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Magpul PMAG GL9 Magazines Review: A Cost-effective Aftermarket Magazine For Your Glock
Glock owners did not choose their pistol because it was the flashiest one on the market. The same is true for their magazines.
Glock owners are looking for reliable, durable, and affordable magazines. Enter Magpul.
You probably already know this, but Magpul offers much more than its infamous PMAGs for the AR-15 platform. Here is one of those other products.
One for defense and one for the range.
Meet the Magpul PMAG GL9 series of magazines for Glock pistols.
Key Features
Durability
Made from Magpul’s renowned polymer, these magazines are built to withstand rough handling and drops. Their resilient construction ensures that they can take a beating without compromising performance.
Easy to Use
Everything about these magazines is easy. The side-facing witness holes make it easy to keep track of your remaining rounds, the removable floorplate makes for easy maintenance, and the paint pen dot matrix makes it easy to identify your magazines.
Don’t forget to mark those paint pen dot matrices.
Affordability
The GL9 magazines will leave more green in your wallet than OEM Glock magazines. This means more money for ammo, and more ammo means more training. I am a firm believer that it is not possible to have too many magazines.
Performance and Reliability
I have owned PMAG GL9 magazines for many years. I acquired my first one in 2018 and have increased the number over the years. I bought them as a cost-effective alternative to my OEM Glock magazines for my 4th generation Glock 17.
I wanted magazines I could use and abuse and not care if they wore out or broke. The PMAG GL9s have served admirably in that role.
During my years of ownership, I have used them to shoot FMJs, hollow points, and snake shot through my Glock 17. I am happy to report that I have never experienced issues with them.
I have also used them with my Gen 1 and Gen 2 Extar EP9. Guess what? No issues there, either.
One of the few areas I have heard complaints about these magazines is when larger GL9 mags are used in a lower-capacity pistol like the Glock 26. That being said, I have never experienced the issue. I definitely recommend taking the comments with a grain of salt and find out for yourself.
The gold standard for Glock magazines has been, and unless the sky falls, will always be OEM Glock magazines. But every magazine you own doesn’t need to be the gold standard.
Sometimes, the standard is good enough, and the PMAG GL9 is a magazine that has definitely performed well enough for me.
I use my GL9s regularly.
Do you need to feed your guns reliably? Want a magazine you can drop, kick, lose, and not see dollar signs? If you answered yes to any of those, you may want to consider the GL9 mags.
Community Feedback
The reality is that I am a single user with a specific set of use cases. To get a broader perspective of the GL9, it is crucial to examine what the firearms community experiences to provide some additional context to the individual experience.
Shooting the GL9s side by side with OEM Glock mags.
Community feedback on the GL9s is positive overall. The magazines offer excellent value. Reliability and durability are also rated as acceptable at the very least and good to very good for some users.
As with any product, there are those who, for various reasons, have a negative experience with the magazines. These should not put you off of owning the GL9 but can provide perspective and help understand what failure points might be.
The feed lips are critical components of any magazine.
You can find examples of people having issues with GL9 magazines in 5th-generation Glock pistols and complaints about the polymer wearing out around the feed lips. I haven’t experienced the feed lip issues, and the only Gen 5 Glock I own is a 26. I have only used OEM magazines with it, so I can’t speak to the 5th-gen issue.
Practical Applications
The priceless nature of human life means I would choose OEM Glock magazines, which do cost more than the PMAG GL9, 100 out of 100 times over the GL9 for my primary defense pistol, but for every other use case, the GL9 mag is a go in my book.
Different magazines for different uses.
Going to the range and want to spend your time shooting and not loading mags? Buy a 10-pack of PMAG GL9s, load up at home, and shoot to your heart’s content.
Or, if you want to have a great time blasting and not worry about reloading, consider the GL9 D-50. It is an excellent choice for any of your Glock pistols or PCCs that accept Glock mags.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Affordable alternative to OEM Glock mags
- Durable polymer construction
- Reliable feeding and performance
- Easy to handle and reload
- Side-facing witness holes
- Paint pen dot matrix
Cons
- Some users report a slightly tighter fit in Gen 5 Glock models
- Some users report eventual polymer fatigue around the feed lips
Last Words
The Magpul PMAG GL9 series of magazines is a fantastic choice for any Glock owner looking to expand their magazine collection. As someone who believes that having too many magazines is impossible, I believe the affordable price of the GL9 is a significant plus in the purchasing consideration equation.
Combining the price of the PMAG GL9s with its solid performance and durability, they provide an excellent alternative to the pricier OEM Glock magazines.
One last look at the GL9.
Whether you are training at the range, gearing up for a competition, or stacking deep for the what-ifs in life, the Magpul PMAG GL9 series won’t disappoint.
