The Top 10 Magpul Products

Magpul is about as close as you get to a household name in firearm accessories. The company is just over twenty years old, but they’ve set the standard for magazines, furniture, stocks, sights… if it goes on an AR-15, odds are Magpul makes it.

What makes the company so dynamic? They approached plastics in a way that many at the end of the last century did not. The material was ubiquitous, of course—and GLOCK and others were showing the gun world what was possible, but there was still a preference for metal.

In this article, we are going to look at the Top 10 products from Magpul.

Magpul’s beginnings. Plastics.

Magpul began with a simple mission to increase functionality. Ergonomics were key and plastics provided opportunities to rethink textures and cut weight. The formula worked, and—when backed with some pretty aggressive marketing—Magpul mags took off.

The rest will forever be firearms history. Seriously, there’s no way to downplay the success, impact, and innovation of Magpul.

#1 on the list: The Magpul PMAG 30

Any discussion of Magpul has to begin with Magpul ar15 mags. PMAGs. These are hardly surprising, from a design perspective, but they were controversial. Would a plastic mag work in an AR-15?

 

First, the discussion centered around heat. Guns get hot. Plastic melts.

Then, everyone wanted to know if the plastic feed-lips would create jams or erode away with use. And what about the plastic followers and plastic bodies? The thought of trusting your life to plastic seemed too much for some to handle.

No. They work. There’s still a subset of folks who want the weight of a polymer mag with the dependability of steel feed-lips, but there are options for those folks, too.

The Magpul PMAG 30 changed everything. And it is still as useful today, after numerous versions, as it ever was.

 

 

#2–Magpul GLOCK mags

The Magpul AR mags were so successful that they branched out to other calibers, other platforms, and even jumped into the GLOCK pistol scene with a direct challenge to what might be the most successful and indestructible factory pistol mag ever made.

 

#3–The Magpul CTR

One of the most versatile is the Magpul CTR. The Magpul CTR (Compact/Type Restricted) – is a solid buttstock for AR15 / M16 carbines. And it looks good, too.

The CTR is a nod toward minimalism. The stock is short and designed to be used with armor and slings. Its triangular shape incorporates a lever for adjusting length that is hard to actuate accidentally. And the shape, without any protrusions, is designed to keep the stock from snagging on anything.

#4–The Magpul PRS Gen 3 Adjustable Stocks

If minimalism isn’t your thing, Magpul still has you covered. The Magpul PRS Gen 3 Adjustable Stock Mil-Spec for AR-10s is a good example of a versatile stock for long-range shooting.

#5–The Carbine-length MOE Handguard

The MOE Carbine handguard is one of the most popular of the handguards. It is so popular that many companies use this as their go-to for partnered Magpul builds.

Picatinny rails were seen as old-fashioned. Q-Mod had some fans, but AR builders are constantly on the lookout for a better way to cut the surface area of a connection and weight and add stability, and Magpul answered.

 

They developed two big proprietary systems. Magpul MOE provided slots that other Magpul accessories could index. It is easy.

M-LOK is a bit more robust. This connection relies on a small oblong nut that can be inserted into a slot, turned 90 degrees, and tightened down. It is a light, strong connection that’s perfect for lights, lasers, foregrips… anything, really.

#6–The MOE Slimline Handguard

This one covers much more of the barrel and doesn’t add a lot of bulk. And best of all, it has both MOE and M-LOK slots.

MOE accessories are extremely popular. M-Lok accessories are too—and there may be more options from other companies that have adopted M-Lok.

#7–The Magpul AFG2

It is really a matter of personal choice, yet most shooters are going with the Magpul AFG2.

This is a logical design that adds a tactile point of reference for your support hand, ample surface grip angles to pull against, and it works exceptionally well with how most of us hold our rifles.

No matter what you’re looking for, Magpul likely has an option available. And this goes for Magpul’s overall versatility. If you need a Magpul angled foregrip with M-LOK, no worries.

But the same holds true for MOE, Picatinny, and others mount types.

 

#8–Magpul MBUS

After a good run with those polymer-bodied sights—the early versions of the MBUS (Magpul Backup Sights), they went back to more robust metal builds, too. And those came in at #9.

#9–Magpul MBUS PRO

Does it seem odd that Magpul would make anything that’s all steel? Not really. When enough customers ask for it, they may get it.

#10 Magpul BEV Block

Magpul is there for us, too, with their Magpul BEV Block. One of the best options for stabilizing an AR while you work on it is to insert a mag block (not a magazine) into the mag well, and then clamping this into a vise.

This keeps you from marring the finish of your gun with the jaws of the vise, and can even add some height to your workspace. The BEV Block keeps you from trying to clamp in a magazine (which we’ve all tried at one point), and it is specifically built to add the structural strength and appropriate working angles needed to really get serious with AR assembly.

What doesn’t Magpul do?

The total domination of everything AR-15 has left many asking when Magpul is going to release a gun. This isn’t idle chatter. The company has built prototypes, but they’ve yet to cross that line into working with parts that simply can’t be made of polymer. That is their wheelhouse, really, and they seem content to build brand loyalty and partner with other gun makers.

But they’re far from done. Many of us here at AT3 Tactical are AR builders. And though most of the accessories and furniture Magpul sells can be installed with a simple set of tools, AR builders still need solid tools.

Fanboys?

Say what you will about those brand loyalties. Magpul really has built a following. Their gear and accessories have changed this industry for the better.

Magpul has also changed the AR-15. The rifle is lighter, leaner, and more functional. Even the guns that aren’t dressed up in Magpul furniture. Every company that makes ARs, parts, guns in general–they all study what this company does.

And we all know why. Magpul works.

One Last Tip

If there’s anyone that knows the AR-15 platform, it’s the US military. As a special offer for our readers, you can get the Official US Army Manual for AR-15/M4/M16 right now – for free. Click here to snag a copy.