I hope this is the right forum to post this. I need to know the going rate for Viet Nam era Colt 20-rd mags. They are marked "cal. 5.56mm" and "Colt AR-15". They have the dull metal followers. Also stamped with the logo for Universal Industries. Pre-ban.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Magpul mags have gutted the market for metal mags, even Colts. I bought some new Colt mags during later part of the magazine famine during the last eight years for $18 each. I picked up six as you described, but with the rampant Colt on the floor plate, during the original AR ban in 1995 for $80. I used them when I was competing in high power. I turned them over to my wife when she bought an early S&W made by Stag with an out of spec mag well and they were the only one I had that would drop free without help.

If you get $20 each for new mags you are doing good.

Are you talking about original Vietnam-era 20 round mags specifically made by Universal Industries? Used or unused? Buying or selling?

Yes, original 60's Universal Industries.
Used. Outside show lots of wear, but they work fine.
Selling, possibly.

Last box full of GI surplus 20-round mags was about 30 years ago. Paid $2 each because everybody else wanted nothing but the 30-rounders.

Carried the M16 in Vietnam. All we had was the 20-round mags, and we learned to load them with only 18 rounds to assure proper functioning. Also, we loaded 1 tracer, 4 ball, 1 tracer, 4 ball, 1 tracer, 4 ball, followed by three tracers (to alert you that it was time to change magazines).

Still have a difficult time shooting prone or from the bench with 30-round mags; just too darned long and unwieldy for an old guy who learned how to use the AR-style rifle with a proper 20-round mag.

I think pristine ones might have a little collector demand but for finished challenged ones little demand exists. The collectors will probably want the Colt marked ones. I agree with Lobo on them and how to use them.

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

not sure. but these are indeed sought after and are collectable.

I can understand the three tracers at the end, but I am curious as to the others being mingled in?

Bought some like new ones recently at a gun show for $12.00 each. Bought some brand new Magpul 20 rounders for $10.00 each. There isn't a big market for them unless they are in great shape and cheap. Better alternatives out there for less money.

Several reasons:

1. In addition to displaying the path of your shots the tracer element also pinpoints the shooter's position. It is always a good idea to shoot then move, but especially so when using tracers.

2. If all of your ammo were tracers it would be just as easy to lose track of how many you have fired (thus how many you have left before reloading) as it can be with standard ball ammo.

3. Standard issue ammo was ball ammo. Tracers were usually available, but quantities were limited, so we have to make the best of what we have.

Yeah I wouldnt want to use tracers exclusively. If I was shooting and moving the tracers would be okay I guess, but if I was in a static position it might be different. But, I wasnt there either.
Thanks for your service

I have heard of GIs doing the same tracer thing with .30 Carbines - a few tracers at the bottom to indicate the magazine was running on empty. I think for any non-combat use, the 20 round AR magazines are preferable. I have eight of them.