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Factory vs. Aftermarket Glock Magazines: Reliability Matters
Glock has arguably the most aftermarket support of any firearm manufacturer. This support extends to accessories, internal components, and, of course, magazines.
It’s great that your typical Glock comes with two or three magazines, but let’s be honest; no one is content with just having two or three magazines. Right? I’m willing to bet that if you own a Glock, you’ve not only purchased some additional magazines, but some of those magazines aren’t even factory magazines…hence why there is a need to write this article.
My Glock 19 has no issues with factory or aftermarket magazines.
Glock is known for its reliable firearms, but any gun is only as reliable as its magazine. Without the magazine doing its job, the firearm doesn’t even have the chance to perform.
So, are there aftermarket magazines out there that are just as reliable?
Glock Reliability
With multiple decades of research and design behind Glock’s factory magazines, it’s a safe bet that they’ve been perfected. Designed and tested with your actual Glock pistols, you can count on the factory magazines.
Of course, any magazine in the world has the potential to fail or pass quality control when it shouldn’t, but have you personally heard of anyone having recurring issues from a factory Glock magazine? I sure haven’t.
Glock magazines are constructed from durable polymer and have full-length steel inserts for enhanced durability. They also have anti-tilt polymer followers for maximum reliability and rear-facing witness holes to help you keep track of your remaining rounds.
No guessing how many rounds are left.
From compliant capacities to 33-round extended magazines, there is a Glock magazine for you—unless you want a drum magazine, in which case, keep reading.
Aftermarket Options
Not all aftermarket magazines are made to the same level of quality. I’ve had more than my fair share of “duds” that have left me swearing to never use them again. However, some have given me no issues and have a solid reputation amongst the shooting community.
The beauty of aftermarket magazines is their unique features. These include translucent offerings, 50-round capacities via drum magazines, and all the colors under the sun.
DISCLAIMER: These products are not manufactured, authorized, endorsed, or warranted by GLOCK. GLOCK does not warrant or represent that these products are compatible with GLOCK pistols.
Magpul PMAG
If you’re an AR-15 fan, you’re likely familiar with the infamous PMAG. The good news is that Magpul offers PMAGs for Glocks as well. And guess what? You can expect the same reliability and quality.
Between the witness holes and bright orange follower, you should have no problem keeping track of your rounds.
They will have very similar features to genuine Glock magazines, such as durable polymer construction, anti-tilt followers, and witness holes. Additionally, they offer a dot-matrix panel to mark and identify your magazines appropriately.
Best of all, if you need to break in your new Glock or want to save time from having to reload often at the range, you can even pick up a 50-round drum from Magpul. You can thank me later!
50+1 is just a tad better than 15+1. Source
ETS Omega
Elite Tactical Systems (ETS) has been producing aftermarket Glock magazines for years and has gained quite the following. Easily noticeable for their translucent polymer bodies, they are offered in different colors, capacities, and calibers.
Most recently, ETS released the Omega magazine line, which takes the already popular and durable magazines to the next level. The new Omega magazines feature hardened steel feed lips and a patent-pending Omega Joint and frame that wrap 360 degrees for maximum strength.
These mags help you see clearly…get it? Source
Which and Why?
Deciding between magazines can be tough, especially when there are so many high-quality options. I would likely divide my options into two categories: defensive magazines and training magazines.
Even though I just finished discussing how great certain aftermarket magazines can be, there is something reassuring about running a genuine Glock magazine for defensive purposes. If it’s a gun that I’m going to carry or use for home defense, you can bet I’ll have a factory Glock magazine inside of it.
You can use the factory 17-round magazine with your Glock 19 if you wish.
Now, for situations that aren’t life or death, such as the range or competitions, I wouldn’t hesitate to grab a handful of various aftermarket magazines, especially like the ones mentioned above.
This will all come down to personal preference, but I don’t think there is much of an argument to make that any aftermarket Glock magazines are MORE reliable than the factory ones.
Final Thoughts
Whether you choose factory or aftermarket magazines is up to you, but you should always test them to ensure they are reliable. Even with a factory Glock magazine, it’s always a good idea to run various types of ammo through it, including the type you’ll use for defensive purposes.
It’s better to be safe than sorry, so make sure you test them, train with them, and keep up with maintaining them.
As always, stay safe, train hard, and have fun.
