# STANAG magazine

A STANAG magazine or NATO magazine is a type of detachable firearm magazine proposed by NATO in October 1980. Shortly after NATO's acceptance of the 5.56×45mm NATO rifle cartridge, Draft Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4179 was proposed in order to allow NATO members to easily share rifle ammunition and magazines down to the individual soldier level. The U.S. M16 rifle's magazine proportions were proposed for standardization. Many NATO members, 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".

## Magazines

The STANAG magazine concept is only an interface, dimensional and controls (magazine latch, bolt stop, etc.) requirement. Therefore, it not only allows one type of magazine to interface with various weapon systems, but also allows STANAG magazines to be made in various configurations and capacities. The standard capacities of STANAG-compatible magazines are 20 or 30 rounds of 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition. There are also 5-, 10-, 40- and 50-round box magazines, as well as 60- and 100-round casket magazines, 90-round snail-drum magazines, and 100-round drum magazines.

## Issues and improvements

The STANAG magazine, while relatively compact compared to other types of 5.56×45mm NATO box magazines, has often been criticized for a perceived lack of durability and a tendency to malfunction unless treated with a level of care that may not be practical under combat conditions. Because STANAG 4179 is only a dimensional standard, production quality from manufacturer to manufacturer is not uniform.
As a result, in March 2009, the U.S. military began to accept delivery of improved STANAG magazines. To increase reliability, these magazines incorporate heavier, more corrosion resistant springs and new tan-colored anti-tilt followers.
ARDEC began development of a new magazine design in July 2013 to address feeding issues of older designs with the new M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round. It was first made public in 2014 and completed development in mid-2016 as the Enhanced Performance Magazine. The magazine uses a blue follower and a tan body which presents the rounds with a better angle to the weapon's feedway, preventing the hardened steel tip of the EPR from contacting the aluminum feed ramp of the M4 carbine, increasing mean rounds between stoppage by 300%.

## Firearms compatible with STANAG magazines
### AR-15/M16 type rifles

* AAC Honey Badger PDW
* ArmaLite AR-15
* Barrett REC7
* CAR 816
* Colt M16
* Colt M4
* Colt Automatic Rifle
* Colt Canada C7 and C8
* G5 carbine
* Haenel MK 556
* Heckler & Koch HK416
* IWI Arad
* Komodo Armament D5
* LWRC M63
* Marine Scout Sniper Rifle
* Norinco CQ
* PVAR
* Pindad AM1
* R5 RGP
* Remington GPC
* Ruger SR-556
* Safir T-15 and T-16
* SIG Sauer SIG516
* SIG Sauer SIGM400
* Smith & Wesson M&P15
* SOAR
* Type 86
* Type 91
* Z-M Weapons LR 300
* Zbroyar UAR-15

### Non-AR-15/M16 type rifles

* Armalite AR-180B
* Beretta AR70/90
* Beretta ARX-160
* Beretta Rx4 Storm
* Bernardelli VB-SR
* Benelli MR1
* Bofors Carl Gustaf Ak 5
* Brügger & Thomet APC556
* Bushmaster ACR
* Bushmaster M17S
* CETME Model L
* CZ BREN 2
* Daewoo K1
* Daewoo K2
* Daewoo K3
* Daewoo K11
* Desert Tech MDR
* Desert Tech WLVRN
* EMERK
* F90MBR
* Ensio Firearms KAR-21
* FAMAS G2
* FN F2000
* FN FNC
* FN Minimi
* M249 SAW
* FN SCAR-L
* Fort Ellis XR-86
* Heckler & Koch G41
* Heckler & Koch Hk433
* Howa Type 89
* Howa Type 20
* IFAR 22
* IMBEL IA2
* IMBEL MD2
* IMI Negev
* IMI Tavor TAR-21
* IWI Tavor X95
* IWI Galil ACE N
* Kalashnikov SR-1
* Kel-Tec PLR-16
* Kel-Tec RDB
* Kel-Tec SU-16
* KH-2002
* LAPA FA-03
* Magpul PDR
* MKEK MPT
* MSBS Grot
* Norinco QBZ-97
* Norinco Type 03 assault rifle (export models)
* Pindad SS1
* Pindad SS2
* PTR 63
* Robinson Armaments M-96 "Expeditionary Rifle"
* Robinson Armaments XCR
* Rung Paisarn RPS-001
* Primary Weapon Systems UXR
* SA80
* SAR-21 (export models)
* SAR-80
* SR-88
* SIG MCX
* SIG 556
* Sterling SAR-87
* Steyr AUG (NATO variant)
* Leader T2 MK5 rifle
* Type 65
* VB Berapi LP06
* VHS
* Vulcan V18
* Type XT-97
* XM29 OICW
* Zastava M85
* Zenith Firearms ZF rifles
* Zenith Firearms ZPD rifles

### Manually operated rifles

* BMS Cam rifle
* Crossfire MKI
* Mossberg MVP
* LW-S1
* POF USA ReVolt Light
* Remington Model 7615P
* Ruger American Ranch and Predator
* Troy Pump Action Rifle (PAR)
* Voere S16
* Aftermarket STANAG bottom metals are also available for the Remington Model 700 (modification by gunsmith required)

### STANAG magazine convertible rifles

* CZ-805 BREN (through housing conversion)
* Heckler & Koch G36 (modular magazine well)
* IMI Galil (through adaptor)
* SAR 21 (through swapping lower receiver with the one from export model)
* Steyr AUG (through right hand only STANAG magazine stock assembly)
* CM901 (with 5.56 adapter block)
* Wz. 1996 Beryl (through adaptor)

## Other cartridges

Over the years different cartridges that fit into the STANAG magazine emerged, some rounds like .300 AAC Blackout have the same rim diameter as .223 Remington and only require a barrel change to be used in a firearms that was previously using in .223 Remington.
| Cartridge | Requires modification to the magazine | Capacity in 30 round magazine | Rim diameter |
| .223 Remington | no | 30 | 9.6 mm (0.38 in) |
| .300 AAC Blackout | no | 30 | 9.6 mm (0.38 in) |
| 6×45mm | no | | 9.6 mm (0.38 in) |
| .450 Bushmaster | Single stack follower | 9 | 12 mm (0.47 in) |
| .458 SOCOM | Single stack follower | 10 | 12 mm (0.47 in) |
| .50 Beowulf | Yes | | 11.3 mm (0.44 in) |

## Loading tools

Loading a STANAG magazine, particularly one with a large capacity and a corresponding high spring pressure pushing the rounds to the top of the magazine, can be quite difficult. A number of devices are available to make this task simpler. These are sometimes called speedloaders but are more commonly known as magazine loaders, stripper clips, spoons, or stripper clip guides. There are a wide range of both commercial and military type loading tools available for STANAG magazines. For example; draft STANAG 4181 is a type of stripper clip and guide tool proposed for standardization based on the USGI M16 rifle stripper clips and guide tools.

### Gallery

* Manually loading a magazine with individual rounds.
* STANAG guide tools and stripper clip filled with 5.56mm NATO ammo.
* Close-up of STANAG loading guide tool.
* Loading a magazine with STANAG stripper clip and guide tool.
* Ditto, with stripper clip pressed against a hard surface to load the magazine more quickly.
* Loading a magazine with loading tool.
* Loading a magazine with an alternative style of loading tool.
* M-16 / AR-15 LULA magazine loader and unloader.
* StripLULA loading tool.
* BenchLoader heavy-duty magazine loader.
* Trijent Mech-loader for high volume loading