Army ordered troops to only use the army designed aluminum rifle magazines.

www.strategypage.com...

May 31, 2012: Just before Memorial Day (May 28) and without any warning, the U.S. Army ordered its troops to only use the army designed aluminum rifle magazines. This came as a surprise to combat troops, who for years have preferred polymer magazines designed and manufactured outside the army supply system. So popular have these polymer magazines been that the army allows them to be bought through the army supply system, using government funds, if a unit commanders wants them. Most infantry commanders, and their troops, prefer the polymer magazines. This includes SOCOM (Special Operations Command) troops, including the Ranger Regiment.

The army won't explain itself and the troops accuse the army procurement bureaucrats of playing games with the lives of soldiers in combat.

If you want me to put my life on the line at least let me be armed as I see fit.

Combat troops and their commanders are now contacting Congress about the polymer magazine, which the army has, so far, refused to answer questions about. If Congress demands answers, the procurement bureaucrats will have to answer, under oath. These guys can blow off the troops, but Congress is another matter.

Congress? They will probably insist the Army buy them from China.

What would be the reason to have this aluminium rifle magazine instead of the polymer ?

the cost ?
or another reason they dont want to tell

The army was apparently upset that their new and improved design was ignored by most troops, who preferred the civilian (usually Magpul) polymer magazines. The army tried to buy the Magpul patents, but Magpul wasn't selling.

This sounds like the reason to me. They couldn't buy Magpul so they refuse to let the soldiers use them now.

Someone high up got their feelings hurt. Boo Hoo.

reply to post by Ben81


Because someone high in the chain either has an interest in, or has been somehow lobbied by the company that manufactures them. If the troops aren't using them, they have surplus sitting in their storerooms, and as the demand drops, so does the profits.

reply to post by Ben81


Rumor has it that it's because Magpul PMAGS aren't compatible with the new M27 IAR, and I can say from personal experience that on a rare occasion I've had a bolt carrier group chew up the feed lips on a PMAG and render the magazine useless.

remember vietnam when the republicans had more investments privately in the m 14

If you read up on some of the stunts the Ordnance Board pulled during the acceptance trials, they boil my blood.

The AR platform was first tested (as the AR-10) by the Army ordnance board in 1956; and it was rejected, for various stated reasons only one of which was true. The original AR10 had a light weight composite barrel, which would shatter in heavy rain or extremely cold temperatures. During the original ordnance board trials, Stoner decided that the one legitimate complaint the board had was that the rifle needed a conventional barrel, and the bore needed to be chrome lined (in fact, Stoner had always thought so. The lightweight aluminum and compsite barrels were not his idea, they were forced on him by the president of Fairchild, John Sullivan).

In ‘58, the board held the cold weather trials, and rejected the AR platform again, because of it’s “inadequate performance and failure to meet standards in harsh environments”, based on a ridiculous series of rigged tests, using deliberately sabotaged rifles.

Eugene Stoner reported that the commander of the tests told him that there was no way his rifle would pass, and that he didn't understand why Stoner was trying to destroy the Army with his rifle. That he believed Stoner was unpatriotic, and honestly wanted to destroy the Army and possibly America; just because of this rifle.

These were not the sentiments of a rational and objective man.

Stoner also reported that when he arrived to oversee the trials, the rifles used for the test had all their pins removed and replaced with machine screws that had the heads ground off; that springs were deliberately clipped; that sights had been deliberately knocked off true etc... The army ordnance board was simply not going to allow this rifle to even be considered.

anarchangel.blogspot.ca...

the integrity and the taxpayers, and the troops, are the last thing these clowns care about

We all know aluminum poisoning is bad for you, it causes alzheimers over time and countless other deformities in humans in the shorter time frame such as lower IQ, mental retardation, just to name a few.

But most of all, it makes you docile, dampens the ability to question and think freely, but rather causes you to conform and follow orders, swallow everything without a second thought.

This might be the real reason.

Originally posted by TheLieWeLive

The army was apparently upset that their new and improved design was ignored by most troops, who preferred the civilian (usually Magpul) polymer magazines. The army tried to buy the Magpul patents, but Magpul wasn't selling.

This sounds like the reason to me. They couldn't buy Magpul so they refuse to let the soldiers use them now.

Someone high up got their feelings hurt. Boo Hoo.

Someone can correct me if I am wrong. The reason that I was told, regarding Magpul that is, is that the design of the magazine does not allow it to be carried properly in their gear. They apparently do not fit in the current sleeves that the soldiers keep them in when in the field but the other brands and styles of magazines do permit them to be carried in the existing gear.

Originally posted by Skewed

Originally posted by TheLieWeLive

The army was apparently upset that their new and improved design was ignored by most troops, who preferred the civilian (usually Magpul) polymer magazines. The army tried to buy the Magpul patents, but Magpul wasn't selling.

This sounds like the reason to me. They couldn't buy Magpul so they refuse to let the soldiers use them now.

Someone high up got their feelings hurt. Boo Hoo.

Someone can correct me if I am wrong. The reason that I was told, regarding Magpul that is, is that the design of the magazine does not allow it to be carried properly in their gear. They apparently do not fit in the current sleeves that the soldiers keep them in when in the field but the other brands and styles of magazines do permit them to be carried in the existing gear.

Untrue; they fit perfectly in the currently issued magazine pouches because they fit current AR-15 stye rifles. They're lighter than the aluminum mags, and while, yes, the feed lips can shatter in extreme conditions, normal conditions often render the aluminum mags useless or in need of repair- which can't always be done in the thick of a fight.

Almost everyone uses Pmags who understands their worth.

The issue, if there is a safety issue, is shattering from bullet impacts and the resultant shards of razor-sharp polymer. If that's the case, there's likely bigger issues at hand of a more dangerous nature: such as bullets accurately finding their way into your personal space.

The workaround to this is to purchase Magpul followers and springs and place them in the issued mags; said magazines are notorious for denting and bending, and can bind the follower.

There's never a perfect, man-made item, but Pmags far outshine the issued mags.

Whomever made this decision made it from the comfort of A/C and the knowledge that they will never have to deal with this in a potentially deadly situation.

Let the grunts decide what works for them. If the Pmags are good enough for SOF, why not Big Army? That was the mentality on the ridiculous addition of velcro to the ACU... does this logic not work when it actually works?

reply to post by Augustine62



Thanks for the clarification.

magpul.com...

Couldn't find anyting on magpul's site yet. I have bought some of there accessories and overall they are good. I know the magpul magazine is less likely to dent then the aluminium ones, so less likely to jam as someone mentioned.

My guess is the army submitted this "order" to appease someone, and won't do anything to soldiers using the mags. Hard to say.

Two questions to ponder:

Which General signed off this order?
Does he know someone in this particular manufacturing field?

I wonder if someone is about to retire & take up a comfortable corporate position.

reply to post by Augustine62


Your right about the aluminum mags. The followers and springs are garbage and need to be replaced. I have had quite a few feed problems with the aluminum mags, and I only load 28 for that very reason.

To some previous posts. Your bolt is colliding with the PMAG? That sucks. Maybe it's the weapon? Is it a .MIL issue weapon? If not, what is the manufacture? Obviously COLT doesn't make every single M16/M4 out there for the military, I've even seen rebuilds by other manufactures. Despite the standards set by the military for COLT, weapons do get outsourced to other manufacturers. If it's a commercial Black Rifle that could be your problem, QA isn't always up to par.

As far as the IAR not accepting the PMAG, your correct, though I haven't handled it myself.

PMAGs have never failed me. I obviously have had FTF's but they were usually crappy loads or user error. Keep those PMAG's clean and just because they accept 30 rds doesn't mean you should load 30 rds. Just because your Mustangs will do 150mph doesn't mean you should drive everywhere that fast.

Restricting soldiers to USGI mags is crazy. Most Joes buy their own PMAG's anyway. If they increase the reliability of the USGI mags then it will not be such an issue. Either the Army stocks of USGI mags is getting carried away and they are running out of room or someone in the MIC wine and dined the right general and/or senator.

Since this is ATS I gotta put this out there. Maybe because PMAGS(not the export model) do not fit other NATO/Ally weapons and USGI mags do??? Preparing for global police force??? Sorry, I had to say it.

There are 2 sides to this?

Is it,
They dont want them to use the polymer for reason,........
or
They want them to use the Aluminium one because of,.........

Who ultimately made the decision?

Kind of like the army refusing the Dragon Scale armor, after doing subpar testing and deciding it didn't work as well as the existing armor. It is Bureaucracy at its worst, and could be something even more evil.

Personally, I don't like the composite magazines, or composite gun frames, but I'm not in the battle field. If those guys experience tells them one is superior to the other, then they need to have the most reliable thing they can get!

www.military.com...

From the horses mouth, so to speak. Could be due to the fact that polymer mags are not FR(flame resistant).


I have also heard that there are fake PMAG's out there. I have never seen them and I'm not sure where the come from, but I have personally heard from some pretty reliable sources that they are out there. Maybe they're worried that GI's are using bad equipment.
www.ar15.com...

reply to post by NoRemorse762

Since this is ATS I gotta put this out there. Maybe because PMAGS(not the export model) do not fit other NATO/Ally weapons and USGI mags do??? Preparing for global police force??? Sorry, I had to say it.

That is another very good point. If it isn't the wining and dining to make a profit, then it is probably this.

If you see someone standing around with a polymer rifle magazine in their rifle, you can use a laser and heat up the rounds in their magazine and make them go 'bang'.

If they have an aluminum magazine it would release the heat and keep the rounds from heating up....if somebody was firing a laser at it.

Just my guess....

Originally posted by Pervius
If you see someone standing around with a polymer rifle magazine in their rifle, you can use a laser and heat up the rounds in their magazine and make them go 'bang'.

If they have an aluminum magazine it would release the heat and keep the rounds from heating up....if somebody was firing a laser at it.

Just my guess....

No one is using lasers like that on the battlefield, at least not man-portable lasers. The enemy certainly does not have lasers like that(insurgent/Tali/AQ). If I had a laser and was to aim at a weapon, I would aim at the barrel and cook off the round in the chamber...... What am I saying, that would never happen.

Do you mean "lasers" like IR lasers or aiming device "lasers"?

reply to post by Pervius


If you had a laser of that power available to you,why would you waste it trying to cook of ammo in a mag,which would cause relatively little damage? I doubt there is a practical reason for this, sounds more like typical government meddling.