PMAG Problems

[Nismo]

New version PMAGS have green followers? Are you sure?

Yes. The genM pmags have od green followers that are slightly different. Not sure if it wilk help your problem but worth a look. Maybe buy one or find someone with one to try out but all mine push the bolt lock up pretty strong.

[Yerman]

My guess is the block is interfering with the spring somehow.

That is my guess as well. I also noticed that when you push down on the follower very slowly there is a "twang" sound as if there is something catching or not seated in the magazine correctly.

I'll have to wait to hear back once they look at them. I find it hard to believe that all 5 of them were not put together correctly. I hope it was a Magpul mistake and they take care of me at the place I bought them from.

[JOHNNYRAMBO]

NISMO- You are incorrect. Magpul Pmag 20rd Magazines have BLACK followers, always have and still do. Only the Magpul Pmag 30rd Magazines (Revision M) have foliage green followers.

All parts used for this modification are made by Magpul.

20rd Magpul Pmag body, follower, spring and bottom plate
Magpul Ranger Plate
Magpul 10rd Limiter
All parts used in modification are manufactured by Magpul for this specific modification.

Reasons to consider in this case:

Receiver tolerances in bolt catch notch too tight / Bolt Catch out of spec and wider than usual
Bolt catch out of spec
Bolt catch spring weak
BAD lever
Pmag specs
Lack of lubrication

Need to check all of these factors and test on other receivers to get a better idea on the issue Yerman is having.

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After inspection the reason is going to be related to the bolt catch mechanism. Recommendation - Remove and replace mag catch, spring and plunger. Eliminate the BAD lever entirely.

[Yerman]

Well, it looks like the problem will remain a mystery. I heard back today and "There are no problems with the Pmags. The issue is going to be with the mag catch mechanism / receiver."

I did purchase some 10/30's made for Stag Arms by NHMTG and they work great. I guess I will stick with factory from now on...

Too bad, I really liked the look of the PMags...

Thanks everyone for your help...and thanks John...

[C_1]

Take off that BAD lever and try the PMAGs again.

[Yerman]

I tried that before I sent them in. Wasn't the problem...

[hardluck]

^+1 I had the B.A.D. work on 2 of my AR's but had same issue as you, worked for a few rounds then the problem arose. So I took it off & now has not had one issue. I assume the bolt catch spring is weak & it needs to be replaced but it is working now so I'm not messing with it for now.

[gemini1]

I'll bet its not the mag but the mods done to it. If you want to solve the mystery, then open one up and check the block, see if theres any area where the spring could be catching. Better yet, file the sides of the block to smoothen it and see if it works.

[Yerman]

I'll bet its not the mag but the mods done to it. If you want to solve the mystery, then open one up and check the block, see if theres any area where the spring could be catching. Better yet, file the sides of the block to smoothen it and see if it works.

Mags are back to the vendor that I bought them from....

They were epoxied shut so there was no way to open them up to check.

I made no mods other than the BAD lever which I removed and made sure was not interfering with the Pmags before I sent them back. AR is brand new so there is no worn spring or anything like that.

They are staying with the vendor and I will be ordering different mags so I won't be able to do more testing...

I have tried ACS, Stag, and Promag magazines with no problems.

Vendor says there was nothing wrong with the Pmags and I believe him. I say all other mags worked great and they do.

Conclusion, my AR does not like Pmags.

Thanks everyone for your help.

[SJgunguy24]

Epoxy can be broken most of the time with a couple of good whacks on a table to the base plate. That is why I rivet them.

[shadowofnight]

I believe they use weak springs from the factory , when you push down on the rear of the follower ( Area that pushes bolt catch up ) ...it was extremely weak on all the ones I had ( As well as friends, they wanted to toss the mags ...and go all metal mags ).

Bought 1 of these with a Magblock order http://www.magazineblocks.com/product_detail.php?pid=26 ...installed it...what a huge difference in pressure to that limp rear of the pmag.

Made another order for enough springs for every pmag I own, as well as my friends. When comparing the springs, the +10% seemed to have 1 extra coil length over the factory pmag spring.

Rivot/roll pin/rtv/small amount of epoxy easy to remove for spring replacement, 3 of the mags given to me had so much goobered epoxy they had to be put down for good ( Didnt really matter, they were poor functioning anyway )

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I think some Pmag runs are just out of spec. I have a lot of them and one or two will have a tight fit into the magwell and won't pop out when released (you have to manually withdraw them.

Some will allow the bolt to release on an empty chamber and some won't.

None of my USGI magazines have any of these issues.