Anyone else see this?
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2012/05/25/in-reversal-army-bans-high-performance-rifle-mags.html
From the article:
The Army has ordered that soldiers may use only government-issued magazines with their M4 carbines, a move that effectively bans one of the most dependable and widely used commercial-made magazines on today’s battlefield.
Near the top of such advancements is the PMAG polymer M4 magazine, introduced by Magpul Industries Corp. in 2007. Its rugged design has made it as one of the top performers in the small-arms accessory arena, according to combat veterans who credit the PMAG with drastically improving the reliability of the M4.
Despite the success of the PMAG, Army officials from the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command issued a “safety of use message” in April that placed it, and all other polymer magazines, on an unauthorized list.
The message did not single out PMAGs, but instead authorizes only the use of Army-issued aluminum magazines. The message offers little explanation for the new policy except to state that “Units are only authorized to use the Army-authorized magazines listed in the technical manuals.” Nor does it say what Army units should now do with the millions of dollars’ worth of PMAGs they’ve purchased over the years.
Here is the TACOM message:
TACOM LCMC MI 12-021 M4-M16 Improved Magazine and the Use of Commercial Magazines
Originator: /C=US/O=U.S.
GOVERNMENT/OU=DOD/OU=ARMY/OU=ORGANIZATIONS/L=CONUS/L=WARREN
MI/OU=TACOM/OU=TACOM SAFETYOFUSE(UC)
DTG: 301307Z Apr 12
Precedence: PRIORITY
DAC: General
//UNCLASSIFIED//
Subject: Maintenance Information (MI) Message, TACOM Life Cycle Management
Command, (TACOM LCMC) Control No. MI: 12-039, M4/M16 Improved Magazine NSN
1005-01-561-7200, Part Number: 13021312, Cage Code: 19200, Old Magazine NSN
1005-00-921-5004, Part Number: 2411362962382, Cage Code: 13629, and the use
of commercial magazines. End Items: M16A2 NSN 1005-01-128-9936, M16A3 NSN
1005-01-357-5112, M16A4 NSN 1005-01-383-2872, M4 NSN 1005-01-231-0973, and
M4A1 NSN 1005-01-382-0953.
1. Distribution:
a. This is a Maintenance Information (MI) Message. Commanders/Directors
of Army Commands (ACOM)/Army Service Component Commands (ASCC)/Direct
Reporting Units (DRU), Army National Guard (ARNG), US Army Reserve (USAR)
Command, US Navy (USN), US Air Force (USAF), US Marine Corps (USMC) and
other Service Commanders and Responsible Offices will retransmit this
message to all subordinate Commanders/Activities.
b. This message will be available on the Safety First Web Site located
on the TACOM Unique Logistics Support Applications (TULSA) portal within
twenty-four hours of transmission. Access to the Safety First Web Site
requires CAC Card authentication. You must first request access to the
Safety First Web Site. To request access click here
https://tulsa.tacom.army.mil. For assistance, email the TULSA Helpdesk at
[email protected]. The Safety First Web Site also has the
capability to email Safety and Maintenance messages directly to your inbox.
To subscribe to the mailing list, click on, E-Mail Subscriptions, on the
Navigation bar.
2. Issue: TACOM has become aware of units ordering 30 rd. commercial (i.e.
polymer, etc.) magazines for their M4/M16 family of weapons. The M4/M16 Army
authorized magazines are the following: NSN 1005-00-561-7200 (improved
magazine) and NSN 1005-00-921-5004 (older magazine; use until exhaustion).
3. User Actions: TM 9-1005-319-10, the Additional Authorized List (AAL),
states that NSN 1005-00-921-5004 is authorized, as well as NSN
1005-00-561-7200. Units may use the older magazine NSN 1005-00-921-5004
with the green follower until exhausted. The improved magazine is available
in stock, NSN 1005-00-561-7200, and has a tan follower. The improved
magazine features an improved follower and follower spring. These new
features help to reduce the risk of magazine-related stoppages. Units are only authorized to use the Army authorized magazines listed in the technical manuals. Remember; "tan-is the plan, green-start to lean, black-take it
back." Magazines with the black follower are the oldest and should be turned
in to your unit supply sergeant or local supply point.
4. Unit Commanders, contact your local TACOM LCMC Logistics Assistance
Representative (LAR) or your State Surface Maintenance Manager upon receipt
of this message for assistance. For assistance in locating your TACOM LCMC
LAR, see below.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2012/05/25/in-reversal-army-bans-high-performance-rifle-mags.html
From the article:
The Army has ordered that soldiers may use only government-issued magazines with their M4 carbines, a move that effectively bans one of the most dependable and widely used commercial-made magazines on today’s battlefield.
Near the top of such advancements is the PMAG polymer M4 magazine, introduced by Magpul Industries Corp. in 2007. Its rugged design has made it as one of the top performers in the small-arms accessory arena, according to combat veterans who credit the PMAG with drastically improving the reliability of the M4.
Despite the success of the PMAG, Army officials from the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command issued a “safety of use message” in April that placed it, and all other polymer magazines, on an unauthorized list.
The message did not single out PMAGs, but instead authorizes only the use of Army-issued aluminum magazines. The message offers little explanation for the new policy except to state that “Units are only authorized to use the Army-authorized magazines listed in the technical manuals.” Nor does it say what Army units should now do with the millions of dollars’ worth of PMAGs they’ve purchased over the years.
Here is the TACOM message:
TACOM LCMC MI 12-021 M4-M16 Improved Magazine and the Use of Commercial Magazines
Originator: /C=US/O=U.S.
GOVERNMENT/OU=DOD/OU=ARMY/OU=ORGANIZATIONS/L=CONUS/L=WARREN
MI/OU=TACOM/OU=TACOM SAFETYOFUSE(UC)
DTG: 301307Z Apr 12
Precedence: PRIORITY
DAC: General
//UNCLASSIFIED//
Subject: Maintenance Information (MI) Message, TACOM Life Cycle Management
Command, (TACOM LCMC) Control No. MI: 12-039, M4/M16 Improved Magazine NSN
1005-01-561-7200, Part Number: 13021312, Cage Code: 19200, Old Magazine NSN
1005-00-921-5004, Part Number: 2411362962382, Cage Code: 13629, and the use
of commercial magazines. End Items: M16A2 NSN 1005-01-128-9936, M16A3 NSN
1005-01-357-5112, M16A4 NSN 1005-01-383-2872, M4 NSN 1005-01-231-0973, and
M4A1 NSN 1005-01-382-0953.
1. Distribution:
a. This is a Maintenance Information (MI) Message. Commanders/Directors
of Army Commands (ACOM)/Army Service Component Commands (ASCC)/Direct
Reporting Units (DRU), Army National Guard (ARNG), US Army Reserve (USAR)
Command, US Navy (USN), US Air Force (USAF), US Marine Corps (USMC) and
other Service Commanders and Responsible Offices will retransmit this
message to all subordinate Commanders/Activities.
b. This message will be available on the Safety First Web Site located
on the TACOM Unique Logistics Support Applications (TULSA) portal within
twenty-four hours of transmission. Access to the Safety First Web Site
requires CAC Card authentication. You must first request access to the
Safety First Web Site. To request access click here
https://tulsa.tacom.army.mil. For assistance, email the TULSA Helpdesk at
[email protected]. The Safety First Web Site also has the
capability to email Safety and Maintenance messages directly to your inbox.
To subscribe to the mailing list, click on, E-Mail Subscriptions, on the
Navigation bar.
2. Issue: TACOM has become aware of units ordering 30 rd. commercial (i.e.
polymer, etc.) magazines for their M4/M16 family of weapons. The M4/M16 Army
authorized magazines are the following: NSN 1005-00-561-7200 (improved
magazine) and NSN 1005-00-921-5004 (older magazine; use until exhaustion).
3. User Actions: TM 9-1005-319-10, the Additional Authorized List (AAL),
states that NSN 1005-00-921-5004 is authorized, as well as NSN
1005-00-561-7200. Units may use the older magazine NSN 1005-00-921-5004
with the green follower until exhausted. The improved magazine is available
in stock, NSN 1005-00-561-7200, and has a tan follower. The improved
magazine features an improved follower and follower spring. These new
features help to reduce the risk of magazine-related stoppages. Units are only authorized to use the Army authorized magazines listed in the technical manuals. Remember; "tan-is the plan, green-start to lean, black-take it
back." Magazines with the black follower are the oldest and should be turned
in to your unit supply sergeant or local supply point.
4. Unit Commanders, contact your local TACOM LCMC Logistics Assistance
Representative (LAR) or your State Surface Maintenance Manager upon receipt
of this message for assistance. For assistance in locating your TACOM LCMC
LAR, see below.
