There are a wide variety of AR-15 magazines being made today. Long-time firearm accessory manufacturer TAPCO makes their own polymer AR-15 magazine that they believe meets the needs of many shooters.
Designed after interviewing military members, law enforcement officers, and citizen enthusiasts, the TAPCO AR-15 magazines are solidly built, reasonably priced, have a number of nice design features, and are available in four colors.
Overall construction of the magazine feels excellent. The body of the magazine feels very strong. In fact, as compared to virtually all other polymer AR-15 magazines, the TAPCO seems the most solid. The follower slides smoothly through the magazine. There are no noises from the follower or spring when the magazine is shaken (loaded or unloaded.)
The body of the magazine has a wide, waffle-style pattern for obtaining a good grip.
The base of the TAPCO magazine is slightly wider than those of other AR-15 magazines. It is not so wide as to interfere with carrying in any of my magazine pouches, but it did give my fingers more purchase when grabbing the magazine from the bottom.
The floor plate of the magazine is easy to remove for cleaning of the interior components. All parts of the mag fit together precisely, and I was as impressed, if not more so, by the interior of the magazines as I was by the exterior.
The follower is a true anti-tilt follower. I tried to get the follower to tip, tilt, or bind, but it will not. Pressing on any of the edges would not get the follower to tilt.
The chrome silicon spring in the TAPCO magazine is very strong. Loading the last 10 rounds into the magazine is noticeably more difficult than other brands of magazines. Loading to 30 is not terribly hard, and certainly not impossible, just more difficult than other brands with weaker springs.
TAPCO AR-15 magazines are available in black, OD, foliage green, and dark earth colors.
One of the things I can’t help but bring up is the durability of polymer magazines. A number of people my age (and older) distrust polymer guns and magazines. While I can appreciate the concern – there were a lot of brittle and cheap plastics when we were younger – modern polymers are vastly superior products. Glock magazines, for example, have proved extremely durable over the years.
Based in Kennesaw, GA, TAPCO offers a wide variety of tactical gear manufactured in the USA. TAPCO magazines are available from our sponsor Brownells.
*** NOTE ***
This magazine is part of a head-to-head comparison I did of three polymer magazines: the Magpul PMAG, the Tango Down ARC-L, and the TAPCO AR15 magazines. Photos and testing results will be posted soon.
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