I tested two 2009 vintage Korean M14 magazines today.  These were sent to me by a fellow M14 fan in Kansas.  I will return them in the next day or two.  I will take a bunch of photos to update the Pictorial M14 Magazine Idenfication Guide.

The floor plate is marked HNR.  The front side has nine plus one small diameter weld dimples.  The Korean magazine latch plate has six weld dimples and there two alignment holes behind the latch plate that are visible from the interior of the magazine tube/body.  You may find the Korean magazines to be very snug in a Chinese or LRB Arms receiver.  They were snug in the two SA, Inc. M1A rifles I used to test them.  Both of these rifles have never had any issues with USGI, mainland Chinese or CMI magazines.  The receivers were made in 1974 and 1984.  The Korean HNR M14 magazine springs have eight coils as they should.

Both magazines were sent to me NIW.  I took photos of them NIW before opening.  Both magazines had grease applied along the interior front and rear sides of the magazine tube/body.  The phosphate coating looks good.  The springs appear to be coated.  The magazine followers are not marked but have three small weld dimples.  I removed the grease with a soft, clean white t-shirt before using them.  

HNR magazine # 1 - HNR magazine # 1 was tested in both rifles.  This magazine worked flawlessly in semi-automatic and automatic fire.  The bolt locked open each time after the last round was fired.  The bolt remained locked open when I removed the empty magazine each time.

HNR magazine # 2 -   With twenty rounds of Portugese surplus in the other magazine, the first round failed to feed when I released the operating rod handle.  The first round fed about half way into the chamber.  I removed the magazine and the half-fed cartridge fell out of the chamber.  I cleaned the cartidge and put it back in the magazine.  I then inserted the magazine again and let the operating rod handle fly.  Same thing, it fed half-way into the chamber.  I removed the magazine and left the top round out of the magazine.  I re-inserted the magazine and fired nineteen rounds in semi-automatic fire without any problems.

I loaded HNR magazine # 2 again with twenty rounds of Portugese.  I fired the first two rounds in semi-automatic.  There were no problems with the first two rounds.  I then used burst fire for another eight rounds, two or three rounds at a time.  With ten rounds left in the magazine, the bolt had closed but the cartridge had not fed into the chamber.  I pulled the bolt back and locked it back.  I checked the cartridges to see that there were properly positioned.  I then let the operating rod handle go.  The top cartridge fed.  I then used burst fire.  The bolt locked open.  I noticed the last cartridge was sitting on top of the feed lip but had not moved forward.

I loaded HNR magazine # 2 with another twenty rounds again.  I fired two rounds and then three rounds in automatic.  I pulled the trigger for the third burst.  No bang.  I put it on safe and pulled the operating rod handle back.  The bolt moved to the rear to reveal an empty chamber and the cartridges sitting under the feed lips but the top round had not moved forward.  I let the operating rod handle go.  I proceeded to empty the magazine again using short bursts of automatic fire.  The bolt locked open and the last cartridge was sitting on top of the feed lip but had not moved forward.  This was a repeat failure in the same magazine.

Obsolete

I just got back from the Crossroads of the West Gun Show held at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.  Executive Summary: Buy CMI M14 magazines from 44mag.com or Palmetto State Armory.  Save the gasoline and entrance fee if all you are looking for is M14 magazines at a fun show.

There's literally piles of all types of semi-automatic rifle and pistol magazines available at the shows in Las Vegas.  I only study the M14 but it seems almost all of these magazines are new aftermarket manufacture.  If they work for you, great.  Anyway, here's what I noticed regarding M14 magazines:

5 and 10 round magazines - All the ones I examined today at the show are Mystery Origin.  They are not CMI manufacture.  I didn't even have to look hard at these.  The follower sits jacked up and canted to one side looking at the magazine from the rear.  The latch plate dimples are lightly struck or have non-USGI patterns, i.e., three large vertical dimples.  Prices were not displayed for five and ten rounders, odd IMO.

Korean 20 round magazines NIW - These are exported by RWB, LLC.  The wrapper label states "Made in Korea" so at least you know what you're buying.  One magazine dealer had these for $19.99 each.

Mystery Origin 20 round magazines (bare) - They were piles and piles of these unmarked and unwrapped magazines with new phosphate coating.  The latch plate dimples and the front side dimplese are very lightly struck.  Typical price on the Mystery Origin 20 rounders was $18.99 each.  Good luck.

Mystery Origin 20 rounders in greased wax paper inside plastic zip lock bags - Due to the wrapping, I could not examine these.  These were tagged at $21.99 each.

20 round magazines NIW with fake contract markings - This is getting too easy.  These 20 round magazines are packed in brown kraft paper with contractor markings (Covalence Coated Products).  The paper contractor label is dated AUG 2002 with the "2002" covered over with a black ink marker.  However, you can still read the "2002."  The wrapper is also marked with the fake magazine contract data: DAAG-111-42 OMINC-AB dated 2/71.  Amazingly, all the dealers had these and all for the same price, $39.95 each.  

I checked all the magazine dealers.  Only one dealer had three real deal USGI M14 magazines.  The three real deal USGI magazines were very well worn and marked BRW S-I.  There was no price for these and they were buried in the piles of aftermarket magazines.  I did not see any Check-Mate Industries M14 magazines at the gun show.

I recently purchased 15 M14 mags from 44mag.com, they came wrapped five (5) to a package wrapped in brown paper.  They are marked CMI and seem to have all the correct CMI details. No blue plastic wrapper though.  

Question for Different...

It seems that every link (both hot & cold) posted both in this thread as well as on your M1A page for the magazine ID guide has gone defunct. I was wondering if you perhaps you have a new or updated link or host for it???

Thanks in advance...

ETA: After searching "M14" on the Lulu site, I found the guide on this page (address):

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/pictorial-m14-magazine-identification-guide-version-12/7188721

Thanks again Different for all the great help that you have provided in this arena over the years...
Mike(FlDiveCop71)

I have 4 genuine issue CMI 20 rounders. I recently ordered 5 more from 44 mag.com. They are printed with  CMI only there aren't markings like the issue ones (i.e. manufacturers location, mil/gov use only). Also the "welds" appear to be stamped. I wouldn't really care if they slid in and locked as easily as the others, you have to rock it a couple times and use a little more effort.Just a heads up, they were on sale for 20$ each.

Obsolete

Thanks for the info, Different.
I was at a gun show today and picked up a couple of Korean mags. They look good but they do fit tight in my Springfield M1A. I will be going to the range tomorrow to try them out.





Update: I finally had a chance to try out these Korean mags. Out of the three only one functioned correctly. The other two would not cycle. The bolt locks back after the first round and will not go forward unless the mag is removed.
Seems the mag is keeping the bolt hold-open from releasing.

Different,

Several years ago I purchased 3 mags off of a guy on the Battlerifles Board. I can't remember the guys name...They were the "W" mags as described on Page 199 of your the Mag guide. They are CMI mags and they are exactly as the pictures of the mags you used as samples.

I have a couple of questions for you. The springs that were in the mags with 9 coils are bogus, correct? And, can you tell me if the floorplate was bogus as well?

Thanks

RWC57, reply made here: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=6&t=297890&page=1

Thanks Diff...Your guide now makes it a simple task to spot the fakes.

Any one know what sort of price genuine 1970 KMT M14 twin packs are worth,

I had bought some of the mag bodies from Elite K9, they had told me at the time, 3-4 years ago, that they were coming from Israel, and were original BRW, Israeli surplus military. All were in perfect unused condition. All of them have the horizontal line you are writing about.

My question is this: Why would CMI put fake marking on their mags? Wouldn't they be flirting with legal troubles, i.e. counterfeiting?

CMI would not put fake markings on their magazines.  Someone wanting to sell magazines in states like California, Massachusetts or New York might wish to make CMI magazines appear like they were made in the 1960s.  IOW, CMI TWENTY ROUND magazines were generally not available to the public before those states enacted their magazine bans.  Put an "OM" on a CMI magazine body and a dishonest vendor could claim it was 1960s manufacture at a gun show in Albany, New York.  Note: Don't do this.  You could get in big legal trouble.

Review of Mega-Mag twenty round M14/M1A magazine

I purchased one Mega-Mag twenty round M14/M1A magazine for testing and evaluation.

Evaluation

Price - $19.95 + shipping & handling from an online vendor

Finish - blued steel

Follower assembly - plastic follower with no stop

Spring - nine coil oval race track like ones found in SOME mystery origin magazines

Floor plate - not heat treated, easily bent with light finger pressure

Magazine tube - holds twenty-three (not twenty-five) cartridges,5/8 " longer than a genuine 1960s USGI OM marked magazine, does not appear to be heat treated, two 5/32 " holes on the rear side just below the stamped latch plate, six punch dimples along the front side seam plus one punch dimple on either side of the magazine catch slot

Testing

I don't feel like I need to.  My $0.02, pass on this opportunity.

Another article on M1A/M14 magazines
http://www.rawles.to/M14%20Magazine_FAQ.html

Obsolete

Different:
Great M14 Guide and publication - thank you for making this available to us.
Now my problem: bought a dozen Taiwanese T57 mags (blued matte finish) a few years ago - never used them and was going to have them parked.
Now in looking at the guide, they have all the right features externally, including the 12 spot welds just like the photo, BUT the latch plate has only three vertical weld spots. I have not checked the other mechanical details - any chance they are T57?

The magazine body is not genuine Taiwan T57.

I did a function test on a CMI stainless steel twenty round magazine today.  I bought this magazine several months ago but finally got a chance to test it.  I shot the first four rounds in semi-automatic.  It worked flawlessly.  I then dumped the next sixteen rounds in automatic.  It worked flawlessly.  Fit and finish is superb.  Yes, it has the "trademark" horizontal line above the two bottom dimples on the latch plate.

In terms of the market choices for high quality magazines, these are truly golden times we're in compared to the 94-04 time.  With that in mind, I can't understand why anyone would skimp on an off-brand magazine to save a few bucks.

Sad there is so many fakes out there. I had bad luck with some of the "W" marked copies.

Thanks for posting this.

thanks for all the info

I ordered a M14 magazine from 762mm Firearms on May 21, 2011.  The company item number is 7050.  It arrived today by FedEx.  The company web site states,

"U.S.A. made magazine body made from 6061-T-4 aluminum hard anodized to T-6 to exceed mil-specs."

I received a Check-Mate Industries twenty round magazine.  It is marked C.M.I. on the rear side and has the tell tale CMI line on the latch plate.  CMI magazines are military specification and made in the USA but they are not made from 6061 alloy aluminum.  The USGI drawings specify spheroidize annealed drawing quality AISI 1050 steel for the magazine tube, ASTM A109 carbon steel for the floor plate and drawing quality carbon steel for the follower.  I'm happy with the purchase as there's no such thing as too many USGI contract M14 magazines.  I placed the order thinking this was a magazine made from alloy aluminum.  I sent an e-mail to Chris at 7.62mm Firearms as a courtesy.

ETA: I received an e-mail reply this evening from Chris at 7.62mm Firearms.  He apologized for the typo error on the M14 magazine advertisement.  The statement about the magazine being made of 6061 alloy aluminum was intended for the M16 magazine ad.

Obsolete

M14 MAGAZINE ALERT

I've not seen this discussed before so I think this is new to the community.  This morning I was given a fake CMI ten round magazine.  I'll post some photos to my web site and add further detail in this thread in a day or two but here's what to look for, short and sweet.  If a ten round magazine does not have six dimples and the horizontal line on the latch plate, it is not genuine CMI manufacture.

I was out target shooting with a fellow M14 fan this morning.  He showed me a ten round magazine.  He said it was difficult to load and difficult to insert into his SA, Inc. M1A.  Note that his CMI twenty-five round magazines had no trouble in his rifle.  Anyway, I looked at it.  It has two dimples on the latch plate and the floor plate drain hole is smaller than USGI dimension.   I'll disassemble it, take photos, and report back.  Anyway, this will get added to the guide as well.

FYI, this fake CMI ten round magazinie was bought new this year at a gun shop in San Marcos, CA.  I think advanced M14 fans can connect the dots on this one.

Thank you to the gentleman that shared his mysterious origin ten round M1A magazine with me.  He got it from a gun shop in San Marcos, CA earlier this year.  I have six ten round magazines but have never paid too much attention to them.  Well, after seeing this ten round magazine that would not function properly, I pulled out my modest collection of ten rounders.  Sure enough, three of my six ten round magazines are mysterious origin as well.  The other three are genuine CMI manufacture.  Okay, how do you tell the difference?  

Mystery ten round magazine - a) latch plate has two dimples and the horizontal line b) front side has five plus one lightly struck and smaller dimples c) no manufacturer marking d) latch plate corners are very square e) floor plate is more easily bent than a CMI floor plate and f) magazine is more difficult to insert into the rifle.

Genuine CMI ten round magazine - a) latch plate has six dimples and the horizontal line b) front side has six plus one deeply struck and wider dimples c) C.M.I. marking on rear side d) latch plate corners are rounded e) floor plate is not as easily bent as the mystery origin floor plate and f) magazine snaps into the rifle magazine well without undue force.

The easy way to check is to count the dimples on the latch plate.  You may ask, "Why would someone fake a ten rounder magazine since they are legal to use almost everywhere?"  Here's my hypothesis.  The retail price for a ten round magazine from Springfield Armory, Inc. from 1995 through 2004 was $39.00 (Reference: 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2004 SA, Inc. Dealer Price Lists on file).  Beginning in 2000, M14/M1A fans in California were under a magazine capacity ban.  So, if you wanted to supply the civilian market and undercut SA, Inc. pricing, you could produce a knockoff magazine and sell it through the Internet, gun shops and gun shows.  I bought my three mysterious origin ten round magazines in 2001 not knowing any better because they were cheaper than what Springfield Armory, Inc. was asking.

Different,  thanks again for all your work on our beloved M14 type rifles.

A long time ago, cheap-ass Mega-Mag magazines were the only thing I could find that worked in my Mini-14. IIRC, I paid $6 ea for 'em. Go ahead and try it out; sometimes the cheap shit'll surprise ya.

forgot to add: Excellent thread! As a new M1A owner, this is going to save me a lot of time, and probably money as well.

Great to see that you're still out there Lee.
I'm set for GI mags. No worries here.
M

[email protected]

Review of KeepShooting.com Taiwan T57 PTFE coated twenty round M14 magazine

I purchased one Taiwan T57 PTFE coated twenty round M14 magazine from KeepShooting.com for testing and evaluation.

Evaluation

Price - $16.95 + shipping & handling from KeepShooting.com

Finish - All parts but the spring have a glossy black PTFE coating over blued steel.

Follower assembly - three dimples on the under side

Spring - There are eight coils.  Each end is shaped like a USGI spring.  The spring feels and looks like a USGI spring.  There are no nicks or other visible defects on the spring surface.  

Floor plate - The drain hole is slightly smaller than what is typical for a USGI floor plate.

Magazine tube - No manufacturer markings, no alignment holes in the tube behind the latch plate, five dimples on the latch plate, ten dimples up the center plus one dimple to the right of the catch slot on the front side.  The feed lips are not bent downward enough.  The magazine will hold twenty rounds but any slight jarring will cause the top round to pop out.  

Testing

I loaded twenty rounds of 1990 Pakistani surplus.  I fired it through a 1974 vintage Springfield Armory, Inc. M1A.  There were no failures to feed, extract or eject.  The bolt locked open after the last round.  When I removed the magazine the bolt lock released allowing the bolt to close.  I tested this same magazine in two other factory M1A rifles, one built in 1989 and the other in 2002.  All three M1A rifles will allow a USGI magazine to be removed without the bolt closing.  The PTFE coated magazine with the incorrectly formed feed lips tripped the bolt lock when it was removed from each rifle.

Obsolete

Where's a good place to pick up GI magazines today?  Just bought my first M1A.

44 mag sells CMI mags, which are the current manufacturer for the military.

I recently picked up several Korean mags, because I didn't know any better, in 10 and 20 rounds.  I shot with these last weekend and they worked fine.  My only complaint is that they fit a bit too tight in the magazine well compared to the SA magazine that came with the M1A.  I've since ordered several CMI mags from 44mag.

Any feedback or input on the mags for the M1A that CDNN sells?  CDNN advertises them as Made in America.

Does anyone know if CMI has changed/improved their magazines over the last few years?

I have 12 20 round CMI magazines purchased from both SAI and 44mag in early 2010.  The followers do not engage the bolt stop on either of my M14 type rifles ('85 SEI and '11 LRB) after the last round.

When I use an OM or W marked GI magazine, function is flawless in both rifles.  However these same CMI's also worked OK in my old SAI M1A, aside from occasional (1 in 75 rounds or so) failures to feed (round nose diving in magazine).

After exchanging the springs in my CMI magazines with springs from GI magazines, the CMI magazines worked properly in all my rifles.

It's a bit mysterious why I'm having these problems with CMI magazine.  I just thought I'd add this to the magazine knowledge base.

If anyone has suggestions on possible spring replacements for my CMI magazines, I would appreciate it.

There are ten round Korean M14 magazines out in the market.  I picked one up NIW last week.  It's the same packaging and labeling as the Korean twenty rounder.

I ordered a twenty round Thermold M14 magazine from Thermold Magazines this week.  The transaction was smooth as silk and I received the magazine within a week by USPS Mail.  The date code on the magazine indicated manufacture in May 1990.  A M14 fan from another board and I went out to the desert today.  We gave it a function test.  I used a 2002 vintage Springfield Armory, Inc. M1A that runs flawlessly with USGI, CMI, and mainland Chinese magazines.  Ammunition was Magtech 150 grain FMJ cartridges.  The Thermold magazine was easy to insert and remove with twenty rounds.  However, it failed to feed three times during the course of fire.  After the last round, the bolt failed to lock back.

Obsolete

Picked up a pair of 20 rounders off Diamondback for an M1A Scout I have on lay-away...







I was curious after reading this thread and decided to take them apart for inspection, using the pictorical as a loose guide.

They are parkerized steel with 11+3 weld spots, stasmped "W" on the back, no markings on the floorplates or followers; two weld spots on the follower and six circles on the latch plate in the back with two diswtinct pins on the inside of the magazine body. The bottom of the spring is bent into a square and a U shape on the top portion of the spring. The parkerizing is uniform and the magazines were all clean. I imagine these were owned by someone, because i could not see any grease in them, except for a very thin film on the springs.

I hope they are the real deal, they look pretty damn sturdy, so even if they are not, they will serve me well, I hope.

These magazines are not genuine USGI contract manufacture.  Any time you see three dimples adjacent to the catch slot, it's not USGI contract manufacture. That's one of the first things to look for.  Also, there are a couple issues with the marking.

FYI on CMI twenty round M14 magazines made for U. S. military contracts.  Apparently, the AW ban marking

ASSY 7790183

RESTRICTED-LAW ENFORCEMENT/

GOVERNMENT USE ONLY

M14 1996 CHECK-MATE IND INC

WYANDANCH,NY USA

was still being applied to CMI M14 magazines produced in November 2008.  CMI magazines made in 2008 were for its 2005 contract.  Check-Mate Industries was awarded subsequent M14 magazine contracts in 2009.  I don't know if magazines made for the 2009 contracts have the same marking though.  Thus, the 1996 marking on the magazine does not neccesarily indicate the actual year of manufacture.

I attended the Crossroads of the West / Small Arms Review Gun Show in Phoenix, AZ this weekend.  A couple vendors had well worn but genuine 1960s USGI M14 magazines.  The prices ranged from $25.00 to $45.00 each.  I checked, no SA or TRW magazines but a lot of BRW S-1 (no serif) marked magazines.  The mysterious origin twenty round M14 magazines were available for $14.00 each.  If this show is any indication of the gun show market place, I suggest buying new manufacture CMI M14 magazines online from reputable suppliers such as 44Mag Distributing and Palmetto State Armory.  You'll get quality M14 magazines for a fair price.  Disclaimer, I have no financial interest in any firearms related business.

A little chilly today here in Las Vegas but I got out to the desert to do a little testing.  I tested a 2012 ProMag Industries ten round magazine and a September 2012 Cheaper Than Dirt marketed W marked twenty round magazine.  See photos above from Black Tiger.  The CTD marketed W marked twenty rounder I have looks exactly like that.  Before testing, I took a bunch of photographs of these two magazines.  As soon as I can, I will add these two to the Pictorial M14 Magazine Identification Guide and promulgate as Version 1.8.  The rifle used for testing was a 1974 manufacture Springfield Armory, Inc. M1A.

ProMag Industries ten round magazine -  It loaded easily but was just a little resistant to lock in with the bolt closed.  If functioned flawlessly and held the bolt open after the tenth round.  This magazine has a unique spring, fourteen racetrack shaped coils.  The spring was lubricated with grease.  The follower has no stop.  The follower moved very easily inside the magazine tube.  There are four plus four dimples on the front side and two alignment holes behind the latch plate.

CTD marketed W marked twenty round magazine - This magazine was tough to lock in the magazine well with the bolt closed.  It functioned flawlessly and held the bolt open after the twentieth round.  The magazine spring has nine coils.  There was no lubrication on the spring.  The phosphate coating was rough so the follower assembly did not move smoothly when pushed by hand.  There are eleven plus three dimples on the front side and two alignment holes behind the latch plate.

I have a mag I got at a LGS/pawnshop maybe 9 or 10 years ago, in the sealed wrapper which I opened up to look at the mag, which is older than some of you here... he had a small basket of them with 3 or 4 more in there but I only bought the one, sadly resisting my hoarder instincts to buy them all... it was expensive at the time, about $30 I think, but a bargain nowadays.  It is not for sale. I have a couple of other 20 round US mags, an OM marked like new and what looks to be a refinished OM with faint markings, as well as one I remember cleaning out a ton of cosmo from which has no markings which is probably Chinese. Here are photos of the package and mag from my pawn shop:

CMI 2009 U. S. government contract marking on the rear side of its M14 magazines:

M14 CHECK-MATE IND. INC.
WYANDANCH, NY USA
MFG. CODE 1M291

Obsolete

Post deleted.

Fantastic resource!  Thank you.