Best M4 Magazine Pouches 2021: A Must Read

Why Do You Need a Reliable Mag Holder for Your M4?

If you decide to have more than one magazine, then you will certainly need a magazine pouch. M4/AR-15 mag pouches can usually hold anything from a single to 3 30-round magazines.

There are a huge variety of M4/AR-15 mag pouches on the market, some can carry 6 30-round magazines and some up to thousands of rounds. It will all depend on the brand and style that you opt for.

Whether the mag pouches are for tactical purposes or competition shooting, you will find them extremely helpful no matter what situation you are in. With so many options on the market, it can be difficult to pick the best one, which is why we made this guide and compiled a list of the best mag pouches for you to choose from.

Before we move on to the list, we prepared a guide about what a mag pouch is, the variety of mag pouches and most importantly, the things that you need to consider before you buy an M4 mag pouch.

What is a Mag Pouch?

A mag pouch gives you an easy way of carrying and retrieving your magazines while you’re on the go. Nowadays, almost all mag pouches are compatible with the MOLLE system. MOLLE is short for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment and is commonly used by military personnel.

What this means is that many mag pouches in today’s market can allow you to easily attach them to a belt or other gear like a backpack or a jacket. Mag pouches usually have a design that is meant for tactical uses either by the military or law enforcement officers. They also allow you to store back-up mags in a convenient spot for easy and quick use.

Types of AR Mag Pouches

Mag pouches come in different styles and designs and the two most important things that you will most likely be choosing from is the capacity and the material. The most common capacity is between the range of one to four mags. However, the best capacity will still have to depend on your priority.

Normally, if you are at the range or hunting, you won’t need that many extra mags but there could be an exception if you’re hunting small varmints. This is because you might need to take out dozens of prairie dogs in a day. As for tactical or competition purposes, it will have to depend on your past experiences to know what’s best for you.

The next thing that you will have to choose from is the material. The two most common options are polymer and nylon fabric. A polymer mag pouch will be more reliable and also easy to clean. On the other hand, nylon fabric mag pouches are cheaper and not as bulky.

Another choice that you might have to go through is the attachment system. What this means is how the mag pouches attach, whether by a belt clip, belt loop, belt paddle, MOLLE or something else.

What to Consider Before Buying Great Mag Pouches

Before you choose which mag pouch to buy, here are the considerations that you should take into account.

Reliability

First of all, when we look at firearms or firearm products, the most important aspect is reliability. To ensure that the product you are getting is reliable, the best way is to purchase from a well-known and reputable brand. You can also go for the best models that the manufacturers offer.

Attachment System

The attachment system of mag pouches will heavily depend on your personal preference. Generally, mag pouches come with a belt clip, belt loop, belt paddle or MOLLE straps. For example, belt loops aren’t going to come detached and they are not as easy to attach and remove as belt clips.

Durability

Another aspect that you need to consider before buying is the durability of the mag pouch. This will depend on the quality and material that is used to construct the mag pouch. Typically, polymer mag pouches will be more durable because there are fewer stitched components.

Best M4 Magazine Pouches in 2021: Works for ARs Too!

Now that you have a clearer understanding of mag pouches, we can now proceed to the list of the 5 best M4 mag pouches available on the market.

1. Blue Force Gear Mag MOLLE

Specifications

• Immediate access open top
• Molded rubber pull tabs
• Helium Whisper attachment system

Features

The first product on this list is the M4 mag pouch by Blue Force Gear. They are a trusted firearms company that produces excellent products through continuous innovation. Similarly, this mag pouch has an innovative design that is meant to be an enhanced version of a classic bungee mag pouches.

This M4 mag pouch offers incredible versatility with its ability to stack with other mag pouches. Besides its versatility, this mag pouch also features a Helium Whisper attachment system that will impress many shooters.

The Helium Whisper system is a design that is meant to reduce the load that you have to carry but at the same time, maintain strength and durability. It also reduces the number of parts that are required to firmly attach to MOLLE, thus reducing the number of weak spots in the pouch.

This also means products with Helium Whisper are easy to attach to a belt or plate carrier.

Products by Blue Force Gear are all made with a ULTRAcomp material. It is an impressive upgrade from the standard mil-spec gear as it is stronger compared to all other fabric mag pouches.

Another feature that you might find impressive is that the length and tension of the bungee cords are adjustable to give the best magazine retention. To top it off, their products are offered with a lifetime warranty in case of any defects like retention problems, wear and tear or water damages.

You will like this if:

You are looking for a durable mag pouch for your magazines. This mag pouch is made with ULTRAcomp technology and has a Helium Whisper attachment system to further ensure its strength and longevity.

You want to hold up to 3 extra M4 mags on your belt or a plate carrier. This is a triple mag pouch that allows you to store up to 3 additional mags on a belt or a plate carrier.

You prefer having a product with a lifetime warranty. All the items sold by Blue Force Gear comes with a warranty that allows you to get a new one in case of any defects like retention issue, wear and tear or water damages.

You will not like this if:

You have a strict budget for purchasing an M4 mag pouch. With such an impressive construction, it is normal that this mag pouch is offered at a higher price range, so if you are not willing to spend so much then this might not be the best option for you.

2. Condor Triple Kangaroo

Specifications

• MOLLE system
• 600 denier nylon design
• 3 mags capacity

Features

Whenever you talk about nylon tactical gear, Condor is the name that you will see very often. The design of this Kangaroo Mag Pouch is developed with feedback from experienced users that used their well-known open-top models.

One noticeable feature about this mag pouch is that it can hold both M4 mags and handgun mags simultaneously. This mag pouch is able to achieve this thanks to the use of a special system of attachment. Your mags are secured in place with the use of bungees and the handgun mags are secured with velcro flaps. It is also MOLLE compatible.

With the use of a 600 denier nylon design, you will find it extremely easy to wash and dry. This is especially helpful for shooters that like to keep their accessories clean. It is available in three different colors which are olive drab, black, and coyote brown.

Having a dimension of six inches high by ten and a half inches wide and two and a half inches thick, you can store 3 M4 rifle mags and 3 handgun mags in each mag pouch. This is the best option if you require a lot of firepower for both your rifle and your handgun, especially in rough tactical situations.

For a decent price, this mag pouch is able to offer you incredible versatility by not just storing your extra M4 rifle mags but also your handgun mags.

You will like this if:

You enjoy having the option to choose from multiple colors. This mag pouch is offered in three different colors which are olive drab, black and coyote brown, allowing you to choose your favorite color.

You want a compact mag pouch that can store more than just M4 mags. On top of the capacity that is available for three M4 mags, each pouch has an additional compartment to let you store your handgun mags too.

You are looking for pouches that have MOLLE compatibility. The system of attachment used for this M4 mag pouch is MOLLE compatible and if that is what you are looking for in an M4 mag pouch, then this would be the best option for you.

You will not like this if:

You expect the attachment to be perfect. You will find the attachments to be less reliable compared to others that are similar.

3. Blue Force Gear Ten-Speed Triple M4 Mag Pouch

Specifications

• Patented Helium Whisper attachment system
• Made of nylon
• ULTRAcomp laminate

Features

This is another M4 mag pouch by Blue Force Gear and you know they are certainly one of the best on the market when you see the same name again. The Blue Force Gear Ten-Speed Triple M4 Mag Pouch offers incredible versatility, allowing other mag pouches to stack on top of it.

A feature that everyone will appreciate is its weight. This mag pouch weighs in at less than 1/10 of a pound only and it can lay flat when not in use, which means that storing this mag pouch will be a walk in the park.

Not only will this mag pouch hold your polymer and metal M4 magazines, but it can also hold similarly sized items such as medical supplies, bandages or flash bangs. It is able to do so thanks to the use of mil-spec elastic paired with the ULTRAcomp laminate by Blue Force Gear.

This mag pouch is offered in single, double, and triple sizes and you can choose according to your mission requirements. On top of that, you will notice that the quality of construction is consistent throughout all the sizes that are available.

Like all Blue Force Gear products, the Ten-Speed Triple M4 Mag Pouch utilizes a Helium Whisper attachment system that is compatible with every MOLLE platform. The innovation in their materials also enabled this Blue Force Gear mag pouch to have an optimized retention system and excellent durability.

You will like this if:

You want a mag pouch that can last for a long time. This M4 mag pouch is constructed with a ULTRAcomp technology that will last longer than traditional mil-spec gear because it’s stronger than almost every fabric used for pouches.

You prefer having a lightweight mag pouch. This mag pouch by Blue Force Gear weighs less than 1/10 of a pound which can be considered as one of the lightest M4 mag pouches available.

You want to easily attach the mag pouch to your belt or plate carrier. With the use of Helium Whisper, it makes this mag pouch extremely easy and quick to attach to your belt or plate carrier.

You will not like this if:

You prefer pouches that are offered at a lower price range. This is not considered as expensive nor is it cheap so if you prefer pouches that are cheaper then this might not be the best choice for you.

4. High-Speed Gear HSGI X2RP TACO Molle

Specifications

• Polymer divider in the center
• Constructed from Cordura
• Attaches to MOLLE webbing

Features

High-Speed Gear is an American company that has been around for over two decades and they are dedicated to making the best battle-proven tactical gear. One of their proudest innovative products is this TACO Molle Mag Holder.

The X2RP TACO mag pouch allows you to store two M4 rifle magazines without sacrificing any space on your plate carrier. It also has additional space for an extra pistol magazine. With the aid of a polymer divider in the center, an excellent retention is ensured even only a single magazine is inserted.

On top of the polymer divider in the center, this High-Speed Gear mag pouch is constructed with a Cordura fabric and uses injection molded polymer sides for enhanced retention. The use of Cordura fabric also ensures that this mag pouch will last for a great deal of time.

This High-Speed Gear mag pouch can be easily attached to any MOLLE webbing by using two MALICE clips which are included in each magazine pouch. This mag pouch is also available in four different colors which are black, coyote, multicam and wolf gray.

You will like this if:

You want a mag pouch with an impressive retention system. Besides the divider, the use of injection molded polymer sides also enhances retention and if the retention is not enough, you can add double-sided Velcro to your mags for more retention.

You are looking for a mag pouch that can attach to a MOLLE webbing. This pouch for your M4 mags has a design that easily attaches to MOLLE webbing using MALICE clips.

You want a pouch for your M4 mag that is durable. High-Speed Gear dedicates their work to making top tactical gear and this product is no exception with the use of Cordura for great durability.

You will not like this if:

You prefer having a cheaper product. For a double mag pouch, this is considered to be in a higher price range so if you have a tighter budget, then this might not be the best choice for you.

5. Safariland Model 774 Competition Rifle Mag Pouch

Specifications

• Clip-on belt attachment
• Ambidextrous design
• Adjustable tension device

Features

Safariland is one of the top brands for making great mag pouches and other similar accessories. They came up with this simple model that is designed to hold a single M4 mag on the belt. However, the clip is sold separately but you can choose a suitable size for your belt width.

This M4 mag pouch has an ambidextrous design which means it can be worn on both sides of your belt and you will find it extremely helpful regardless if you’re a left or right-handed shooter. The angle of the pouch can also be adjusted to the angle that is most comfortable for you.

The construction of this M4 mag pouch utilized Safariland’s proprietary version of Kydex which is also known as SafariLaminate. Kydex is resistant to water and scratches and they are also known for holding their shape better than other alternate materials.

The retention system of this pouch is also exceptionally great as there is an adjustable device that allows you to adjust the retention. This pouch also gives you the option to choose from its full range of STX colors.

The Safariland Model 774 Competition Rifle Mag Pouch is not only compatible with M4 mags, but it can also work well with other modern sporting rifle mags.

You will like this if:

You want to keep your extra M4 mag in a durable holder. This pouch is the top choice for you if you are looking for a durable pouch thanks to the Kydex build, allowing it to resist water and scratches.

You are a fan of customizing the retention. The retention of this pouch can be customized by adjusting the device and if you are a fan of this, then this would be the top option for you.

You are looking for an M4 mag pouch with great versatility. You will find this pouch to work well with many of Safariland’s attachment devices and its versatility is one of the features that you will appreciate.

You will not like this if:

You prefer that it comes with every part. The belt clip to attach this pouch is sold separately but you have the option to choose a suitable size.

FAQ for Mag Holders

Are there universal mag pouches?

Yes. There are universal mag pouches but they are not considered as a true tactical gear. When you are carrying multiple mags in a tactical situation, you should have fixed spots to avoid searching for the right mags in the dark.

If you have a universal mag pouch, you can have a few different mags in a single compartment. You wouldn’t want to be mixing up M4/AR-15 mags with 9mm pistol mags especially in life and death situations.

What is the legality of mag pouches?

Mag pouches are generally legal because if you can conceal carry a firearm, having extra mags shouldn’t be a problem.

However, having excessive amounts of ammunition is restricted but it will still have to depend on the local municipality law to determine what is excessive and what is not. If you wish to find out more, you may contact your local police regarding this issue.

What are the benefits of mag pouches?

When you have extra ammunition and extra mags lying around, you will find mag pouches to be extremely helpful in keeping these ammunition and mags organized. Since the mags are more accessible, you can reload your rifle quicker too.

Having a pouch for your mags are all about giving you better access and mobility. The quicker you reload in tense situations, the more advantage you can gain.

To top it off, they can also improve the storage capacity of your tactical vest and allow you to store other items like a flashlight, flash bangs or other similarly sized items into the pouch that you store your rifle mags.