Promag 17 round magazine
- Thread starter saml45
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
jbtrucker
Member
I never bought one and have read for several years Promag isn't recommended . My go to suppliers Greg Cote LLC, Midway USA and Academy Sports
HOUSTON RICK
Member
I always avoid Promag handgun magazines. I have had bad experiences and will hunt down OE magazines and pay double or triple before using Promag. Range time is too valuable to waste on Promag issues. Others say they are fine. I would never use one with a defense firearm unless I had nothing else.
Okie21
Member
Garbage. I bought a couple for my M&P's. Stopped feeding first time I used them. I went online and found so many bad reviews, I threw them in the trash
Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk
Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk
Some of Promags magazines work surprisingly well and function fine while others can need reworking. The Sigma Magazines they make dont really compare to factory quality in terms of build. The gage of steel they use on the sigma magazines seems a bitt thinner than S&W. The Magazine Spring is also not as strong and the followers they use are also different. Because of this they are difficult to improve because you cant put in new followers or stronger springs easily unlike many of their magazines for other pistols.
The versions I have tried in 40 S&W and 9MM do function but I always clean and deburr aftermarket magazines before using them. I have only tried the standard length magazines through along with one of the 32round 9mm extended magazines. They make a drum magazine Ive never tried .. yet anyways.
Unless you want something exotic I would just stick to factory magazines on the sigmas and add +2 or +3 magazine bases if you want more capacity.
Internet reputation on promags are kind of like internet reputation on Sigmas. Most people dont know what they are talking about or base their impression on one sample and dont know how to get a magazine working let alone a pistol. Manufacturers like Mecgar basically spoils people. They are the exception not the rule.
First thing to do with a promag is degrease and clean it (Pretty thick oil/grease on them). Then take the magazine tube and insert it into the pistol empty to make sure the slide clears the feedlips and the height of the magazine catch hole is correct. Sometimes the magazine will sit high in the magwell and it needs to be fitted with a cheap needle file. The Sigma magazines are kind of an odd duck for promags. Often what they do is use the same magazine tube design for different pistols and just change the magazine notch location.
Promag also get "creative" where as other manufacturers do not. Extended pistol magazines are trick especially with highly tapered cartridges like 9mm because things like nose drop come into play. It can be done but its more involved than just making a longer tube on an existing magazine and throwing some more coils on a spring.
Standard size magazines though are usually pretty easy to get running at least with FMJ. Sigma magazines are not crazy expensive though so unless its for curiosity or variety I would just stick with factory OEM. One of these days I will test one of their Drum Mags for the sigmas for the heck of it although drum magazines on a pistol while neat are kind of silly.
The versions I have tried in 40 S&W and 9MM do function but I always clean and deburr aftermarket magazines before using them. I have only tried the standard length magazines through along with one of the 32round 9mm extended magazines. They make a drum magazine Ive never tried .. yet anyways.
Unless you want something exotic I would just stick to factory magazines on the sigmas and add +2 or +3 magazine bases if you want more capacity.
Internet reputation on promags are kind of like internet reputation on Sigmas. Most people dont know what they are talking about or base their impression on one sample and dont know how to get a magazine working let alone a pistol. Manufacturers like Mecgar basically spoils people. They are the exception not the rule.
First thing to do with a promag is degrease and clean it (Pretty thick oil/grease on them). Then take the magazine tube and insert it into the pistol empty to make sure the slide clears the feedlips and the height of the magazine catch hole is correct. Sometimes the magazine will sit high in the magwell and it needs to be fitted with a cheap needle file. The Sigma magazines are kind of an odd duck for promags. Often what they do is use the same magazine tube design for different pistols and just change the magazine notch location.
Promag also get "creative" where as other manufacturers do not. Extended pistol magazines are trick especially with highly tapered cartridges like 9mm because things like nose drop come into play. It can be done but its more involved than just making a longer tube on an existing magazine and throwing some more coils on a spring.
Standard size magazines though are usually pretty easy to get running at least with FMJ. Sigma magazines are not crazy expensive though so unless its for curiosity or variety I would just stick with factory OEM. One of these days I will test one of their Drum Mags for the sigmas for the heck of it although drum magazines on a pistol while neat are kind of silly.
Miami_JBT
US Veteran
Just hunt down original SW9F mags.
ProMag & Triple K mags are by & large, junk. I'd throw ETS mags in there as well.
Most gun shows have THAT guy who sells used mags. I'd wager you could find OEM mags for the same $20; it just won't be pristine.
My .o2
Most gun shows have THAT guy who sells used mags. I'd wager you could find OEM mags for the same $20; it just won't be pristine.
My .o2
Exactly what I was going to post.
Well like I said sometimes you have to get them running. They are not all junk and anyone who pushes that type of generic nonsense across the board with such a broad brush on the net doesnt have a whole lot of credibility IMO in terms of how magazines actually work. Internet is a strange place these days though.
Promag does heat treat their magazine tubes and the springs they use are decent for something like a duty ize pistil that have slower cycle speeds. Put that same magazine in something like a micro compact and the cycle can outrun the magazine feed and lead to all sorts of issues. This issnt as much of an issue in things like single stack magazines but when you get into double stack single feed magazines it only magnifies the problem. Some of thee modern 1.5 bottleneck magazines are even more problematic than that because its basically the most finicky magazine design ever created outside true oddball stuff.
The pistols themselves also play into this stuff. Something like a Ruger p89 will run basically any aftermarket magazine because they are very forgiving and have a very heavy slide that slows down the entire action. I have yet to encounter a magazine spring too weak to reliable feed a P89.
Someone mentioned triple K. Yes I would put them below promag in quality but they do have some solid offerings in no frills magazines like 1911s and Triple K also serves the market to offer magazines in some very rare and old firearms where nothing else is available.
Sigma has never had a huge aftermarket so at least Promag tries to offer something. People like to complain about basically everything these days but if you look around theres a whole lot of ****** magazines comin direct from the factory both now and in the past. The latest culprit seems to be Ruger ever since they ditched mec-gar and started having checkmate make their magazines. S&W hasnt gotten too bad on us yet but I was pretty surprised to see them make their 22WMR pistol with a cheap plastic magazine which IMO kills the entire pistol as most of the veteran firearms enthusiasts know plastic magazines are always junk long term.
Believe it or not Promag actually surpasses quite a few OEM firearms manufacturers in terms of magazines in terms of quality build.. although they may still need to be fitted. Rossi, SCCY, Hi-point are three that come to mind.
Now if you are going to run to the range and open the package for a 32rd extended magazine for a micro compact like a Keltec p11 or SCCY CPX (Same thing) with a lightning cycle speed you are going to be disappointed until you figure out what is going on.
But hey Ive heard people bash Sigmas and do the whole friends dont let friends buy Sigmas as well. Doesnt mean much or even add much to the discussion. My Sigmas dont malfunction regardless of what people have tried to convince me of for 25+ years now.
For the Sigma though In standard capacity I suggest sticking wit OEM magazines though for CCW. Shop around and you can find them around $20 usually. Even when used they still run and S&W use thicker gage wire for springs along with a pretty well designed follower. The magazine tubes themselves are also thicker and slick due to S&W nickel finish they use on the magazines.
As far as those 1st generation 15Rd or 17rd magazines depending on caliber you need to treat them with care. The Baseplate looks thicker but it is far more fragile that the 14rd/16rd magazines. If you dump a 1st gen sigma magazine on a concreate floor you will likely split the base plate and finding a replacement for the 1st gen sigma mag baseplate is difficult especially in the 9mm versions. That change in the magazines was made due to magazine bases splitting while officers where on duty or training where they would lose all their rounds unintentionally. If you need more capacity then standard the only real option is going to be a +2 or +3 extension. Unless you want to run 32 round extended mags but in that case promag is the only option unless you are going to modify something like a Beretta factory 30 round magazine or one of those Springfield XD factory extended sticks. Im not sure if they will fit the sigma mag well though let alone the feed angle being within range of the sigma/SD. Sigmas feed angle is more like a Glock than a Beretta or XD. Looks like the magazine tube they use for the Sigma/SD drum is based of of the classic beretta tube in terms of feed angle which is kind of why I have stayed away from it. Could still work though because back in the AWB days a lot of people were converting different magazines to work in the 1st and 2nd gen Sigmas along with everything else.
Anyways my Sigma promags work fine but as I said I fitted them and worked them over to my satisfaction. They worked fine as they were but Im finicky and dont like sharp edges. I just run FMJ ball ammo in them though. Be nice if there was a factory option but its not going to happen. Sigma/SD line from S&W is basically their economy poor mans pistol these days and has been ever since S&W went to the SW99 and eventually the M&P.
My experience on the Sigma/SD Promags
1 SD40VE 15 Round Promag - Pass (Mostly in a SW40F)
1 SD9VE 17 Round Promag - Pass .. In SW9F, SW9C/V, and SW9VE
3 SD9VE 32rd - Pass in SW9F & SW9VE
all five were kept clean and fitted along with deburring of any sharp edges. I did not have to fit the magazine catch slot of alter the feedlip angle.No torture testing or dropping magazines on concrete were done because I dont abuse my firearms.
Promag does heat treat their magazine tubes and the springs they use are decent for something like a duty ize pistil that have slower cycle speeds. Put that same magazine in something like a micro compact and the cycle can outrun the magazine feed and lead to all sorts of issues. This issnt as much of an issue in things like single stack magazines but when you get into double stack single feed magazines it only magnifies the problem. Some of thee modern 1.5 bottleneck magazines are even more problematic than that because its basically the most finicky magazine design ever created outside true oddball stuff.
The pistols themselves also play into this stuff. Something like a Ruger p89 will run basically any aftermarket magazine because they are very forgiving and have a very heavy slide that slows down the entire action. I have yet to encounter a magazine spring too weak to reliable feed a P89.
Someone mentioned triple K. Yes I would put them below promag in quality but they do have some solid offerings in no frills magazines like 1911s and Triple K also serves the market to offer magazines in some very rare and old firearms where nothing else is available.
Sigma has never had a huge aftermarket so at least Promag tries to offer something. People like to complain about basically everything these days but if you look around theres a whole lot of ****** magazines comin direct from the factory both now and in the past. The latest culprit seems to be Ruger ever since they ditched mec-gar and started having checkmate make their magazines. S&W hasnt gotten too bad on us yet but I was pretty surprised to see them make their 22WMR pistol with a cheap plastic magazine which IMO kills the entire pistol as most of the veteran firearms enthusiasts know plastic magazines are always junk long term.
Believe it or not Promag actually surpasses quite a few OEM firearms manufacturers in terms of magazines in terms of quality build.. although they may still need to be fitted. Rossi, SCCY, Hi-point are three that come to mind.
Now if you are going to run to the range and open the package for a 32rd extended magazine for a micro compact like a Keltec p11 or SCCY CPX (Same thing) with a lightning cycle speed you are going to be disappointed until you figure out what is going on.
But hey Ive heard people bash Sigmas and do the whole friends dont let friends buy Sigmas as well. Doesnt mean much or even add much to the discussion. My Sigmas dont malfunction regardless of what people have tried to convince me of for 25+ years now.
For the Sigma though In standard capacity I suggest sticking wit OEM magazines though for CCW. Shop around and you can find them around $20 usually. Even when used they still run and S&W use thicker gage wire for springs along with a pretty well designed follower. The magazine tubes themselves are also thicker and slick due to S&W nickel finish they use on the magazines.
As far as those 1st generation 15Rd or 17rd magazines depending on caliber you need to treat them with care. The Baseplate looks thicker but it is far more fragile that the 14rd/16rd magazines. If you dump a 1st gen sigma magazine on a concreate floor you will likely split the base plate and finding a replacement for the 1st gen sigma mag baseplate is difficult especially in the 9mm versions. That change in the magazines was made due to magazine bases splitting while officers where on duty or training where they would lose all their rounds unintentionally. If you need more capacity then standard the only real option is going to be a +2 or +3 extension. Unless you want to run 32 round extended mags but in that case promag is the only option unless you are going to modify something like a Beretta factory 30 round magazine or one of those Springfield XD factory extended sticks. Im not sure if they will fit the sigma mag well though let alone the feed angle being within range of the sigma/SD. Sigmas feed angle is more like a Glock than a Beretta or XD. Looks like the magazine tube they use for the Sigma/SD drum is based of of the classic beretta tube in terms of feed angle which is kind of why I have stayed away from it. Could still work though because back in the AWB days a lot of people were converting different magazines to work in the 1st and 2nd gen Sigmas along with everything else.
Anyways my Sigma promags work fine but as I said I fitted them and worked them over to my satisfaction. They worked fine as they were but Im finicky and dont like sharp edges. I just run FMJ ball ammo in them though. Be nice if there was a factory option but its not going to happen. Sigma/SD line from S&W is basically their economy poor mans pistol these days and has been ever since S&W went to the SW99 and eventually the M&P.
My experience on the Sigma/SD Promags
1 SD40VE 15 Round Promag - Pass (Mostly in a SW40F)
1 SD9VE 17 Round Promag - Pass .. In SW9F, SW9C/V, and SW9VE
3 SD9VE 32rd - Pass in SW9F & SW9VE
all five were kept clean and fitted along with deburring of any sharp edges. I did not have to fit the magazine catch slot of alter the feedlip angle.No torture testing or dropping magazines on concrete were done because I dont abuse my firearms.
Last edited:
Please
Remember
Our
Magazines
Are
Garbage
That's all I've ever heard besides regrets after purchase/use.
Range practice at best.
Remember
Our
Magazines
Are
Garbage
That's all I've ever heard besides regrets after purchase/use.
Range practice at best.
Last edited:
Ever shoot a 3 Gun, USPSA or Steel Plate match? Know how many ProMag , Triple K or ETS mags you see? ZERO. None. Ziltch. Why? Because competitors HAVE to have reliability & those three brands don't deliver it.
Those three brands have all the quality of a Big Lots store item. In short, they're to be avoided if one wants any sort of reliability. I certainly would NEVER even consider them for a carry gun or bedside gun.
Nor would I insult the decades of experience of other posters who have bought cheap when they began their shooting hobby & personally learned the hard lessons that habit has taught them. In short, listen to the old men, they've learned a thing or three through their decades of shooting.
My .o2
Last edited:
Whos insulting? Look.. I actually own some of the Sigma promags. Its obvious most if not all in this thread have not. That gives me experience with these particular magazines in question and Ive been using aftermarket magazines and tuning them to function since shortly before the days of the 94 AWB when you basically had to convert magazines and learn different formulas of followers, spring strengths etc to get them running.
Im not all that young and this notion of calling "Old Men" some sort of experts because they have never tried the product in question is kind of laughable. It takes more than reading about something on the internet to have actual experience.
As far as 3 gun matches go I dont think that hs anything to do with what was being asked so I dont know where all that is coming from unless its some sort of ego propping going on there. I have nothing against 3 gun shooters. Theres a lot of accessories people use in competition that are not really things I would consider practical for CCW though. Regardless of that when I actually read the thread the question at hand was about promags and particularly Sigma/SD promags.
Never said these would be ideal for something like CCW. LOTS of things are not CCW friendly in one way or another. ETS nor Triple K even make magazines for Sigmas so I dont know why thats even in question but I will say the ETS magazines upon handling look like or are close to being a polycarbonate magazine and thats going to be a very fragile magazine so while the see through magazine is neat for some its going to be a handle with care magazine. I think the only polycarbonate magazines I have used long term that have survived decently are the butler creek steel lipped Ruger 10/22 mags.
My favorite magazines are Mec-gars for the most part but I would rank Promag second in terms of aftermarket manufacturers that make magazines for a wide line of firearms. The overwhelming majority of the standard capacity magazines work fine. Where things get dicey is with 32rd 9mm extended magazines and that is just due to the cartridge itself in combination with the traditional pistol double stack single feed magazine design.
Normally a 9mm pistol magazine will start running into problems right around the 22Rd- 25rd market for the double stack. This is due to case taper and nose drop. If you look at the newer Beretta 92 factory OEM 30 rounders you will see a rib running down the sides. Same Rib can be seen on the XDM extended magazines. In a single stack 9mm start to typically have nose drop problems around 9 or 10 rounds.
Obviously this is not for "Carry" use though. I dont see anyone walking around with 32rd magazines hanging out of their carry pistols let alone a drum mag.
I would run promags in my Sigmas for carry if I had no other choice but Im not sure I would trust them outside of Ball Ammo because Im not shooting hundreds of rounds of pricey boutique self defense ammo at the range when target shooting.
My biggest beef with promags SD/Sigma mags are their magazine springs. S&W uses a minimalistic follower in their magazine design similar to the glock which is unfortunate but they manage to get away with it. Lots of tilt in that approach though compared to something like a 5900 series magazine. Its unfortunate promag didnt beef up the springs at least to factory S&W standards but they tend to stick with the same gage wire for every magazine and as far as I can tell there is no substitute for the spring promag uses on the Sigma mags because the follower is a little different. It would take either making a spring or trying to modify something like a glock 18 33rd + Power magazine spring to work. Standard size mags its not as much of an issue.
Off hand I will list just some of the "Garbage" promags that have been 100% for me in more popular pistols that have been around..
Beretta 92 15 & 20 round mags.. PASS
Taurus 92 15 and 20 round mags.. PASS
XD 16 and 20 round mags... PASS
Smith And Wesson 5900 series 15rd mags... PASS
Ruger P Series 9mm 15/20rd and 45acp 8 round magazines.. pass
Bersa Thunder 9mm 15 round magazines .. pass
Walther P38 8rd Magazines... pass
Hipoint C9 8 round magazines ... Pass
Sccy 15 round magazines... Pass
Ruger LC9 8rd 9mm... Pass
S&W Sigma.. see above post
The only major problems I can recall running into with promags are the extended 32rd magazines. Sometimes its curable and sometimes its not. I know I have to use a VERY strong straight blowback submachine gun magazine spring along with a very slight alteration of the feedlips on the 30rd micro 9mm magazines to get them 100% but thats basically due to the lightning fast cycle speeds of all these micro 9mms. They do run 100% though. Am I going to walk around CCWing one of my Keltec P11s with a 30 round mag sticking out.. of course not.
But hey.. what do I know? I just own and using magazines since the late 1980s along with Mecgar, Wilson Combats, Checkmates, Ramlines, U.S.A. Brand, Triple K, Factory OEM, Nationals, Chip McCormick, ACT etc. etc. Better people just listen to whomever on the internet with no real real experience (let alone learning how to make them function of problematic). Fly bye comments with no actual useful info and ego blustering is all that matters these days I guess. Gun snobbery has devolved into magazine snobbery I guess. Strange to see such attitudes in a Sigma forum as its one of the most bashed handguns of all time.
When I eventually try their Drum magazine for the Sigma I will post a short review. I have only ever encountered one promag drum and it was for the Ruger P89 in 9mm. It worked. There are no LRHO features on the promag drums though from what I can tell due to how Drum Magazines have to be designed. Im not into Drum Magazines much but they are interesting and as I said earlier there is not a whole lot of aftermarket for the Lowley Sigmas out there these days.
*****ALSO...Anyone throwing their Garbage magazines in the trash let me know. I will pay shipping. Some of these older aftermarket mags can be hard to track down.
If you do get a bad promag I suggest you call them. They will basically bend over backwards to make you happy and although Ive never had to send one back I have called and gotten new components a few times freshen things up. The only time I have ever encountered something like feedlips cracking is on their 1911 10 rd magazines and that just comes with the territory on most 1911 mags.
Im not all that young and this notion of calling "Old Men" some sort of experts because they have never tried the product in question is kind of laughable. It takes more than reading about something on the internet to have actual experience.
As far as 3 gun matches go I dont think that hs anything to do with what was being asked so I dont know where all that is coming from unless its some sort of ego propping going on there. I have nothing against 3 gun shooters. Theres a lot of accessories people use in competition that are not really things I would consider practical for CCW though. Regardless of that when I actually read the thread the question at hand was about promags and particularly Sigma/SD promags.
Never said these would be ideal for something like CCW. LOTS of things are not CCW friendly in one way or another. ETS nor Triple K even make magazines for Sigmas so I dont know why thats even in question but I will say the ETS magazines upon handling look like or are close to being a polycarbonate magazine and thats going to be a very fragile magazine so while the see through magazine is neat for some its going to be a handle with care magazine. I think the only polycarbonate magazines I have used long term that have survived decently are the butler creek steel lipped Ruger 10/22 mags.
My favorite magazines are Mec-gars for the most part but I would rank Promag second in terms of aftermarket manufacturers that make magazines for a wide line of firearms. The overwhelming majority of the standard capacity magazines work fine. Where things get dicey is with 32rd 9mm extended magazines and that is just due to the cartridge itself in combination with the traditional pistol double stack single feed magazine design.
Normally a 9mm pistol magazine will start running into problems right around the 22Rd- 25rd market for the double stack. This is due to case taper and nose drop. If you look at the newer Beretta 92 factory OEM 30 rounders you will see a rib running down the sides. Same Rib can be seen on the XDM extended magazines. In a single stack 9mm start to typically have nose drop problems around 9 or 10 rounds.
Obviously this is not for "Carry" use though. I dont see anyone walking around with 32rd magazines hanging out of their carry pistols let alone a drum mag.
I would run promags in my Sigmas for carry if I had no other choice but Im not sure I would trust them outside of Ball Ammo because Im not shooting hundreds of rounds of pricey boutique self defense ammo at the range when target shooting.
My biggest beef with promags SD/Sigma mags are their magazine springs. S&W uses a minimalistic follower in their magazine design similar to the glock which is unfortunate but they manage to get away with it. Lots of tilt in that approach though compared to something like a 5900 series magazine. Its unfortunate promag didnt beef up the springs at least to factory S&W standards but they tend to stick with the same gage wire for every magazine and as far as I can tell there is no substitute for the spring promag uses on the Sigma mags because the follower is a little different. It would take either making a spring or trying to modify something like a glock 18 33rd + Power magazine spring to work. Standard size mags its not as much of an issue.
Off hand I will list just some of the "Garbage" promags that have been 100% for me in more popular pistols that have been around..
Beretta 92 15 & 20 round mags.. PASS
Taurus 92 15 and 20 round mags.. PASS
XD 16 and 20 round mags... PASS
Smith And Wesson 5900 series 15rd mags... PASS
Ruger P Series 9mm 15/20rd and 45acp 8 round magazines.. pass
Bersa Thunder 9mm 15 round magazines .. pass
Walther P38 8rd Magazines... pass
Hipoint C9 8 round magazines ... Pass
Sccy 15 round magazines... Pass
Ruger LC9 8rd 9mm... Pass
S&W Sigma.. see above post
The only major problems I can recall running into with promags are the extended 32rd magazines. Sometimes its curable and sometimes its not. I know I have to use a VERY strong straight blowback submachine gun magazine spring along with a very slight alteration of the feedlips on the 30rd micro 9mm magazines to get them 100% but thats basically due to the lightning fast cycle speeds of all these micro 9mms. They do run 100% though. Am I going to walk around CCWing one of my Keltec P11s with a 30 round mag sticking out.. of course not.
But hey.. what do I know? I just own and using magazines since the late 1980s along with Mecgar, Wilson Combats, Checkmates, Ramlines, U.S.A. Brand, Triple K, Factory OEM, Nationals, Chip McCormick, ACT etc. etc. Better people just listen to whomever on the internet with no real real experience (let alone learning how to make them function of problematic). Fly bye comments with no actual useful info and ego blustering is all that matters these days I guess. Gun snobbery has devolved into magazine snobbery I guess. Strange to see such attitudes in a Sigma forum as its one of the most bashed handguns of all time.
When I eventually try their Drum magazine for the Sigma I will post a short review. I have only ever encountered one promag drum and it was for the Ruger P89 in 9mm. It worked. There are no LRHO features on the promag drums though from what I can tell due to how Drum Magazines have to be designed. Im not into Drum Magazines much but they are interesting and as I said earlier there is not a whole lot of aftermarket for the Lowley Sigmas out there these days.
*****ALSO...Anyone throwing their Garbage magazines in the trash let me know. I will pay shipping. Some of these older aftermarket mags can be hard to track down.
If you do get a bad promag I suggest you call them. They will basically bend over backwards to make you happy and although Ive never had to send one back I have called and gotten new components a few times freshen things up. The only time I have ever encountered something like feedlips cracking is on their 1911 10 rd magazines and that just comes with the territory on most 1911 mags.
