Another day, another Glock mag looking to take its place in your firearm of choice. I’m not sure which we have more of: Glock magazine clones or guns that take Glock magazines. It’s not hard to see why the Glock aftermarket is so big. Post a PCC and people will inevitably and annoyingly mention it should use Glock magazines. Most do these days, and there are more companies than I can list making Glock magazines. Now there’s one more: Rattlesnake Tactical.
Rattlesnake Tactical didn’t send me the mags; rather, Ammunition Depot sent them to me. They seem to be the exclusive retailer. I learned about the mags shortly before public release, and they had an MSRP of $19.99. MSRPs in the gun world are mere suggestions, so I assumed they would retail for around $15. Imagine my shock this morning when I went to confirm the price and they only cost $5.99.
This seems to be an introductory, promotional price, so stock up and stack deep now. It’s not likely to be a price point that sticks around for long. Rattlesnake Tactical tends to make soft gear and some interesting rifles, but magazines are new to them. As the owner of several platforms that use Glock magazines, I was intrigued and happy to take them for a spin.
Rattlesnake Tactical Mags – Grab and Go
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Rattlesnake Tactical(TM) 34-Round 9mm Magazine Designed for GLOCK Pattern Double-Stack Firearms | Ammunition Depot | $ 19.99 $ 9.99 |
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SGM Tactical 9mm 33-Round Extended Magazine for Glock 17, 19, 26, 34 | GunMag Warehouse | $ 19.99 |
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Toolman Tactical 35 Round 9mm Glock Magazine, Black - GL35B | Palmetto State Armory | $ 17.99 $ 12.99 |
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Toolman Tactical 35 Round 9mm Glock Magazine, Black - GL35B | Palmetto State Armory | $ 17.99 $ 12.99 |
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I got a pair of Rattlesnake Tactical magazines from Ammunition Depot. They even came fully loaded with 34 rounds of CCI Blazer 115-grain 9mm. That’s right, 34 rounds of 9mm. They take it one round above the standard OEM magazines. One extra round is better than one fewer round, so I’m willing to accept it. Witness holes make it easy to see how much ammo you have in the magazine and occur every five rounds until you get to round 34.
The magazines are polymer only. They are not metal-lined like factory Glock magazines. That metal lining is valuable for durability and for smooth feeding due to the reinforced lips. Even so, plenty of magazines have proven to be reliable and durable without it. I doubt you could make a six-dollar magazine with a metal lining.
The magazines have two competing textures. At the bottom, we have this scale-like texture that provides a nice grip. When you reload, you’ll have to draw these from a pouch, and having a good grip texture can be beneficial. It’s something I haven’t seen other magazines try, and something I can appreciate as a PCC shooter.
In contrast to the grippy texture at the bottom, we have a smooth texture up top. Smooth is good; smooth means it feeds into the gun easily and drops out easily. The magazines are nice and light but feel solid. The Rattlesnake head button that allows you to take the magazine apart amused me.
Since there are so many platforms that use Glock magazines, I grabbed a handful of them to give the gun a run.
Rattlesnake Tactical Mags Go Burr
A lot of my shooting was through the Bear Creek Arsenal BC-9, but I also put these mags into a Glock 17, a KelTec SUB 2000, a KP-9, a CMMG Resolute, a barebones home-brewed AR-9, an Extar EP-9, a Polymer80 Glock 19 clone, and a Ruger RXM. Rattlesnake Tactical warns they don’t work well in the Ruger PC Charger, but work fine in the Ruger PC Carbine.
Of all those platforms, the only one that gave me trouble was the SUB 2000. The SUB 2000 is specifically listed on the website as a platform that works with the magazine. However, I had consistent double feeds and failures to extract. I don’t have these issues with other Glock magazines in the SUB 2000.
I will mention my SUB 2000 does have the heavier charging handle from MCARBO to help reduce recoil. It could be affecting something in how these magazines feed. Additionally, the Rattlesnake Tactical magazines did not drop free from the SUB 2000 either. They would hang up and catch. The only way to get them to drop smoothly was to press the magazine release as hard as I could, and it would drop out. A normal, casual press resulted in a stuck magazine.
Beyond the SUB 2000
Beyond the SUB 2000, there weren’t any reliability issues. These magazines worked in various rifles and pistols without a problem. I did speed reloads, dropping them into the dirt. I’d reload and go again, and dirt and sand didn’t affect reliability. I dropped loaded magazines on concrete and would lose a round, or sometimes two, but there were no durability issues to speak of.
In the Glock 17 Gen 3, they wouldn’t always drop free. Like most Glock magazines, they required a little shake to drop free. In the Polymer80 and RXM, they dropped free, maybe due to the integrated magazine well both guns utilize. From AR-type rifles, they drop free without a problem.
The Rattlesnake Tactical magazines are seemingly well-built and reliable. Rattlesnake Tactical had them independently tested by a third party who conducted numerous drop tests and a 510-round stress test. They competed against two unnamed competitors, and according to the report, the Rattlesnake Tactical magazines were the more reliable of the bunch.
More Is Better
A six-dollar magazine shouldn’t work this well. I doubt they will remain six dollars, so I’m going to stack a few more for my personal stash. I like a good deal, and while I would stick to Glock OEM for serious use tasks, magazines like these are perfect for training and competing. As a PCC and Steel Challenge enthusiast, I field affordable magazines, typically abusing them until they break and replacing them as necessary. These magazines are bringing a new standard to budget-based Glock mags.
About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is the world’s Okayest firearms instructor.
