There must be something to this internet advertising thing. I saw an ad on Facebook for gun magnet mounts and actually clicked on their page to learn more about them. And that’s how I stumbled on the GO-Magnets gun mounting system.
According to their website, the idea for GO-Magnets came to fruition in 2014 when the company’s founder was unsatisfied with the gun-mount magnets already on the market (“Too expensive, too weak, needing screws, and a difficulty in use were just some of the issues encountered.”), so he decided to make his own. Thus, GO-Magnets were born.
The magnet itself isn’t very big, as you can see in relation to the size of my hand above. Despite its small size, the GO-Magnet is definitely powerful.
They’re not fooling around, because they ship each magnetic gun mount with a card warning that the strong magnet could disrupt pacemakers and that people with metal implants should stay back a foot from the product because of the magnetic force.
If you want to attach the magnet to a non-metal surface, like under your steering wheel or a side table in the bedroom, the magnets come with a metal plate to affix to your non-metal surfaces.
They sell two different size plates: 2”x3” recommended for car mounting, and 4.25”x1” for other applications. You can also get engraved plates should you desire a little more flair.
I tested the magnet on a variety of metal surfaces in my house: gun safe, fridge, filing cabinet, etc. It stuck to everything and didn’t budge — unless I made it. My go-to application for it is to hold my Glock 19 to the side of my safe in the bedroom. Because it is enclosed in a durable fabric pouch, the magnet itself never comes into contact with your gun, your safe, or whatever other surface you attach it to, so it won’t damage the finish.
Their website says the low-profile magnets will hold guns up to 15 pounds. I tested it out by using it to hang my unloaded AR-15 on my safe door. No problem. Again, it held strong and didn’t move until I wanted it to do so.
Anything with iron, nickel, or cobalt in it will stick to the magnet. Basically, if a refrigerator-magnet sticks, your item will too. There are, of course, some metals that won’t stick to the magnet. This includes items in the zinc-alloy family, like aluminum, magnesium, and copper. If your gun is made up of these materials (I’m looking at you, Hi-Point), you’re out of luck. (Their FAQ page actually mentions Hi-Points specifically.)
As for cost, they’re not the cheapest thing in the world, given how minimalist the product is. One magnet and a small plate is $13.99; the car plate is $3.95. Engraved plates cost more than the magnets themselves at $14.95.
The company is veteran-owned and the product is American-made, so it’s hard to argue about money when so many products today have “Made in China” stickers on them.
The customer reviews are strong. And all in all, it’s a handy product if you’re looking for a way to provide easy access in your car, bedroom or office, but don’t want a handgun just sitting in your center console or on your nightstand. I’m happy with mine.
Specifications: GO-Magnet Gun Magnets
Magnet size: 4.25″ x 1″ x .5″
Magnet weight: .2 lbs
Small Mounting Plate size: 3/4″ x 4″ x 1/8″
Large Mounting Plate size: 2″ x 3″ x 1/16″
Price: Single GO-Magnet with small mounting plate, $13.99
Price: Small mounting plate, $1.50
Price: Large mounting plate: $3.95
Ratings (out of five stars):
Value: * * *
It’s a simple product leading me to think they could probably be a bit cheaper. If you only need one, price isn’t much of an issue. If you wanted more, it could get costly. That said, the company is veteran-owned and the magnets are Made in America … that’s worth the price of admission to me.
Ease of Installation: * * * * *
They’re magnets and metal plates. If you know how to work a screwdriver, you can install a plate. If you can stick a magnet to metal, you can use this product. Doesn’t get any easier than that.
Overall: * * * *
It’s a good concept, but they aren’t the only magnet option on the market. They work well and hold your gun in place in a variety of situations. Mission accomplished.
But too much magnet can be bad:
https://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/articles/62291-Officer-Safety-Alert-MRI-Unit-Causes-Malfunction-of-Officers-Issue-Firearm/
There is *no* comparison between the magnetic field of a rare-earth magnet and and the massive magnetic field of a liquid Helium cooled superconductive magnet in an MRI.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BBx8BwLhqg
Sure there is, and we use something called “physics” to do it.
Rare earth magnets can have very strong fields – up to 1.5 T – at the surface of the magnet. That also happens to be about the average field MRI machines run at.
The big difference is the size of the fringe field region, which is likely how the officer’s gun got magnetized. But if you put your gun on a 1-T surface field magnet, you’re still subjecting it to a strong field locally so the size of the fringe field doesn’t matter as much.
That sounds plausible.
Even if the weapon were to become magnetized, a thorough degaussing can eradicate it…
Another extremely important difference however is that all firearm incidents involving MRI include the gun literally flying across the room and striking the device with tremendous force. This is obviously NOT what would occur with a small, albeit very strong, magnet. I believe the risk of a negligent discharge resulting would be extremely remote. As in non-existent.
Urban legends around Urology were told of post-vasectomy men going for a lower body MRI. The clamps that were applied to the cut ends of the Vas deferens were of ferrous material…ouch.
I demanded cat gut sutures.
The other issue that arises when steel is magnetized by an external magnetic field (‘remanence’ or ‘retentivity’) is contamination of bearing surfaces with abrasive particles attracted to that remanence. Hardened steel is easily magnetized by contact with powerful magnets and the abrasive particles drawn to it once magnetized dramatically increase wear.
Most engineering requirements for critical engine bearing parts establish maximum acceptable remanence at 2 – 3 Gauss to avoid this kind of accelerated wear. There are several manufacturers who make gauss meters or magnetometers, as they are sometimes called which can be used to evaluate this condition.
In metals, doesn’t heating to certain point (brain is fuzzy, I recall heating to redness is one way) tend to kill that magnetization?
Yes. It’s called the Curie temperature and for low carbon steel it’s around 1400F. Unfortunately that’s definitely above the temperature where you’re going to affect the temper of the steel.
All in all, arguably better to not magnetize your gun in the first place…
Standard method to minimize magnetic remanence is to pass the magnetized part(s) smoothly through an AC coil. R.B. Annis of Indiana makes purpose built coils and magnetometers widely used in factories after operations such as Magniflux ™ inspection. One of the less obvious operations of quality manufacturing.
Those A/C coil degaussers are sold for bulk de-magnetizing of magnetic recording tape, like reel-to-reel, cassete, etc…
That’s my fear! I got a set and have been afraid to use, each one has 51 lbs of magnetism. I am afraid it will stress springs or magnetize my slide. I really want to put one in my truck but I just don’t feel like ruining my everyday carry.
I’ve always liked the concept of a quick draw for your pistol in the car, but what happens when you get pulled over?
Depends on where you live. In Michigan we have a duty to disclose anyway. If the first words out of your mouth are “I have a license and the gun is….” you’re usually ok.
I am due in about 9 months to renew/refresh on my cpl–but I’m under the impression that duty to inform has been removed since 2013. True?
I’ve got my ccw mounted under my dash in a holster, it’s legal to open carry in a vehicle here in NC. As long as your hands are where they should be and you notify the officer of where the gun is, you’re good to go here. I know some of our customers aren’t allowed to open carry in the car in their states, they just throw a hat on their mounted holsters.
How does an aluminum AR-15 attach to the magnet?
If it’s strong enough the magnet could be catching the bolt…
The action spring is made of steel…duh
The metal plate and a piece that attaches to the gun via screws. I’m sure they have a Mlok/keymod rail piece coming. If not, they should.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but a steel barrel makes up the majority of the weight of most ARs…. If not that, then the bolt and the buffer spring are generally also steel. The trigger/hammer parts/springs also.
Yeah I had a pretty big “duh” moment after I wrote that. The worst part is I’ve built four AR-15s myself, including two 80s, so it’s not like I shouldn’t have thought of that first.
The barrel
Might work under normal operating conditions in a car, but I always wondered if the g forces in a motor vehicle accident would send everything flying…
I wouldn’t put it where it is going to smack me in the head but if something around leg level is breaking free of the magnet and traveling at a sufficient speed to injure I’m betting you have much worse problems going on.
Unless it jammed under the brake pedal or hit the accelerator hard.
Damn flashlight rolled out from under the seat in a buddy’s truck….
I’m a cheap bastard, I just used magnets salvaged from old hard drives screwed into the wood on the underside of my living room table…
Looks like we both missed out on a kajiollion dollar idea huh?? Same thing in my car but on the steering column.
Maybe if these things catch on big you can market aluminum triggers.
“Made in China” sounds like code of anti-Asian racism. What’s so magical about a product by some guy I’ve never met, but who happens to have facial features and skin tone similar to me, over the product by some Asian guy I’ve also never met, but whose features and complexion are vastly different from mine?
I understand that the Trump, anti-free trade kool-aid is flowing stronger these days than a vodka booze luge at a Lohan family get-together, but sheesh, that’s no reason to ignore the economic principle of comparative advantage. You cannot economically isolate yourself into prosperity. It doesn’t work that way.
Now, as for this product, it seems fine to me. I’m not sure how it can claim a competitive advantage, though, except for that American veteran thing. This one requires screws, too, just like the others. This is in the teens price range, just like the others. There are even DIY instructions for a nice gun magnet on Reddit that’ll run you about $12, they report. Maybe GO Magnets are, indeed, stronger? Could be, and maybe that does make the difference, particularly if your application is mobile and subject to varying forces, unlike a desk or safe.
Are you a dumbass, or do you just portray one on the internets?
“Anti-Asian racism”? Seriously? Look, not EVERYTHING is a political statement, OK? Get you head out of where it doesn’t belong & open your eyes a bit. There’s a big, big world out here you’ve obviously never seen and desperately need to.
Why do I have the feeling that this guy doesn’t own any guns, and if he does he holds them sideways. The fact that you do not understand the big picture behind “Buy American”, and that your knee-jerk reaction is to spray accusations of racism… this tells me everything I need to know about you. Wow. Just wow.
Clearly, our numerous social, political and economic issues with China are lost on you and you only see the problem as being about race. Please read more of the news than just whats under the “Entertainment” heading – we have plenty of reasons to hesitate to give China more of our money that have nothing to do with eye shape.
“Johnathon you are a Fucking retard” is a phrase you probably hear a lot. The mere idea that because something is made in America makes it racist. Good god man did you not make it to the last Hillary cry in?
Did it ever occur to you that”some Asian guy” might be an American citizen working in America? Didn’t think so…
Is that you Amy Schumer?
Could be her uncle, but still, very funny
“is flowing stronger these days than a vodka booze luge at a Lohan family get-together…”
I’m stealing that, and adding it to “Went down faster than Paris Hilton in the back of the ‘Limp Bizkit’ tour bus.”
Thanks!
You guys and gals are missing the point…
This guy is an anti-Lohanian racist.
Shame on you Jonathan.
I think a better argument would be…Is it now somehow my civic duty to get ripped off by some crooked veteran that bought some steel from India, some magnets from china, placed a white label on it, stamped made in USA, and is charging me a 1000% mark-up because bass boats aren’t cheap? (I am absolutely not saying this is the case.) Saying “”made in China” ~sucks” is not racist but it is also pointless and adds no value to your review.
If you can’t produce something worth buying and expect people to buy it because you think you are amazing, then you have no value and need to improve or move on until you have value. Marketing for “veteran ownership” and “Made in America” does not add value to a product. Unfortunately, it only adds sales. Nor does “made in China” take away value from a product. There are horrible products made in China, and we engineer products to be horrible. Also, I would rather do business with Xi himself than some of the “veterans” I and my friends have served with. Why not make a superior product that is 10-30% higher in cost that benefits our local economy who wants to reward an individual for their ability and value rather than their previous employer and physical location.
I am getting sick of hearing “veteran owned” and “made in America”. It’s starting to sound like a used car salesman or any liberal, using some slogan to sell you a pile of crap.
Just because someone has an idea doesn’t mean it’s a good one or practical. There is no way in hell I would be building some way to mount my weapon to a magnet for easy access. Could it work for someone in some application, probably.
Nothing wrong with someone wanting to get in on a slice of the American dream…although this one won’t be it.
In my car, my weapon is mounted to ME!
Where is it mounted to you? Shoulder holster? Wherever it is it is not as easy to access with a seatbelt on as this option.
The idea isn’t to leave it in the car, it’s to use the mount when you are in the car and then put it in your on-body carry holster when you get out.
@ Hannibal
Wrong. After 40+ years of carrying concealed, I found that appendix IWB allows for easy draw, EVEN SEATED IN THE CAR SEAT BELTED. The lap portion of the belt is about where your pants belt goes and does not obstruct drawing your weapon and the shoulder / across the chest belt doesn’t obstruct it either. If I couldn’t access my weapon, I would do something different. And no I do NOT shoulder harness carry as that’s the last method I would choose. Every option for carrying is obstructed in a car EXCEPT IWB appendix in my Sticky Holster. If that pisses in someones Corn Flakes that wants to sell these magnet things, oh well! But that is one reason appendix carry has become so popular.
Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it. I could easily post a video on my Youtube channel of me in the car, in lovely living living color and HD, showing my seat belt on and my holstered weapon and show that I can draw it easily and proving it.
As I said though, NO other method of carry seems to work. Appendix carry really is a great method for quick presentation, concealability lower chance of being disarmed among other assets. There is one negative as it does not lend itself well to careless weapon handling. If you mishandle your weapon, you can easily shoot oneself carrying and using the appendix method.
No carry method, no weapon, no caliber, no holster is perfect for every person, and every purpose or need.
However, since I can easily draw my weapon seat belted, I don’t have to be un-holstering and holstering repeatedly. Doing that over and over is not prudent and increases risk and possibly being seen by some idiot do-gooder and getting tackled walking in to buy Spaghetti Os.
So sorry Hannibal, appendix is easier and more accessible than having it off body carry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n7SfBbI6Fk
” There is one negative as it does not lend itself well to careless weapon handling. If you mishandle your weapon, you can easily shoot oneself carrying and using the appendix method.”
*Especially* if it’s a striker-fired weapon with one up. I’m a *big* fan of snubbie DOA-only revolvers with a long, heavy but smooth trigger pull like the LCR for that duty…
Almost anywhere you could mount this, you could mount a proper holster. Magnets don’t protect the trigger or any other part of the gun like a holster. I just don’t see the point, beyond novelty.
A holster with retention strap is going to be a lot more secure in a vehicle, especially for truck guys who off-road or like to ignore speed bumps and curbs on occasion (just because they can).
I don’t care for the idea of car mounts in general when it comes to handguns but to each their own.
I’ve used similar devices however to stash guns and it works quite well to avoid detection. When my pad got burgled they didn’t find a single one of the half dozen pistols stashed around. Trashed the house but good looking for stuff but never found a pistol even when they were inches away from it.
These are easy to make yourself out of an old hard drive and the magnets inside. It’s about the only good use for old IDE drives.
I have no problem with the product or the concept, but could someone talk to them about their video ad?
Guy comes home carrying his pistol small-of-the-back. Fail. Puts it unsecured on a table just inside the door. Fail. Significant other covers it with a big bag, then drags it off the table when she leaves. Fail. THE CHEAP-ASS PISTOL DROP-FIRES WHEN IT HITS THE FLOOR!? How likely is that? Fail.
Too much fail.
I guess Im just late to the magnet deal. Might have made a fortune with it myself.
Ive been using a magnet from a busted hard drive for Ohhh 10 years or so. Under the steering column holding onto an all steel EAA Witness 45 compact.
It even has 2 holes in it to use screws.
Who knew there would be a commercial use for what I thought was my original idea. That I did nothing with.
Veteran owned but no discount offered to veterans.
Personally I don’t buy from companies that advertise that they are veteran owned but don’t offer discounts to veterans.
Won’t the magnet in question magnetize internal components and increase the risk of malfunction?
I’m trying to find a gun safe for the car. Could a strong attachment to the car be made, and a magnetic device used to attach the actual gun safe? It seems the interior of the gun safe should be able to be shielded easily from the magnetic field. The magnet could be turned on and off via thumbprint, retinal, or facial recognition. Thoughts?
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