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FOCUS Field Test Comparison: 30-Round AR-15 Magazines The Thermold AR-15 30-round magazine was one of the first to use a polymer body. This magazine has a stainless steel spring and standard follower. The Thermold AR-15 30-round magazine got a score of 3.7 out of 5. All magazines were reviewed by at least eight different tactical or patrol officers. Thermold www.thermoldmagazines.com Average Score: 3.7 out of 5 Using a nylon resin called Zytel, developed by DuPont after World War II to replace metal in large-scale manufacturing, Thermold began producing weapons magazines that resisted heat and corrosion, and functioned with extreme reliability. Thermold magazines rapidly became the product of choice among military personnel, law enforcement offcers and sport shooters around the world. All of their products are proudly made in the USA in North Carolina. Today, many of the frearm industry's largest and most prestigious distributors are once again able to sell the trusted line of Thermold magazines and weapons products. The AR-15 30-Round magazine from Thermold is made of polymer and the string material is stainless steel. It is a 30-round black Zytel Nylon magazine for AR15/M-16 Firearms, 5.56 mm, .223 Cal. The MSRP is $10.00. Even though the Thermold magazine placed last, it garnered The C Products Defense 30-round Stainless scored in the middle of the pack tied with four others, earning a score of 4.1 out of 5. 40 LAW and ORDER I January 2013 very different scores from the reviewers depending on the category. In Basic Fit & Finish, for example: "Some edges, especially the lips, were not perfect, but it did not affect performance," Offcer Karen Bartuch, Kirkland, Ill. Police, commented. However, according to Offcer Geoffrey Spickard, Ann Arbor, Mich. Police, "The feed lips are rough and poorly fnished." Other reviewers said the Thermold magazine felt "cheap" due to its construction. In Operational Smoothness, it garnered higher scores and remarks, such as "The magazine went into the mag well smoothly without any problems," Deputy Sheriff Brad Slaughter, stated. In the Lock into Place category, Deputy Richard Hecht, Pierce County (Wash.) Sheriff, thought it was diffcult to seat when fully loaded, while Spickard found it easy to seat with 30 rounds in rife with closed bolt. "Very minimal movement of mag when seated in well," he elaborated. In terms of Security, scores varied again. "The magazine sealed frmly into place and never fell out" for Slaughter and likewise, it locked in place for Sgt. Sam Smith, Evansville, Ind. Police. Alternately, the mag foor plate opened by accident for Spickard. For Features, Hecht said the Thermold mag was "more diffcult to insert/extract from pouches." However, the "ribs ft the hand well and gave a secure grip" for Offcer Steve Tracy, Park Ridge, Ill. Police. Another offcer described it as "great ribbing." In the Durability category, Offcer Kevin Davis, Akron, Ohio Police, gave the Thermold a 1 due to both of his samples breaking during testing: "One magazine had the feed lips break, the other fell apart upon impact with gravel from a kneeling position." On the fip side, Bartuch had lots of scratches from hitting the ground, but the lips were intact regardless. In Functioning, most testers reported the Thermold mag performed well once loaded. Bartuch described it as "very reliable." However, Tracy said the mags would not strip a round off the top of a fully loaded magazine 50 percent of the time. For Maintenance, Hecht said he was unable to remove the baseplate "without feeling like I am going to permanently damage it." On the other hand, Spickard said it was very easy to disassemble and clean. The C Products Defense 30-round Stainless uses a stainless steel body, a stainless steel spring, and an anti-tilt follower.