Magazine Bleg

I need new magazines for my Para 16-40 Limited.  I mentioned in the IDPA match post, my magazines were giving me fits.  I’m going to keep the mags I have in the hopes that they’re going to eventually “shoot in” and start running.  I have some hope for this, because after the 100+ round main match, they didn’t jam at all during the 90 round qualifier match.

However, I still need more magazines.  Factory Para magazines are about $50 a pop, and I don’t know anything about Mec-Gar and Pro-Mag.  Some people have said avoid Mec-Gar, and some people have said avoid Pro-Mag.  I have ordered one Pro-Mag 10 rounder to test out with the gun, but as it stands right now, I essentially have one working magazine for my main match pistol.

13 Comments

  1. This is not a flame. It is just distressing to me that you would spend the geld for the good stuff, the gun in question, and then try to go on the cheap for the most fragile and vital component of the package. Without good mags a semi auto becomes breechloading single shot at best. I have a Star BM, Original mags are through the roof but, I spend the bucks when I find them because they work. I have more money in mags for my Ruger auto than I do in the gun. Mags are critical. Ya just have to bite the bullet and spend the dough. Just my opinion.

    velcro8ball

  2. Mec-Gar are usualy well made, I ‘ve own several of them for a number of years, and never had a problem
    you might check cdnninvestments.com

    Pro & USA mags are usually a waste of time

  3. Velcro – the reason I’m testing out other mags is specifically because the magazines that failed were factory magazines from ParaUSA. So I’m trying out other options here.

  4. Mec-Gar makes the OEM magazines for several firearms manufacturers.

    They just sell the ones with their name on them cheaper than the manufacturers sells them for…

  5. Mec-Gar makes all of Ruger’s factory mags… i would trust them with my life, at least i do the Ruger factory ones….

  6. I’ve had nothing but good experience with Mec-Gar mags. As was mentioned above, they OEM for Ruger, and I believe this is one of the reasons the LCP has shown to be better performer than the P3AT (among other reasons such as better fit and finish). I’ve moved over to Mec-Gar mags for my CCW gun – a Hi-Power. Coinidentally, Mec-Gar is also the OEM for FN. These mags not only perform very well, but they redesigned this particular model to make a flush-fitting 15-round mag for the Hi-Power, and it is an excellent mag. I’ve shot probably 500 rounds of various types of ammothrough the Mec-Gar mags with no issues at all.

  7. Caleb,

    I have three Pro-Mag magazines for my SW99 in .40 S&W. The only issue I’ve had with them so far (probably 2-3K rounds through ’em) is that sometimes they won’t lock the slide back. They load rounds just fine.

    If the Mec-Gar are the same price or close, I’d go with them over Pro-Mag, as others have mentioned Mec-Gar makes some OEM magazines (Kel-Tec for one).

  8. I’ve got both Mec Gar and Pro Mags for my CZ 75, in addition to the “factory” mags.

    I’ve had examples of each for about 10 years now. The Pro Mags worked OK at first, but “went bad” sooner then the Mec Gar mags. On some of the Pro Mags the feed lips opened up which caused feeding problems.

    I also found that the Pro Mag and Mec Gar followers and floor plates are not interchangable. That wouldn’t have been a problem if I hadn’t torn down a bunch of mags to clean all at the same time. After that I stuck with buying just CZ factory mags or Mec Gar mags. I also retrofitted plastic baseplates on all the Pro Mags so I can tell them apart at a glance.

  9. I have no experience with Mec-Gar mags in ParaOrds, but I have extensive experience with Mec-Gar mags in SIGs and Berettas and never had a single complaint. I’m skeptical that they are unable to make functioning Para mags, considering that they are the largest OEM mag supplier out there.

    I wouldn’t use ground-up ProMags to line my cat’s litter box.

Comments are closed.