I'm looking to purchase my first AR. I've just been made aware there are both Gen 2 and Gen 3 mags for sale. Is the Gen 3 all that much better than the Gen 2? There are some pretty good deals on Gen 2's in 10 quantities.

Newbie needs to know!

I could be wrong, but I believe the difference is the 3 has the witness window, so you can see how many rounds are loaded/left.


Edit: they’re all good god mags though. I do know that.
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Good guess, but nope! Both Gen 2 and Gen 3 are available with windows.

The Gen 3 are stronger, come with the dust cap, have an over-insertion tab, the floorplate is a little narrower, the follower is different, and they have the dot matrix area for marking magazines. The Gen 3 are also made to be compatible with all AR-Patterned rifles, where the Gen 2 had issues with the HK rifles.

If you can get the Gen 2 magazines for under $10 each, they are a bargain. I don't have any Gen 3, and I don't feel that I am missing out on a thing.

The Gen 3 follower feeds M855A1 better and come in the cool MCB color and are the only mags approved by the USMC for combat use.

All gen II's for my 5.56 rifles, never had an issue or need to buy the more expensive gen III's.

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M&P15 sport II, Retired Army

^^^^
This. Gen 3 is all about the HK rifles. If you own a common AR gen 2 is reliable and generally cheaper. I have many and they are extremely reliable. Buy a bunch of them!!!

the "over insertion tab" on the gen 3's made them uncompatible with some mag wells....mine is one of them...but a rotary tool can make quick work of the tab

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witty signature goes here

Just to make sure we're all on the same page here; S&W supplies the M&P 15 with a polymer magazine made by a company called MagPul that is known as a "P-Mag". There are indeed Generation 2 and 3 P-Mags and both will work well.

But Mag-Pul magazines don't have to be used in S&W rifles and pretty much any other magazine will work equally well.

P-Mags are a quality product and have a loyal following.

I personally do not use polymer magazines. If you want to know why, PM me. I use aluminum magazines as well as blackened stainless steel. I have yet to find a magazine that does not function well in my M&P-15.

All of my mags are Gen II , never had an issue with any of them.

Like Mack said the gen3 mags have a different follower that allows them to feed the M855a1 rounds better, it has a different angle so the exposed sharp tip of the bullet doesn't destroy the M-4 feed ramp. I only use my gen3 mags with the newer M855a1 bullets

I bought some with the window, whatever generation that is. I never even look at the window. They all work.

My M&P15 TS came with Gen 2's so that is what I've always purchased.
I've never had any cause to regret that choice.

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642-1, M&P15 TS

If you look up "quality" in the dictionary, there is a picture of a Magpul magazine there. It is synonymous with quality. My fellow officers and myself have many thousands of rounds down-range with the Magpul mags. No problems with ANY of the generations of their mags. Most of the malfunctions we did encounter with the AR-15 platform were magazine related. This occurred with officers purchased magazines that were "just as good as" P-Mags or Tango Down ARC mags. When we went to Magpul & TangoDown, we experienced none. In LE we call that a "clue". There may be other makers of quality magazines, but I can only speak for the aforementioned two as I have experience with them.

I prefer the plastic mags as opposed to the metal mags. The reason for this is that it is easy to determine when a plastic mag is no longer serviceable. It is when you observe a "crack" on or near the feed lips. It is then that you know it is time for "hammer-therapy". With metal mags, the lips may spread resulting in a "double-feed". This gradual widening of the lips may not always be apparent to the naked eye.

I'm not a SME in this area, but am speaking from experience and trying to stay in my lane and off the sidewalk.

HTH.

JPJ

All of mine are Generation 3, no window. I have 30 and 20 round, and have had no problems at all.