When it comes to finding a reliable 50 round AR-15 magazine, the choice typically comes down to choosing either an extended box magazine or a drum magazine. Today, we’re taking a look at various factors to see how Dogtooth Tactical’s 50 round AR 15 magazine stands against drum mags.
Capacity
Traditionally, drum magazines have always been the winner when it comes to capacity, holding on average 50 rounds or more compared to the average 20-30 rounds of a box magazine. Dogtooth Tactical’s mags offer some competition though–all of our mags hold 50 rounds, making them comparable in capacity to the average drum mag.
Plus, in terms of cost and value, our magazines tend to be much lower in cost compared to drum magazines for the AR-15. Drum mags can average 80-100$ or more–and our extended mags, with similar capacity, average 25-35$ before delivery.
Reliability and Performance
The actual reliability of a drum magazine depends on the manufacturer and brand, but on average, most drum mags have a lot of moving parts and complex mechanisms. Their assemblies are much more prone to jamming and other performance issues, especially if not regularly cleaned.
Dogtooth Tactical’s 50 round AR 15 magazine is designed to eliminate the problems with jamming and require minimal maintenance. They don’t experience the typical problems that are common in other extended mags, including drum magazines, and they are made with stainless steel springs for improved durability and long-lasting reliability as well.
Weight and Practicality
Drum magazines are always going to be heavier and bulkier than box mags, even Dogtooth Tactical’s 50 round mags, due to the additional internal assembly that allows them to function. They also will be more difficult to pack and carry around, being both heavier and more unwieldy, compared to box mags, and they won’t fit easily into most pouches or cases. That weight also applies to actually holding the AR-15 as well–they’ll likely be harder to hold and carry with a drum magazine. Box mags like the Dogtooth Tactical extended magazine are far more intuitive to reload and much lighter, making them the best choice in terms of weight and overall practicality.
Final Thoughts
Dogtooth Tactical’s 50 round AR 15 magazine offers many benefits over most drum magazines, especially in terms of cost, practicality, and performance. Ultimately though, the choice of magazine to get depends on your own preference–if you’re looking for extremely high capacity of up to 100 rounds, and are willing to put in the time for maintenance, then drum magazines may be the choice for you. If you’re looking for a cost-effective, high-performance magazine that offers a similar capacity to the average drum mag, without the cost or maintenance, then consider Dogtooth Tactical’s AR-15 mags!
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