“Does it take Glock mags?” That’s one of the most common questions asked anytime a new handgun or PCC hits the market. Glock mags are everywhere, and now legendary magazine producer MEC-GAR has dived into the Glock magazine world.
MEC-GAR is an Italian firm that produces magazines for a wide range of companies. They also produce magazines for legacy platforms. Their specialty is pistol magazines, but they’ve never ventured into Glock mags. Glock has produced its own magazines forever.
Glock magazines have become a near industry standard. Not only are they reliable and well-made, but they are also affordable. A factory Glock magazine costs significantly less than those of competing companies, like Sig Sauer, S&W, and Walther.
The fact that it took this long for MEC-GAR to enter the Glock world is kind of strange. Companies like Magpul, ETS, KCI, and many others produce aftermarket Glock magazines that are even more affordable. The competition is stiff, so if you’re introducing a new Glock mag, how do you compete?
Going Metal With MEC-GAR
MEC-GAR chose metal over polymer, sticking to its tradition of making metal magazines. They didn’t just rush to market, but took a measured approach.
The MEC-GAR magazines were introduced alongside the Staccato HD series. Staccato wanted to hit the duty market with a sledgehammer and released a 2011 platform that takes Glock magazines. Instead of just grabbing an off-the-shelf option, they did what many companies do: they partnered with MEC-GAR.
When you buy a Staccato HD, it comes with MEC-GAR Glock-pattern magazines. In my experience with Staccato, MEC-GAR magazines work brilliantly with the HD series. No issues to report in nearly a thousand rounds of 9mm through an HD and MEC-GAR magazines.
How do they work in Glocks, though? What about other Glock-pattern firearms, like PCCs? That’s what I wanted to find out. I couldn’t think of a better way to test the MEC-GAR Glock magazines than to strap up a Glock 17 with a pair of MEC-GAR magazines and hit up a training class with War Hogg Tactical.
MEC-GAR Vs. Glock – What’s Different?
What’s the point of metal magazines? They tend to be more space-efficient. The MEC-GAR mags hold 18 rounds, giving you one extra round, which is nice.
Metal magazines also tend to be smooth and, most importantly, drop free from firearms. Glock magazines can be a little sticky, requiring a little shake to get an empty magazine to drop out of the gun.
One of the big differences between Glock OEM magazines and MEC-GAR magazines is the fact that MEC-GAR did not implement an over-insertion stop. This means that when the slide is locked open, you can slam the magazine into the ejector, potentially bending the ejector or breaking it.
MEC-GAR isn’t the first to make metal Glock magazines. Shield Arms did so for the Glock 43 and 48, increasing capacity but wearing out magazine releases. These releases needed to be replaced with a metal one. Shield Arms told folks that right off the bat, but some folks are hard-headed. Is this an issue with the MEC-GAR magazines?
Nope, MEC-GAR designed the magazines to work with polymer Glock magazine catches.
Early Problems With MEC-GAR Magazines
When these magazines hit the market about a year ago, they had issues. Namely, they would fall out of Glock pistols while shooting. That’s a big deal, and something I kept an eye out for. I’ve also seen reports of magazines failing to feed and followers getting stuck.
I made sure to keep an eye out for these issues and to see whether I was creating a hazard for Glock pistols in a higher-pressure environment. As I headed to the class, I made sure to bring three standard Glock 17 OEM magazines, just in case I had issues.
My Glock of choice was the Glock 17 Gen 6. My ammo was Sportsman’s Select Remanufactured 115-grain 9mm brass case.
At The Class
A big part of the class was rapid transitions from the rifle to the handgun and long strings of fire. I got to shoot a whole heckuva lot of rounds through the gun and magazines. I only had two, and we did a few drills that required three, so I did use one OEM Glock magazine during the class. However, I made sure to use that magazine only when absolutely necessary.
No Drops
Bottom line up front, the magazines never dropped out of the gun while I was shooting. I went through long, rapid strings of fire without an issue. The magazines fed reliably, even after repeated drops, rain, heat, and typical class abuse. I fired about 500 rounds through them. I say “about” because, again, I did use the Glock OEM magazine for a few different drills.
MEC-GAR might have gone back to the drawing board in the last year to fix the issue I mentioned above when used with Glock magazines. I can’t say for sure, but they didn’t fall out of my Glock.
To double-check this, post-class, I inserted the magazines into the gun and tried to pull them out. I shook them, moved them back and forth, all while pulling downward. They didn’t come out.
The slide always locked to the rear when the gun ran dry, and I had no noticeable problems when reloading. I didn’t go full caveman with my reloads, but I wasn’t going slow either.
During the class, I had several observations worth noting. First, they do drop free with a press of the mag release, each and every time. They fall right out without complaint.
Mag Pouches
I also noticed that the magazines are thinner than Glock OEM magazines. This meant I had to adjust the magazine pouches to be a bit tighter. If you have non-adjustable Glock magazine pouches, these magazines are likely going to fit a little loose.
Too loose to keep them in place without a flap to secure them. You might need to grab some SIG or S&W double-stack magazine pouches to fit the slightly slimmer magazines.
Worth It?
At about $18, these provide an inexpensive and seemingly reliable magazine. The MEC-GAR mags work, or at the very least, mine do. I would most certainly use these for training or even competition.
What about duty and defense? In a Staccato HD? For sure, that’s what they’re made for.
What about the Glock series? Probably not. I have a general rule that anything I use for defensive or duty use should be OEM-produced. While I found the MEC-GAR magazines reliable, their previous issues make me nervous about suggesting them for duty use at this time.
Especially when Glock magazines just work so well. Give them a little more time to cook. When you do grab them, run the hell out of them and make sure they work.
