Just because Armalite uses the M14 magazine doesn't necessarily make it better. Back when Clinton signed the AWB, the price of M14 magazines spiked at $100 to $150!! No one wanted to take their M14 magazines and convert them, because they were like gold back then. Thus the quest started for building an AR platform that would use the FAL magazine, because they were plentiful and cheap back then. (I'm talking $5 per magazine)
Those who did buy AR-10's and converted the magazines over, had problems. Major problems.....enough that rifles needed to be sent back to Armalite. (Ask me how I know
) The M14 magazine works great in the M14. Not so good in the AR-10.
Then the AWB expired. And Armalite was able to produce their own magazine. A much improved magazine that worked a lot better in the AR platform. But, as far as I know, they kept it proprietary.
Then came along DPMS and people started looking more into the Knights Armament SR-25. Both these companies used the original AR-10 magazine blueprints. The one that came out in the 1960's or so. This is a much better design and has spawned Magpul's excellent polymer magazine to be used in these platforms. This has made the DPMS a very popular rifle. Not only because of the Magpul magazine, but because they are flexible enough to bring out what customers want. Especially the competitive shooters.
The FAL magazine is an excellent magazine and just because Armalite says this magazine can't be used in an AR platform, doesn't mean squat in my opinion. The FAL is probably the best battle rifle ever made and people have taken notice. There was a big run on FAL kits a few years ago and to this day a good quality FAL from DSA or Enterprise will sell fast. Now bring in the old Bushmaster, the new RRA LAR-8, and the Kel-Tec and we're seeing a big drain on FAL magazines. Thus the price has spiked to $20 -$25 and people are starting to hoard them. This has produced another viable market to where DSA and now RRA are starting to make their own FAL magazines.
The issue of no FAL magazines will be a short lived one. With all the platforms out there using this magazine, it