Why Drum Magazines are a Bad Idea

I often see questions form people asking why drum magazines are not more widely used - the BAR and the MP40/I in particular. People often view the box vs drum magazine question simply in terms of capacity - where the drum is obviously superior. However, there are several other elements to the question, and drums don't fare so well with most of them. Drum magazines are heavier, more expensive to make, and much more complicated to carry than simple box magazines. Drum magazines are a tempting idea, and they periodically pop up in military usage around the world. However, what I find telling is that virtually no military adopted two drums in a row. The US dropped the Thompson drums, the Finns went form a drum to a box magazine for the Suomi, the Soviets dropped the PPSh-41 drum in favor of a box mag on the PPS-43, and neither the Lewis nor DP was followed by another gun using their pan magazines.

Contact:
Forgotten Weapons
6281 N. Oracle #36270
Tucson, AZ 85740

[sevensixtwothirtynine]

drum mags
-2 reliability
-1 agility
+10 charisma

[edgarssults]

Drum magazines only make sense in computer games where you don't have to physically carry the ammo yourself.

[championknife]

During the war in Chechnya, Russian scouts complained that when moving in silence, the drum with cartridges for the RPD machine gun makes a lot of noise, the cartridges beat against the walls of the drum. This unmasks the scouts.

[DanielSan]

The solution is obviously: *Triangle Mags*

[ninjaslash_]

Remember, switching to your secondary is faster than reloading.

[afhostie]

Can't imagine how heavy the BAR would've been if they'd been issued drum magazines

[LURFAX]

Drums seem to be used best by having one drum magazine loaded into the gun, and using regular box mags for your reloads. For example a D60 Magpul drum with 30 round PMAGs as reloads.

[jackofmanytrades]

It is hard to deny that a 1921 Thompson with a big ol' drum magazine has a cool factor that is off the charts.

[VexChoccyMilk]

Correct answer is to start out with a drum, then reloads with stick mags.

[jimeditorial]

My WW2 vet father carried both versions of Thompson and told me that the drum magazine was jam prone and made the gun too heavy. And pointless, because he said that it was almost always fired semi auto. Even with a Sten later, he said they were expected to fire three shot bursts.

[CReed-kfeo]

RPK Gunners in Chechnya would carry One Drum and Five Extended Mags. The drum would be their starter. The Zaslon units would do the same for their Alpha AK’s.

[apollo]

POV: your high school principle is telling you why your shooting plan wouldn’t have worked

[atomgrav]

Me: “Drum magazines are awesome

Gun Jesus: “Drum magazines are unreliable”

Me: “Drum magazines are unreliable..”

[demilung]

Yeah, I remember old stories from WWII veterans about the PPSh drum magazines. Their nominal capacity was 71 round but it was impossible to load it to that number - the resistance of the spring became incredibly hard. If I recall the story correctly, no soldier in the field ever could get it to above 60, but even that was a record. Loading it to above 50% apparently felt like something is going to break - possibly your fingers.

[jonathanwest]

The Germans complained about the Soviet's higher capacity SMG but did not have to deal with the draw backs so it was easy to complain.

[rocketgruntmason]

Everyone turns their head when I walk in with a sphere mag

[jmrocket]

How to make drum magazines easier to carry:
1) Design to double as belt buckles.
2) Give to Texans.

[davidwhite]

One slight correction: the Bren mk1 was capable of using a 100 round drum in the anti-aircraft role. It may not have been used much but it did exist

[PossumReviews]

It's also kind of awkward to use a drum with a bullpup style rifle.

[Bilbosilius_Zwackelbaggins]

"Drum Magazines are a Bad Idea"
MG36: "Alright, double-drums it is"