Best AR-15 Magazines of 2022 – Top Picks Reviewed

Best Overall: 
Magpul - AR-15 30-Round PMAG Gen M3 Magazine 223/5.56

First up, we’ll be taking a look at the Magpul AR-15 30-Round PMAG Gen M3 Magazine. If you’re looking for a product that works with either .223 caliber or 5.56 NATO rounds, this might be exactly what you’re looking for. The body is made from high-quality polymer, making it resistant to all kinds of hard surface impacts.

It’s also crush-proof, so you’ll be dealing with a tough customer of a magazine. It’s a tool-less assembly that you can easily take apart in case you want to clean it from the inside out. There is nothing that will make a magazine last longer than taking good care of it.

This has a feed lip designed to give you a reliable feed each time. So it won’t easily jam on you whenever you have a shooting session at the range or when you need to get a shot off quickly while bearing down on a big game target. Either way, it’s going to be reliable when you need it most.

This holds the standard 30 rounds that you can use for almost any application. And it’s probably one of the best PMAG-style magazines currently on the market. If you fancy yourself to be a fan of PMAGs, the Magpul could just be exactly what you’re looking for.

Bottom Line

This is tough as nails and much better than standard 30-round options. It takes the best overall spot because of its ability to take on 5.56 and .223 rounds.

Magpul has long been considered one of the best brands when it comes to accessories. If you’re willing to give this brand a try, start by getting this magazine for your AR-15 rifle.

Best Drum Magazine:
Magpul - AR-15 D60 60-Round Drum W/ 2 30-RD PMAGS

Now, we’ll be taking a look at the best drum magazine for an AR-15 rifle. Once again, the Magpul brand will be the focus. The drum magazine itself can hold up to 60 rounds. Aside from that, you get two standard magazines, each with a 30 round capacity.

So with all that, you get a total of 120 rounds in one complete package. Pretty nice to have some extras handy along with the one you’re initially buying, right? The drum magazine is best used for those who are more apt to shoot their AR-15 rifle from the prone position.

Plus, it’s the product you’ll want if planning on spending an extended day at the range. If you’re looking for something that’s best-designed for those kinds of days, this drum magazine will be your best friend.

Each piece is made from high-quality polymer that is impact-proof and crush-proof. So these will be tougher than anything else you might find on the market. Best of all, they are resistant to all kinds of corrosion. For added reliability, all each is self-lubricated, so you won’t have to deal with a single jam, even when you’re going through hundreds or even thousands of rounds.

The design itself is great if you want to make loading much easier. The anti-tilt followers included in each magazine will allow for even more ease in terms of the loading/reloading process. If you’re looking for simplicity in reloading, these Magpul PMAGs (and the drum magazine) will be your best possible options.

Bottom Line

Don’t you love getting package deals? We do. But if you’re looking for something that will give you as many rounds as a drum magazine can give you, this Magpul product will be your best bet. Especially if you want something that will be your go-to magazine for extended shooting sessions at the range.

Plus, the addition of two PMAGs is always good to have, especially when you want spare magazines handy in case one of them goes south.

Best 10-Round Magazine:
 Magpul - AR-15 10RD PMAG Gen M3 Magazine223/5.56

Yet another Magpul brand magazine makes our list as we take a look at the best ten-round product currently available. This PMAG can contain .223 or 5.56 NATO rounds. Either way, you’ll be able to use a product that won’t give you any grief with either caliber round.

This is an ultra-compact magazine that will be excellent for hunting or self-defense. Like all other Magpul magazines out there, they are made from high-quality polymer designed to take on all kinds of damage. If you’re dropping this freely on a hard surface, it won’t shatter.

If that’s what you look for in a magazine, then at this point you know that Magpul is a good brand to go with. Even for a ten-round option like this, you still get the same reliability and smooth shooting that you can get from just about any other out there.

The curved design makes loading and reloading easier. If you’re tired of struggling with the loading or reloading process, you’ll love this Magpul magazine. Then again, since you’re dealing with a ten-round capacity, the reloading will be a little quicker than reloading a 30-rounder. Not bad at all, we think.

Bottom Line

If you don’t fancy yourself a fan of the 30-round or higher magazines, then maybe ten rounds will be your cup of coffee. In that case, this Magpul will probably be your best choice. If you’re a hunter, odds are you don’t really need so many rounds to land a big game target.

Most hunters will agree that ten rounds will be sufficient. If you plan on using your AR-15 rifle for hunting applications, you’ll need a reliable magazine just for that purpose. So why not get the Magpul PMAG ten-round magazine and put it to the test the next time you’re out in the field?

Best 25-Round Magazine:
Brownells - AR-15 25-RD Straight Body Steel Magazine

So, ten rounds might be too few for you. But 30 rounds might be too much, as well. Why not go with a happy medium, like 25 rounds? If you’re looking for that many rounds, the Brownells AR-15 25-round, straight-body steel magazine could be exactly what you’re looking for. This product works exclusively with .223 caliber rounds.

So if you happen to have some of those rounds laying around, this product will accommodate them. This is made of high-quality steel. It’s the closest you can get to a classic AR-15-style magazine. If you’re a sucker for a classic design, this Brownells brand could just be what you’re looking for.

It’s been said that due to reliability issues, 25-round magazines are lesser in existence. But now, they are making a comeback, only this time with more reliable shooting than ever before. So if you want to go back to the golden age of AR-15 shooting with the reliability that apparently was a miss beforehand, this is your opportunity to grab this for your own use.

Bottom Line

If you’re a long time AR-15 shooter, you’re probably happy to see these 25-round magazines make a comeback. For something that might be considered a “blast from the past”, this product from Brownells might just fit the bill. It doesn’t matter what kind of application you’re using it for, if you really want to know what it was like firing an AR-15 rifle back in the day, you’ll have the magazine for it.

5. D&H 5.56 30-Round Aluminum Magazine

Next on the agenda, we’ll be taking a look at the D&H 5.56 30-Round Aluminum Magazine. One thing we notice right off the bat is that it’s made from high-quality, 6061-T6 aluminum. This will be a durable product that won’t easily bust apart if you decide to drop it freely and it hits a hard surface.

Before any of these hit the market, they are heat-treated and battle-tested to ensure they are fully functional and free from any reliability issues. Once they pass with flying colors, they're set and ready to rock, just for you. This contains 30 rounds, which is the standard count for most AR-15 magazines.

The follower is available in either a foliage green or anti-tilt yellow. Either way, it’s bright enough to give you an easier load each time. This has a Teflon coating on the inside and out. So in plain English, this is basically the toughest, most durable product you can possibly find on the market.

If you’re looking for a product that’s the best of the best and will stand the test of time, the D&H 5.56 aluminum magazine might be the product you’ll want to have on hand. These are so good, you may want to buy extras just to be on the safe side.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a great AR-15 magazine, you will be quite happy with the D&H brand product. They are tough all over and do pretty good for your standard AR-15 magazines.

Whether you’re using it for target practice or hunting, you have a reliable magazine that will hold your usual 30 rounds. If you don’t want to settle for anything more or less than that, this might be the magazine you choose as your go-to.

Best 60-Round Magazine:
SureFire High-Capacity Magazine, 60-Rd

Finally, we’ll be taking a look at the best 60-round magazine on the market. For our choice, we’ll be taking a look at the SureFire High-Capacity Magazine with the ability to hold 60 rounds at a time. What’s more interesting is that this is not a drum-like design.

So if you’re not a fan of drum magazines but still want the same amount of rounds, this will be the solution. This is made from high-quality aluminum. It is designed to last you a long time and won’t easily break if they somehow hit a hard surface. You’ll want to have this puppy handy, if you’re planning on making it a long day at the range.

You can have a lot of rounds for a shooting session with magazines like this. Other than that, they are reliable and will always provide you with smooth feeding and shooting. Don’t be shocked if you don’t encounter a single jam after hundreds or thousands of rounds.

Bottom Line

Maybe 60 rounds are more your speed? If so, then you’ll want a high-capacity magazine like this. These will take your standard AR-15 caliber rounds and be perfect for target shooting or even competitive target shooting.

You can have a lot of rounds just for the sake of these applications. However, it might be a little bit of overkill if you’re considering using this many rounds for hunting or self-defense.

7. 200 Rounds Federal 5.56mm NATO 55GR FMJ-BT Ammunition & Ten Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazines

Now, we’ll be taking a look at our choice for those who want to buy a magazine, but have a certain budget set in place. The honor for “best for the money” is given to the Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm magazine. Actually, you’ll be getting quite a package deal out of this. You’ll get ten magazines, each filled with 20 rounds of Federal 5.56mm NATO 55 Grain FMJ bullets.

If that isn’t impressive for those on a budget, then we can’t tell you what is. These are Magpul brand magazines made from high-quality, impact-resistant, and crush-proof polymer.

Here’s where these take the cake: they are self-lubricated. This will make your shooting smooth and reliable. So it won’t jam or get stuck in the magazine itself. Plus, you won’t have to lubricate them manually (which might be a major pain for some shooters).

The design is slightly curved, making the loading process a little easier for those who find it a challenge with other magazines. If you’re looking for a design that promotes better ergonomics, this product might be right up your alley. Of course, let’s not forget that this product is the best for your money, especially for a budget shopper like yourself (assuming you are one).

Bottom Line

For someone on a budget, you can know for sure that you’re getting a dang good deal out of this. Think about it: ten magazines with rounds loaded and ready to go. Plus, you have some spare mags handy that are compatible with 5.56 rounds. So it’s a win-win for you, especially when you want spare mags on hand should one of them jam on you in the future.

All of these are reliable and designed to last you a long time. In fact, we won’t be surprised if you have all ten still functioning after a few years. If you’re looking for a product that will last you for as long as possible, the Magpul PMAG magazines are your best possible option. Why get one, when you can get ten?

8. D&H 7.62x39mm 10-Rd AR-15 Magazine

For another AR-15 magazine on our list, we’ll be taking a look at the D&H 7.62x39mm 10-Round AR-15 Magazine. This product will contain up to ten rounds of 7.62x39mm caliber bullets. If your rifle is chambered to handle these types of ammo, you’ll probably want this to be your go-to in almost any application. At ten rounds, this will definitely be your product of choice if you’re more of an AR-15 hunter.

The body is made from high-quality aluminum designed to be durable from the inside, out. So in essence, it will last you a long period of time, as long as you take good care of it. If you’re no fan of magazines with more than ten rounds, you can probably settle for the D&H AR-15 magazine for 7.62x39mm caliber rounds.

Bottom Line

It’s not uncommon for people to fire off 7.62x39mm rounds. But we think it’s only fair to include a magazine that would best fit these kinds of shooters. The D&H is reliable and will deliver superb performance for those who want smooth, accurate shooting in many applications, including hunting. Since it’s durable, don’t be surprised if it ends up lasting you a year or beyond.