Limitless Gear is a new company to enter the world of molle compatible magazine carriers. Their flagship product, the OPFOR MCR, is something I’ve been looking forward to for some time now. With its initial release earlier this year, I was able to acquire two samples for testing and evaluation.
The OPFOR MCR mag carriers are a rather original design that flies in the face of traditional mag carriers. Unlike most mag carriers and pouches, the MCR is made of molded polymer. They feature two sets of teeth like tabs on the back. One set points downward while the other points up. The top teeth are fixed. The lower teeth are mounted on a sliding door. The door locks into a closed position. Pulling out on the bottom of the sliding door and pulling down causes the door to slide out allowing for the MCR to be mounted quickly and easily on a molle surface. The front sports two bars, allowing the mounting more molle compatible accessories on the front. Inside the carriers a set of arrow shaped moldings jut out from the sides, creating a funnel-like effect. These make it much easier to insert a magazine. The front and back inside of the mag carrier features a leaf spring and a tab. When the magazine is inserted, the leaf springs twist the magazine slightly locking the tabs into the notches on the magazine locking it in place. To remove the magazine a slight twist is needed to unlock the magazine from the tabs.
Because of the unique locking mechanism, it is possible to mount the MCR in an upside down position. Because it lacks any sort of flap or bungee cord, it is much easier, and much quicker to remove the magazine and insert it into the gun. Even with the weight of a fully loaded 30 round magazine, the MCR will keep the magazine in place. I found that the carriers worked reliably with 20 and 30 round Pmags, as well as aluminum 30 round GI mags. The sliding door on the back of the MCR makes it incredibly easy to move it from a belt, to a plate carrier, to a bag in a very short amount of time.
In my time with the MCR mag carriers, I’ve found that they stand up well to sub-zero temperatures, never becoming brittle or breaking. I was a bit concerned about the effects of temperature because I live in an area that frequently drops into the negative teens. I also don’t want to have to worry about my guns or gear being delicate. If I can’t throw it in the back of my truck, drop it on concrete, or get it dirty, I don’t care to have it around. Which is where I ran into an issue with the OPFOR MCR. A drop test with the MCR mounted on the front of a fully loaded plate carrier returned less than stellar results. When dropped from approximately chest high onto a concrete floor, the OPFOR shattered spectacularly. The Pmag mounted in the OPFOR was undamaged.
[box type=”info”] NOTE: Should you experience damage to your Limitless Gear OPFOR, LG will gladly replace your unit. Simply email them at Sales@LimitlessGear.com. This does change my opinion a bit. A company that will stand by its product is always impressive to me.[/box]
One negative I’ve found with the MCR is that, because the teeth on the back don’t overlap, mounting it on a non rigid surface, like a bag, can sometimes result in the teeth slipping out of the loops and mag carrier becoming loose. This would be an easy fix simply be redesigning the teeth to overlap. The only other con I’ve run into is that the MCR mag pouch is a little thicker than a typical nylon or kydex mag carrier. Not wide enough to get in the way, but wide enough to make it harder to conceal a chest rig under a heavy coat.
The OPFOR MCR is available on Limitless Gear’s website. They sell for a fair $34.95, and are currently only available for STANAG mags. The only color option is coyote tan. If it wasn’t for the poor results on the drop test, I would honestly love these things. They’re so easy to move from one molle platform to another that two or three carriers can easily take the place of a larger number of dedicated carriers. I was sent two for review, and the remaining one will remain on my range bag, though I doubt I’ll ever move it to my plate carrier full time. I’d like to see an improvement in the polymer, perhaps the addition of glass fibers would add the needed strength. I’d also love to see them expand to pistol mag carriers or carriers for different styles of rifle magazines. In the end, this product is a great idea, and would work well for someone less heavy handed than I.
NOTE: Should you experience damage to your Limitless Gear OPFOR, LG will gladly replace your unit. Simply email them at Sales@LimitlessGear.com. This does change my opinion a bit. A company that will stand by its product is always impressive to me.
You must be logged in to post a comment.