STANAG magazine
Encyclopedia
A STANAG magazine is a type of detachable firearm magazine
Magazine (firearm)
A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines may be integral to the firearm or removable . The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action...
proposed by NATO in October 1980. Shortly after NATO's acceptance of the 5.56x45mm NATO
5.56x45mm NATO
5.56×45mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the United States and originally chambered in the M16 rifle. Under STANAG 4172, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. It is derived from, but not identical to, the .223 Remington cartridge...
rifle cartridge, Draft Standardization Agreement (STANAG
STANAG
STANAG is the NATO abbreviation for Standardization Agreement, which sets up processes, procedures, terms, and conditions for common military or technical procedures or equipment between the member countries of the alliance. Each NATO state ratifies a STANAG and implements it within their own...
) 4179 was proposed in order to allow the military services of member nations easily to share rifle ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
and magazines during operations, at the individual soldier level, in the interest of easing logistical concerns. The magazine proposed for standardization was originally designed for the U.S. M16 rifle
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
. Many NATO member nations, but not all, subsequently developed or purchased rifles with the ability to accept this type of magazine. However the standard was never ratified and remains a 'Draft STANAG'
STANAG
STANAG
STANAG is the NATO abbreviation for Standardization Agreement, which sets up processes, procedures, terms, and conditions for common military or technical procedures or equipment between the member countries of the alliance. Each NATO state ratifies a STANAG and implements it within their own...
-compatible magazines can be made to almost any capacity, though those used for military service usually hold 20 or 30 rounds of 5.56x45mm NATO
5.56x45mm NATO
5.56×45mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the United States and originally chambered in the M16 rifle. Under STANAG 4172, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. It is derived from, but not identical to, the .223 Remington cartridge...
ammunition. 40 and 50-round box magazines as well as 90-round drum magazine
Drum magazine
A drum magazine is a type of firearms magazine that is cylindrical in shape, similar to a drum. Instead of rounds being stored flat, as in a more common box magazine, rounds in a drum magazine are stored in a spiral around the center of the magazine, facing the direction of the barrel.There are...
s and 100-round Beta C-Mag
Beta C-Mag
The Beta C-Mag is a 100-round capacity magazine designed by Jim Sullivan and adapted for use in numerous firearms firing the 5.56×45mm NATO, 7.62×51mm NATO, and 9×19mm Parabellum cartridges. C-Mag is short for century magazine, referring to its hundred-round capacity. It has two drum units, each of...
drum magazines designed to comply with STANAG 4179 have also been manufactured. Magpul has recently released a STANAG-compatible casket magazine and by SureFire in December 2010 as the High Capacity Magazine (HCM) with an ammo capacity of 60 to 100 rounds.
The STANAG-compatible box magazine, while relatively compact compared to other types of 5.56x45mm NATO box magazines, has often been criticized for a perceived lack of durability and a tendency to malfunction
Firearm malfunction
A firearm malfunction is the partial or complete failure of a firearm to operate as intended. Malfunctions range from temporary and relatively safe situations, such as a casing that didn't eject, to potentially dangerous occurrences that may permanently damage the gun and cause injury or death...
unless treated with a level of care that often cannot be afforded under combat conditions. Because STANAG 4179 is only a dimensional standard, production quality from manufacturer to manufacturer is not uniform. Magazines have been manufactured with lightweight aluminum or plastic bodies and other inexpensive materials in order to keep costs down, or to meet requirements that treat the magazine more as a disposable piece of equipment than one that is supposed to stand up to repeated combat use.
These problems have been addressed by several manufacturers, most notably Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch GmbH is a German defense manufacturing company that produces various small arms. Some of their products include the SA80, MP5 submachine gun, G3 automatic rifle, the G36 assault rifle, the HK 416, the MP7 personal defense weapon, the USP series of handguns, and the high-precision...
, who designed a new 30-round STANAG-compatible box magazine during their contract to rebuild and improve the SA80
SA80
The SA80 is a British family of 5.56mm small arms. It is a selective fire, gas-operated assault rifle. SA80 prototypes were trialled in 1976 and production was completed in 1994....
rifle for the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. As a result, several manufacturers now offer improved STANAG-compatible magazines as well as high-grade stainless steel bodies, rust- and set-resistant chrome-silicon springs, and anti-tilt followers as upgrade components for existing STANAG magazines.
Firearms compatible with STANAG magazines
- ArmaLite AR-15AR-15The AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials....
- Adaptive Combat RifleAdaptive Combat RifleThe Adaptive Combat Rifle is the production name for an updated version of the Masada Adaptive Combat Weapon System. In late January 2008, Bushmaster entered into a licensing agreement with Magpul whereby Bushmaster would take over production, future development and sales of the Masada...
- Armalite AR-180B
- Barrett REC7 - the 6.8 mm SPC round, being of comparable cartridge length to the 5.56x45mm, will reliably feed from STANAG magazines
- Beretta AR70/90Beretta AR70/90The Beretta AR70/90 is a gas operated self loading assault rifle chambered for the 5.56mm cartridge, and is the standard issue service rifle of the Italian Armed Forces. The weapon also features grenade sights, and is designed to be fitted with a rifle grenade...
- Beretta ARX-160Beretta ARX-160The ARX-160 is an assault rifle manufactured by Pietro Beretta S.p.A.. Developed for the Italian armed forces as part of the Soldato Futuro program, the ARX-160 has been launched in the year 2008 as a commercial weapon system independent from the Soldato Futuro ensemble, complete with a companion...
- Beretta Rx4 StormBeretta Rx4 StormThe Beretta Rx4 is a rifle developed and manufactured by the Beretta Holding of Italy.-Details:The action is a Gas-operated, rotating bolt, using the Auto-Regulated Gas-Operated system patented by Benelli. The rifle uses STANAG magazines and can feature either a fixed stock or an adjustable stock...
- Bernardelli VB-SR
- Bofors Carl Gustaf Ak 5Ak 5The Ak 5 is the Swedish version of the FN FNC assault rifle with certain modifications, mostly to adapt the weapon to the Swedish climate. The Ak 5 is the service rifle of the Swedish Armed Forces. Ak 5 is an abbreviation of automatkarbin 5...
- Bushmaster M17SBushmaster M17SThe Bushmaster M17S is a semi-automatic bullpup rifle that was manufactured by Bushmaster Firearms International from 1992 until 2005.-History:...
- CETME Model LCETME Model LThe Model L is a Spanish 5.56mm assault rifle developed in the late 1970s at the state-owned small arms research and development establishment CETME located in Madrid...
- Colt M16M16 rifleThe M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
- Colt M4M4 carbineThe M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,...
- Diemaco C7Diemaco C7The Colt Canada C7 rifle is a service rifle variation of the M16 rifle that is manufactured by Diemaco/Colt Canada, a subsidiary of Colt Firearms after 2005, and used by the Canadian Forces, Hærens Jegerkommando , Military of Denmark , Iceland Crisis Response Unit, the Military of the Netherlands ...
(AR-15/M16 type rifle) - Diemaco C8 (AR-15/M16 type rifle)
- Daewoo K1Daewoo K1Daewoo Precision Industries K1/K1A assault carbine is the first modern firearm developed by Agency for Defense Development and manufactured by Daewoo Precision Industries, and entered service in Republic of Korea Armed Forces in 1981.-Development:...
- Daewoo K2Daewoo K2The Daewoo Precision Industries K2 is an assault rifle of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, manufactured by Daewoo Precision Industries. It is a shoulder-fired, gas-operated, selective-fire assault rifle that feeds from a 20 or 30 round magazine and is chambered for 5.56 NATO. The K2 replaced the...
- Daewoo K3Daewoo K3The Daewoo Precision Industries K3 was the third indigenous firearm developed in South Korea, following the K1A and K2. The K3 is inspired by the FN Minimi and the United States-issued M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. It is manufactured by S&T Daewoo.-Description:...
- Daewoo K11
- EMERKEMERKThe EMERK is a rifle currently in standard issue in Myanmar as the EMERK-1 and EMERK-3. The EMERK-1 is a 5.56x45mm bullpup rifle roughly based on the British L98 rifle with the same receiver.-Development:...
- FAD assault rifleFAD assault rifleThe Dual Automatic Rifle was designed by Salomón Braga Lozo from SIMA Electronica, a division of the state-owned SIMA shipyards, based in the port of Callao...
- FAMAS G2
- FN F2000FN F2000The FN F2000 is a 5.56×45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle, designed by FN Herstal in Belgium. The F2000 made its debut in March 2001 at the IDEX defense exhibition held in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.-Design details:...
- FN FNCFN FNCThe FNC is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed by the Belgian arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale of Herstal and introduced in the late 1970s.-Development:...
- FN MinimiFN MinimiThe Minimi is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gun developed by Fabrique Nationale in Herstal by Ernest Vervier. First introduced in 1974, it has entered service with the armed forces of over thirty countries...
/M249 SAW - FN SCAR-L
- Heckler & Koch G41Heckler & Koch G41The G41 is a German 5.56mm assault rifle introduced in 1981 and produced in limited quantities by Heckler & Koch. It was designed to replace the 5.56mm HK33 in service providing a more modern weapon platform compatible with contemporary NATO standards. It is chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO...
- Heckler & Koch G36Heckler & Koch G36The Heckler & Koch G36 is a 5.56×45mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch in Germany as a replacement for the 7.62mm G3 battle rifle. It was accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the G3...
(through adaptator)http://www.spuhr.com/g36.html - Heckler & Koch HK416 (AR-15/M16 type rifle)
- Howa Type 89Howa Type 89The , referred to as the , is a Japanese assault rifle used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Japan Coast Guard's Special Security Team units, and the Special Assault Team. It was never exported outside of Japan due to its strict anti-hardware export laws...
- IMBEL MD2IMBEL MD2The IMBEL MD series of assault rifles are the standard-issue rifles of the Brazilian Army.-History:...
- IMI GalilIMI GalilThe Galil is a family of Israeli small arms designed by Yisrael Galil and Yaacov Lior in the late 1960s and produced by Israel Military Industries Ltd of Ramat HaSharon...
(through adaptator)http://media.photobucket.com/image/galil%20m16%20magazine%20adapter/Smittyd5r/Gun%2520Stuff/ORFGalilARFG1.jpg - IMI NegevIMI NegevThe Negev is an Israeli 5.56 mm light machine gun, developed by Israel Military Industries Ltd. of Ramat HaSharon , as a replacement for the 5.56 mm Galil ARM light machine gun, whose barrel would overheat easily during sustained fire...
- IMI Tavor TAR-21IMI Tavor TAR-21The TAR-21 is an Israeli bullpup assault rifle chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition with a selective fire system, selecting between semi-automatic mode, burst mode, and full automatic fire mode. It is named after Mount Tavor, while "TAR-21" stands for "Tavor Assault Rifle - 21st Century". It is...
- Kel-Tec PLR-16Kel-Tec PLR-16The Kel-Tec PLR-16 is a gas-operated, semi-automatic pistol chambered in 5.56 NATO, manufactured by Kel-Tec Industries of Florida USA.The PLR was designed for recreational target shooting, and small game, varmint, or predator hunting...
- Kel-Tec SU-16Kel-Tec SU-16SU-16 refers to a series of semi-automatic rifles and carbines manufactured by Kel-Tec CNC Industries, Inc. of Cocoa, Florida, referred to in Kel-Tec's marketing as "Sport Utility rifles". The SU-16 series is notable for its compact, lightweight and simple design; and for being able to be broken...
- Khaybar KH2002Khaybar KH2002Khaybar/KH-2002 is an Iranian designed assault rifle, derived from the DIO S 5.56 assault rifle and further developed by Iran's Defense Industries Organization...
- LAPA FA-03LAPA FA-03The FA Modelo 03 rifle was an individual firearm of bullpup design developed by Nelmo Suzano at his own-funded company, LAPA - LABORATÓRIO DE PESQUISA DE ARMAMENTO AUTOMÁTICO Sc/Ltda, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
- LWRC M6
- Magpul PDRMagpul PDRThe Magpul PDR is a compact bullpup-style 5.56x45mm carbine being developed by Magpul Industries. Although still in development, it has garnered some attention, largely due to its "futuristic" appearance...
- MSAR STG 556 "E4 Model"
- MSBS RadonMSBS RadonMSBS "Radon" is an assault rifle currently under development as a future service rifle of the Polish Army. There are two basic variants under development currently: a bullpup version and a standard version with folding, retractable stock...
- Marine Scout Sniper Rifle (PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
) - Norinco CQNorinco CQThe CQ is a copy of the Colt M16 rifle. It is currently being manufactured by Norinco. According to the Norinco website, the rifle is officially known as CQ 5.56.-History:...
(AR-15/M16 type rifle) - Norinco QBZ-97
- Norinco Type 03 assault rifleQBZ-03The QBZ-03 assault rifle is a gas operated, selective-fire weapon and is the latest assault rifle design developed for the Chinese 5.8 x 42 mm DBP87 ammunition. Unlike the bullpup QBZ-95, the QBZ-03 is a weapon of conventional design loosely inspired by other rifles previously in Chinese service...
(export models) - Pindad SS1
- Pindad SS2Pindad SS2The SS2 is an updated version of the Pindad SS1 created by PT Pindad, under license from Fabrique Nationale...
- Pindad SS3Pindad SS3The SS3 is a bullpup assault rifle and successor to the Pindad SS2 created by PT Pindad...
- Remington Model 7615P "Police Patrol Rifle"Remington Model 7600 rifleThe Remington Model 7600 is a series of pump-action, centerfire rifles and carbines that are made by Remington Arms. The Model 7600 appears to be a combination of the Remington Model 7400 series semi-automatic hunting rifle with the action of the Remington Model 870 series pump-action shotgun,...
- Remington R-15 (AR-15/M16 type rifle]
- Robinson Armaments M-96 "Expeditionary Rifle"Robinson Armaments M96 ExpeditionaryThe M96 is a semi-automatic rifle made by the Robinson Armament Co. of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.-Description:The M96 is chambered for the .223 Remington/5.56 mm NATO cartridge, and uses STANAG 4179 AR-15 magazines. Barrels have 1-in-9 twist ratio as is common for .223 Remington semiautomatic rifles...
- Robinson Armaments XCRRobinson Arms XCRThe Robinson Armament Co. XCR is a multi-caliber, gas piston weapon system developed by Robinson Armament Co. for U.S. Special Operations Command to satisfy the requirements of the SOF Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR competition, but was disqualified on a technicality due to late delivery of blank...
- Rung Paisarn RPS-001Rung Paisarn RPS-001The RPS-001 is an assault rifle manufactured by Rung Paisarn Heavy Industries of Thailand. It is an adaption of the Czechoslovak Vz.58 with components from the M16A2. It was introduced during the Advanced Combat Rifle trials.-References:**...
- Ruger SR-556Ruger SR-556The SR-556 is a semi-automatic rifle carbine manufactured by U.S. firearms company Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. The rifle was introduced in 2009, marking Ruger's entry into the popular AR-15 market...
(AR-15/M16 type rifle) - SA80SA80The SA80 is a British family of 5.56mm small arms. It is a selective fire, gas-operated assault rifle. SA80 prototypes were trialled in 1976 and production was completed in 1994....
- Safir T-15, T-16Safir T-15The Safir T-15 is a semi-automatic rifle manufactured by Safir Arms of Turkey. The weapon is an AR-15 derivative intended for civilian and police use, but Safir arms also makes selective-fire version of the same design as the T-16, which is intended for military use...
and T-17Safir T-17The Safir T-17 is a Bullpup assault rifle of Turkish origin under development by Safir Arms. The weapon is basically an AR-15 derivative in the form of a bullpup.-External links:*... - SAR-21SAR-21The SAR 21 is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured in Singapore. First revealed and subsequently adopted by the Singapore Armed Forces in 1999, it was designed & developed over a four year period and was intended to replace the locally license-built M16S1 by the Singaporean Ministry...
(export models) - SAR-80SAR-80The Singapore Assault Rifle 80 is an indigenously built, conventional assault rifle from Singapore.-History and development:In the late 1960s, the Singapore Armed Forces adopted the AR-15 as their main service rifle...
- Special Operations Assault Rifle (AR-15/M16 type rifle)
- SR-88SR-88The SR-88 is an assault rifle designed and manufactured in Singapore by Chartered Industries of Singapore .-Development:...
- SIG 516 (AR-15/M16 type rifle)
- SIG 556
- S&W MP (AR-15/M16 type rifle)
- Sterling SAR-87Sterling SAR-87The Sterling SAR-87 was a military assault rifle of the late Twentieth century. The Sterling Assault Rifle was jointly engineered by Sterling Armaments Company and Chartered Industries of Singapore in the early 1980s as an advanced version of the AR-18 for the export sales...
- Steyr AUGSteyr AUGThe AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
(through right-hand-only, NATO STANAG magazine stock assembly)http://steyr-aug.com/Am161.jpg - T2 MK5 rifle
- Type 65Type 65 Assault RifleThe T65 is an assault rifle developed and manufactured by the Combined Service Forces of ROC Army in Taiwan. Originally patterned after the Armalite AR-18 that has the short-stroke gas system, prototype unveiled in 1975 showed a rifle that is externally very-heavily influenced by the M4/M16,...
- Type 86 AR-15/M16 type rifle
- Type 91 (AR-15/M16 type rifle)
- VB Berapi LP06VB Berapi LP06The VB Berapi LP06 is the first assault rifle designed and manufactured by Malaysia, and is not related to any previously licensed assault rifles made by VB Berapi. The LP06, is a bullpup assault rifle. It is chambered in the 5.56x45mm NATO round and is fed from a 30 round magazine...
- VHSVHS assault rifleThe VHS is a 5.56x45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured by HS Produkt of Croatia. The VHS rifle was first introduced at the 2007 iKA exhibition, the annual Croatian innovation display that takes place in the city of Karlovac...
- Type XT-97XT-97 assault rifleThe XT97 assault rifle is a prototype multipurpose 5.56mm rifle currently under development at the 205th Armory, Ministry of Defense, Republic of China...
- XM29 OICWXM29 OICWThe XM29 OICW was a series of prototypes of a new type of battle rifle that fired 20 mm HE airbursting projectiles. The prototypes were developed as part of the Objective Individual Combat Weapon program in the 1990s...
- Z-M Weapons LR 300Z-M Weapons LR 300The LR 300 is an assault rifle and conversion kit designed and manufactured by Z-M Weapons. It is based on the AR-15 platform and is broadly similar to the United States service rifle, the M16....
(AR-15/M16 type rifle)
Some firearms, while not originally manufactured to feed from STANAG magazines, can be converted to use them. An example is the Austrian Steyr AUG
Steyr AUG
The AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
assault rifle, for which an alternate stock assembly is available to allow the use of STANAG magazines. Also the German Heckler & Koch G36
Heckler & Koch G36
The Heckler & Koch G36 is a 5.56×45mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch in Germany as a replacement for the 7.62mm G3 battle rifle. It was accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the G3...
assault rifle features a "modular magazine well" system. This allows the original magazine well, engineered to feed from the proprietary translucent plastic magazine, to be replaced with one that accepts STANAG magazines. Magnolia States Armory offers an adapter that allows the use of STANAG magazines in .223 Galil rifles as well as one that works in AK47 platform Saiga, WASR3 and Norinco .223 rifles.