If you didn’t know, the AR-15 style modern sporting rifle chambered in the 5.56mm NATO round is the most popular gun in the USA. You’ve seen it in movies, reviews, games, books, everywhere. In terms of affordability and quality, nothing beats the Ruger AR-556. Chances are, you’ve heard of the Ruger AR-556s, and you already own one.
With that a Ruger AR-556 rifle, you will definitely need a few spare magazines. Looking for the best Ruger AR-556 magazines might not be a walk in the park due to the sheer amount of options available, just like any other upgrades you are looking for. As such, we have done the research for you in selecting some of the best Ruger AR-556 magazines.
| Magazines | Name | Editor’s Comment | Rating | Get The Best Deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazine | Most Recommended Option 1. Easy to disassemble without tools2. Anti tilt and self lubricating floorplate 3. Popular among military and law enforcement groups | 10/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Surefire – AR-15 60rd Magazine | 1. Can be store loaded for long periods | 8.5/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Magpul – AR-15 30rd PMAG Gen M3 Magazine | 1. Compatible with certain non-ar style rifles 2. 4 way anti tilt follower 3. Made in the USA | 8.5/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Lancer Systems – AR-15 L5awm Magazine 30-RD | 1. Lifetime warranty 2. Feed lips made of PTFE-coated hardened steel 3. Round center marked | 8.0/10 | SHOP NOW |
The Factors to Consider for the A Good Magazine
Construction
The best Ruger AR-556 magazines on the market must be durable and reliable. These 2 features are largely attributed to the top-quality materials involved in the magazine’s construction. Coupled with great engineering technologies and a rigorous quality control procedure, you will have a durable and reliable Ruger AR-556 magazine.
In selecting the best Ruger AR-556 magazines, you would want to pay particular attention to the magazine’s feed lips. The feed lips must be well-designed to withstand any use and/or abuses without losing its primary function of feeding rounds consistently to prevent any jams.
Compatibility
The best Ruger AR-556 magazines would work perfectly with any AR-style rifle that’s chambered in the 5.56mm NATO round. These magazines would work nicely to allow the bolt to lock open from the previous shots and will allow the bullets to eject in a smooth and easy manner.
Follower
Besides the magazine’s feed lips, the follower is another essential compartment in ensuring that a magazine functions well. In this area, you would want to pay attention to ‘anti-tilt’ features from magazines. An anti-tilt follower works well in preventing frequent jams as you fire your rifle. Without, your shooting experience is going to be a pain and you won’t enjoy shooting anymore.
Feed counters
Ruger AR-556 magazines that come with feed counters or a translucent body would allow you to easily and quickly index the remaining rounds in the magazine. This would come in really handy especially in tactical and/or competition scenarios.
Top 4 Best Ruger AR-556 Magazines in 2022
1. Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazine, 30 Round Capacity
Specifications
- Cartridge: 223 Remington, 5.56 mm NATO
- Capacity: 30-Round
- Quantity: 1
- Finish: Black
- Material: Polymer
Features
Back in 1999 when Magpul just started manufacturing their very first product, it was a great magazine reloading aid. From there, they have developed into one of America’s best manufacturers when it comes to firearms and firearm components thanks to their high set of standards and affordability so everyone could own a great magazine without breaking the bank.
PMAGs have traditionally established their domination in the field of magazines. The Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazine, 30 Round Capacity is a 30-round, Gen-2 PMAG. It’s known to be classic, hard as steel, and extremely affordable.
In terms of durability, these magazines come with an advanced polymer material that works really well in resisting any impacts and crash damages. Besides that, the internal geometer of the Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazine, 30 Round Capacity features a constant curve to allow and guarantee you a smooth feeding experience as you shoot.
One of the most notable features of PMAGs is their anti-tilt and self-lubricating features to give you the maximum reliability. As such, you won’t have to experience any jammings even when you shoot over extended periods.
Furthermore, the Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazine, 30 Round Capacity comes with stainless steel and corrosion-resistant spring that fits nicely into military issue mags. This essentially means that you won’t have to start looking for shelter during shooting/hunting sessions when the weather starts turning unfavorable.
In terms of ergonomics, the Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazine, 30 Round Capacity features a textured gripping surface and a flared floorplate in order to allow a quick and easy handling experience, especially the magazine extraction bit. Disassembling it will be a breeze as you won’t require any tools or special skills.
You will like this product if:
You want a reliable magazine. The Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazine, 30 Round Capacity comes with anti-tilt, self-lubricating features, polymer, and a corrosion-resistant spring that fits military issues mags. You won’t find any Ruger AR-556 magazines much more reliable than this bad boy.
You are shopping on a tight budget. If you think that buying the best Ruger AR-556 magazines are going to break your bank, the Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazine, 30 Round Capacity is here to prove you wrong. With all these features, this Ruger AR-556 probably delivers the most bang per buck.
You might not like this product if:
You want all the bells and whistles. The Magpul PMAG 30 5.56x45mm Magazine, 30 Round Capacity is a Gen-3 style PMAG. It lacks the little extra features that the Gen-3 or other magazines might provide. However, this is still one of the best magazines on the market and it’s available for a great price.
2. Magpul – AR-15 30rd PMAG Gen M3
Specifications
- Action Type: Semi-Auto
- Capacity: 30-Round
- Cartridge: 223 Remington, 5.56 mm NATO, 300 AAC Blackout
- Finish: Black
- Material: Polymer
- Quantity: 1
- Made in the USA
Features
The Magpul – AR-15 30rd PMAG Gen M3 Magazine comes with all the great benefits you would find in the Gen-M2, but with a few tweaks and updates that make it an amazing Ruger AR-556 magazine. In developing the Gen-M3 PMAG, Magpul relied heavily on the feedback from military and law enforcement operators to push the PMAG’s strength, versatility, and reliability to the next level.
One of the later additions to the Magpul – AR-15 30rd PMAG Gen M3 Magazine is the additional reinforcement for the magazine’s feed lip and the mag catch portions. The follower has been redesigned by Magpul to offer you a 4-way anti-tilt. As such, you will enjoy much smoother feeding even if you are exposing it to large amounts of sand and dirt.
Coming with a removable floorplate that’s thinner and stronger, the Magpul – AR-15 30rd PMAG Gen M3 Magazine makes side-by-side carries way easier. The magazine is available with a clear polymer window, numerical markers, and a high-visibility indicator coil on the spring to allow you to check your load status easier. Now, you won’t have to guess how many rounds you have left.
In addition, this magazine features a special bolt catch notch in the back. This is to provide you an improved clearance from the bolt catch. In terms of the texturing, the Magpul – AR-15 30rd PMAG Gen M3 Magazine has been specifically designed to be more aggressive for better handling.
The lower panel of the magazine comes with a paint pen dot matrix for any labeling requirements. Like the Gen-M2, disassembly and cleaning is going to be a breeze as it won’t require any special tools or set of skills.
You will like this product if:
You also have non-AR style rifles. Lucky for you, Magpul – AR-15 30rd PMAG Gen M3 Magazine is also ingeniously designed to be compatible with the HK M27, SA-80, and even the FN SCAR. Besides 5.56 NATO rounds, .223 and .300 Blackout rounds are compatible with this magazine as well.
You want great reliability. In terms of reliability and performance, it’s pretty tough to beat the Magpul – AR-15 30rd PMAG Gen M3 Magazine as it was specifically designed by Magpul to offer the best reliability, compatibility, and an optional indexing window.
You might not like this product if:
You are shopping on a tighter budget. The Magpul – AR-15 30rd PMAG Gen M3 Magazine is slightly more expensive than the Gen M2s thanks to their better versatility and reliability options. If you don’t own any non-AR rifles, many would opt for the Gen M2 instead.
3. Lancer Systems – AR-15 L5awm Mag 30-RD
Specifications
- Action Type: Semi-Auto
- Capacity: 30-Round
- Cartridge: 223 Remington, 5.56 mm NATO
- Finish: Smoke Gray
- Material: Polymer
- Quantity: 1
- Made in the USA
Features
Lancer is a Pennsylvania company that had humble beginnings in early 2006. The company specializes in engineering advanced materials and military equipment. One of the specialties that are widely recognized are their cutting-edge polymers, which are on a different league altogether.
The Lancer Systems – AR-15 L5awm Magazine 30-RD rivals the PMAG really well especially in terms of how intricately well designed and engineered they are. This is largely attributable to its light, molded, and translucent gray polymer that would allow you to quickly index the number of rounds remaining in the magazine. The round count markings are even molded in!
This magazine comes with a non-reflective textured exterior that would offer you a great gripping experience. In terms of internal geometry, the Lancer Systems – AR-15 L5awm Magazine 30-RD features a constant curve to offer you the smoothest and most reliable feeding as you shoot.
In relation to the feed lips, they are PTFE-coated and are constructed from hardened steel. As such, it’s as durable as it can possibly be so you won’t have to start worrying about lifespan issues even if you are a pretty rough user.
This magazine has a pretty low profile, which would allow you to use it with your standard mag pouches at home. The follower was specifically designed to be anti-tilt so you won’t have any jamming issues.
You will like this product if:
You want great durability. The Lancer Systems – AR-15 L5awm Magazine 30-RD has been tested for use under harsh temperatures of -50F to +180F and for drops from 5ft onto solid surfaces. In addition, the magazine comes with a lifetime guarantee so you won’t have any doubts when making a purchase.
You might not like this product if:
You want great versatility. Even great products have its fair share of shortcomings. For this magazine, the bolt might not lock to the rear after the last round on some rifle setups. Therefore in terms of durability, it doesn’t fare as well as its other features.
4. Surefire – AR-15 60rd Magazine
Specifications
- Action Type: Semi-Auto
- Capacity: 60-Round
- Cartridge: 223 Remington, 5.56 mm NATO
- Finish: Gray
- Material: Aluminum
- Quantity: 1
- Made in the USA
Features
If you’re pretty strong and you hate changing magazines, why buy a 30-round magazine when you could opt for a 60? This is where Surefire – AR-15 60rd Magazine comes in. Sunfire has been in the business of producing high-end firearm components in California since 1979, as such, you know that this magazine is going to give you the firepower you need.
The Surefire – AR-15 60rd Magazine is compatible with all firearms that are compatible with the STANAG 4179 spec mag. For some of you who are worried about compatibility issues since it’s not your everyday 30-round magazine, you won’t have to worry too much now.
Coming with a 1.66-inch, hard-anodized, and mil-spec aluminum walls, this magazine has a lower profile than any two 30-round magazines that are clipped together. This 60-round magazine is going to fit well in most dual mag pouches as it was specifically designed to have a simple mechanism and great reliability.
This magazine features extremely durable, cadmium coated coil springs which are non-binding, corrosion-resistant, and needs no lubrication. Now, you won’t have to worry about jammings and hiding your magazines when the weather starts turning unfavorable.
In terms of the disassembly, it will also be a breeze and will not require any tools or a special set of skills. One of the most notable features of this magazine is its ability to easily seat it while being fully loaded, on a closed bolt.
You will like this product if:
You don’t like switching magazines. Some shooters want to enjoy more shooting with less reloading. If you are one of them, this 60-round magazine is going to be your best buddy. Coming with a lower profile than two 30-round mags clipped together, you will love the weight and size of this magazine.
You might not like this product if:
You are shopping on a budget. If you only want a simple 30-round Ruger AR-556 magazine, then the Surefire – AR-15 60rd Magazine might be overkill for you. It does come with a relatively higher price tag compared to the other magazines. However, if you really want a 60-round Ruger AR-556 magazine, you will love this.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that you may be spoilt for choice given the list of the best AR-556 magazines discussed above. Regardless, given the everchanging technology landscape and research and development, magazines are constantly evolving and upgrading to deliver the best shooting experience for you gun owners out there. Remember that you can never have too many magazines, no matter what application or reasons you use your AR 556 rifle.
Hello there, it’s Michael here. A gun lover since young, served the country for the last 20 years. I started the blog to share my experience and gun-related knowledge accumulated throughout the years. Hopefully, you will find something useful over here or just have fun! You can learn more about me here.