The same way anyone learns anything.  I have a large mag collection, and I've read every available piece of information on USGI mags that I could get ahold of.  Plus, I was on the original AR15-L mailing list since '96, and have been an almost daily participant of this board since late '97, when most of the mailing list folks migrated over due to the list going down.

Having invested several [s]hundred[/s] thousand hours on a subject tends to make you a SME (subject matter expert)...  [:)]

-Troy

Did I miss something?  I don't intentionally not answer people's questions (heck, that's all I do all day long, both at my job and here).  If I missed ya, it wasn't intentional or personal.

The main reason I'm here nearly every day, and have been for over 6 years, is because I still learn things from you guys every day, and because I can help other folks learn something, and know they're getting the real facts instead of the BS that's so common.  I've tried to give back to the community so that folks have resources to refer to so that they can make informed decisions and not get screwed over or end up with something that wasn't what they wanted or needed.

Of course, all that assumes that people actually make an effort to READ the announcements and tacked posts that many of us have put up for that purpose.  So many folks seem to skip right over them and proceed to immediately asking questions that are thoroughly answered in a FAQ or tacked post, or even a regular post that's still on the front page of that group.  THAT's the only thing that really bothers me.

It's nice to hear that many of you have actually read some of that stuff; it gives me motivation to do more.  We finally got access back to the Ammo Oracle's server after a number of months, so look for some new stuff in there soon.  I'm also hoping to have the updated Mag FAQ back up soon.

-Troy

I'm not exactly sure.  I have something like 230-240 USGI 30-rounders alone, a bunch of 20s, and at least a couple of just about every other type of .223 mag that's compatible with the AR.  Some examples:

- Thermold 30s, US-made, all mold #'s
- Thermold 30s, US-made, blank (orange)
- Thermold 30s, Canadian
- Thermold 20s (Master Molder)
- Thermold 30/45 expandable (only one of these)
- Orlites, several vintages
- FNC
- British (Radway Green, Royal Ord, & Imperial Defense)
- Sterling AR180 40-rounder
- PMI 40-rounders
- Eagle, clear plastic
- Ramline AR15/AR180/Mini-14 combo, clear plastic
- BetaC
- MWG "The 90-Rounder"
- USAs, aluminum and steel (these were "donated" to my collection [:D])


Then there's the mags for the other platforms...

-Troy

PMI mags are great.  I'd rate them just behind the Sterlings, but FAR above the aftermarket junk.  Yes, PMIs are aftermarket, but they are really the only high-quality non-military mag manufacturer.  PMI Mini-14 mags are also highly sought after.

And, AR-15NUTT, a pretty good-sized chunk of the USGI mags I referenced are Colt-marked mags, but realize that Colt mags aren't anything special.  Colt never made USGI contract mags, they bought them from Universal and Okay Industries.  Okay still makes all the factory Colt AR mags.

-Troy

You aren't the first.  [:D]  The problem is that I've strategically dispursed my mags into three different locations, so they aren't all in one place.  Still, I'd guess that a pic of the ones I have at the house would make a decent pic.  Perhaps, if I have some time next week when I'm on vacation, I'll drag them out of "storage" and set them up for some pics...

-Troy