Introduction
The first thing I'd like to say as you start reading this review is that though I wrote it for the 240th Hi-Cap Mag for the MP5, it's still a helpful read for all those who wonder the difference between the hi-cap and the standard type magazines.

---

Every AEG out there comes with a standard magazine that would normally hold anywhere between 30 to 68 rounds, and though some AEGs may come with standard magazines with bigger capacities, in my opinion, they shouldn't even be called "standard" magazines in the first place...

This special 240 round magazine was made for the MP5 series. I tested it on a Tokyo Marui MP5SD5 which comes with a standard 50rd magazine, so I'll be making comparisons along the way.

At first glance I didn't like the plastic material, but the fake bullets sticking out were pretty neat... Also, the coupler is made out of metal and you can pull it out should you ever need to take the magazine apart. So, when you take into consideration the metal coupler, the fake bullets, and the way it looks on the gun, you forget about the plastic material and end up liking the looks very much.

Depending on the scenario you're playing, as in low ammo CQB, the standard 50th Mag would DEFINITELY be your favorite choice. It won't jam or make any noise that would alert enemies of your presence. But when you're in a tight spot, you WILL want to have the firepower. The length of time that you can hunt unseen is ALWAYS very limited and when you DO find your foe, it's better to have ammo to waste, than ammo to save. All in all, I'd always start each game with the hi-cap magazine loaded... the standard 50th magazine would be a backup and I'd most probably never need to use it.

Size/Capacity
As shown in the picture above, this magazine is about half as long as the standard type, but it will hold 4 times as much ammo... yep, 4 times as much. What? The math doesn't add up? You think 240 rounds are almost 5 times as much as 50 rounds? Not with this magazine, it ain't. As I tested it for the first time, I loaded a handful of BBs and no matter what I did, I wasn't able to get the gun to shoot them. I tried switching fire rate modes, shaking the gun around, cleaning the inside of the barrel, checking for BBs locked inside the gun... nothing. Then a little angel appeared wearing camo wings and a kevlar helmet and told me that I should check the magazine instead of the gun... I know what you're thinking, and the answer is NO, it wasn't Gazoo. Gazoo did have a helmet, his face was green, and also appeared with advise at times, BUT he only appeared to Fred Flinstone and last time I checked, my name wasn't Fred.

Moving on... as I look inside the magazine, I notice that the BBs were there, but down at the bottom. After having run out of will, and even thinking the magazine was defective, I asked the retailer for advise. Roberto, Campobase's representative, quickly replied back telling me to fill up the magazine. So I did, and voilà, every single BB came out. The lesson? Make sure the magazine is full as the spring mechanism may not push far enough to shoot the last couple of dozen BB's. A couple of pros from the Hellas Airsoft Team (Angelo and Jim) have experience modifying hi-cap magazines to fix this problem by streching out the spring to make it push up all the way. Children, don't try that out home.

The picture below shows where you can fill in the magazine. Slide out the bullets, or flip up the cap that fits into the gun. As time passes, I think the bullet cap will wear off and slide off and on by its own, forcing you to have to glue it in place. Maybe that's why they added the extra loading cap.

Important Note About Hi-Cap Magazines: If you find yourself shooting blanks, GO SEE A DOCTOR... but if you find your AEG shooting empty with a Hi-Cap magazine installed, make sure that you have cocked the spring usually by turning a wheel of some sort outside the magazine.

Weight
Loaded, this magazine has an approximate weight of 350gr. If you care how much it would weigh empty, then you do the math and subtract the weight of 240 BBs... and thought it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out, I'll even help you out with the formula... "(350)-(.20x240)=approximate net weight".

Balance
As opposed to the standard magazine, this one fits kind of loose, but it doesn't look as if it were going to fall. At least it didn't when I tested it. I ran, shot, ran some more, shook the gun around, changed positions, etc... it always stayed in place.

Assembly
Should you want to take this magazine apart, all you have to do is uninstall the coupler by pushing the pry down as shown below, and unscrew the bottom.

High capacity magazines have several advantages, the most obvious being firepower, but you should also take into consideration the advantages of the standard magazine which should not go unnoticed. I've drawn out a chart to help make this point clear.

Comparison Chart
Test Type	Hi-Cap	Standard
Capacity	240 rounds	50 rounds
Material	Plastic w/ metal coupler	Metal
Fit	A little loose	Tight
Noise	A lot	None
Loading without tools	Quick/Easy	Slow/Complicated
Price	~ 45€	Free (included with gun)

As you can see, depending on which type of magazine you pick, you win big in some areas, but also lose big in others.

Conclusion
Though I like the 1000rd Metal Drum Magazine by ICS a lot more (which a team buddy was kind enough to lend me), I'm still glad I bought my 240th mag. The drum magazines are difficult to find and you'll only have use for them if you're a support gunner. Since I mostly play as sniper or fire lead, 200 BBs are enough to last me 2 or more games without having to reload. Though I haven't had to reload during a game, if I ever do, I can just plug my standard size magazine and stay alive. After all, 250 rounds is about twice as much ammo as real operatives ever carry. Unless you're Takleberry, trust me, you won't need that much.

Credits/Acknowledgments This review was brought to you by this website's administrator, Alex Alvarez (aka TripleA). July 7, 2005. Athens, Greece.