During last week’s Modern Day Marine trade show at Quantico, I was perusing the items on display at the PM-ICE Marine Enhancement Program table. The program is great. Get new, innovative tools into the hands of Marines quickly without all of the red tape involved in a formal program. There has to be a valid need and the item has to be Government/Commercial Off-The-Shelf. Lastly, it needs to actually work.
Sitting on the table was a PMAG and someone asked the contractor behind the desk of these had been adopted for use by the Corps. “No” came the reply, “They wouldn’t fit in the issue magazine pouches”. Instead, according to the former Marine manning the booth, the Magpul magazine follower (enhanced self-leveling follower) was chosen as a suitable solution for 30 round magazine woes.
Oddly enough, rumor has it that the PMAG was recently granted an NSN and is being local purchased by the bushel by deploying Army units. The PMAG was also fielded as part of the lightweight equipment demonstration currently wrapping up in Afghanistan. Apparently they fit in Army magazine pouches. Who knew? Maybe the Marines could get in on that mag pouch action. No wait, they did, but then they…oh never mind.
