In Reversal, Army Bans High-Performance Rifle Mags

Military.com ^ | May 25, 2012 | Matthew Cox

[Timber Rattler]

The Army has ordered that soldiers may use only government-issued magazines with their M4 carbines, a move that effectively bans one of the most dependable and widely used commercial-made magazines on today’s battlefield.

The past decade of war has spawned a wave of innovation in the commercial soldier weapons and equipment market. As a result, trigger-pullers in the Army, Marines and various service special operations communities now go to war armed with commercially designed kit that’s been tested under the most extreme combat conditions.

Near the top of such advancements is the PMAG polymer M4 magazine, introduced by Magpul Industries Corp. in 2007. Its rugged design has made it as one of the top performers in the small-arms accessory arena, according to combat veterans who credit the PMAG with drastically improving the reliability of the M4.

Despite the success of the PMAG, Army officials from the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command issued a “safety of use message” in April that placed it, and all other polymer magazines, on an unauthorized list.

This seems to be a complete policy reversal, since PMAGs are standard issue with the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment and they have been routinely issued to infantry units before war-zone deployments.

[Timber Rattler]

Any ideas from our resident in-house military firearms experts?

[Daveinyork]

G-d forbid that we have an unfair advantage over our enemies.

[LibLieSlayer]

CASTRATE the bastard that came up with this stump-headed muslim outreach obamunism plan! Magpul is the best... I have worn out barrels but never a Magpul. So much to reverse from that jug-eared communist, muslim and lover of fagism.

LLS

[ChoobacKY]

Follow the money trail. At the end I suspect you will find an Obama contributor who is involved in the manufacture of the issue mags.

[HenpeckedCon]

This is not a surprise. The Union army didn't issue lever action rifles during the Civil War because an idiot general in charge of ordinance thought it would be a waste on ammunition. The Union would have won the war in short order with far less casualties if they weren't so stupid.

[eXe]

Thats an odd decision, then again normal military issue mags are just as reliable once you swap out the green followers for the enhanced magpul ones, and I suspect that is still OK to do.

[Sooth2222]

I have Magpul magazines as well as aluminum magazines from an official gov't vendor (ie. lowest cost), and there is no comparison. I would go absolutely nuts if the Obama regime wanted to send me to Afghanistan without the best equipment available.

[NonValueAdded]

Find out who makes the standard mags and dollars to ham and limas you will find a Friend of Obama that feels their ox is gored. And if not a FoO, then some long-serving Congresscritter with pull on the Armed Services committee.

[FreedomPoster]

Ordnance.

Yeah, I know. Picky, picky, picky!

[Conservative Vermont Vet]

Add this to the inane and insane Rules of Engagement our Warriors are subjected to; the "negotiations" with our enemies (the Tally-Ban); the release of Radical Islamic Jihadists captured on the field of battle from prisons in AfGan/; the scrubbing of ANY reference to Islam/Sharia/Jihad, etc from training material; the REFUSAL to recognize (and name) our enemies; the politicization and advancement of Multiculturalism and Political Correctness of our Armed Forces....etc. initiated by and/or meekly acquiescing thereto from Dear Leader and his advisers by the REMF, Armchair, Personnel in the Pentagon (ALL OF THE PRESENT JCS HAVING NEVER SERVED IN HARMS WAY) is a disgrace and disservice to our Men and Women who are putting it all on the line to keep us safe.

PRAY for those serving that He may keep them safe from the lunacy under which they must operate.

God Bless them and God Bless America.

[FreedomPoster]

I wonder if this affects SOCOM? Anyone have any insight into how that works?

[FreedomPoster]

Comments?

[rarestia]

I pray every day that we see another military man in the Oval Office. Alan West comes first to my mind. The days of Eisenhower and even Kennedy are long gone, and this limp-wristed bullshit being pushed on to our men and women is appalling.

I’m not one to pray for someone’s precipitous decline, but I’m hopeful for Obama’s. People like the faggot-in-chief should be jailed for crimes against America.

[HenpeckedCon]

That’s my Massachusetts skoolin’, what do you expect?

[Lazamataz]

Every time an American soldier dies, the Muslim Kenyan Obama smiles and thanks Allah.

[Sudetenland]

This is not so much about the CiC, it's more about the entrenched REMF bureaucracy within the military. How many of those in the higher echelons of our command structure are life-long REMF's who spent their time in academy classes and command schools rather than in the field and have experience of using equipment under combat conditions?

Even more, how many of those in command are the military's version of a politician, who would sell his soul and his values and beliefs for advancement. How many "Good Conduct Medal" commanders do we have?

Could be a member of Congress or someone in the White House with connections to a contractor, or it could simply be "bean-counter logic."

Either way, it should not be occurring. Our troops deserve the best and only the very best equipment.

[1010RD]

That’s the Obama regime keeping Americans in harms way one regulation at a time.

[ebshumidors]

They just want to make sure there’s enough for Obama’s civilian army.

[Recon Dad]

I wonder if this affects SOCOM? Anyone have any insight into how that works?

It would have no effect on SOCOM. My son was a MARSOC Operator for 5 years and they set their own guidelines and tested for their own needs.

[The KG9 Kid]

What’s interesting is that the Army is now running the second stage of its procurement program to find the replacement for the M4 and one of the likeliest contenders is the Remington ACR designed by Magpul.

The chief offender with M16 failures has always been the fault of the magazine, and the chief offenders in US military small arms procurement has always been the US Army. Thier idiot twitbag top level officers can’t even decide on camo patterns, uniforms, or if soldiers should be wearing berets or not.

Let the Marine Corps decide for the Army this time, for a change.