Best AR-15 Drum Magazines

Are you shopping for the best possible drum magazine for your AR-15? We have compiled a list of the best AR-15 drum magazines on the market. Drum magazines can come in handy for gun range trips and SHTF situations.

You never know when extra ammo will come in handy. That’s why companies continue to try to increase the number of rounds you can fit in a magazine.

The first drum magazines started in the 50-round range and have grown to as large as 100-round drum magazines.

Let us dive into the four most popular AR-15 drum magazines on the market, starting with the KCI.

Magpul D60 Drum Magazine

Magpul is a highly well-known magazine brand. Their most popular magazine, the PMAG, is the go-to polymer mag for nearly everyone shooting an AR-15.

The Magpul D60 holds 60 rounds, hence the name D60, and has several interesting features.

The rear of the D60 has a clear see-through panel that allows you to see the number of rounds in the drum.

I love the Magpul D60 drum magazine for my Stag AR-15 pistol.

Ratching Lever

One of the nicest features of the D60 is the ratchet lever that allows you to load the drum mag easily.

Last Round Hold Open

The Magpul D60 has a last-round bolt hold-open feature like most mags. This is worth noting because many high-capacity drum magazines don’t have a last-round bolt hold open.

The Magpul D-60 is probably the most popular drum magazine lately, so you can buy them anywhere, like GunMag Warehouse or Palmetto State Armory.

KCI AR-15 Drum Magazine

The KCI AR-15 drum magazine is probably one of the most recognizable drum mags today.

The KCI is made in Korea and features two round drums vs. the normal one-drum magazines.

The nice thing about the KCI AR-15 drums is they have steel lips, making them more durable than polymer magazines. The feed system has an alternating system that pulls around from alternating drums while shooting.

The price is reasonable, coming in at around $134.99.

It’s possible to find the KCI on sale, but the going price is around $150 and it is offered at Palmetto State Armory and GunMag Warehouse.

The drum includes the magazine, magazine loader, carrying case, and graphite lube.

If you are on a budget, you can get the KCI 50 Round AR Drum magazine at PSA, GunMag Warehouse, which comes at around $70.

X-Products X-15 Drum Magazine

The X-Products X-15 is probably most well known for its can cannon, but they also make several drum magazines for the AR-15 patterned guns.

The X-15 is a 50-round drum mag that is standard and skeletonized. The only real benefit of the skeletonized drum magazine is weight reduction.

The X-15 is made in the USA, a big plus for Lynx Defense, considering we are a 100% made-in-the-USA brand.

The X-15, similar to the Magpul D-60, has a tensioning wheel. The lever design of the D-60 may be easier to use than the X-15, but they both function similarly.

They remove tension from the spring so you can easily load the magazine to its full capacity.

This drum mag may not currently be in production.

Promag AR-15 Drum Magazine

The nice thing about the Promag AR-15 drum magazines is ProMag offers so many different options and models.

Not just for AR-15s but also for many other guns, including guns like the Glock 19 and the CZ Scorpion.

The AR-15 pattern Promag is more of a square than the other previously mentioned drum magazines.

While its fit and finish aren’t as aesthetically pleasing to the eye the function is nearly the same as the other drum mags.

If you want to use your AR-15 and drum magazine at night, be sure to take a look at our best AR-15 flashlight guide.