SAR 20#2

Lancer Systems has grown rapidly in the industry. Starting as an unlikely
small arms company, they worked with Diemaco/Colt Canada in
the early 2000's on the Greene Tweed Project, a new translucent polymer
magazine nicknamed the "green" magazine. After a minor hiccup in
the development process of the magazine, the insert molded metal feed
lips separated from the polymer magazine body when DEET (bug spray)
was applied to the magazine causing crazing and cracking around the
insert: this eventually lead to failed retention of the loaded ammunition.
Colt Defense, who now owned Colt Canada dropped the program. Lancer
knew they had a product they could sell and released the Lancer
L5 magazine in 2007. This magazine was offered in smoke translucent
color. As they got recognized they rose to become one of the most popular
and durable magazines in the industry. This author has followed the
development of the Lancer magazines quite closely from the original
prototype magazines. This author has tested extensively all generations
of the L5 magazine in 2011 with nothing other than excellent results. The
L5 magazine is certainly a major step up from the standard GI aluminum
magazines. To start with, the shot column is a constant curve shape.
This is the natural shape in which the cartridges stack on top of each other
unlike the GI magazine where you have a straight, unnatural shape on
the top of the magazine and then it goes into a curve once the magazine
extends beyond the bottom of the magazine well. This gives more constant
and reliable feeding. Also the polymer material is more lubricious
and causes less friction than the aluminum magazine. The texture of the
magazine is a drastic improvement over the aluminum magazine. The
trademark magazines are translucent allowing the shooter to visibly see
how many rounds are in the magazine. This goes back to the concept
of the original prototype magazine that Lancer worked on with Diemaco/
Colt Canada. What separated the L5 from the normal polymer magazine
was that they used a hybrid design incorporating steel feed lips which
were an insert molded into the polymer. Initially these were separate
tabs. The next upgrade came in the form of the newly released L5 AWM
or Advanced Warfighter Magazine. This is an updated L5 with the major
change being a much larger and more durable feed lip insert. These
have gone on to be one of the finest magazines in the industry. They are
offered in 5, 10, 20 and 30 round capacities.
WWW.SMALLARMSREVIEW.COM 43 SAR Vol. 20, No. 2