Mean Arms Endomag 9mm PMAG Insert Review (pic heavy)

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  • thperez1972

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    Mean Arms has come out with the Endomag, a 9mm PMAG insert. Not having a PCC and being interested in one, I went ahead and preordered a 3 pack. They finally came in and I finally got around to giving it an initial test run. My short conclusion: it works but it may not be the most ideal for me.

    I had a spare AR pistol laying around that was thrown together with what I had at the time. So I picked up a Ballistic Advantage 4.5" 9mm barrel, a Foxtrot Mike 9mm Bolt Carrier Assembly (Glock), A KAK Industry Extended Flash Can, and a Spike's Tactical ST-9X 9mm Heavy Buffer. So after $250, I had my 9mm Ar Pistol. I have a pistol can in pre-jail (SilencerCo promotion, can ordered but not yet delivered so the clock hasn't even started) so the extended flash can is to fill the space between the end of the barrel and the end of the rail.

    IMG_9286.JPG

    Here's the insert and most of the manual:

    IMG_9264.JPGIMG_9263.JPGIMG_9262.JPGIMG_9265.JPGIMG_9266.JPGIMG_9267.JPGIMG_9268.JPG

    Obviously, if I can have a 30 round magazine, I want a 30 round magazine so I cut it at the 30 round notch. The plastic felt like it would be a little brittle, but a razor blade knife cut through it with ease.

    IMG_9269.JPG

    -continued-
     

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    thperez1972

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    The plastic that locks on the top of the feed lips has some play in it. I noticed it when I was loading the magazine. 30 rounds fit fine and they loaded like 5.56 rounds as compared to a Glock magazine, push straight down where they are to sit as compared to push down and slide back to where they are to sit sit.

    IMG_9273.JPGIMG_9272.JPG

    So with everything set up, I took it out to the range, i.e., my back yard, with a magazine filled with 15 rounds. It shot great. Until it didn't. A couple of issues popped up. When I was loading the magazine, a Gen 3 PMAG, it felt like it may have been bulging a little bit. The magazine had some resistance when being inserted. The mag had to be slammed in or hit on the bottom to lock, even with only 15 rounds. And it certainly didn't drop free. But the mag I used had a bonus feature not documented anywhere on the website or in the literature, in addition to the last round hold open (which worked) it also had a second to last round hold open. The top of the strip that is cut for the round capacity is what pushes up the bolt catch. That top pushed my bolt catch up enough on the second to last round to catch the bolt. I haven't checked any other lower, I haven't cut and loaded another insert into the PMAG I used, and I haven't tried this insert in a Gen 2 PMAG. But I was able to consistently reproduce the issue with the setup I was using.

    IMG_9289.JPGIMG_9290.JPGIMG_9291.JPG

    I have not yet sent an email to Mean Arms asking about any of the issues yet but I plan to.

    Having tried this product out, I can't say I would do it again if I could do it over. I paid $69 for the 3 inserts. PMAGs run around $10 each. That's $100 for 3 mags with no expandability. Each additional mag would run $40 each $110 for 3. or For a little more than what I paid for 3 complete magazines, I could have gotten a PSA lower that uses any of the plethora of my Glock magazines. And for $17, I can grab some ETS 30 round magazines. But I can't say I would get rid of the Endomags. At least not all of them. I may throw one or two up in the Marketplace but I like the idea of having at least one magazine I can use in any lower attached to the 9mm upper. They do work, albeit with some caveats. When I do get an AR9 lower, the PMAG will likely return to a 5.56 and the Endomag insert will reside in the range bag as a "just in case" thing. Two is one, one is none. From my limited experience, the Endomag Insert has a small place but isn't poliched enough yet to be used as more than a range magazine.

    UPDATE: I tried the insert in a Gen 2 PMAG. The loading and the bolt hold open issues remained but the drop free issue went away. I tried out the other Gen 3 PMAGs purchased at the same time and none of them dropped free when empty even without the Endomag insert.
     
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    shrxfn

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    So then the drop free issue seems to be an issue with the Gen 3 mags then and not the inserts?

    I looked at the pics again and noticed that the plastic in the front of the mag I am assuming it is the hold open is kind of mauled do you know what did that?

    I was curious about the new inserts because if something were to happen to my AR9 lower I could still use it with my SBR'd 5.56 lowers as you say more options are always good.
     
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    thperez1972

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    So then the drop free issue seems to be an issue with the Gen 3 mags then and not the inserts?

    I looked at the pics again and noticed that the plastic in the front of the mag I am assuming it is the hold open is kind of mauled do you know what did that?

    I was curious about the new inserts because if something were to happen to my AR9 lower I could still use it with my SBR'd 5.56 lowers as you say more options are always good.

    Yes, it dropped free in the Gen 2. I ordered a couple of SBA3 braces from Primary Arms and each came bundled with two Gen 3 PMAGs. All four of those Gen 3 PMAGs failed to drop free with the original innards. So that issue is a mag issue, not an insert issue. But the second to last round bolt hold open feature was present with the Gen 2. I would say that's an Endomag issue. The hold open feature is the tab at the back of the magazine. In the last 3 pictures, it's the tab that recesses into the magazine. As far as the mauling, I did not notice anything amiss but I can't say there wasn't any. I will look at the used vs new inserts and take pictures of any differences. I've already sent an email to Mean Arms regarding the BHO issue. If the plastic is wearing away after only 15 rounds, they will likely get an additional email.
     

    shrxfn

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    It's not the BHO I saw its the tabs on the front of the mag the one one the left side in the pics. Looks like a piece got sheered off or something. You see shiny plastic and then it looks textured like it broke or something took a chunk out of it.

    Thanks for being the beta tester on this I was looking at them and figured I didn't want to be the first to test it out no matter how cool it looked.
     

    thperez1972

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    It depends on how serious you are about a PCC. If it's to be an occasional use range toy, you wouldn't need to get a dedicated lower. You could piece together an upper and throw it in a range bag and just throw it on any lower for some extra fun at the range. Using PMAGs also lets you better use your muscle memory and existing equipment for a few cents per round savings. You could be saving about $4 per mag on ammo. If you train enough, that savings could add up. Those may justify the cost of some magazines. If the PCC will be a duty or home defense weapon, no, I don't believe they are worth it.
     

    thperez1972

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    As an update to the last round bolt hold open issue, here is their reply:

    Some lowers cause the mag to ride a slight bit higher then other. Try trimming a small amount of material off of the small tab that lifts up on the bolt catch at the rear of the Endomag making sure you insert and dry cycle after every trim until the last dummy round is able to be stripped from the magazine.
     

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