AR-15 Mags

[Chris]

Been crappy weather, so last night I took all the AR mags I got in my recent deal and noticed that they are made my all kinds of different companies.

I found this link:

http://ar15.com/content/products/magazines/information.html

The vast majority of the mags I have are GI Contract 30 rounders made between 1975 and 1994. I got one from the Sanchez company which has a rep of being of poor quality. Most are from Parsons, a few from Center, and two from Kay Industries.

The Parsons appear to be in the best shape, the Kay brand are losing their coating, and the Center just feel 'gritty'. I plan to number them all and get some rounds through them, but does anyone have a preferred brand?

I have three Colt original 30 rounders which I was worried about because it has "62667 stamped on the body of the mag. Fearing this was a post-ban stamp, It is the reason I started looking for info on the various mags. Seems it's Colt's part number and were stamped on Early Colt G.I. Contract pieces in 1968 and 1969. Mine appear to have been rebuilt as the original green follower is no longer in them. (darn)

For 20 round mags, I got 2 marked with the Colt floorplate, but have the caliber listed as .223, not 5.56mm. Because of this, they have to be pre-1969 as they do not have plastic followers of the commercial versions. (I suppose they too could have been rebuilt, but there is no evidence of it.)

All my other 20's are marked with the Simmonds stamp. Circa 1966-1971 manufacture for Army and Air Force Contracts. Seems the Simmonds branding is a fairly uncommon one and I have 10 of 'em in great shape. WOO HOO!

Sorry, none are for sale. (^_^)

 

[drgrant]

The "Kay" is actually "Okay Industries" usually, although I don't
know how many floorplates they have out there.

Don't worry about the green followers not being there... for sundry
use it doesn't make much of a difference, and for "social purposes"
a Magpul anti-tilt beats them all anyways.

-Mike

 

[Adam_MA]

I was going to ask about the followers. I understand the anti-tilt, but what is the purpose? Is there situations where the followers will actually tilt and go sideways during regular use? I have a bunch of mags with both the green and black followers, and have done some tests with them to see what would happen. I have loaded them up full, and to half capacity, and even just a couple of rounds, and shot with them, and even done drop tests from all angles to see what would happen. I have loaded them with stripper clips, and by hand, and I just haven't had a follower tilt on me.

 

[Chris]

The "Kay" is actually "Okay Industries"

That could be correct as the "KAY" is inside a large circle which could be the "O". Either way, of all the mags, only these two are losing their exterior coating.

 

[MikeD]

Here's another site that ID's M16 mags.

http://magfaq.tripod.com/

 

[coastie]

I was going to ask about the followers. I understand the anti-tilt, but what is the purpose? Is there situations where the followers will actually tilt and go sideways during regular use? I have a bunch of mags with both the green and black followers, and have done some tests with them to see what would happen. I have loaded them up full, and to half capacity, and even just a couple of rounds, and shot with them, and even done drop tests from all angles to see what would happen. I have loaded them with stripper clips, and by hand, and I just haven't had a follower tilt on me.

I believe that it has been an issue on occasion during full auto. I think the follower was actually bouncing enough that it had the potential to tilt, jamming the rifle. Probably a non issue with a semi. I am going from memory though so I might not be 100%.

 

[Joe R.]

1) In semi, it's not that big a deal. The original black followers I had in my mags in the service worked fine. The tilt isn't side-to-side that matters, it's front-to-back. The Magpul and the green military ones reduce that from happening by not allowing the follower to go down and cause a round to bump into the barrel extension instead of going into the chamber.

2) The Sanchez mags were the lower quality of the .gov contract mags but still worked. Adventureline and Okay Industries were the good choices. There were some Colt mags too ( I think ) but to me it didn't matter. The gray on the outside would wear off - just repaint and it's good to go. It's even better now with all the Duracoat stuff available.

3) Not a fan of the 20 rd mags - you keep them!

4) I have one of the Magpul P-mags to try out. It's synthetic but looks to be tough and has the good follower in it already.

5) The steel mags with the " England " sticker on them suck - bad, flimsy follower design. The mags marked " Singapore " seem to be better and have a good follower in them. I like my steel mags but they are heavier and do rust.

Joe R.

 

[Gammon]

1) In semi, it's not that big a deal. The original black followers I had in my mags in the service worked fine. The tilt isn't side-to-side that matters, it's front-to-back. The Magpul and the green military ones reduce that from happening by not allowing the follower to go down and cause a round to bump into the barrel extension instead of going into the chamber.

2) The Sanchez mags were the lower quality of the .gov contract mags but still worked. Adventureline and Okay Industries were the good choices. There were some Colt mags too ( I think ) but to me it didn't matter. The gray on the outside would wear off - just repaint and it's good to go. It's even better now with all the Duracoat stuff available.

3) Not a fan of the 20 rd mags - you keep them!

4) I have one of the Magpul P-mags to try out. It's synthetic but looks to be tough and has the good follower in it already.

5) The steel mags with the " England " sticker on them suck - bad, flimsy follower design. The mags marked " Singapore " seem to be better and have a good follower in them. I like my steel mags but they are heavier and do rust.

Joe R.

I doubt very much that Colt made their own AR mags; they don't make their pistol mags. I have some steel mags marked England that are excellent and a Singapore mag that I will probably throw away; real POS. Strange how the quality varies.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I understand that Colt NEVER made mags themselves. They were contract mags. Don't know who made them however.

 

[drgrant]

I understand that Colt NEVER made mags themselves. They were contract mags. Don't know who made them however.

Colt had several OEMs, I think NHTMG and Simonds were a couple,
and there are probably more.

-Mike

 

[Joe R.]

I doubt very much that Colt made their own AR mags; they don't make their pistol mags. I have some steel mags marked England that are excellent and a Singapore mag that I will probably throw away; real POS. Strange how the quality varies.

I'll double-check the supply at home. The bad of the steel mags with either country marked on it has a black plastic follower in it that you can push down on the front part of the follower and watch it move down. You support the back of this while pushing down. The other black follower won't do this.

Joe R.

 

[Chris]

Interesting, from the links above:

All Colt-marked magazines were actually made by a sub contracter, Universal Industries, a division of Okay Industries.

Adventure Line was eventually aquired by Center Industries

Simmonds was a division of Okay/Universal Industries

Center Industries is a current US Military contractor. Parsons and Adventure Line were aquired by Center.

So, it looks like its all just one big happy family now.