[Battler]

Thinking of ordering some of those at ammoman http://www.ammoman.com/45MAGS.HTM

I have Wilsons - I have Chip Mccormicks. I have never had a feed jam in either my compact or full size kimber.

What should I expect from these? Obviously I wouldn't go trusting them with my life when I have my overpriced mags; but will they be serviceable? Will I find some percentage that work/don't work if I order 10?

If they mostly work, I can load up 10 to keep going and going without messing with mags at the range/at shooting classes. . . . and if the malfunction rate is sufficiently low, maybe they'd be handy to practice failure drills (except double-feed - no thank you!)

Or maybe stick a few permanently loaded in the car/in the house for those "night of the living dead" scenarios (that I should have a longgun there the time I run out in my expensive carry mags nonwithstanding).

Are they worth a look?

thanks,
Battler.

 

[ferretray]

Battler, at approx. $10.00 apiece/G.I. manuf. I'd give them a shot. JMHO, Ray Rinehart

 

[pxchang0]

I have some surplus GI mags that I bought for around $2 15 years ago. They're among the best mags I have. I use them in an early 80's Colt Govt and a fairly recent Kimber Custom Classic. Been 100% reliable in both; about 50k rounds through the Colt and 5k through the Kimber.

I should qualify this by also saying that I _never_ have mag problems with any of the mags I have. All my mags feed without a hitch.

I must be one of the lucky ones!

 

[gyp_c]

Once you have the tubes, for 7. or so bucks more, you can add Wilson kits to all of them and have some really good mags...I wouldn't do anything but shoot them nyself...Sounds like a great deal to me...

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>>>>>>>>>>g2<<<<<<<<<<

I Like The Shade Too!

 

[GI-45]

Once you have the tubes, for 7. or so bucks more, you can add Wilson kits to all of them and have some really good mags...

Do you know of any places online that sell these kits? (I searched Brownells; couldn't seem to find them.)

[This message has been edited by GI-45 (edited 07-12-2001).]

 

[Jim V]

http://www.wilsoncombat.com should have them.

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
MOLON LABE
Leonidas c 480 BC

 

[Nathan]

I thought Brownells had them, but if not maybe it was www.natchezss.com .

 

[Bear One]

I have 12 GI mags. All but one work fine. I can't seem to figure out why with the one.

 

[Ken Neal]

Its been my experience that the real GI mags work fine. Its the copies of the GI mags that are causing problems. Sometime back there was a thread about the Ammoman mags and it was determined that he had the real McCoy and not the copies. You should be OK with those mags.

 

[JerryM]

I have some genuine G.I. magazines, and they are the best overall I have used. Some are close to 40 years old.
Jerry

 

[Str8_Shot]

When it comes to "GI Issue" magazines they can either be great, or crap. In fact they may not be GI Issue, or contract over runs, at all. So it really will depend on who made them, and how they were made, just like everything else.

Though when you start judging these magazines keep in mind the intended purpose. These magazines were inteded to be single use items, that is why GI issue mags are so plentiful and cheap. If you are in a war and using your handgun, you do not want to think about picking up and empty magazine. So good enough to use once, or a few dozen times in training, is okay.

From my experience, the typical weak point in GI magazines is the feed lips. They either hold up to repeated use in a pistol or they bend fairly quickly. This is either because the metal used in the magazine is thin, or it is not heat treated to the same level a commercial magazine would be. So if you have good ones, keep them. If you don't smash them so you never use them again.

Here are some things to look into when looking at "GI Issue" magazines. Usually there are three rows of numbers on the base of the magazine, these are usually the contract number, drawing number, and manufacturers ID number. Fake GI Issue magazine may say "45 ACP" or "Colt 45" on the base plate. If the magazine says Colt and does not have the prancing pony on it, assume its fake.

Of the three rows of numbers on the base plate the manufacturers ID number is what you are most interested in. This number is called the companies "UIC" number and it is possible to find out the name of the manufacturing company by doing an internet search. Just go to your favorite search engine and seach for "UIC XXXXXX". If the number is real, one of the search engines will find it. If you find a good manufacturer, buy as many magazines as you can. At one time Winchester made magazines, so some very high quality companies are represented in GI issue.

I hope this helps.
Str8_Shot

 

[Walking Point]

I've got 40 magazines that came straight from a Ft. Bragg armory that are kind of strange. They are unmarked, are shiny blued steel, and have fairly modern looking feed lips (not the pretty much straight lips of standard USGI mags).

These things have been feeding 100% for years and I've never seen a USGI mag that had longevity problems compared to any other mag. M-16 mags are also considered one time use items but will function reliably for hundreds (at least) of uses.

 

[ranger]

Excuse me Walking Point, but "straight from a Ft. Bragg armory" ??

As a taxpayer, I must protest!

Unless, of course, you were to share the bounty...

 

[mdcalvert]

Regarding the numbers on the bottom of GI magazines for the M1911A1 Pistol System:

The 19200 is a materials class code that relates to the DoD's Military Stock Number (MSN) System.

The middle number is the partial MSN for a 7 round steel magazine for the M1911A1.

The bottom line is the Manufacturer's CAGE Code that is assigned to the company when they are awarded a contract to provide a specific product. The CAGE Codes on M1911A1 magazines, as well as any other military supply item, can be checked at the Defense Logistics Information Service's site at:
http://www.dlis.dla.mil/CAGESearch/

Regards,



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MDCalvert
Oak Ridge, TN

 

[7th Fleet]

I have well over 100 1911 mags an many of them are GI mags and they work just fine in my 1911. But them and put them back for future use, you never know when the supply will simply dry up. Look at the M-15 magazine situation, who ever dreamed that a 5 dollar M-14 mag would ever cost 50 bucks...7th

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Support Your Local Police

 

[gigi*riva]

Originally posted by Ken Neal:
Its been my experience that the real GI mags work fine. Its the copies of the GI mags that are causing problems. Sometime back there was a thread about the Ammoman mags and it was determined that he had the real McCoy and not the copies. You should be OK with those mags.

I hope so. I just ordered ten from Ammoman(at eight bucks a pop I thought what the hell) but you can see the weld line and crude grinding on the curved surface (the front of the mag.) Some of the welding even looks incomplete, with daylight showing through the seam surfaces. Hope they stand up to real use...