The QMAG-53 is a 53-round (53rd) magazine designed for the Quattro-15. We wanted to see just how tough the QMAG-53 really is, so we ran it through some serious tests.

We did two types of drop tests. First up, we dropped the magazines by themselves. We took the QMAG-53, a 30rd PMAG, a 30rd Lancer mag, and a 30rd enhanced GI mag, and gave each of them five drops from 5 feet onto a hard concrete floor. We did this with empty mags, half-full ones, and fully loaded mags. We even dropped them on all sides and corners to make sure they could handle anything.

TLDR;

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Here’s what went down.

The QMAG-53 held strong with zero breakages, cracks, or malfunctions. When loaded, it did kick out the top 1-2 rounds from a loaded mag, but that was consistent across all the mags. We also did a mag dump with a full 53-round mag, and the QMAG-53 rocked it. The mag seated perfectly in the rifle and fed all 53 rounds like a champ.

Next up was the 30rd PMAG, which lost its floor plate on the second drop. We fixed that up and kept going. But then, during the full mag drop test, disaster struck. The floorplate cracked in half, rendering it useless.

The 30rd Lancer mag did great in the first two tests (empty and half-full), showing no issues at all. However, when we dropped it fully loaded, the body of the Lancer split in half, making it a goner.

Last but not least, the 30rd Enhanced GI mag surprisingly flunked the initial test. The follower didn’t feed the rounds high enough, and the front wall got bent, causing ammo jams. That mag was down for the count.

As you can see, the QMAG-53 outshone the competition in these drop tests, being the only one that could still fire rounds after all was said and done.

And then we tried to break the QMAG-53.

Moving on to the next test, we dropped the mags while they were inside rifles. We did five drops from 5 feet onto concrete, but this time we only tested empty mags.

Here’s the scoop:

The QMAG-53 was up first, and it passed with flying colors. It experienced zero malfunctions or breakages. Some magazines came apart. But only the QMAG-53 could be successfully reassembled and used to fire all 53 rounds through the rifle.

The PMAG had a similar story, disassembling itself when dropped inside the rifle. But on the last drop, the floorplate rails got mangled, so we couldn’t put it back together.

The Lancer 30rd mag aced the test with no breakages or disassembly needed. It held its own.

The 30rd GI mag, on the other hand, ejected itself from the rifle. Like the others, it also suffered disassembly upon impact, but it couldn’t be put back together because the floorplate and bottom of the mag housing were bent.

So, there you have it. The QMAG-53 proved itself as the toughest contender in both drop tests, showcasing its durability and performance in a league of its own.

You can learn more about the Quattro-15 in Development History: Quattro 15 & QMAG-53.

You can find out when you can get your hands on a QMAG-53 and Quattro-15 by reading When will the Quattro-15 be available?