While these magazines are constructed from polymer, they have proven themselves to be durable and reliable when it matters.
The Gen 3 is the most recent in the PMAG line and features a paint pen dot matrix, an over-travel insertion stop, and a slim floorplate. You’ll also find windows on both sides of the magazine, which are accompanied by numbered round count indicators that allow you to quickly assess your remaining capacity.
Thankfully, they are also affordable and easy to find in bulk packs.
If you’re looking for a lightweight yet extremely durable magazine, consider the aluminum Duramag Speed magazine. Its bright orange anti-tilt follower keeps the magazine feeding your rifle smoothly and lets you know immediately when you need a reload.
While aluminum isn’t the most robust material out there, I’ve seen great results while running these mags hard, and others have, too. Duramag doesn’t break the bank and delivers a magazine you can bet on.
The Lancer L5AWM magazine combines the best of polymer and steel. The polymer body reduces its weight while hardened steel feed lips provide the reliability and durability that you want in a time of need.
The magazines feature superior texturing to maintain control and help with reloads. They are also offered in many colors to match your build if this classic “Smoke” finish doesn’t fit its aesthetic.
As the name suggests, this magazine is meant for those who like to use the powerful and quiet .300 Blackout. These magazines are the same as the ones mentioned before but are designed to hold 30 rounds of hard-hitting .300 Blackout – a great round for home defense.
The Lancer L5AWM .300BLK Smoke mags are tactically subtle. Source: lancer-systems
Range Use
Amend MOD2 magazines are some of the best in the industry and give the PMAG a run for its money. They’re inexpensive and built from similar materials as Magpul magazines. Multiple agencies and military personnel have tested them and provided excellent feedback.
They are made in the U.S.A., and they’re available in bulk! Who can argue with 50 magazines for $400 bucks?
The newer MOD3 magazines are also available now for only a couple more bucks.
While I wouldn’t usually recommend a 60-round magazine for any other purpose, the range is where it can be used for fun.
A 60-round magazine is great for breaking in your new rifle when you’d normally spend a decent amount of time reloading. Magpul made sure to make these as reliable and durable as possible, making them one of the best-selling drum magazines out there!
Ringing steel with 60 rounds should be a Christmas song. Source: sandboxx
Hunting
Duramag has an assortment of different magazines for your hunting needs, including 5.56×45, .308 Winchester, 7.62×39, 350 Legend, 450 Bushmaster, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, and more. If you’re looking for odd-caliber magazines for your rifles, there’s surely a Duramag with your name on it.
Again, these magazines have all the durability needed to do the job, thanks to their stainless steel construction and T-360 coating that covers the entire magazine, inside and out. When you’re out there tracking an eight-point buck that’s been eluding you for weeks, these Duramag magazines can handle any terrain while ensuring your next round is ready to go.
Accessories
Magazine Loader
Loading magazines is not always a fast process and takes time away from the essential things, like shooting. So when you need to get those magazines loaded and ready to go, it’s best to get yourself a solid mag loader to take the stress off your thumbs.
Magazine Coupler
The Magpul PMAG coupler is a simple way of ensuring you have an extra 30 rounds of ammo ready with one flip. The only downside is that this coupler only works with PMAGs. But let’s be honest; you probably have some PMAGs already, anyway.
Couplers are rather old-school but still work. Source: reddit
It’s the same concept as the PMAG coupler, but this Lancer mag coupler also works with other box-style magazines, like the Duramag Speed Magazines. So, if you want a more versatile coupler, this is a great option.
Magazine Pouch
Don’t put your magazines in your pocket when you can put them in a mag pouch. The HSG Taco is made of a mixture of Kydex and nylon. It is adjustable for magazines of different sizes, which saves you money if you’re switching between different caliber rifles.
Make Sure You Buy The Right Magazine
As you’ve probably noticed by now, not all magazines are the same. For the most part, all of these magazines are interchangeable with different AR-15 lowers. However, you can still run into issues with specific rifle and magazine combinations, so read the detailed descriptions before stocking up on dozens of certain magazines.
Conclusion
Finding the right AR-15 magazine shouldn’t be complicated or stressful. All of these magazines are ready for hard use, but some can handle the heat better than others. Consider what you intend to use the magazine for, set a budget, and go from there.
If you have any questions, our magazine experts are always there to help!
Be good and take care.
