About Rifle Magazines
A rifle magazine is a detachable or integral component of a rifle that stores and feeds ammunition into the firearm's chamber. It is an essential component of most modern rifles and is designed to provide the shooter with a quick and efficient way to reload their firearm during shooting.
The history of rifle magazines can be traced back to the late 1800s when firearms manufacturers began developing firearms with detachable box magazines.
The earliest rifle magazines were made of wood and had a low capacity, typically holding five to ten rounds of ammunition.
The introduction of high-capacity magazines like the 20-round and 30-round magazines for the M16 and AK-47 respectively revolutionized the way soldiers fought and greatly increased their firepower.
Today, rifle magazines are made of various materials such as plastic, polymer, or metal, and come in different sizes to accommodate different rifles and cartridges. They can hold anywhere from a few rounds to more than 100 rounds, depending on the firearm's design and intended use.
Advanced features like polymer feed lips, self-lubricating followers, and anti-tilt followers have made rifle magazines more reliable and efficient than ever before.
Purchasing a Rifle Magazine
Whether you're going hunting, hitting the range for target practice, or ramping up your home defense, having a dependable magazine is critical to the smooth operation of your rifle.
Given the vast number of manufacturers, calibers, and capacities in today's market, owners can find the magazine that best fits their needs at a price point that won't break the bank.
At Ammunition Depot, we proudly offer a wide selection of quality rifle magazines in various capacities and finishes from the brands you know and trust.
From restricted capacity magazines for states requiring 10-rounds or less to standard capacity 30-round magazines and even extended 100+ drum magazines, we'll have the rifle mag that fits your individual needs.
Features of a Rifle Magazine
Magazine Components
- Body: The main component of the magazine that holds the cartridges. It can be made of various materials such as metal, plastic, or polymer.
- Follower: A spring-loaded component that sits at the bottom of the magazine body and pushes the cartridges towards the top of the magazine as they are fired.
- Spring: A coiled spring that provides tension to the follower, pushing the cartridges up towards the magazine lips.
- Baseplate: The bottom of the magazine that is usually removable for maintenance and cleaning purposes. The baseplate is also used to attach the magazine to the firearm's magazine well.
- Lips: The top of the magazine body that retains the cartridges in the magazine and guides them towards the chamber of the firearm.
Feed Lips
The part of the magazine that guides the cartridges towards the chamber of the firearm.
Magazine Release
A button or lever on the firearm that releases the magazine from the firearm.
Standard Capacities
Although magazine capacities will vary based on the rifle type, manufacturer, and caliber, the standard magazine capacity for a rifle magazine is 30 rounds. However, many magazines are available with much higher capacities, such as Drum Magazines, which can hold 50+ or 100+ rounds.
Additionally, some state laws have created regulations limiting the number of rounds a magazine can legally hold, generally to ten rounds or less.
Capacity Restrictions
Gun laws are mandated by the individual state &/or local governments, and regulations for purchasing firearms, ammunition, and magazine capacities will vary accordingly.
States that have implemented strict magazine regulations will typically consider a large-capacity magazine as having ten or more rounds.
Examples of capacity restrictions by state include the following:
- California: 10 Rounds
- Maryland: 10 Rounds
- New Jersey: 10 Rounds
- Hawaii: 10 Rounds
- New York: 10 Rounds
- Connecticut: 10 Rounds
Steel Construction Mags
Steel Rifle Mags tend to be very durable and often have reliable tensile strength springs and precision machined feed lips to aid in feeding rounds.
These mags also tend to have a polymer follower, which will help keep the magazine's spring from binding inside the body.
Polymer Construction Mags
Polymer Rifle Mags tend to be built exceptionally well and are extremely durable.
Over the years, the advancements in polymer have led to numerous development in magazines like witness holes so you can keep an eye on your round count. In addition, many come standard with a wire spring and polymer anti-tilt follower to keep the rounds from binding in the body.
Rifle Magazine FAQ
QUESTION: Where can you buy Rifle Magazines?
ANSWER: Rifle magazines are for sale almost everywhere you can buy ammunition or a gun, including here at Ammunition Depot. Your local gun store is likely to have many of the most popular magazine types in stock, while less common models can be found online.
In many states, you can buy a gun magazine from anybody selling one without having to register the sale or fill out a Dealer's Record of Sale (DRoS) form. In states with strict gun laws, you may be limited to buying only from a licensed gun dealer. Check your local laws before agreeing to buy magazines from anywhere but a gun store.
QUESTION: How many Rifle Magazines should I have?
ANSWER: There is no correct number of gun magazines you should have. Instead, you should carry the number of magazines that allows you to shoot consistently without pausing to reload, balanced against the cost of extra magazines and the added weight of carrying them.
Most magazine-fed guns come with one or two factory mags out of the box, with the option to buy aftermarket magazines later on. Each gun you own has a different optimum number of magazines, which is different from one gun owner to another and from one purpose to another (think hunting versus target shooting at the range).
QUESTION: How should Rifle Magazines be organized?
ANSWER: People organize their magazines in several ways, depending on how they intend to use them. You can efficiently store more than a dozen magazines over the long term inside a steel ammo box, many of which conveniently stack in tight spaces, such as closets or truck beds.
Shooters who frequently visit the range might keep a few magazines ready to go in their range bag. Hunters might opt for wearable pouches and web gear. Even a large enough pocket is adequate for some magazines that you need to carry on you.
QUESTION: What are Rifle Magazines?
ANSWER: Magazines are firearms accessories that hold ammunition for semiautomatic handguns and long guns. Some guns, such as most slide action shotguns, have internal magazines that cannot be detached or sold separately from the gun.
Many bolt action rifles have a similar attached-magazine arrangement. In semiautomatic handguns, the magazine is most often stored inside the grip. Rifles tend to have a magazine mounted forward of the trigger guard. When the magazine release is pressed, the magazine drops free of the gun. This allows you to rapidly load another magazine and keep shooting. Magazines are not to be confused with clips, which are blocks of rounds bound together by a metal binder or strip, which may be inserted into a gun's magazine as a unit.
QUESTION: What are the best Rifle Magazine brands?
ANSWER: Rifle magazines are judged for quality by how durable they are, how reliably they feed ammo into battery and how expensive they are. If your gun can only accept one model of magazine, then that is the best mag for you.
If you have a choice of manufacturers, such as with AR-15 and AK-47 magazines, then your choice has to balance reliability with capacity and durability. In the end, you are the only one who can decide which magazines work best for your guns and your shooting habits.
QUESTION: How should Rifle Magazines be stored?
ANSWER: Most rifle magazines are durable and rugged enough to be stored for short periods under reasonable conditions. However, if you plan on storing your magazines for an extended period of time, the best practice is to keep them unloaded to preserve spring compression.
For storage periods longer than a few months, you can stack polymer magazines in a sealed container without further preparation. All-metal magazines can corrode with time, so applying a thin layer of oil before storage can help prevent rust for decades.
QUESTION: What are the laws for buying Rifle Magazines?
ANSWER: The BATFE does not regulate gun magazines as weapons, so there are no federal laws restricting the purchase or possession of magazines, though imports may be restricted.
Individual states sometimes regulate magazine ownership or trade. In some states, such as California, magazines are limited by size and capacity. The sharing, selling and lending of gun magazines is sometimes restricted by state and local laws. *Check with an attorney who handles gun laws in your area to make sure your magazines comply with legal requirements.
QUESTION: Can Rifle Magazines be shipped through the mail?
ANSWER: There are no restrictions for buying magazines through the mail in most states. In most states, there are no restrictions for purchasing a rifle magazine online. However, if you live in a state with restrictive gun laws, you might have to purchase your rifle mags through a licensed gun dealer.
Even in restrictive states, you can usually order magazines online that would otherwise be legal to own where you live, provided you have them shipped to a gun dealer in your area rather than to your home. If your state regulates the importation of magazines, be careful not to bring magazines across the state line on your own without consulting with an attorney.
QUESTION: Where can you buy Rifle Magazines?
ANSWER: Rifle magazines are for sale almost everywhere you can buy ammunition or a gun, including here at Ammunition Depot. Your local gun store is likely to have many of the most popular magazine types in stock, while less common models can be found online.
In many states, you can buy a gun magazine from anybody selling one without having to register the sale or fill out a Dealer's Record of Sale (DRoS) form. In states with strict gun laws, you may be limited to buying only from a licensed gun dealer. Check your local laws before agreeing to buy magazines from anywhere but a gun store.