Ditch your standard-issue magazines and upgrade your kit

If you’ve ever experienced the white-hot rage of having your rifle jam while you’re attempting to lay down fire, or you’re still needing to knock your magazines agains. your helmet (hopefully you’re wearing your helmet) before you lock and load at the range, you are due for a magazine upgrade.

For your issued 5.56 rifle

Magpul magazines are a solid choice when you’re ready to start playing with the big boys and girls. In fact, their PMAG GEN 3 is the top seller of all rifle magazines on the GunMag Warehouse site. Thoughtful designs like flip-off dust covers, precise internal geometry, and a stainless steel spring mean your rounds feed smoothly. If you’re already a fan of the original PMAG, they also have a windowed version, so you can see how many rounds you’re working with. They’re compatible with the AR15, M4/M16, and FN SCAR. If you’re curious about the PMAG Gen 2 vs Gen 3, read the article Wherefore Art Thou MCT? One of the most durable polymer 30 round magazines on the market comes from Hexmag. These mags feature self-lubricating internal components and a patented surface design for slip-free handling. With 4.9 stars out of 1,280 ratings, you can’t go wrong here. Need a more in-depth Hexmag review? Check out The Mag Life’s 5 Reasons Hexmags Are Catching On. 

Lancer makes the visually intriguing steel-polymer hybrid L5 Advanced Warfighter Magazine, which like the Magpul, has smooth internal geometry and a stainless steel spring. The magazines, which come in transparent or opaque shades, have steel lips for durability and are particularly well regarded as IWI Tavor magazines. If you’re still a fan of traditional aluminum mags but want the increased durability of a polymer, this is for you. 

Looking for some cool accessories? Check out the Lula Magazine Loader and Unloader from Magula, which is compatible with all 5.56mm mags. Magpul brand sells the original Magpul – a rubber loop that fits to the bottom of your magazine for easy handling when you’ve got the adrenaline shakes. If you need a field-expedient rifle care kit, Real Avid’s Gun Tool Core has everything you need to clean, disassemble, and adjust the sights on your rifle. 

For your 9mm sidearm

While not as prone to jams or misfeeding, 9mm magazines can still suffer from the wear and tear of too many users and little to no maintenance over the years. And they always seem to be in short supply, at least they were during my deployments, so it’s a good idea to have a couple on standby.

Toting a Sig Sauer M17? The brand makes sturdy steel magazines in different capacities to match your needs – 12-round, 15-round, 17-round, or 21-round extended capacity (aka “extendo”) mag. Many of the magazines come with coyote tan bases in addition to the traditional black bases to match the issued handgun colors.

If you’re attached to an M9 Beretta (looking at you, Army), check out their 18-round magazine, which fits flush when loaded, so you’re not carrying much extra bulk for the increased capacity. Beretta also makes sand-resistant 15-round mags, which have a special coating to reduce friction, which are a top choice if you’ve got a vacation to the sandbox planned.

Glock carriers will find a wide selection of polymer magazines to fit their chosen models of their handguns (though the Glock 19 is the most often used in the military) in a variety of tactical colors. The basic 17-round model boasts very stiff springs which may need to be primed overnight by loading it halfway. If you want a little extra boost, try their 19-round magazine. Need something a little extra? The ‘big stick’ Glock 33 round mag should do the trick (and it’s great for PCCs, as you can see in this Ruger PC9 review).

For everything else

Even if your military days are behind you, GunMag Warehouse still has an impressive selection of magazines and accessories for shotguns, rifles, or personal protection handguns. They sell magazines from more than 100 brands, and on-site reviews from buyers makes it easy to know what kind of product you’re getting. If you’re relatively new to the world of guns or just need some advice, The Mag Life, GunMag Warehouse’s user-friendly blog, can help. 

This article is sponsored by GunMag Warehouse.