The Surefire MAG5-60 and MAG5-100 magazines were initially released in 2010 and received much interest from all over the shooting community. However, insofar as actually being used by operating forces, it appears that their adoption has been somewhat limited. There is footage of what appears to be infantrymen from the 2nd Infantry Division in Afghanistan using them as a private purchase. In addition to an official adoption by Indonesian KOPSAKA Special Forces in 2013 which the force is still using today.

A recent photo of a KOPSAKA soldier with a Surefire 100 round magazine loaded in an H&K 416.

Recent images shared on a Turkish SAT Komandoları (Turkish Naval Special Warfare Command) Instagram channel have shown several Turkish soldiers with what appear to be Surefire MAG5-60 magazines inserted in their M4 carbines. So far it doesn’t appear to be a force-wide adoption as only two images have really emerged from the channel showing the 60 round magazines inserted. The concept of a high capacity magazine is sound in theory with the ability to carry the capacity of two magazines in the place of the profile of one 30 round magazine. In addition, the Surefire 60 round magazines can actually fit well in existing double magazine pouches, negating the need for a proprietary pouch. Unfortunately, at the end of the day a rifle is meant to be carried, usually over long distances by infantry or SOF units. Having the extra weight on an already weighed down carbine sometimes isn’t worth the reward of a higher capacity magazine.

Interestingly if one scrolls through the same Instagram channel, one will notice that in earlier photographs of the force there is a tendency for either high capacity STANAG compatible magazines or more often a double stacked magazine clamp. Again, double stacked magazines do make reloads much faster, but they bring with them the weight problem stated above. In addition, they leave the ready magazine exposed to the elements because of the open feed lips. But whatever the reason, it appears that the SAT Komandoları appear to work with a unit level SOP of higher capacity magazines or at clamped magazines loaded in their carbines. One train of thought might be that because they are a maritime SOF unit, the commandos have less access to their plate carriers laying down on a Zodiac boat or assaulting a beach with their swimming gear that the weight trade-off is worth it. So it would appear that the SAT logistics officers saw a need to replace their clamped magazine system with a simpler combined system such as Surefire’s.

While the majority of this squad has Magpul PMAGs, the two commandos opposite of the center one both have what appear to be 40 round PMAGs.

This commando has a Surefire SOCOM compensator mounted to his M4, possibly indicating a larger sale of Surefire products to the SAT.

Note the extended magazine on the left and the extended one in the pouch of the center commando.

Notice the clamped magazines second from right. 

And also second from the right.

This commando has two clamped PMAGs.

Every commando with an M4 has clamped magazines in this photograph.