Does the Magazine Style matter?

Nope I prefer my Mutant mag's over the Mrod hands down.

Ditto.

I don't have experience with many different airgun mag's, but often wonder if the frequency of pellets spiraling in videos has something to do with the spring loaded type mag distorting the skirt. Seems to me, that a ratchet driven mag like a revolver's cylinder, if well made and timed, would be far less likely to be a culprit.

I've never heard it discussed, but have no doubt I'm not the first or last to wonder such things.

Love the Cricket mags. My .25 held 12 pellets. My .177 and .22 hold 14 pellets. Never had any trouble with them. The mags for the Colibri are similar and hold 14 in .22 but are a little pricey?

I like the ones that cost under $40. I have passed on several rifles as purchasing extra mags (around 4) could potentially add $300.00+ to your purchase. These rifles are expensive as it is and when their magzines are similar to the Maruader magazine costing $20. I have trouble paying for $80+ per magazines. 

I really like the cricket magzine. I can load four magazine in a fraction of the time it takes to load spring loaded magazines. 

Another Cricket vote here, cost, capacity, simplicity. Second choice would be the Sumatra, the .25 steel mags

I really dont care about mag size or price, my vulcan came with 2 and I never used the 2nd. As a matter of fact I consider a single shot try more important. 

A box magazine like the one on the bsa pcps are nice because the spring in the magazine will wear out over time and not the latch in the gun like in my umarex airmagnum. So you only have to replace the mag and not the parts in your guns.
,Niels

1 more vote for the cricket magazine/loading system. Cricket mag takes a few seconds to load. The Mrod type is PITA. Id rather spend my time shooting than loading mags.


Ernest made a video  

They both have advantages. 

Auto-indexing mags reduce the cocking effort. Non-auto indexing are cheaper.

The indexing mechanism can break on either style. The indexing pin on my Cricket was the first thing to break (after less than 2 months). The difference is that a mag is easily replaced where as the indexing mechanism breaking means ordering parts from the manufacturer (if they are available) which is a PITA. 

Of course the cost of auto indexing mags on some guns is ridiculous and they are far more expensive than buying a replacement indexing pin (which was $40 for the Cricket). 

The most important thing regardless of the mechanism is the accuracy of the indexing so pellets load smoothly, without damage and are properly centered in the bore. I would choose the most accurate system regardless of how it works. In general my preference is to avoid anything that uses springs though. They wear out which opens it up to indexing problems down the line. 

Cost is also factor. Regardless of how expensive the gun is, $100 mags are an abomination. If I have already invested $1500 or $2000 in an air rifle, I don't like being ripped off on the mags. 

$40 for Cricket mags might seem cheap compared to some but anywhere else, $40 for a tiny piece of cast plastic is daylight robbery. Hatsan mags are metal and sell for 1/4 of the price. The Marauder using the same auto-indexing mechanism others charge $80-$110 for and they are 1/8 of the price.