Gen 3 magazine followers

[toddimusnimski]

I was going through the magazines for my 5906 when I noticed the follower on one of them was different from the rest (see pic). The one on the right has a rounded top that curls underneath the magazine lip. All the rest are like the one on the left, with an angled top that meets the magazine lip.
All magazines are factory preban 14 and 15 rounders. I don't have any AWB or post ban mags and I'm wondering if the oddball follower is the type that are found on those ones?

[toddimusnimski]

Ok, I just noticed that the magazine with the rounded follower also has a "0" next to the 3/4" long side indentation, and doesn't have the small divot just below this area above the baseplate. Also the indentation is more pronounced. And now the War Dept looked at them and noticed the number fonts are different too.
Yeah, I know, too much time on my hands...

[Fastbolt]

Nice find.

I've seen and used both types back when we issued 5903's and we started ordering some 15rd mags. (Our early production 5903's originally came with the early 14rd mags.) As I recall, I saw the orange ones with the more rounded top appear in some of the newer mags first, and then the more "standard" looking ones (looking like the black followers) appeared afterward.

The legs of the orange followers were just enough shorter than the black followers so they would allow the loading of a 15th round in the standard magazines. The witness holes were also changed in the mags produced for use with the orange followers to incorporate a hole for the 15th round.

[toddimusnimski]

Thanks for the info! Due to the differences from the older 14 round mags I figured it was a newer variety, but apparently not. It must have been a short run by another contractor.
Great Forum!

[mrmike7189]

Marlin made copycat magazines that were identical to the S&W 59/69 series mags for their Camp Carbine model 9. The followers were orange an look like that.