Analysis of the Promag AR-15 Steel 10rd Flush Fit Magazine

This is part of the STANAG Magazine Comparison series.

Promag Steel 10rd flush-fit magazine

While I tend to avoid making declarative judgments in my articles, I will make a statement here: These magazines should be the very last resort. Under no circumstances should you select one of these magazines if you want your weapon to function reliably. These have the worst tilt and feed issues of any magazine I have evaluated, and are difficult to reassemble without knowing the follower trick at the bottom of this article. Moreover, you can't even cure the tilt issue by installing an anti-tilt follower (at least, not the C-Products ones) because the only follower which will fit into the magazine body is the one that comes with it.

Analysis

Top-left, you can see the follower. This resembles a green USGI anti-tilt follower, but with the anti-tilt legs removed. To the top right is a plate which sits between the floorplate and spring, which the spring hooks into. Bottom left is the magazine floorplate.

Bottom view of the follower.

Angled bottom view of the follower. Note the small hole towards the right which the magazine spring threads into.

The typical way people might try to reassemble this magazine is shown to the left. Due to the tabs sticking out farther than normal on the sides of the magazine, this is not feasible. The follower will not fit, and much frustration will ensue.

This is the easiest way to insert the follower. Note that it is tilted diagonally and is being inserted in a straight line.

Once the magazine has cleared the retention tabs, you level it out and rotate it until it's in the correct orientation.

A detail shot on the floorplate parts.

-- SeanNewton - 09 Jun 2011