Those freakin' mags!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Those freakin' mags!

Posted: 11/26/2002 9:03:00 AM EDT

So far it seems that Cole Distributing is the only place with a semi-fair price on 20 round USGI M14 mags, and even those are pricey!

Any other places I should look? Does the CMP still sell them? What about M-14 Thermolds?

Thanks

Posted: 11/26/2002 9:24:25 AM EDT

[#1]

Cole's prices are about the going rate, and most likely the cheapest on line source. I got six when I got my gun before the ban, and Sprinfield was selling them for under $30 at that time. Since then, Ive mainly lucked into them at gun stores. Picked up 5 a couple months ago at 18 a piece. They were almost new condition. I got 3 more from a family friend that had used them in the USMC in Vietnam in '65. They look like hell, but they work. Im up to 14 now. I thought that was a nice number to quit at

From the CMP website:
M14 magazines have been sold out for some time now. We do not expect to receive any more

I have no experience with any M14/M1A mags other than GI. I had some Thermold Mini-14 mags years ago, and after a lot of use, the hole in the front that the detent locks into became heavily worn, but they still functioned. Someone else will have to comment on them for M14s.

Posted: 11/26/2002 10:44:52 AM EDT

[#2]

I hear your pain. I'm debating whether $40 per mag is really something I want to plunk down.

Posted: 11/26/2002 11:30:11 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
I hear your pain. I'm debating whether $40 per mag is really something I want to plunk down.

The good thing about those expensive G.I. mags is they are RELIABLE and hell for stout. My original mags I bought with the gun 9 years ago still look new after a lot of use. I've had no problems with them, reliablity or durability wise. They are as much of an investment as the gun. Don't let the initial investment in a stash of magazines deter you from experiencing what a finely crafted,great shooting piece the M1A is. I'd sooner shave my nuts with a cheese grater than sell my Pre-ban Springfield!

Posted: 11/26/2002 12:15:12 PM EDT

[#4]

Wave, when it comes to magazines, we all know by now, you get what you pay for. Unless you luck into a deal. Buy U.S.G.I. and only U.S.G.I.. The M1A is an excellent weapon. Don't handicap yourself with substandard magazines. The cost only hurts for a little while.

Posted: 11/26/2002 3:03:25 PM EDT

[#5]

How about going this route(As suggested via an e-mail)?

Buy:
From SARCO - Magazine Rehab Kit (Mag Follower, Floorplate, Follower Spring) - $6.95
From Elite Firearms in KY - 20 Round Mag Bodies - $16.95

Or

Since I also own an ArmaLite AR-10, will ArmaLite do a coversion on cheapie magazines like the $9.99 ones from Tapco?

Posted: 11/26/2002 3:24:48 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
How about going this route(As suggested via an e-mail)?

Buy:
From SARCO - Magazine Rehab Kit (Mag Follower, Floorplate, Follower Spring) - $6.95
From Elite Firearms in KY - 20 Round Mag Bodies - $16.95

Or

Since I also own an ArmaLite AR-10, will ArmaLite do a coversion on cheapie magazines like the $9.99 ones from Tapco?

You would technically be afoul of the law. Those mag bodies are sold as "rebuild" bodies. That means they are meant to repair/replace damage/destroyed pre ban mags. You can replace mag bodies much the same way as replacing a damaged/destroyed pre ban receiver. You can't manufacture new post ban high cap mags. If you can find knock off mags real cheap and they get "destroyed" you could use your plan to replace them but would it be cheaper than Coles?
I don't think Armalite will convert the knock off(USA, Western, etc.) M-14 mags.

BTW, if you replace destroyed mags you should keep the components to prove they were actually destroyed. This is the law as I understand it. YMMV.

Posted: 11/26/2002 3:43:09 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

You would technically be afoul of the law. Those mag bodies are sold as "rebuild" bodies. That means they are meant to repair/replace damage/destroyed pre ban mags. You can replace mag bodies much the same way as replacing a damaged/destroyed pre ban receiver. You can't manufacture new post ban high cap mags. If you can find knock off mags real cheap and they get "destroyed" you could use your plan to replace them but would it be cheaper than Coles?
I don't think Armalite will convert the knock off(USA, Western, etc.) M-14 mags.

BTW, if you replace destroyed mags you should keep the components to prove they were actually destroyed. This is the law as I understand it. YMMV.

Whoops, I really didn't know that. I guess I'll just shoot the locks off my wallet and pay for the USGI's!

Posted: 11/26/2002 4:07:41 PM EDT

[#8]

What kind of Mag bodies does KY imports sell? Are they anygood? What do the 10 rounders go for?

Posted: 11/26/2002 9:50:24 PM EDT

[#9]

A note on thermolds for the M1A. M1A thermies are ok to start with ( once you get the rear locking tab fitted )...BUT when the front locking hole wears sufficiently you will start getting feed failures. Mine seem to be bolt over base malfunctions. Kind of odd considering that it is the fron of the mag tipping, not the rear.

Posted: 11/27/2002 4:43:41 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Quoted:
How about going this route(As suggested via an e-mail)?

Buy:
From SARCO - Magazine Rehab Kit (Mag Follower, Floorplate, Follower Spring) - $6.95
From Elite Firearms in KY - 20 Round Mag Bodies - $16.95

Or

Since I also own an ArmaLite AR-10, will ArmaLite do a coversion on cheapie magazines like the $9.99 ones from Tapco?

You would technically be afoul of the law. Those mag bodies are sold as "rebuild" bodies. That means they are meant to repair/replace damage/destroyed pre ban mags. You can replace mag bodies much the same way as replacing a damaged/destroyed pre ban receiver. You can't manufacture new post ban high cap mags. If you can find knock off mags real cheap and they get "destroyed" you could use your plan to replace them but would it be cheaper than Coles?
I don't think Armalite will convert the knock off(USA, Western, etc.) M-14 mags.

BTW, if you replace destroyed mags you should keep the components to prove they were actually destroyed. This is the law as I understand it. YMMV.

here www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=2&f=27&t=122366 armalite discusses the mag conversions.

Quoted:
The whole mag shell issue is irritating for us as well as the customers.
Most customers send in pretty poor shells. We get them for accounting purposes only, as required by our supplier. We stack em up.

I will look for the other thread when they stated that ANY brand mag would be acceptable

Posted: 11/27/2002 4:50:01 AM EDT

[#11]

Here it is www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=2&f=27&t=138398

Quoted:
They can be 30 rounder USAs or whatever gawdawful mag you can buy. Just remember that you'll have to make the spring and floorplate work, and the USA have pretty flaky ones. It's legal to get new springs and floorplates AFTER you've received your conversion kit. BATF guidance is that all parts can be replaced, just not all at once.

ALSO

Quoted:
For some reason this seems to cause a lot of confusion. Here is an explanation to this post:

If you want to send in mags for conversion, which means we convert them at the factory for you, the mags MUST be USGI, Chinese or Springfield Armory. You send the complete M14 mag in and we send you a complete converted AR10 mag, price is $30 each.

If you want to purchase a conversion kit (which includes a converted mag body, follower, follower spring and plunger), then you must send us a mag shell. It is a policy our vendor has set for us and we must comply if we want to continue offering conversion kits. The mag shell can be any mag shell you can find (as posted previously by "ArmaLite"). The conversion kits are $30 each.

This post began by asking a question about the conversion kits. "Wof Wof" has posted that he sent ArmaLite USA mags and we sent them back. The reason we sent them back with a note is because the USA mags you sent in were for conversion...and we do not convert USA mags, only USGI, Chinese and Springfield Armory.

If you wish to buy conversion kits, you can send us USA mag shell bodies.

Hope this has helped clear up any misunderstandings.

ArmaLite Sales

Posted: 11/27/2002 7:27:04 AM EDT

[#12]

The KY import mag bodies are BRW(Borg Warner)!

Posted: 11/27/2002 12:05:31 PM EDT

[#13]

is there a phone number or web site for KY imports?

Thanks

Posted: 11/27/2002 12:12:27 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
What kind of Mag bodies does KY imports sell? Are they anygood? What do the 10 rounders go for?

The mag bodies are USGI. Stamped with BRW and under that is an S - 1. They have the best price I've seen for 10 rounders at $16.95 apiece.

Posted: 11/29/2002 3:05:21 PM EDT

[#15]

so when did borg warner start making bodies again?

Posted: 11/29/2002 4:35:46 PM EDT

[#16]

they didn't.. all these mag bodies turning up are NOS

Posted: 11/29/2002 5:21:39 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
they didn't.. all these mag bodies turning up are NOS

what does NOS mean?

Posted: 11/29/2002 5:50:57 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Quoted:
they didn't.. all these mag bodies turning up are NOS

what does NOS mean?

I saw "The Fast and the Furious" once...

oh not that NOS

Posted: 11/29/2002 8:30:00 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:
they didn't.. all these mag bodies turning up are NOS

what does NOS mean?

New Old Stock

Posted: 11/30/2002 7:52:10 AM EDT

[#20]

ok if the are NOS that means that the bodies werer made during the 60's and 70. can they be built in mags? and if not why not? and point me to a rulings tht tells me how pre-ban mag is no longer a pre-ban mag. after all the contracotrs only mag complete mags. the military didn't bother to fix them. they replaced them as a magazine assembly.

if these bodies were post 94 production i would understand why assembly would be illegal. but these apperar to be pre-94. they appear to be pre-74 from the pics i have seen of them. haven't bought any yet cause i've got plenty of M14 mags. but just trying to make sense of this stuff.

Posted: 12/1/2002 5:40:52 AM EDT

[#21]

FWIW, I bought some of these mag bodies from KY Imports many monthes ago.

The mag bodies I recieved did NOT have BW markings (or any other marking) ....

The guys at KY Swear that these are unmarked USGI mag bodies.

On close inspection they appear identical to the USGI mag bodies on the mags they will eventually replace.

SDnR ;)

Posted: 12/1/2002 8:58:13 AM EDT

[#22]

Are the 10 rounders the same length as the 20 rounders?

Posted: 12/1/2002 9:48:06 AM EDT

[#23]

no.. the 10rnd mags are not the same length. they are shorter by a few inches... they took GI mags and (GASP!!!!) shortened them :-(

Posted: 12/1/2002 3:03:58 PM EDT

[#24]

and some of the 5 rounders are even shorter. there are 2 lengths that i hve seen and the shorter ones area pain to get out of the mag well.

Posted: 12/13/2002 5:58:45 AM EDT

[#25]

I got a few of the magazine tubes from Elite also.
They are identical to the CMI USGI mags that I have. Just no ID on them.
The ten round mags were CMI also.
Better get some followers while you can.
They were going for $4 each at the last show.

Posted: 12/13/2002 3:20:55 PM EDT

[#26]

i whole heartedly agre on getting ALL the followers you can get!! they are the weak link to a M-14 mag.. as that flat tab that flips up the bolt stop on last round is the first thing to go on the mag..

Posted: 12/20/2002 8:41:16 PM EDT

[#27]

I just got some followers from SARCO. They are NEW BW marked. I bought the M14 rehab kits. Spring, base and follower. I'm mostly interested in the followers. I want to end up with about 50.

Posted: 12/21/2002 4:19:01 AM EDT

[#28]

I have a few of the 10 rounders too cause they are cheap and i like them better in the prone.

Posted: 12/21/2002 9:17:55 AM EDT

[#29]

i too like the 10rnd mags for HP Prone.. but i use a slightly modified mag..i take the spring out of a 5 rnd mag and install it in the 10rnd mag and use a 1/4" delrin spacer between the spring and the floorplate...makes it easier to load that single round in at prone without having to fight the spring.. and it even has enough tension to be used for that first 2 round mag for the rapids in prone too

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Those freakin' mags!

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