Your Privacy Choices
Let’s begin with the story behind the invention of this product. As with many other great inventions, it started with restrictions due to legislation.
In Germany you’re by law only allowed 10 round magazines, or 20 round magazines limited to 10 rounds.
Therefore the practical shooting competitions sometimes become a matter of who can reload the fastest, and spare the ammunition while still only shooting in the A zone. It’s a bit like planning a stage while shooting a revolver with its limited capacity, and that’s not why most people shoot and compete with rifles.
A friend of mine came up with a solution to this, and it’s been on the market for a while. While I don’t (yet, I should add) have any issues with my local legislation to use any sort of magazine there are some other reasons to get this product.
For instance when you are prone, and the barricade opening is too low for a normal magazine (which to me is a 30 rounder) then it’s a benefit to use a 2 x 20 coupler. Reloading, if needed, is easier with your spare magazine in front of you than finding a new magazine in your belt.
The base of the XMag is also very flat and steady, so you can use it as a magazine support.
If you happen to end up in a Shoot-off competition, it’s quite handy to change the magazine quickly.
The reason behind the name “XMag-Coupler” is because the coupler fits all variants of PMAGs, EMAGs, G-MAGs and OA-MAGs in .223 and .308 caliber.
The magazines are connected at the lowest possible point, so there’s no issue with a short coupled magazines to get stuck in the magwell. You can also holster an XMag in most, if not all, magazine holders.
The material is billet aluminum which is then milled, polished and hard anodized in black.
The couplers are all high quality, no sharp edges, just like any German quality product and what I would expect from any high-end quality brand.
XMAG-COUPLER II connects two magazines and XMAG-COUPLER III connects three magazines.
PMAG GEN M3 Magazines will use the XMAG-COUPLER II3, which is the one in the installation pictures below.
I have yet to find a need for three magazines in a holder. I think it might get tricky to reload due to weight and uneven weight distribution, but I haven’t tried.
Below: Installation is easy. Just remove the bottom of the PMAG and keep your hand over the spring, slide over the XMag and you’re done. These are brand new Magpul PMAGS AR/M4 Gen M3 about to get “XCoupled”. The knife is an Italian Lionsteel T.R.E., damascus steel with titanium and carbon fiber, very nice.
One down, one to go.
Here you can see the bottom of the installation.
After about 60 seconds the install is ready and you have 2 x 20 rounds in a low and stable format.
Installation done, ready to use. You can use any PMAG Gen3s in this one, but I think 2 x 20 is the best choice.
In a competitive situation you may want to have your close range bulk ammo in one magazine and your expensive “Alpha Zone only” long range match bullets in the next. In a tactical situation you may want to have tracers in one or for home defense supers or subs. If coupled, they stay on the rifle with you all the time.
Apart from the reviewed XMAG-COUPLER II, they also manufacture couplers for other magazines. I haven’t tried any of these, but it would surprise me if the function is any different.
The XMAG-COUPLER IIH.30 is a magazine coupler for .308 AR10 magazines and is milled out of a billet of high-strength aluminum material.
The XMAG-COUPLER II.30 will connect all .308 PMAGs and OA-MAGs magazines in a stable and easy way and allows also the usage of short mags with mag funnels.
The couplers are milled, polished and hard anodized. Standard colour is black.
Photo used with permission
Heckler & Koch shooters will like the the XMAG-COUPLER IIH.30, a magazine coupler for the HK MR308.
The XMAG-COUPLER IIH.30 will connect all 10 and 20 round MR308 magazines.
Note: In the US the MR308 is called MR762.
Below: Here’s an example of the XMag Coupler on a 7,5″ AR-15 in 300 BLK. As you can see the base of the coupler makes the rifle stand on its own. JP Rifles upper, with Aimpoint Micro, NEA stock and a Glock G43 on the side. Low visibility gear.
There are several companies in Europe that sells the coupler, and they also sell direct. I don’t know how they are able to ship internationally.
The price is around €46 / 52USD for the XMag II and €69 / 78 USD for the XMag III.
The Magpul MagLink coupler is only about 18 USD, but the products are different and I’ll leave it up to you what’s best for you.
I also tried coupling 2 x PMAGs Gen3 30 rounders, and it works just as good as the 20 rounders.
I tried them in the Tavor as well, no issues, and the couples makes the Tavor stand on itself. Unfortunately my camera broke down, so I couldn’t take any photos.
You can find more information about the product here:
http://www.2cr.de/XMAG-COUPLER.html
PROS:
- Very easy installation.
- Only one part, which is made out of durable aluminum. It’s not likely going to brake.
- Couples almost any magazine.
- Couples the magazines at the lowest possible point of contact, so will work with most wide magwells.
- Good for shooting prone, can act like a stand.
- Great for shoot-off competitions where reloading is mandatory.
- Available for a large amount of brands and generations.
- For certain calibers, like the 300 BLK, you may have a need to switch from subsonic to supersonic ammunition. With the XMag you can keep your rifle loaded and have quick access to both without a belt on you.
CONS:
- A bit on the expensive side.
- Adds width and (a little) weight to your setup.
- Availability (Shipping to the US may be expensive)
Note: While I know the inventor as a fellow competitor from various matches, I have paid for my XMag couplers in full.
