# How is ProMag SR9 10-Round Mag vs Ruger Factory 10-Round Mag?



## buger (Oct 24, 2019)

Hello everyone,

I'm going to buy a Ruger SR9 10-Round Mag and I'm wondering which to buy. I found 2 mags on the web, ProMag SR9 10-Round for $17.99, and Ruger factory 10-Round Mag for $31.99. My question is: Do they have much difference when use? Does the ProMag have loading or releasing issue more than Ruger factory one? I need your advises. Thank you.


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

I dont know how Pro-Mag is lately but I myself wouldn't use a Pro Mag if you gave it to me.


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## buger (Oct 24, 2019)

Thank you denner12.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

denner12 said:


> I dont know how Pro-Mag is lately but I myself wouldn't use a Pro Mag if you gave it to me.


I have a couple of them for a CZ but I've never tried them. So I can't say whether they're any good or not? However a word to the wise, Pro-Mag's do indeed have a bad reputation. I bought mine because I wanted a magazine with a flush floor plate and figured: "what the hell, $18 isn't going to send me to the poor house." If they work fine, if not I've got plenty of others that do.


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

Mec-gar has a much better rep, but I don't know if they make SR mags,


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

For my $.02 I would go with the factory magazine in all but a couple of instances. Those would be the Magpul P-mag for an AR-15 platform, and the Butler Creek Hot Lips 25 round for the Ruger 10/22.
The reason is that those two products are proven to be as reliable as their OEM counterparts at a nicer price.
$14 difference to have the confidence of having a Ruger Factory mag is cheap IMHO.

GW


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

The only after market mags I've bought are Wilson Combat Magazines. I bought two for each of my 1911s. The mags that came with them had flat metal followers with no front or sides and they can rock back and forth when you're loading rounds. The Wilson mags have a full follower that turns down on all sides so it moves evenly up and down inside the mag. The magazine walls are made from aircraft grade stainless steel. I paid $38 each at the Wilson Combat website.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Mec Gar is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for Beretta, Browning, Bersa, CZ, Sig Sauer, Taurus and Walther. As far as I know they make after market magazines for Ruger's "P" and "MK" series of semi auto's. They also make after market magazines for other makes as well.


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

Goldwing said:


> For my $.02 I would go with the factory magazine in all but a couple of instances. Those would be the Magpul P-mag for an AR-15 platform, and the Butler Creek Hot Lips 25 round for the Ruger 10/22.
> The reason is that those two products are proven to be as reliable as their OEM counterparts at a nicer price.
> $14 difference to have the confidence of having a Ruger Factory mag is cheap IMHO.
> 
> GW


GW, honestly, you can add Mec-Gar to your list as well, if you trust me


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Goldwing said:


> *For my $.02 I would go with the factory magazine in all but a couple of instances.* Those would be the Magpul P-mag for an AR-15 platform, and the Butler Creek Hot Lips 25 round for the Ruger 10/22.
> The reason is that those two products are proven to be as reliable as their OEM counterparts at a nicer price.
> $14 difference to have the confidence of having a Ruger Factory mag is cheap IMHO.
> 
> GW


That's pretty good advice. $14 isn't really a helluva' lot of money. Magpul P-mags are about as ubiquitous as the AR's themselves. You don't find too many AR owners that don't have at least a few of them and for good reason.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

denner12 said:


> GW, honestly, you can add Mec-Gar to your list as well, if you trust me


I trust you. I can only speak of that which I know. 
There is a distinct possibility that there are two Mec-Gar Ruger Branded EC9S mags in my mailbox as I type this.

GW


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

PhuBai70 said:


> The only after market mags I've bought are Wilson Combat Magazines. I bought two for each of my 1911s. The mags that came with them had flat metal followers with no front or sides and they can rock back and forth when you're loading rounds. The Wilson mags have a full follower that turns down on all sides so it moves evenly up and down inside the mag. The magazine walls are made from aircraft grade stainless steel. I paid $38 each at the Wilson Combat website.


I have a Wilson EDC X9 and a few of their 1911 magazines. As with all of their products with Wilson you do get what you pay for.


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

desertman said:


> I have a Wilson EDC X9 and a few of their 1911 magazines. As with all of their products with Wilson you do get what you pay for.
> View attachment 17625


Say what they will, but in my mind there is no pistol on earth more beautiful than the 1911 family of pistols. That's a looker for sure.


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

denner12 said:


> Say what they will, but in my mind there is no pistol on earth more beautiful than the 1911 family of pistols. That's a looker for sure.


I completely agree. I have three 1911s and I'm going to the gun shop this afternoon to fill out the background check paperwork on my Springfield 1911 A1 Mil Spec. It's been on layaway because of the thirty days between gun purchases law. I will also put my next gun on layaway which will be the Colt Combat Commander or the Colt Government Model. I don't know yet which one. 
Two of the Wilson Combat Magazines that I mentioned are for the Springfield.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

denner12 said:


> Say what they will, but in my mind there is no pistol on earth more beautiful than the 1911 family of pistols. *That's a looker for sure.*


*So's this one.* Even though I'd never carry it, you've gotta' have at least one? It's a Cimmaron "Doc Holliday" .45 LC. It's got all the right curves. A work of art if there ever was one. This is the way that Colt should've made them.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

PhuBai70 said:


> I completely agree. I have three 1911s and I'm going to the gun shop this afternoon to fill out the background check paperwork on my Springfield 1911 A1 Mil Spec. It's been on layaway because of the thirty days between gun purchases law. I will also put my next gun on layaway which will be the Colt Combat Commander or the Colt Government Model. I don't know yet which one.
> Two of the Wilson Combat Magazines that I mentioned are for the Springfield.


What the hell do you need three for? You've gotta' have at least five.


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

I'll say one thing, desertman, after 1911s my favorite handguns are cowboy style single action revolvers. I have two on my waiting list and I will get to them eventually. They're both from Taylor's & Company and are made by Uberti. The first one is the Gunfighter in 45 Colt with a 5 1/2" barrel and tuned action. The second one is the Cattleman in the same set up but maybe with a 7 1/2" barrel.


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## rickclark28 (Apr 14, 2019)

I have 5 Ruger magzines for SR 9E and have no issues with them. Have 2 ProMags but ONLY use them for the range. I have decided to stick with the Ruger mags from now on just to be safe. Good luck.


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

desertman said:


> What the hell do you need three for? You've gotta' have at least five.
> View attachment 17629
> View attachment 17628
> View attachment 17627


Totally agree. I have three and when I pick up the Springfield in ten days I'll have four. As I mentioned, the Commander or the Government Model will be put on layaway today so that will make five. The Colt that doesn't go on layaway today will come after the two single actions that I described in my post. That will make six which is a nice even number.


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## rickclark28 (Apr 14, 2019)

I had the chance last week to shoot a Wilson EDC X9 and loved it. When the man asked me if I wanted to shoot it I was shocked. Anyway I could not stop smiling for 2 days after several magazines! That is a real nice firearm and was very impressed. I respected his firearm and will forever be grateful.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

PhuBai70 said:


> I'll say one thing, desertman, after 1911s my favorite handguns are cowboy style single action revolvers. I have two on my waiting list and I will get to them eventually. They're both from Taylor's & Company and are made by Uberti. The first one is the Gunfighter in 45 Colt with a 5 1/2" barrel and tuned action. The second one is the Cattleman in the same set up but maybe with a 7 1/2" barrel.


Uberti/Cimmaron makes excellent reproduction Colt Model 1873's. But what I really like about them is when they adapted the Colt "Lightining" style grip frame to that model. I'd like to see them come out with a "Shopkeepers" model sans ejector rod. These round out my collection of "Cowboy" guns. Which wouldn't be complete without a derringer or two? In this case two Bond Arms .45 LC/.410's. I rarely if ever shoot any of these. I'm more of a semi auto kinda' guy. So far I've only shot the Bond Arms Derringers just to see what it was like. They are highly impractical and serve no useful purpose other than the cool factor.

The blued and color case hardened Uberti's are just too nice to want to put any wear and tear on them. The two Rugers are more for that. You really can't wear the finish off a stainless steel gun as there is no finish to wear off.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

PhuBai70 said:


> Totally agree. I have three and when I pick up the Springfield in ten days I'll have four. As I mentioned, the Commander or the Government Model will be put on layaway today so that will make five. The Colt that doesn't go on layaway today will come after the two single actions that I described in my post. That will make six which is a nice even number.


Yeah but twelve is even better. Twenty four is even better than that. Don't get me started.


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

desertman said:


> Yeah but twelve is even better. Twenty four is even better than that. Don't get me started.


If you can't control yourself how am I ever going to be able to control myself. 
Six is enough. I'm pretty sure six is enough. Is six enough?


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

rickclark28 said:


> I had the chance last week to shoot a Wilson EDC X9 and loved it. When the man asked me if I wanted to shoot it I was shocked. Anyway I could not stop smiling for 2 days after several magazines! That is a real nice firearm and was very impressed. I respected his firearm and will forever be grateful.


It's not so much that it will do anything better than any other quality firearm that goes for less than half the price. Or even one third the price. It's the quality of workmanship and attention to detail which makes these types of firearms head and shoulders above the rest. But if you're planning on buying and keeping 3 or more 1911 style weapons you'd be better off buying just one of these instead. They are that good, not only that but you will be spoiled and not look at your other guns the same.

I did things ass backwards and bought my other 1911's first. As I couldn't see spending $3,000 or more for one. Then one day I got to handle one that my friend had. Then got to thinking that I'm probably going to buy more guns in the not too distant future so why not get one of these? I really liked the double stack EDC X9 out of all of them as it is different looking than a typical 1911.

My local firearm's distributer had one in stock. I put off ordering it for about a half hour and when I checked back it was gone. I told my friend about it and he told me that he has six Wilson's and would sell me one of his two EDC X9's never fired with extra set of grips and two magazines. I got it for $400 less than what I would have paid from the dealer and also saved about another $200 or so in sales tax. It just so happened that he wanted another model Wilson, had two EDC X9's so why not sell one?


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

PhuBai70 said:


> If you can't control yourself how am I ever going to be able to control myself.
> *Six is enough*. I'm pretty sure six is enough. Is six enough?


That's what people say when they only have five. Then they get to six and then seven is enough. Oh hell why not make it a nice even number and make it eight?

It could be worse some people waste their money on cigarettes, alcohol or illicit substances. At least when you buy guns you have something to show for it.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Promags are:


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

desertman said:


> That's what people say when they only have five. Then they get to six and then seven is enough. Oh hell why not make it a nice even number and make it eight?
> 
> It could be worse some people waste their money on cigarettes, alcohol or illicit substances. At least when you buy guns you have something to show for it.


My daughter told me once that I was buying too many guns. I ask her if she would rather I spent my money on hookers and booze so she dropped the subject.
I am spending my kid's inheritance but they don't really mind because each of them already knows which guns they want when I'm gone.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

denner12 said:


> GW, honestly, you can add Mec-Gar to your list as well, if you trust me


I did a little search and read that "Mec Gar produces 200 different models of pistol magazines, covering many of the worlds top brands and models.
The privately owned company has made more than 100 million magazines since 1965 in it's two Italian factories nestled in the foothills of the Italian Alps."
So I learned something today and I like that!








The four on the left are made in Italy, the one on the right is from Prescott Az. They are all identical and the two that are Mec Gar that I have shot are flawless so i will add them to my list with the P-Mags and the Butler Creek Hot Lips.

GW


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Shipwreck said:


> Promags are:


Promags? That looks like San Pedro and E 5th street in LA.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Goldwing said:


> I did a little search and read that "Mec Gar produces 200 different models of pistol magazines, covering many of the worlds top brands and models.
> The privately owned company has made more than 100 million magazines since 1965 in it's two Italian factories nestled in the foothills of the Italian Alps."
> So I learned something today and I like that!
> 
> ...


One of my 9mm CZ mags, the one on the right is stamped Mec-Gar the rest are not. The .40 mag on the left has S&W stamped on it along with two horizontal cuts and no cut out for an ambidextrous mag release. I have two .40 magazines that are like that. The two in the center have no markings other than the round count. The rest of my CZ mags (8 that are not pictured) have no markings other than the round count.

I'm not sure, but I believe that Mec-Gar only stamps their logo on their after market magazines? And not on the one's that they are under contract from any given manufacturer. The magazine that has S&W and those curious cuts are a mystery to me. Especially those cuts? They serve no purpose whatsoever, other than maybe gather dirt?

The 14 round 9mm CZ magazines can also be used successfully with .40 rounds except you can only load 10 instead of 14. Which is odd as the 10 round .40 magazines that come with the P06 are about 1/4 inch longer than the 14 round 9mm ones. However the .40 magazines will not hold 9mm cartridges, the feed lips are just a little too wide. I'm surprised that they didn't just use the same 9mm magazine bodies for the .40 P06 and only stamp them and the witness holes differently for the two different calibers?


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

MecGar makes many factory mags. At one point, they used to make Beretta 92 mags. But, now MDS does their mags (Beretta owns them).

MecGar makes Walther P99 mags. Several other factory mags too


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## malexone (Jul 25, 2018)

Gunmagwarehouse.com

https://gunmagwarehouse.com/catalogsearch/result/?am_brand=477&q=ruger+sr9


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## buger (Oct 24, 2019)

desertman said:


> I have a couple of them for a CZ but I've never tried them. So I can't say whether they're any good or not? However a word to the wise, Pro-Mag's do indeed have a bad reputation. I bought mine because I wanted a magazine with a flush floor plate and figured: "what the hell, $18 isn't going to send me to the poor house." If they work fine, if not I've got plenty of others that do.


Thank you desertman.


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## buger (Oct 24, 2019)

Goldwing said:


> For my $.02 I would go with the factory magazine in all but a couple of instances. Those would be the Magpul P-mag for an AR-15 platform, and the Butler Creek Hot Lips 25 round for the Ruger 10/22.
> The reason is that those two products are proven to be as reliable as their OEM counterparts at a nicer price.
> $14 difference to have the confidence of having a Ruger Factory mag is cheap IMHO.
> 
> GW


Thank you Goldwing. I will take your advise.


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## buger (Oct 24, 2019)

rickclark28 said:


> I have 5 Ruger magzines for SR 9E and have no issues with them. Have 2 ProMags but ONLY use them for the range. I have decided to stick with the Ruger mags from now on just to be safe. Good luck.


Thank you rickclark28. I will buy Ruger factory mag.


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## buger (Oct 24, 2019)

malexone said:


> Gunmagwarehouse.com
> 
> https://gunmagwarehouse.com/catalogsearch/result/?am_brand=477&q=ruger+sr9


Thank you malexone. GunMagWarehouse now has a sale for Ruger SR9 17-round mag, but no for 10-Round one. I will wait for a while to see the next sale.


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## buger (Oct 24, 2019)

Shipwreck said:


> Promags are:


Thank you Shipwreck. I love Ruger.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

desertman said:


> ...The 14 round 9mm CZ magazines can also be used successfully with .40 rounds...*However the .40 magazines will not hold 9mm cartridges, the feed lips are just a little too wide.* I'm surprised that they didn't just use the same 9mm magazine bodies for the .40...[emphasis added]


I bet (without any practical knowledge) that using .40 cartridges in a 9mm magazine will pretty quickly fatigue-out the 9mm magazine's feed lips.
The feed lips are, after all, springs. If you over-stress them, they'll either crack or deform.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> I bet (without any practical knowledge) that using .40 cartridges in a 9mm magazine will pretty quickly fatigue-out the 9mm magazine's feed lips.
> The feed lips are, after all, springs. If you over-stress them, they'll either crack or deform.


I guess it's possible. I measured the opening of the two magazines and the total difference is less than 1/16th of an inch. Which on the 9mm magazines is 1/32nd of an inch longer on each feed lip than the .40 mag. Regarding stress, I don't think that it would make that much of a difference? But then again I'm not a metallurgist.

I've already put about a hundred rounds of .40 out of the gun using the 9mm mags and haven't noticed any unusual wear and tear. They functioned without any issues. Maybe after a coupla' thousand rounds? I really don't know, I haven't reached that yet.


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