I’ll admit, I never gave drum mags much thought. I kind of brushed them off as gimmicks better left to YouTube stars and gangbangers that wanted to look tough. They just look rather awkward and unwieldy. They’re heavy, and we’ve all heard the horror stories of consistency and reliability issues.
It also didn’t help that most of my friends are military and law enforcement, both of which have a dim view of drum mags (rightly so). Frankly, I wasn’t interested.
I still find them to be heavy and awkward, but I recently had the opportunity to take a 50-round Glock-pattern drum mag from KCI USA to the range for a bit of T&E, and I might just be a changed man. Let’s dive in.
About KCI USA
KCI USA is the domestic arm of Korea-based KCI, primarily known for their cheap Glock-pattern mags. However, KCI USA manufactures a whole host of stick mags and drum mags for handguns, shotguns, and other firearm platforms, including the renowned MP5, M1 carbine, and the AR-15. KCI also offers faithful clones of some of the most iconic magazines in the world, including AK-47/AK-74 centerfire rifle mags, Beretta clones, and more.
KCI magazines are widely regarded to be great workhorse mags for heavy-use situations.
All KCI magazines are backed by a lifetime warranty, and according to several YouTube personalities (like IraqVeteran8888), they can take a beating without failing. But because I have my own standards for testing, the question remains: does affordability equate to quality? Are these Korean-made drum mags a reliable alternative to factory mags (which can be expensive at times), or are they a heap of useless plastic?
testing the drum mags
Now remember, before I ever had a chance to handle one of these suckers, I already had a preconceived idea that they weren’t worth a darn. So, I admittedly went into my testing with a bit of a bias. However, I decided to try and have an open mind and took the drum mag and 600 rounds of target ammo with me for a day at the range.
I decided to bring my Glock 19X, Shadow Systems MR920, and Ruger PC9 carbine with me for the test, as I wanted to test the drum mag with a variety of firearms. You know, for science. So, I loaded up the mag for its inaugural test with 50 rounds of Blazer Brass 115-grain ammo.
The first thing you’ll note when loading these drum mags is its built-in ratcheting rotary speedloader system. Because it’s not a traditional double-stack stick magazine, it’d be downright impossible to load the magazine without the rotary loader.
The ratchet worked well enough, but I would caution you to go slow as you release the tension on the loader. It’s under tremendous spring pressure, and I worry that a slip of the hand or quick release would send your ammo flying… or damage the follower system beyond repair. Of course, I was able to load up the magazine multiple times with no problems, but it’s still something I’ll keep my eye on.
Once I was loaded up, I popped the mag into my Shadow Systems for the first 50-round mag-dump test. Before I even racked the slide to chamber a round, I was very aware of the weight of the magazine. These suckers are HEAVY when fully loaded. I chambered the first round, firmed up my grip, and adjusted my stance. Taking aim at an IPSC silhouette target 15 yards away, I let her rip.
As one would expect with this additional weight and the overall awkwardness of the magazine, I was sending rounds every which way. Granted, I’m probably the world’s okayest shooter (not a competition-level professional shooter by any means), but firing at a target just 15 yards away, I was a little embarrassed by the number of stringers falling well outside the black.
I tried a second round of 50 rounds with the Shadow Systems with similar results. Annoyed, I moved on to try the drum with my G19X, thinking the larger frame might make a difference. No dice. Some of it was me, but the gun was just too darn heavy, and my arms were fatigued all too quickly.
I’m better with a rifle, so I grabbed my Ruger PC Carbine and stepped out to 25 yards. I was much happier with the performance, as I was able to consistently deliver 1-inch and 1.5-inch groups well within the “kill zone” of the IPSC target. That’s more like it!
Now, I will say that I had one instance where the magazine didn’t want to seat properly with the Ruger, but other than that, the magazine ran reliably. No feed issues whatsoever.
That said, I’m still weary of the ratcheting loading system. While it’s meant to make loading easier and more efficient, I can’t shake off some concerns about its long-term durability.
Further, there is not a last-round hold-open feature with this magazine. I mean, I guess it kind of makes sense with the rather odd follower design, but I was expecting it to function as any other Glock-pattern magazine. That was a bit of a downer for me, personally.
However, despite my minor personal hesitation, I was impressed and rather surprised by the overall performance and reliability of these KCI USA Glock drum mags.
Price and availability
Well, the KCI Glock drum mag isn’t exactly cheap. That’s not to say that they’re overly expensive either, but for an aftermarket import with limited practicality, I’d like to see the price a bit lower. Further, these drum mags can be found at most brick-and-mortar gun shops and a variety of online retailers for somewhere between $59 and $89.99. Again, not cheap, but not cost-prohibitive either.
Loading up!
So, are these Korean-made drum mags worth the hype? My answer is both an enthusiastic “yes” and a resounding “no.”
I found the mags to be reliable and consistent. Despite a few hesitations and a single loading issue, the mag ran flawlessly. It was quick and easy to load, and after firing several hundred rounds through multiple firearm platforms, there was no noticeable wear or damage to the feed lips or magazine body.
However, I don’t think a 50-round drum mag is practical for serious shooting. They’re awkward and unwieldy. I struggled to compensate for the weight when used with a handgun, and despite being reliable with my Ruger PC Carbine, it was still heavy.
Even so, I enjoyed a bit of rapid-fire mag-dumping. I’ll keep this drum mag for fun days at the range when I have a bit of extra ammo to burn through, but otherwise, I’ll leave the drum mags to the YouTubers and wannabes.
