Things You'll Need:
- An assortment of magazines that you may be considering to purchase
- A representative rifle (preferably the one this magazine is being selected for use in)
- up to 30 rounds of the ammunition intended to be loaded when in service
- access to a rifle range for live-fire functional testing
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Step 1
Let's assume that you are considering buying additional spare magazines for your AR-15 (as I learned in Boy Scouts, it always helps to Be Prepared!) And let's also assume that you can actually FIND some available at your local gun shop or sporting goods dealer. Since USGI (U.S. Government Issue) magazines are of 30 round capacity, that's what we will focus on in this article.
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Step 2
Knowing that the magazines you're looking at are used, you must be willing to accept the fact that cosmetics, although nice, are not essential to the decision-making process here. The exception to this statement is regarding the surface finish of the magazine box - you really don't want the exterior surfaces to be gouged, deeply scratched, or abused such that there are raised ridges of rough metal that will scrape against the smooth surfaces of the rifle's magazine well, causing damage to the weapon. So, the first check is to run your hand along the full length of all four sides of the magazine, attempting to detect such defects. If the unit passes this check, you can move on.
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Step 3
Next, take a look at the seam-side of the magazine. If you look closely, you'll be able to recognize six small dots along the center rib, about 1/8" in diameter. These are the spot welds which secure the seam shut. You should see no flash in these areas, and the seam must be COMPLETELY FLAT. No lifting of this seam should be accepted. The problem, should there be a separation here, is that the metal of the magazine has already been stressed beyond it's yield point and you will NOT be able to flatten it with the tools that you may have in your basement workshop. (Trust me - I've tried and the results were miserable.) LET THIS ONE GO and move on to the next magazine.
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Step 4
Turn the magazine upside-down and take a look at the floorplate. This is the removable base plate at the bottom of the magazine that is held in place against the four folded tabs (2 on either side) by the force of the follower spring inside of the housing. Look this part over carefully to be sure it was not mistreated during maintenance cycles. Typically, these can end up bent by someone who was in a rush to reassemble their magazine. This isn't really a non-starter, but I prefer to swap out the bent floorplates with parts that are in better (flatter) condition. (If you intend to customize this unit with a tactical grip such as those available from Magpul, then this is a moot point anyway)
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Step 5
Assuming that the seam region is acceptable, take the EMPTY magazine and do a trial fit into your rifle's magazine well. The technique to this that I like to use here is one of VERY LIGHT fingertip gripping of the magazine, just barely guiding it into the well - it should be able to slide up into the magazine well with NO RESISTANCE, until you reach the magazine catch. A slight increase in insertion force should be sufficient to engage the catch. If it takes much more than this, slide it out and set it aside as a possible candidate to troubleshoot later.
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Step 6
With the magazine now fully engaged in the magazine well, and the weapon on SAFE, hold the rifle by the pistol grip, point the weapon in a non-threatening direction and depress the magazine release button, holding your free (left) hand about 2" below the base of the magazine. The magazine should drop effortlessly into the palm of your hand under it's own weight. If there is any binding observed during this phase, set the unit aside and go on to the next.
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Step 7
Now, take a look at the follower at the top of the magazine. Most USGI magazines will have either a dull green or charcoal grey nylon follower in this location. Depress it as far as you can into the housing body to ensure that it moves freely. There are aftermarket followers available (for example, the Magpul Gen III self-leveling follower) that can improve reliability by eliminating the tendency for the follower to tip and jam against the housing inner walls. At ~$6 for a set of 3, my recommendation is to make the swap.
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Step 8
At this point, you've done nearly all that you can to evaluate the potential for this item to become part of your personal arsenal. There are just a few steps left.
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Step 9
Run your fingers across the corners of the feed lips at the top of the magazine. There should be no burrs or sharp edges that could score the cartridge brass of your ammunition. If any are detected, they may be removed with a small piece of fine emery paper or a jeweler's file. Be careful not to let any of the abraded material down into the body of the magazine. Blow away any of this dust before proceeding.
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Step 10
Next, you will want to very carefully load a full complement of ammunition into the magazine, to ensure that there are no problems with the current follower/spring combination. Be aware that some (MOST) shop owners may object to having you load live ammo, so if you have access to training rounds, that's a big plus for this step, otherwise you may have to forgo this step until after your purchase. Remember, this is a physical check only, NOT an operational check. You are now ready to make your purchase and proceed to the final screening phase at the range.
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Step 11
THIS STEP MUST BE PERFORMED AT AN APPROPRIATELY CONFIGURED RANGE, FOLLOWING ALL LOCAL ORDINANCES AND RANGE SAFETY RULES.
If all rounds stack appropriately, carefully check for engagement in the magazine well. Ensure that the full magazine drops freely from the rifle when the magazine release catch is depressed. Reinsert the magazine and proceed with live fire drills to ensure proper operation of your new magazine. Unit must pass this phase with no failures before being placed into service.
