Pistol Magazines for Sale: How to Shop for Quality

You can never have too many pistol mags stuffed in your range bag. After all, the less time you spend loading at the range, the more time you can spend shooting - so having more loaded mags is better.

But, if you’re looking for pistol magazines for sale, remember that no two magazines are inherently created equal, and just like firearms themselves, some mags are more reliable than others.

So, if you’re going to buy new mags, consider the following.

OEM vs. Manufacturer Magazines

First things first, one gun can probably accept and shoot a wide range of magazines, and they don’t necessarily need to be made by the manufacturer.

For instance, Ruger and Glock both make their own magazines, but there are other companies that produce aftermarket magazines for them.

Keep this in mind, though. OEM magazines are guaranteed to have an exact fit and function backformed around the original design of the firearm, so they are almost certain to load, feed, and drop smoothly.

Aftermarket pistol magazines are more of a gamble, but can represent high quality, if you know what to look for.

Body Construction: Material

There are two main classes of pistol magazines for sale in terms of the mag tube’s construction: polymer mags, such as those made for/used by Glock pistols, and metal mags, which are usually made from aluminum or steel.

Polymer mags are lightweight and have the distinct advantages of the fact that polymer is corrosion-proof. Also, some polymer mags are self-lubricating. However, just be aware that polymer is not as strong as metal and that some solvents can damage polymer mags.

The other alternative is metal pistol magazines. Aluminum magazines are lightweight and more corrosion resistant than steel, but not as strong. Steel is heavier and stronger, but less resistant to corrosion.

Metal pistol magazines for sale can be treated with surface finishes, however, that alter this.

Body Construction: Coating/Treatment

Steel pistol magazines for sale are often treated with a variety of coatings or finishes, so this is another thing to look out for.

If corrosion is a concern for you, look for pistol magazines that are made from steel, or stainless steel, and then case-hardened, Parkerized, nitrided, or Cerakoted, as all of these finishes improve the mag’s resistance to scratching, abrasion, and corrosion.

The Magazine Spring

The quality of the magazine spring is, all things considered, one of the most important attributes of the magazine.

The lower the quality of the spring, and the lesser the quality of the temper, the sooner the spring will fatigue, which means one of two things: either you will need a replacement spring, or, if you can’t find one, you’ll need an entirely new pistol mag.

Look for pistol magazines for sale that advertise high compression strength springs, and look for the number of test cycles in the specs, too. Higher is better.

Follower Construction

Some pistol magazines which exhibit otherwise high-quality construction are made with cheap plastic or polymer followers, presumably to save on cost.

Plastic is fine, and the follower doesn’t experience the same stresses of the spring, mag body, or feed lips, most of the time, but plastic will break down over time.

All else being equal, a steel follower with a corrosion-resistant treatment will be stronger and last longer than a plastic follower, not to mention the fact that it will hardly add any weight.

Some also argue that round followers are better than flat followers as the convex shape simulates another round pushing up on the final round, facilitating smoother feeding.

Feed Lip Design

Reinforced feed lips are a must, as the feed lips, like the follower and spring, are essential to proper cartridge alignment and smooth feeding.

The feed lips, which are often made from thin metal, are very prone to damage from being mishandled or abused, too.

Parallel feed lips are also a selling point as they enable smoother feeding.

Capacity

In addition to the factors listed here, capacity is also another consideration to make. Many single-stack 1911 mags, for instance, only hold 7 rounds. Modern double stack mags can hold twice that, if not more.

Also, many handguns are compable with extended handgun magazines that can hold 15 or 30 or more rounds.

Firearm Magazine Capacity Restrictions

While considering capacity, remember that there are gun magazine capacity restrictions in some states and jurisdictions. For instance, our neighbor to the east just banned magazines holding more than 10 rounds only a year or so ago.

Other states have similar restrictions, and laws are in a constant state of flux. Consult a lawyer if you have any questions.

Pistol Magazines for Sale

Looking for a pistol magazine for sale for your favorite handgun? We carry magazines for 1911 style pistols, Glock pistols, Sig Sauer, S&W, and Rock Island firearms, among many others.

Call us at 610-250-3960 if you have any questions or visit us in our showroom to see what we carry.