AR 15 Canadian mags???

Caveman Jim · Dec 28, 2012

10-Pk. of New Canadian Thermold 30-rd. AR-15 Mags

Anyone here have any GOOD or BAD news about these?
Just lookin to save a few bucks.

hackercat13 · Dec 28, 2012

Really depends on your AR. I have 2 thermolds with Canadian maple leaf on 'em. They fit my Colt just fine, but my Aero precision lowers (both of them) are a bit finicky. I can get them to seat, but it takes a bit of pressure. They do not drop free when the mag release is pushed on any of my rifles, and have to be assisted out of the well, so I only use them for range mags. I got mine at a yard sale this summer, and would not buy them again. Stick with aluminum mil surp mags. That's my opinion anyway.
Chris

cwegga · Dec 28, 2012

I have no actual experience but I read some stuff recently researching Thermold magazines that some of the Canadian ones used a different polymer/plastic composition and the Canadian military got rid of them because they would melt a bit under full auto fire/heavy use. I'm not sure to the veracity of that story, but you should Google them some also. It might not even be a problem for normal use that doesn't make your gun piping hot.

hackercat13 · Dec 28, 2012

cwegga said:
the Canadian military got rid of them because they would melt a bit under full auto fire/heavy use.

I would love to see a link to that article. I am having a hard time imagining a mag well getting hot enough to melt a polymer magazine. Cheap handguards, maybe, but the mag? I could be wrong, stranger things have happened, but I am a bit skeptical.

BANE · Dec 28, 2012

I bought some for the same reasons cheap $6.20 ea. But they suck brake easy and don't feed all the time. They are very cheaply made i wouldn't buy them again. But i'm sure there is someone that just loves um.
because the don't have a pmag!

pdx lefty · Dec 28, 2012

hackercat13 said:
I would love to see a link to that article. I am having a hard time imagining a mag well getting hot enough to melt a polymer magazine. Cheap handguards, maybe, but the mag? I could be wrong, stranger things have happened, but I am a bit skeptical.

I would venture to guess, the rapid stripping of the rounds would create enough heat on the feed lips, due to the friction, to cause the mag to appear as if it had melted.

Just my opinion.

Lefty.

cwegga · Dec 28, 2012

hackercat13 said:
I would love to see a link to that article. I am having a hard time imagining a mag well getting hot enough to melt a polymer magazine. Cheap handguards, maybe, but the mag? I could be wrong, stranger things have happened, but I am a bit skeptical.

I have no article. Like I said, just stuff I have read on the internet. I don't know how true it is. The OP should research and decide if he thinks it is true. The story seems to match across multiple sources and I don't know what reason people would have to badmouth only the Canadian Thermolds so personally I think there is probably some truth there. I doubt any normal person would fire enough to get things too hot. I could imagine lots of FA fire making the bolt carrier hot enough to maybe deform the feed lips if someone shot a bunch and then let it sit closed over a magazine maybe. If they are cheaper than normal mags, I'd be fine running them myself. If they are real close to the cost of other more widely accepted as reliable mags, I would probably just buy those.

Here's a couple of links that may be true and may not.
Whats the story on Thermold Mags?

Thermold AR Magazines review. Providing info, no arguments please. - THR

hackercat13 · Dec 28, 2012

pdx lefty said:
I would venture to guess, the rapid stripping of the rounds would create enough heat on the feed lips, due to the friction, to cause the mag to appear as if it had melted.

That is plausible. If they are that susceptible to deforming from that level of heat, I can see why they are no longer used for military service.

hackercat13 · Dec 28, 2012

cwegga said:
Here's a couple of links that may be true and may not.
Whats the story on Thermold Mags?

Thermold AR Magazines review. Providing info, no arguments please. - THR

Good reading there cwegga, thanks for the links!