just how good are the beta C-mags i know they are the holy grail of magazines but are they really tactically worth it?  

to put it another way which would you rather have.
1 beta c or 4 30 rounds mags.
2 beta c or 8 30 round mags.

I'd rather have 2 Beta-C's AND 8 30rd mags. [:D]

Actually, the Betas are so overpriced right now, I wouldn't buy one if it loaded itself...

I'll wait till the price plummets in Sept '04...

If they don't come down in price, I'll never buy another.
USGI mags are just too easy to stuff in pockets, or a vest.
The Betas are too big and clumsy to have any "tactical" advantage...

Ok i got to use a bata-c along with a friends pre-ban while he was getting his divorce the wife wanted the gun and mag so he "sold" them to me till after the divorce was final.I sat with that mag loaded for a month before i shot the thing, and i must have put about 1000 rounds through it without a hicup. I like them and damnit i want one!
1 bata two betas 4-8 30's give me it all. The more i can pull the trigger before i have to reload the better. But i'm an ammoaholic so take this for what it is. Hell all the damn betas seemed to dissapear right about the time we went in the stan. I knew of four places to get them for about $500 than all of a sudden they were all "SOLD OUT"  Hell if there was a 200 round beta I'd want one of those mosdef.

to big...

that was my thought and if you somehow break one you are out 30-100 rounds of ammo.  not to mention they must be heavy.  

if they drop to the LEO price of $230.00 i probably still won't get one.

Expensive, don't drop when fully loaded, a little heavy, but GAWD it's NEAT! [banana]

I'll never get rid of mine![bounce]

I would rather have the 8 mags.

If the beta mag jams you are screwed, wether its in real life danger, a 3 gun match ,even at the range.

8 mags, if one fail you got 7 more [:d]

I heard they were used extesivley in gulf 1 and preformed very very well. So where the hell do i find that report? cuz i just saw what you posted and no report. And they were the ones for SAWS not M16/AR15 thats apples to oranges

TimJ- thanks for the info, I'll have to see if i can find it. One of my neighbors was in the army and over there at the time and sent a pic back of him a some guys and one of them had a c-mag in his 16. I was a youngin when that party in the desert(thats what he called it) went down. I had use of one for about 4-5 months and loved it.

I'm hopin to barrow it next weekend to take to an NFA shoot so i can dump it out of an M16.

What he said

I have a new in the package one and am afraid to use it because its looking more like a gold bar than a "full cap" mag.
I heard the feed towers are considered to be the main component that is considered "the magazine". Does anyone know if thats a fact? I have an extra one but also think its the part under the most stress and good idea to have an extra.
FYI, I saw a guy at Knob Creek empty one in a single burst with his M-16 and it melted the gas tube!

Yes if you change the beta-c feed tower to fit into another weapon than the atf says you created a "new" hi-cap mag. If you crack one for your AR and replace it with one for the AR than your ok.
so what do ya want for it?

If the tower is defined as "The Mag" then I will not have created another one if I were able to purchase the sub-components to replace my missing ones. Its probably not the case though, the drum is probably "The Mag".
In another Beta string awhile back, a member dropped his on the way to the range and broke it. That was where I read that the tower was the critical component. Board members said the Beta company would repair the mag for him.
I have been saving mine for a rainy day, either financial needs or towards an HK that I've gotta have. So far neither has happened.
I guess its like having an old trailer queen '69 Camaro ZL-1 that you can't (won't) drive.

I love my Beta mag. In my Micro-CAr it screams PURE EVIL!!!

I DID drop my Beta fully loaded once.  It fell 3ft out of my gun because I didn't slam it home hard enough.
Lucky for me it fell flat on the carpet and no damage occured.


BISHOP

Like Dragracer_Art says, wait for a price drop next year. I bought 2 when they were $400 each.

Tactically they'd be great if you were trying to break off from pursuit and doing a shoot and scoot - use the C-Mag first and the 30's as needed.

They're great in full-auto, lots of fun and a real crowd pleaser. Otherwise, I don't use mine often at all.

LEGAL NOTICE:
Feed towers: Beta Company manufactures other feed towers like: HK33/52 & G36, M249 & etc intended for use by the military, police, dealers and export to friendly countries. They may not be installed in a pre-ban Beta C-Mag as it will be a violation of the law,

"A Beta C large capacity M-16 magazine manufactured prior to September 13, 1994, and combined with a feed/locking clip manufactured after September 13, 1994, that is intended to convert the magazine from M-16 configuration to be compatible with Steyr AUG or HK-93 rifles would be considered a restricted large capacity ammunition feeding device. Such magazine is subject to the prohibitions and restrictions contained in Title 18, U. S. C., section 922 (v)"

This only applies if you want to change it from the original configuration, any broken part of the magazine can be replaced as long as you don't end up manufacturing another magazine or changing configuration. In other words you can not take an HK tower made after the ban and install it in a pre-ban M16 mag, also having enough spare parts to create another totally new magazine from 100% spare parts is against the law.

[url]http://www.dealernfa.com/legal_info.htm[/url]

I got one of those MWG single 90 rnd drums,got it for practicly nothing thirty bucks !

Haven't even used it yet and only keep 60 rnds in it!

Would like to have a Beta C though!

 Bob [:D]

I want one or two, but I don't care pre-ban, post-ban what they cost. I 'm not paying more that $200 for a Beta-C..........ever.

They are just not worth more than that TO ME.

I still have one of the factory refurbs new in it's box... Heck - I don't even know if it has a black or green bag!

Some day I'll decide if I want to use or sell it.