M4/M16 mag compatibility - or why your mags suck

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Moondog
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M4/M16 mag compatibility - or why your mags suck

Post by Moondog »

Why Your New Mags Suck
by Moondog

One of the biggest complaints that M4/M16 AEG users have is mag compatibility. Huh? How can this be, since the M4 and M16 variants the most common type of airsoft gun? Well there's compatible and then there's "compatible" with the heavy use of the quotation marks.

The problem is that there are dozens of clone airsoft makers and depending on which factory made them, which batch, and the level of quality control, there's a variance in the tollerence of manufacture. Most of the time a few fractions of milimeteres won't make much difference in how an AEG functions but in the case of magazines, it's enough to make mags not fit or misfeed.

Ironically, full metal recievers which are prized for their 'realism' can be more prone to mag compatibility problems. AEG's are made of cheap metal not the high strength alloys of real steel guns. Metal magwells can bend and dent from use and abuse or expand from the warmth of the sun. As can full metal mags themselves.

Most higher quality Chinese manufactures such as ICS, Ares, Classic Army, G&G, G&P, and VFC test the compatibility of THEIR magazines with THEIR guns. But that does not guarantee your G&G mag will feed as well in your friend's VFC or vis versa. Add to that the dozens and dozens of varieties of after-market hicap and midcap magazines, each with millimeter differences in their designs.

So don't be surprised if the new mags you buy don't feed well in your gun. That doesn't mean the brand you bought suck. What it does mean is that that particular mag type/brand just doesn't play will in your gun. It may work perfectly fine in your friend's M4 so let him try.


FINAL WORD
There's no perfect brand of after market magazine that is guarnateed to fit every gun or even your gun. Be aware of this limitiation and be prepared to try another brand. It sucks but that's the inconvenient truth.
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youngbuck
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Re: M4/M16 mag compatibility - or why your mags suck

Post by youngbuck »

I have heard mid caps are better than high caps. They are more realistic and don't have to be winded. Are mid caps the best over all? I'm not new to airsoft I just don't have an aeg. I need some help. Any recommendations would be good too. Thanks.
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Re: M4/M16 mag compatibility - or why your mags suck

Post by Moondog »

youngbuck wrote:I have heard mid caps are better than high caps. They are more realistic and don't have to be winded. Are mid caps the best over all? I'm not new to airsoft I just don't have an aeg. I need some help. Any recommendations would be good too. Thanks.

There is no "Best" overall. Using a 190rnd midcap isn't that much more 'realistic' than firing a hi-cap in terms of how often you'll reload in a given game. And in a semi-only CQB game, if you use a 90rnd hi-cap, chances are you'll never need to reload before you die anyway, so again, 'realism' is a relative things.

As for recommendations, just as detailed in my 1st post, telling you that King Arms midcaps are great, or some other brand is not guarantee it will work as well since my AEG won't feed exactly the same as yours or anybody elses. I suggest you buy 1 or 2 and tray it out.
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Re: M4/M16 mag compatibility - or why your mags suck

Post by Taronkov »

Honestly I don't recommend buying mags when you get your first rifle until you have it in hand. Then get together with your friends and try out their mags to see what works and what doesn't. In my experience even a small skirm will result in you likely being able to try nearly every brand on the market. That way you aren't wasting any money on a product that may or may not work. Resale on mags isn't generally that great either.

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