The 8 Best AR-15 Magazine Releases for Your Money

Arms Unlimited AR-15 Ambidextrous Magazine Release

The Arms Unlimited Ambidextrous Magazine Release is a sturdy and straightforward aftermarket mag release. It is an all-steel part, meaning that it is more durable and less prone to breaking or malfunction. While we all would like our parts to be durable and malfunction free, particularly if you spend many hours at the range.

The most significant appeal to this release is ambidextrous, often referred to as “Ambi.” You may be asking yourself why you need an Ambi mag release if you aren’t a southpaw like me? Well, an Ambi release allows a right-handed shooter to quickly drop an empty magazine with their non-shooting hand. This prevents you from having to re-adjust the grip of your shooting hand after a reload.

This part is all too easy to install. You simply need to unscrew your stock magazine latch, drop this one in place, and you should be ready to go. It is compatible with your standard AR-15 platform, so this part is ready to go right out of the package.

It is important to note that the button and spring are not included. If you think that the spring has seen its better days, you may want to consider adding one of those to your order. They typically only run a couple of bucks and can help your new mag release run smoothly.

Troy Industries AR-15/M16 Ambidextrous Magazine Release

Next up on our list is the Troy Industries Ambi magazine release. Like our first pick, this is a durable, ambidextrous magazine release that will survive hours at the range. While very similar to the Arms Unlimited release described above, the Troy Industries release design has one distinct difference. The button on this release mimics the standard magazine release’s size and shape, which may make familiarization with this addition easier.

The Troy Industries magazine release offers quick and easy installation. It is essentially a “drop-in” part, meaning that you will not require any gunsmithing skills to add this aftermarket part to your rifle. It will work with your already equipped magazine release button. However, it is compatible with many oversized release buttons as well, giving you additional customization options.

This part is also compatible with some Ambi bolt releases, such as a BAD lever (an excellent addition for lefties that I run on my personal AR’s). This compatibility with other aftermarket parts is an essential consideration for those of you planning on making multiple, interconnected customizations.

The Troy Industries Ambidextrous Magazine Release does not include an oversized button or a replacement spring. You will not necessarily need the spring if yours is in good working order, but you should consider whether or not you want to purchase the oversized button when ordering your magazine release so that you can install both parts at once.

Odin Works AR-15 Extended Magazine Release

This next choice is the Odin Works Inc. Extended Magazine Release. This mag release is constructed from billet aluminum and comes in three colors: black, red, and FDE (flat dark earth).

It is a durable, oversized magazine release. However, it is not an ambidextrous magazine release.

This Odin Works mag release is simple to install using two screws and an Allen wrench, both included. According to Odin Works’ specifications, the mag release is roughly four times the size of a standard mag release button, which is especially helpful during situations where your heart rate may be elevated (i.e. self-defense applications, competition shooting).

While this mag release is not an Ambi release, it offers benefits to both right and left-handed shooters. A right-handed shooter will find this mag release substantially easier to activate with their trigger finger when compared to a stock, mil-spec mag release button. My fellow southpaws will discover that the Odin Works extended mag release is easy to find and activate with the thumb on their non-shooting hand.

I tend to grip very close to the mag-well, especially when shooting from a kneeling or prone position. If you utilize a similar grip, the Odin Works extended mag release is a viable alternative to an Ambi mag release. You should consider your handedness and preferred hand positioning when selecting your mag release.

V Seven Weapon Systems- AR-15 Magazine Release Titanium

The V Seven Weapon Systems-AR-15 Titanium Magazine Release is perhaps the most durable and well-constructed choice on our list. This magazine is made of, you guessed it, titanium.

The titanium mag release is entirely corrosion resistant and comes with a lifetime warranty. Also, you can choose from two finish options and two design patterns on your magazine release. The V Seven titanium mag release comes in either a raw finish or a “black ion bond” finish.

You also have your choice of a horizontal line or diamond pattern on your magazine release button. This item includes the release, button, and a new spring. The installation of this mag release is quick and simple.

The magazine release may seem like a minor upgrade, but I assure you it is not. After completing a few magazine changes with a high-quality magazine release like the V Seven Titanium, you will never want to use a poor-quality release again. Poorly made magazine releases can be “sticky” and hard to engage, leading you to develop bad habits as a shooter.

The two minor drawbacks of this magazine release are that it is not an ambidextrous release and its standard-sized release button.

V Seven does offer an extended magazine release button that is compatible but must be purchased separately. While you can develop proficiency with a standard-sized magazine release, there are some great benefits to the oversized magazine release button.

Odin Works Inc.-AR-15 Gen III Extended Magazine Release

Odin Works Inc. Gen III Extended Magazine Release is their latest iteration of their extended mag release and offers notable improvements.

As with the first and second generations, it is manufactured from billet aluminum. This version is also compatible with the AR-10 platform.

The Gen III comes in the following five color options: black, FDE, red, blue, and silver. It includes two screws and an Allen wrench for a quick and painless installation. Unlike the first generation of this magazine release, the Gen III has two unique cutouts on the design to allow for an even better contact when activating your mag release.

As before, it is roughly four times the size of a mil-spec mag release button. One of Odin Works’ best modifications to the Gen III is improving this magazine releases compatibility with other customizations, such as the fore mentioned Magpul BAD Lever.

According to Odin Works, this part is also compatible with KNS Pins. These pins are fitted with special retainers that prevent your trigger pins from “walking” or “creeping” when subjected to high volumes of fire.

Due to its compatibility with other modifications that can improve your shooting experience, the Odin Works Gen III Magazine Release deserves some serious consideration. A few simple to install, high-quality parts can completely change your shooting experience.

Strike Industries-Ambidextrous Magazine Release

Shifting our focus back to Ambi mag releases, the next entry on our list is the Strike Industries Ambidextrous magazine release. This mag release is made from aluminum and includes a replacement spring and button. The company offers four color options: black, FDE, red, and “titan” (orange).

The Strike Industries Ambi release is ergonomically designed and just looks and feels good. It offers a smooth activation on both the traditional button and the Ambi button side. The Ambi button on the magazine catch side includes a series of vertical cut-outs to improve the ease of use.

The Strike Industries mag release is installed similar to a traditional release and is compatible with any mil-spec AR-15 platform. Installation only takes a few minutes and will not require any special tools.

The Strike Industries mag release is consistent with many other aftermarket improvements, such as KNS pins.

Strike Industries also offers an extended magazine release option. This is a good option if you want to install an extended magazine release button and an ambidextrous release. However, these kits must be purchased separately. The second kit also includes a catch and spring, which will leave you with a few duplicate parts.

This Strike Industries magazine release button does run parallel to the magazine catch, making the button somewhat small and difficult to locate at first. As with all modifications to your firearm, you should utilize reloading and other non-firing drills to familiarize yourself with your new equipment. Developing good training habits is vital to effectively utilizing your equipment.

V Seven Weapon Systems- AR-15 Ultra-Light Magazine Catch

The AR-15 Ultra-Light Magazine Catch, V Seven’s other magazine release option, is constructed out of aluminum. This magazine release is only offered in a black anodized finish and provides the option of a diamond or line pattern on the magazine release button. As with their titanium magazine release, V Seven offers a lifetime warranty on this part.

The Ultra-Light magazine release includes the catch, button, and spring. It fits the standard AR-15 specifications and can be installed quickly. The primary appeal of this part is the lifetime warranty and the lightweight design. While it may seem insignificant to replace one original part with a lightweight variant, replacing multiple parts with lightweight aftermarket parts can significantly reduce the weight of your rifle.

While this magazine release will perform better than stock magazine releases on most low to mid-tier rifles, it offers little else in the way of performance benefits. This part does not offer an ambidextrous option, nor does it offer an extended magazine release. When compared to its titanium counterpart, the titanium magazine release is the clear winner.

If you do not need an ambi or extended magazine release, the V Seven Ultra-Light magazine release is an extremely affordable option with a great warranty and good performance. Despite these perks, you may want to consider opting for their titanium option for a few dollars more. It looks and performs notably better.

Nemo- AR-15 Ambidextrous Magazine Release

Last up on our list is the Nemo Ambidextrous Magazine Release. This machined steel magazine release is durable and practical. It, like all of our choices, involves a simple installation. The Nemo mag release does not require any tools to install. It does not include a replacement spring or button and only comes in one finish option, black.

The Nemo magazine release includes a laser engraved Nemo logo. It also has a texture pad consisting of vertical lines to assist in locating and depressing the button.

This magazine release offers a clean, smooth action and does not have any sticking point when activating it. It is compatible with most anti-walk pins and battery assist devices.

As mentioned before, replacing your standard magazine release with an ambidextrous magazine release offers significant benefits to both right and “wrong” handed shooters, like myself. It is important to consider your preferred shooting and reloading practices when determining which magazine release purchase that you want to make.

If you want to convert your rifles magazine release to an ambidextrous release and elect to add an extended magazine release button, the Nemo Ambi release is compatible with many extended-release options.

The only real downsides to this magazine release are that it only comes in one finish option and does not include a replacement spring. However, you can pick one up for virtually nothing if your magazine release spring needs to be replaced. If you are looking for a quality ambidextrous magazine release that will last a lifetime, the Nemo ambi release deserves your consideration.