20-rd M1A mags

ZainAnak

ZainAnak

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Hey all- I just picked up a new M1A (mmmmmmm!) and here's my question:

I'm in MA, and I want to get a 20rd preban mag, with the nice parkerized finish of the 5 rd. one that came with the rifle from Springfield Armory. Can someone suggest either a dealer or a way I can get one of these and still be well within the confines of Johnny Law? I've seen pre-bans at a local gun store but they had a black shiny finish- not what I'm looking for.

Thanks!
-ZA
 
Some of the prebans you see with a "black shiny finish" are indeed great magazines - especially if they're T-57's, (Taiwan). I bought 10 of them and had them parkerized and they fit and function 100%. You can still buy original USGI as well, but there are a lot of fakes out there, so it helps to do some reading. Here's a great link - full of great resources. Look around the magazine section for postings from "Different", (Lee Emerson). There's also a PX where you'll find preban USGI mags pop up once in a while....M-14 Firing Line
 
Check 4 Seasons. Last time I was there they had M14 mags new in the wrapper. I don't know what the finish was like or what the price was.
 
MassMark said:
Some of the prebans you see with a "black shiny finish" are indeed great magazines - especially if they're T-57's, (Taiwan). I bought 10 of them and had them parkerized and they fit and function 100%. You can still buy original USGI as well, but there are a lot of fakes out there, so it helps to do some reading. Here's a great link - full of great resources. Look around the magazine section for postings from "Different", (Lee Emerson). There's also a PX where you'll find preban USGI mags pop up once in a while....M-14 Firing Line
Click to expand...

Simple question, I admit, but how do you go about getting them parkerized?
 
MassMark said:
I had mine done at West Texas Armory, but it was part of a package deal. I'm certain there's gunsmiths or even tool and die shops local to you with the ability to parkerize. It's not a complicated process.
Click to expand...

When you parkerize, is it done only to the exterior, or do they basically just "dip" the thing? :)
 
No, the entire magazine is disassembled and parkerized. At WTA, they stripped off the old finish, (blasting tank), then parked the mags and reassembled. I have heard of folks doing themselves with DuraCoat or Alumahyde, but have no idea if the results would be as good. My bet is, if you talk to your local FFL, he'll do it, or will know someone who does. In fact, Vito over at Auto Burst does parkerizing. I'm not sure where you are, but he may be an option, (good people). If the mags you are looking at are indeed T-57's and the price is right, I'd jump on em.
 
I have 10 T-57s I'd sell for $120 total. Unlike MassMark's, they didn't work out of the box. I cleaned them up best I could and put new wolf springs in there, and now maybe seven of them work 100% and the other three... not so much.

I bought them back when pre bans were selling for $50+ each. Now most of the country is buying new USGIs from CMI for $25 or less, so we're those $50 old USGIs are just old mags now. You should be able to find some online from gun boards for between $20-$30 each. I haven't ever seen them in any MA gun store for a halfway reasonable price.
 
MassMark said:
No, the entire magazine is disassembled and parkerized. At WTA, they stripped off the old finish, (blasting tank), then parked the mags and reassembled. I have heard of folks doing themselves with DuraCoat or Alumahyde, but have no idea if the results would be as good. My bet is, if you talk to your local FFL, he'll do it, or will know someone who does. In fact, Vito over at Auto Burst does parkerizing. I'm not sure where you are, but he may be an option, (good people). If the mags you are looking at are indeed T-57's and the price is right, I'd jump on em.
Click to expand...

Shit I didn't realize you were talking about Zero Hour at first. Yeah they're great guys- I'll give them a call!
 
I was just at Four Seasons, and they had a HUGE box of 20 rounders (supposed to be '91 manufacture). I believe they're USGI (they're still wrapped in wax paper). The labels on them say PW Arms M14 20 round mags.

Jr
 
I took some pics of the m14 mags I got from FS
These should help ID the quality of the mags. I also put a AR mag next to it for comparison.

Please excuse what looks like dandruff all over the mags. I made the big mistake of placing these under my cockatiels perch while he was preening himself. Anybody who owns a cockatiel knows what this means.

PA071081_800.jpg

PA071087_800.jpg

PA071089_600.jpg

PA071090_600.jpg

PA071091_600.jpg

PA071092_800.jpg
 
One hint for Mass folks buying pre-ban M14, government-contract mags - save the wrappers. The brown paper wrappers are stamped with contract numbers AND date of manufacture. Makes it a little easier to prove they are pre-ban, if that day ever comes.
 
USMA-82 said:
One hint for Mass folks buying pre-ban M14, government-contract mags - save the wrappers. The brown paper wrappers are stamped with contract numbers AND date of manufacture. Makes it a little easier to prove they are pre-ban, if that day ever comes.
Click to expand...

There's no stamp on the wrappers of the mags I picked from FS.

Jr
 
Dan at West Texas has done work for me and it was first rate. However it takes time as it isn't his main line of work so if you are in a rush you might not be happy.

You can contact him at www.westtexasarmonry.com and ask his if he can do the job.
 
rscalzo said:
Dan at West Texas has done work for me and it was first rate. However it takes time as it isn't his main line of work so if you are in a rush you might not be happy.

You can contact him at www.westtexasarmonry.com and ask his if he can do the job.
Click to expand...

+1 Dan is one of the most underrated M-14 Smiths in the USA. His work is impeccable, but he's a one man show. He taught me more about the M-14/M1A than anyone and his refinish work is top-shelf...
 
Though I have no info on PW Arms, (I did a search over at M-14 Forum), they may be imported mags from overseas - possible T-57's. Even so, $39.95 is steep for a non-USGI mag. You can find genuine T-57's for $10-$12.00 and they generally function great.

Even genuine USGI mags are getting cheaper. I bought 4 BRWS-1 mags for $100.00 I think ultimately everything will hinge on function. If they work great in your rifle, then you're GTG, if not, then you need to find some better mags. Even if you buy T-57's that need to be tweaked, (I have 2 of those), you can buy new CMI USGI rebuild kits and make them work like a charm. T-57's had many manufacturing differences. I have some with numbers, some with stars, some with nothing. Some have 13-spot welds - some have 10 - some have 2! Also, latch plate spot welds are not visable on your magazines, (at least as far as I could see). Some T-57's have them - others do not. There are a lot of variations. What I will say, is that all of my T-57's with numbers on them work flawlessly - the other 2 worked only after a rebuild and now function 100%. Like I said, this will boild down to function. If they work - great - buy more, (though I think $40-bucks is a rip off). If not, you need to do some searching - functional, reliable, affordable, M-14 mags are not that hard to find....
 

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