REVIEW: Magpul PMAG 17 GL9

Magpul makes things in plastic. This is a very casual statement, but actually quite accurate. Magpul is especially known for its PMAGs. These are now also available for Glock pistols. This is a big market, so the Magpul product has been highly anticipated. We took a look to see if the magazines for this very popular pistol have been improved.

Answering this question is not so simple, but first let's look at the facts and general things. The magazine is made entirely of plastic except for the spring. The magazine consists essentially of a total of five parts, which are clearly visible in the image. The follower is in aggressive orange, the rest in a charcoal tone.

The packaging is very minimalist, a plastic bag with various warning labels.

On both sides, in the lower, rear part, there is a small hole that signals to the shooter the loading state "17" therefore "FULL". Those looking for more loading indicators won't find any.

The base plate is provided with two small matrix fields to be able to identify the magazines as one's own. This is known from other PMAGs.

Here is a comparison between the original Glock (it is a Glock 19 magazine, don't be surprised) and Magpul. The differences are clearly visible here. The original has a lot of built-in metal and the known loading status indicator.

The metal is also clearly visible from the front. Omitting the metal makes the PMAG almost half the weight. The original 17-round magazine weighs empty ~80g and the PMAG only ~48g. This is probably the biggest advantage of the PMAG.

There are no noticeable differences in use. Both function as they should. When disassembling, the PMAG is ahead, as it can be disassembled without tools thanks to the large button at the bottom.

CONCLUSION: Magpul has once again brought a very solid product to the market with the PMAG 17 GL9, which is not necessarily better (in Europe - due to the exchange rate and taxes - unfortunately also not cheaper) than the original. By saving on metal, it is lighter, but only long-term tests will show which of the two magazines is more stable.

Available in Germany for example at GEARMANIACS and in Austria at Armamat for €27.90 excl. shipping