That_FNG
.308 Win
This is a review of the CompMag ban state compliant fixed magazine. I recently purchased one of the CompMag fixed magazine products. Initial impressions were quite good. Product fit into the AR15 nicely, and installation was a breeze. Instructions were quite detailed. Looks wise, it gives you the look of a standard capacity magazine. Loading and unloading is a breeze as well. Simply pull down the spring and follower via the side handle, open the loading door, and drop the rounds in or out. Unfortunately after the intial impressions some major problems developed.
After the first time loading 10 dummy rounds into the magazine I noticed that the follower / follower side handle started to bind up. If I depressed the side handle all the way down to load rounds and then released it, it would push the rounds up to the ready position with no problem. If however I fired one round it would not push the next round up to the ready postion.
The side charging handle and the follower and spring, would get stuck and not continue to push rounds up on it's own. It would get hung up every time about 1/2-3/4 of the way up and then not function on its own from there on. This relegated it to me basically firing a round, and then having to manually push the next round up via the side charging handle. At this point I decided to take a close look at the slot that the side charging handle for the magazine rides in. I noticed that on the inside lip of the slot that there was a lot of rough material left over from when it was molded. I took a thin file and smoothed it down. This seemed to help the problem, but only to the extent that the magazine would feed 2 rounds in a row and then continue to bind up. At this point I decided to disassemble the magazine to see if there was something internal that was causing the magazine to bind up.
This is the follower from inside the magazine. Upon disassembly I found two small plastic pieces that were broken off. The follower itself is comprised of two main pieces. The actual follower that pushes the rounds up via spring pressure, and a smaller piece that attaches to it that the side charging handle screws into.
The two plastic pieces that had broken off normally help to hold the part that the side charging handle attaches to the actual follower.
The plastic that it is made out of seems on the fragile side for the job it has to do. All total I ran roughly 40 rounds through the product and followed the directions as provided. I put no extreme wear and tear on the product beyond what one could reasonably expect from it. At this point I have contacted the manufacturer to see if I perhaps received a defective one, or something can be remedied about the design. It seems like that stress of the side charging handle being pulled down to the open position and then being released to the closed position is simply too much for the plastic to take. I think that the concept itself is great but I would like to see the 2 main plastic parts being changed to metal to withstand use, or else go from a 2 part design to a one part design. I don't see any reason as to why the side charging handle could not screw directly into the follower itself.
At this point in time I can not recommend the product as is, due to it not with standing 40 rounds of use. I have Magpul P Mags that have withstood 100's of rounds with no problems.
After the first time loading 10 dummy rounds into the magazine I noticed that the follower / follower side handle started to bind up. If I depressed the side handle all the way down to load rounds and then released it, it would push the rounds up to the ready position with no problem. If however I fired one round it would not push the next round up to the ready postion.
The side charging handle and the follower and spring, would get stuck and not continue to push rounds up on it's own. It would get hung up every time about 1/2-3/4 of the way up and then not function on its own from there on. This relegated it to me basically firing a round, and then having to manually push the next round up via the side charging handle. At this point I decided to take a close look at the slot that the side charging handle for the magazine rides in. I noticed that on the inside lip of the slot that there was a lot of rough material left over from when it was molded. I took a thin file and smoothed it down. This seemed to help the problem, but only to the extent that the magazine would feed 2 rounds in a row and then continue to bind up. At this point I decided to disassemble the magazine to see if there was something internal that was causing the magazine to bind up.
This is the follower from inside the magazine. Upon disassembly I found two small plastic pieces that were broken off. The follower itself is comprised of two main pieces. The actual follower that pushes the rounds up via spring pressure, and a smaller piece that attaches to it that the side charging handle screws into.
The two plastic pieces that had broken off normally help to hold the part that the side charging handle attaches to the actual follower.
The plastic that it is made out of seems on the fragile side for the job it has to do. All total I ran roughly 40 rounds through the product and followed the directions as provided. I put no extreme wear and tear on the product beyond what one could reasonably expect from it. At this point I have contacted the manufacturer to see if I perhaps received a defective one, or something can be remedied about the design. It seems like that stress of the side charging handle being pulled down to the open position and then being released to the closed position is simply too much for the plastic to take. I think that the concept itself is great but I would like to see the 2 main plastic parts being changed to metal to withstand use, or else go from a 2 part design to a one part design. I don't see any reason as to why the side charging handle could not screw directly into the follower itself.
At this point in time I can not recommend the product as is, due to it not with standing 40 rounds of use. I have Magpul P Mags that have withstood 100's of rounds with no problems.
time to make another fixed mag! 