Editor's Choice: C Products Defense DuraMag

Detachable box magazines are the norm for today’s semi-automatic firearms, and with that fact comes another critically important observation: Your rifle is only as reliable as the magazine feeding it. Fortunately, there are a number of dependable manufacturers, and one of them is C Products Defense, maker of the improved AR-15 DuraMag. In a world proliferated by polymer, DuraMag has elected to stay with metal-bodied magazines, and for the company, that construction is critical. For one, the aluminum is durable in extreme conditions, since the material remains stable whether hot or cold.

Beyond the surface, an important element of DuraMags is the “Post & Hole” construction that improves upon earlier weaknesses. Rather than relying solely on the strength of the spot-welds, two halves of a magazine body are first mechanically locked together, and that construction is reinforced by welds rather than being intrinsically reliant on them. For added durability, DuraMags are also available with stainless-steel magazine bodies, as the steel lends itself to stronger welds, increased rigidity and less propensity for potential damage to the magazine’s feed lips. The magazines feature specially designed anti-tilt followers that prevent binding and are available in caliber-specific variants to ensure reliable feeding.

For the aluminum magazines, the material’s composition is unaffected by color changes, too, enabling DuraMag to offer a wide range of anodized colors. Currently, eight different finishes are available, and these colors aren’t just for looks, either. Differently colored magazines can be useful to indicate specific loads at a glance, and brighter colors can be used when training in outdoor environments, like thick underbrush, ensuring that users can easily recover dropped mags, if needed. The magazines are available in numerous chamberings and capacities.

MSRPs range $17.20 to $31.50, depending on color, capacity and cartridge. For more information, visit dura-mag.com.