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Why did we choose PMAGs?

This is a question we get asked quite a bit. It seems like some folks don’t particularly care for them, but we like them for quite a few reasons. It’s important to note that all of the reliability testing we’ve ever done on our guns has been shot with PMAGs, including the 7,500 rounds we shot at SHOT Show Range Day on Monday.

From a reliability perspective, we have never had an issue. The real reason we chose PMAGs is actually related to something else about the magazine that people often forget: a big part of the reliable function of a gun is consistent maintenance of your magazines. The PMAG is so simple to disassemble and reassemble so you can regularly clean your magazine. Most malfunctions with a gun start with a magazine issue, so regularly cleaning your mags, especially if they hit the ground, is really important.

The other reason that we like PMAGs is the basepad size. If you run into a malfunction, sometimes the magazine can be difficult to remove, but a PMAG has a nice big, serrated basepad so you can get a good grip to pull it out. This is especially helpful if you have the optional magwell installed and need to do an emergency magazine removal, as you’ll still get adequate purchase to remove the mag.

60 Replies to “Why did we choose PMAGs?”

  1. Doug Wilson says:

    Will stock Glock G19 mags work in the MR918??.

    1. JESSICA@SHADOWSYSTEMSCORP.COM says:

      Yes, they sure will

  2. The Air Force should be commended for using the Army’s existing test data rather than conducting a redundant test to make its decision. The question that remains unanswered is why didn’t the Army come to the same conclusion as the Air Force and choose the PMAG when it appears that the service’s own test data shows the PMAG as the top performer.

  3. Alex s says:

    What size mags fit on the MR920?

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      It will take any Glock mags.

      1. Tony says:

        Glock 19 mags?

      2. Jessica Roe says:

        yes

    2. Brett DeWolf says:

      Pmag GL9 15 or oem glock 19 mags

  4. Landon says:

    I’ve had many issues with multiple brand new pmags that will fall out of the gun as I shoot it. Any suggestions to fix this problem? This happens no matter how o grip the gun, so it’s not me accidentally pressing the Mag release. All of the mags will work perfect and reliably in a stock Glock 19 but have issues with the MR918.

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Landon, That doesn’t sound normal. Can you please email our Technical Team at support@shadowsystemscorp.com

    2. Joe says:

      Pmags are only made by magpul. They have trademarked the name PMAG

  5. Eric Nixon says:

    What Generation Glock 19 Magazines fit the MR920, Gen 4 or Gen 5?

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      The mags are the same between generations, so any. All 9mm Glock mags will work with the MR920

      1. Mike Jorgensen says:

        My Glock mags fall out every time first shot. My Pmag mags fully function 100%..

      2. Jessica Roe says:

        Mike, that shouldn’t be happening. Please email my technical team at support@shadowsystemscorp.com

  6. Jonathan says:

    The magazine follower on my glock magazines does not engage the MR918 slide stop when the last round is fired, and the slide locks back into battery. This only occurs when firing, not when operating the slide manually. The glock mag follower recess for the slide stop lever just barely misses the lever. Is there anything that I can do? I like the round indicators on glock mags, and have a lot of them.

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Hi Jonathan, occasionally the high firing grip that the MR918 enables causes shooters to inadvertently hold the slide release down, typically with their left hand if they are a right handed shooter. Have you tried firing the gun one handed to confirm this is not the issue? It doesn’t make sense to us that it would lock back manually, but not during live fire. Also, can you confirm how old your Glock mags are? We have seen that when the springs are old, they don’t push the follower fully into position. Does this issue happen with PMAGs that came with the gun? Please feel free to call our tech support, if that’s easier for you, so we can troubleshoot this issue: 469.458.6808

  7. Greg Miller says:

    Just got shadow system warrior poet edition. Just trying to chamber a hollow point it locks up every time. It new gun. Do I just need run some ref Ammo thru it then hollow points?

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Hi Greg, will any ammunition chamber for you? Have you been able to fire the gun yet at all? We would like to further diagnose this problem, if you could please email tburke@shadowsystemscorp.com

    2. Greg W Johnson says:

      Mine is doing the exact same thing, It’s almost like the first couple that you try to chamber up are tilting.
      They are throwing them on a 45 degree angle. If you shuck it with more force they usually don’t have a problem.
      I noticed this also and went thru hollowpoint, then coated red federal to try some coated tips then just blazer. The blazer is the only one that didn’t lock up. (sometimes)

      1. Greg W Johnson says:

        Mine was on a SS MR 920 Elite though

      2. Jessica Roe says:

        Hi Greg, have you been able to fire any rounds through the pistol? If so, how many rounds? This could be a break in issue that will go away when you hit about 200 rounds, but if it is not something helped with break in or is causing you to be unable to chamber any rounds, then please email tburke@shadowsystemscorp.com to get more assistance!

  8. Jake Maughan says:

    I just purchased the war poet and went to a 4 hour defensive pistol course. Both pmags were completely unusable due to not feeding properly. I switched to a friends Glock OEM mag and didn’t have a single jam 300 rounds later. Popped the Pmags in and started jamming again. Sadly I was not impressed and neither were the 4 range instructors.

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Hi Jake, I am sorry you are having that issue. That is not a report we have had before. Could you please email tburke@shadowsystemscorp.com so that we can further diagnose the problem?

    2. Mike Kairis says:

      I had the same problem and was packing it up when I found a Glock 17 mag in my bag. Loaded it up and it shot without any feed problems. Went back to the PMAGs and they started to work most of the time. Still a little worried about having to rely on the PMAGs, but it may be related to the breaking in period.

  9. Scott Harss says:

    Have about 400 rounds through my recently purchased MR920 and I love the gun, but stock G19 magazines fall out of the gun while shooting. No issues with the PMags but the three Glock mags will not stay in the gun. I had two other people try the gun and the same thing happens, so it’s not my grip. Not sure what the issue is.

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Scott, Thank you for letting us know about this issue. Sometimes magazine catches can deform or be out of spec. If you would feel comfortable installing it yourself, I can send you a new catch and spring. Or you can return the gun to us for repair. Please email support@shadowsystemscorp.com with your name, email address, and mailing address and we will get you fixed up!

      1. Scott Harss says:

        Thanks for the info. I would have no problem installing it myself, I will contact you with my information. Thanks again.

  10. eric cho says:

    will this model of magpul work with the mr918l elite ..MAGPUL PMAG17 GL9 10/17 FOR FULL SIZE DOUBLE STACK 9MM GLOCK PISTOLS or do i have to get MAGPUL PMAG 15 GL9– GLOCK G19

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Hi, yes that model of magazine will fit and function. It will just hang out more than the 15 round mags the pistol shipped with.

  11. chris Acampora says:

    MR920 has a feeding issue on the first couple rounds. I’ve shot about 200-250 rounds through it and it still seems to not feed correctly. I have to force it into place. Has anyone else has this issue?

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Hi Chris, can you please contact my Technical Team about this? You can reach them at support@shadowsystemscorp.com Thanks!

    2. Carlos Neria says:

      hey yes i just purchased a MR920 and it has feeding issues

      1. Jessica Roe says:

        Hi Carlos, can you please contact my technical support team for help on this? They can be reached at support@shadowsystemscorp.com and typically respond within 1-2 business days.

  12. Jason N says:

    Have Magpul L-plates (extended base pad) for the PMAGs been tested at all for compatibility with the MR/DR series? I find the magazines a little hard to grip at the stock PMAG baseplate if I use the mag well on my new DR920. So I’ve been leaving the mag well off. But I’d like to use it. The Magpul L-plate would seem to be a good solution since they’re especially fit by Magpul for the PMAGs.

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      We have not yet tested the L Plates.

  13. Kurtis says:

    I didnt realize the slide release lever was on the left side. I’m a lefty. Love my MR920. Is there any way I can change it to the other side? Please say yes.

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Hi Kurtis, unfortunately, our design does not allow for the slide release lever to be swapped to the other side. Trevor did do a Technical Tuesday video discussing this, in case it’s helpful: Technical Tuesday: Why the Gen 4 Operating System? Ambi slide release?

  14. Simon K says:

    When I insert my Glock 17 9mm 17rd Mag with extended +5 baseplate, why is their so much play “wiggling”. You can hear and see the mag rocking back and forth as if its loose. If I pull down on the mag it will not disengage but it also doesnt slide lock while function checking

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Some play between the mag and frame is normal and should not affect function. The added baseplates may cause accelerated wear on the mag catch. Also, the springs that came with the base plates are likely not strong enough to engage the slide stop lever reliably.

  15. Tim says:

    I have the MR920 Warrior Poet version, and have about 450 or so rounds through it to this point after shooting this weekend. I use Glock mags (new) for my 2 carry mags and ETS mags (new) for my spare training rounds, as I prefer to have separate mags for carry and training, and the ETS mags have the Warrior Poet red follower and catch on the base pad, which signifies training mags to me for this pistol anytime I’m not at the range. I’ve probably ran through at least 15-20 ETS full mags and maybe 10 full Glock mags. The slide lock WILL NOT catch on the last round with the Glock mags, but will every time on the ETS mags. What’s the explanation for this? It’s not my grip or it would have happened with the ETS mags. This pistol should take stock Glock mags being that it is exactly the same internally, as I was under the impression that it was. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Tim, The Glock mags should be compatible with our firearms and we haven’t had many reports of people having issues with them. Have you tried any other Glock magazines to see if he can get a different result. If not you may try stretching the springs in your Glock magazine to ensure the follower makes good contact and upward pressure on the slide stop lever. If all else fails you may need new Glock mags because it could be that the current ones are too worn out. Please feel free to contact my Technical Team with any additional questions on this at support@shadowsystemscorp.com

  16. Eloy says:

    I recently purchased the MR920. I was gong thru the break in process and discovered that more than a few times when i did a mag change the bullet would double fee/Nose Up jam. This was only happening when i did the mage change, not while in Battery. Do i continue the break in period, try original Glock mags? I don’t think so, i paid way to much for this handgun to perform this way after 150+ rounds… Any suggestions?

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      There could be a couple of causes. Firstly, make sure you seat the rounds fully in the mag. If they aren’t seated fully to the rear, they can slip out and create that issue. If that isn’t the case, it could just be a faulty mag. Contact our customer service by email support@shadowsystemscorp.com and they can replace it.

  17. Bernie benitez says:

    Wow guy’s, I purchased my MR920 and have had no issues with glock or pmags it came with.

  18. David says:

    What size and type mags well fit on the new dr920p?
    And is there an available date for when dr920p well be available to purchase?

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      The DR920P will accept 17+ round mags designed for glock. It will ship with two 17 round pmags.

  19. Sevan Y says:

    will glock oem gen 5 magazine work on MR920? I mean Gen 5.

    I heard many different voices: some are ” Gen 1-4 are compatible but not Gen5″ ; some are ” Gen 1-5 all works fine” really confused.

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Gen 5 works the same, all good.

  20. Jim Ward says:

    I’m awaiting delivery of a WarPoet MR920 and have a question regarding magazines. Your info notes PMags are standard with the gun but your online store only carries Magpul magazines. Will there be any issues with mixing these magazines during use?

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      PMags are made by Magpul. They are the same.

  21. Shane Hansen says:

    Recently purchased a MR920 War Poet edition and had feeding issues with both Pmags included with the pistol. Running federal 115 grain, every round would get seized up entering the chamber on an almost 45 degree angle. The range instructors were baffled since they all use Pmags for the factory Glock 19s. Had to leave the flat range and enter the range store to purchase factory Glock 15rnd mags to break in the first shots with my new MR920. Will be tossing the Pmags and only running factory mags from this point for EDC. Luckily I break my pistols in before I EDC so I spotted the issue.

  22. Telling the Truth says:

    I had a MR920 Elite and had problems the first 200 rounds. The trigger is a C at best. I sold it. I own the the Glock 19x, Glock 45, Glock 17 gen5, Glock 30S and the Glock 26 gen4. I have ran all sorts of FMJ’s, hollow points +p and +p+, and have never had a problem with any of these stock Glock pistols. The Gen5 Glock triggers are much better than the MR920. Look at all the problem comments above regarding the MR920. The reviews on the CR920 have all been pretty bad. Stick with a standard Glock. John Lovell may have been a great Ranger in the past but he’s endorsing an inferior product and that doesn’t say much about him in the present.

    1. John Howell says:

      Not using your name implies either a troll or competitor.

  23. Joshua Rhodes says:

    I have the MR920 and I’ve shot ~560 rounds through it, but now with the PMAGS, I’m having an issue with them holding any rounds I load in them. The lips of the mags are rolled and when I put more than maybe 5 or 6 rounds in a mag, they start to pop back out. I just got the gun June 28, so I haven’t had it for a month yet. Is this because of the material of the PMAG? Seems like a mag quality issue, they shouldn’t be worn down this much so quickly after only 2 weeks. I’ve only been to the range 3 times.

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Joshua, that doesn’t sound right at all. Please email my Technical Team at support@shadowsystemscorp.com so they can get that fixed for you.

  24. Dave says:

    First time customer. I’m planning to purchase XR920 elite threaded barrel. I have G17 mags. Will they work with this Shadow System pistol?

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Yes, they sure will!

  25. Rob S. says:

    Hello,

    I have a DR920P Elite enroute to me, I am curious on what mags will fit it and work best. I will be using it for competition shooting so I have to acquire a couple mags for it

    Also, sounds stupid but I just want to verify everything. The DR920P Elite fits a G34 holster, what is the model that it is off of? Is it based off the Glock34? What generation? I have also read that it is the G17 so I just thought I would ask.

    I appreciate all help

    1. Jessica Roe says:

      Hi Rob,

      The DR920P will ship with 17-round PMAGS, which is what we recommend. You can also run Glock 17 mags. The DR920P fits Gen 4 G34 holsters. The DR920 shares holster geometry with the G17, but the addition of the comp makes the DR920P G34 sized.

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