My more gun-savvy readers surely know this already, but it could be useful information for the n00bs and casual shooters…
I forgot to mention in yesterday’s CZ Update that I went to the range partly to test out 4 new magazines before putting them to work in next week’s shooting class. I like to have at least six mags for my guns, and a dozen is not unreasonable when you consider that they’re the most wear- and damage-prone part of the system.
The standard – and sensible – advice is to buy only factory magazines, which are most likely to fit and function well in your gun. Unfortunately, they’re also remarkably efficient at draining cash from your wallet. You can take a gamble on aftermarket magazines but, well… you’ll probably lose. My own experiences with non-factory magazines have been uniformly dismal.
Unless, that is, you do a bit of homework beforehand. It’s important to know that almost all gun companies contract out their magazine manufacturing to an OEM source… and that OEM source often sells the same magazines under their own name, at a HUGE discount.
Take my CZ, for example. On the left is a Genuine, Authentic, 100% Grade-A Pure factory magazine that shipped with the gun. On the right is a Mec-Gar aftermarket mag. They are identical in every way, made by the same people in the same factory on the same equipment. The only difference? Magazines that come in Mec-Gar boxes cost $20-25; mags that come in CZ wrappers cost $40-60.
So if you’re in the market for extra magazines, do a little research and see if you can save yourself a bundle by buying OEM instead. Actually, take the money you save and send it my way; I need ammo.
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