AR15 Followers in G36 Mags

[AEnemaBay]

I don't know if anyone knows this because I didn't see it in the search function, but if you want another US made part for your G36 conversion then read on.

Another member asked if AR15 followers will work in G36 mags, and the answer is yes! I personally use Magpul anti-tilt followers for best performance (and look). The only thing I had to do with them was sand the sides just a bit because they would hang up at certain points in the mag. I used the original G36 mag spring (stronger than my stock AR mag's springs).

These pics show standard USGI followers. Once I get my camera up and running I'll show how they look with the Magpuls. They almost look like the G36 followers.

[dwillHK]

Intertesting. It would help with parts count issues. Thanks for the tip!

Have you fired the mags with the AR followers and are they as reliable as the G36 followers?

Edit: I just tried this with a green USGI follower and a grey Magpul. The USGI follower went easily into the body with no hangups, the only issue was at the very top of the mag, where the front of the mag body opening tapers in toward the center. I noticed on yours you didn't address this as I can see the front of the follower is pushed down due to the taper of the front of the mag opening.

I fixed this on mine by using a Dremel to notch out the front corners of the follower to compensate for the taper of the mag body.

I still haven't gotten the Magpul to work right. At first, I sanded the sides down to get it into the body, and after that it slid easily about 2/3 of the way up. Then it looked like the hangup was in the rear, that the rib on the back of the follower was a bit too wide for the track in the rear of the mag body. Sanded some more and then more again here and there and it's still a bit draggy at the top of the mag. Plus, you have to deal with the taper at the top front of the mag body as with the magpul the follower sits too low unless you compensate for this.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but it seems that the Magpul needs a lot of tweaking to work in the G36 mag body.

[AEnemaBay]

Intertesting. It would help with parts count issues. Thanks for the tip!

Have you fired the mags with the AR followers and are they as reliable as the G36 followers?

Edit: I just tried this with a green USGI follower and a grey Magpul. The USGI follower went easily into the body with no hangups, the only issue was at the very top of the mag, where the front of the mag body opening tapers in toward the center. I noticed on yours you didn't address this as I can see the front of the follower is pushed down due to the taper of the front of the mag opening.

I fixed this on mine by using a Dremel to notch out the front corners of the follower to compensate for the taper of the mag body.

I still haven't gotten the Magpul to work right. At first, I sanded the sides down to get it into the body, and after that it slid easily about 2/3 of the way up. Then it looked like the hangup was in the rear, that the rib on the back of the follower was a bit too wide for the track in the rear of the mag body. Sanded some more and then more again here and there and it's still a bit draggy at the top of the mag. Plus, you have to deal with the taper at the top front of the mag body as with the magpul the follower sits too low unless you compensate for this.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but it seems that the Magpul needs a lot of tweaking to work in the G36 mag body.

You're right about the USGI follower. The pic is old and I have cut notches on the little nubs of the follower to get it up higher in the body.

My Magpul follower didn't give me problems like that. Hmmm, I am using older ones, maybe that has something to do with it. I just ordered a set of self leveling followers and the gen III's, so I'll report back once I get them and try them out.

[Fixerbob]

Thanks again for the tip and feedback. I just picked up three of the Magpul grey self-levelers; if USGI followers are the easiest, I might just use the Magpuls in some of my metal mags and put the old USGI followers in the G36 mags (as soon as I can get them...)

[dwillHK]

You're right about the USGI follower. The pic is old and I have cut notches on the little nubs of the follower to get it up higher in the body.

My Magpul follower didn't give me problems like that. Hmmm, I am using older ones, maybe that has something to do with it. I just ordered a set of self leveling followers and the gen III's, so I'll report back once I get them and try them out.

The Magpul I tried was a grey enhanced self-leveling one.

This was my attempt with the USGI follower.




I wish the Magpul one would work. The GI follower is a little too loose in the body and tilts to the side with rounds on top of it. It's OK at the very top without any rounds on it, though.

[AEnemaBay]

The Magpul I tried was a grey enhanced self-leveling one.

This was my attempt with the USGI follower.




I wish the Magpul one would work. The GI follower is a little too loose in the body and tilts to the side with rounds on top of it. It's OK at the very top without any rounds on it, though.

Well that sucks. The USGI work just fine for me after the mod, I just loaded up a full mag and everyone of them feed and ejected just fine.

[dwillHK]

Don't know if the USGI one that I did will work or not since my gun is back at Chopstix Kid's place for some work. Just made noted that the USGI follower tilted to the side since it isn't quite as wide or as long front to back as the inside of the mag body. It just seems weird. Probably doesn't really matter as it straightens when it gets to the top of mag.

The Magpul follower seems to stay level all the way in the mag body, but it seems a lot harder to fit.