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KCI Magazines for Glock Pistols Review: Are They Worth Their Weight?
You can never have too many Glock magazines. No matter what role your Glock fills, the more magazines you have, the better. We all know that the gold standard are factory original Glock magazines, and while they are by no means expensive, there are plenty of other, more affordable magazines that can still be great for training or competitions. That is where KCI comes in.
Located in South Korea, KCI seeks to meet the need for affordable and reliable aftermarket magazines for Glock magazine-fed firearms. While they hit the price point most want, they aren’t worth any price if they don’t actually perform.
One holds just a few more rounds than the other.
We’ve decided to put two of KCI’s most popular Glock-compatible magazines to the test, to help you decide if they are worth your hard-earned money.
The Competitors
Both are priced below OEM magazines and share many of the same features that we have become accustomed to, such as rear-facing witness holes, anti-tilt polymer followers, and steel-reinforced polymer bodies.
The 33-round mags are perfect for PCCs like the Extar EP9.
How We Tested
I put over 200 rounds through each magazine. The rounds consisted of a wide variety of FMJs with some Hornady American Gunner and Critical Defense hollow points mixed in.
I ran the magazines with six different firearms:
- Glock 17 (Gen 4)
- Glock 26 (Gen 5)
- Extar EP9 (Gen 1)
- Extar EP9 (Gen 2)
- SCT 17 Frame with Aim Surplus slide and barrel
- Ruger RXM
The Glock 17, Ruger RXM, and SCT 17 helped test these magazines.
The Mags were tested in various ways, including slow-fire and fast reload drills. They were allowed to drop free to the ground and occasionally I encouraged them to do so with plenty of force. Issues I was specifically looking for included failure to feeds, failure to ejects, and lock-back issues.
Time for another mag dump.
My results? Zero malfunctions. The only issue I had was a somewhat tight fitment with the SCT 17 frame that occasionally required manual magazine extraction. The issue was actually worse with OEM Glock magazines, so I don’t consider this to be a KCI magazine issue.
How They Compare to Glock OEM Magazines
I don’t know a single person who relies on a Glock or Glock-pattern firearm to protect their life who uses anything other than a genuine Glock magazine when it matters most. That said, KCI’s magazines provided considerable performance at a significant value.
If you couldn’t see the orange follower on the Glock mag, could you tell the difference?
With KCI’s magazines, you are trading possible long-term durability, follower/spring feel, and brand trust for significant cost savings. However, they still provide excellent compatibility and real-world reliability for non-life-threatening situations.
KCI magazine on the left. Glock magazine on the right.
What the Community Says
Like many of you, I read articles and forum posts regarding all things firearms, which includes aftermarket magazines. Gen 1 KCI magazines seem to deserve the somewhat harsh criticism. These Gen 2’s are another matter.
After starting this article, I spent a decent amount of time on Reddit, GlockTalk, and other firearms forums looking for opinions on the Gen 2s. The general consensus is exactly what I experienced. They make great range mags. You might have zero issues through hundreds of rounds like I did, but are you willing to bet your life on them to save a few bucks?
Glock vs KCI: The gold standard vs. the competitor.
My experiences with the mags were excellent. If you want to abuse your magazines without worrying about your wallet running dry, these should be your go-to for an affordable alternative to OEM Glock mags.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Reliable across multiple platforms
- Very affordable compared to OEM Glock Magazines
- No issues with seating, ejection, or lock-back
- Great for stacking deep and range days
Cons
- Gen 1 mags damaged KCI’s reputation in the community
- Unknown long-term durability
Last Words
KCI’s Gen 2 Glock-style magazines deliver impressive performance at an affordable price point. 400+ rounds across six different guns with zero failures is not a fluke. That said, in the grand scheme of shooting sports, 400 rounds is nothing and is simply a modest day for many of us.
I wouldn’t swap out my factory Glock magazines for these when I am carrying, and they won’t be in my bedside pistol, but they are perfect for range use, classes, competition, and as backup mags that you stack deep. You can never have too many mags in my mind.
Which would you choose?
For anyone exercising their Second Amendment rights on a budget or simply building their training loadout and wants quality magazines at a great price, KCI’s magazines should have a spot in your range bag. If you have a bad taste in your mouth from previous experiences with KCI magazines, it might be time to give KCI another shot. At these prices, there isn’t much to lose but there is a lot to gain.
