lawandorder
Member
.........don't guess anyone has started making a polymer 15 rd magazine for these handy little rifles yet. Sure would be nice if they did.
M1 Carbine magazine question.
- Thread starter lawandorder
- Start date
Charlie Foxtrott
Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2009
- Messages
- 1,256
- Reaction score
- 2,090
I do not know the answer to your question.
But you can still get metal ones from Fulton Armory. The last time that I checked they had original GI mags as well as new ones.
But you can still get metal ones from Fulton Armory. The last time that I checked they had original GI mags as well as new ones.
ACP230
Member
I had a polymer one years ago.
Broke at the top and never worked right.
Threw it out and got more metal mags.
Broke at the top and never worked right.
Threw it out and got more metal mags.
robertrwalsh
SWCA Member
Go with the GI mags if possible. IN my experience they are the most reliable.
Flattop5
Member
That goes for AR-15 mags, too. Go with good, aluminum ones. I have seen countless "plastic fantastic" mags break, sometimes when dropped, sometimes not.
---------------
smoothshooter
Member
Get the metal government government contract 20 round magazines. Better made, works better, and the last time I looked, still relatively inexpensive.
DWalt
Member
Just due to the way the magazine catch on the magazine body is designed, I wouldn't trust the longevity of a plastic .30 Carbine magazine. But I know of no plastic magazines. I still see GIs at gun shows, but in the $20 range now. At one time you could get them for a dollar. I have something like 15 of the 15 round type and three 30-rounders. I also have three which have been modified to five rounds. Those look to have professionally-made bottoms held in place by pins, probably made of Aluminum. Does anyone know where those conversion bottoms are available? I would like to make up a couple of 10 round magazines.
Aggie1906
US Veteran
I was touted onto Korean made 15 rounders some years ago, and find them fine. Cheaper Than Dirt maybe?
Sometimes they are more reliable than my original wartime ones, but
I got them for authenticity more than use anyway, KSGs to go with my 1943 Saginaw.
Sometimes they are more reliable than my original wartime ones, but
I got them for authenticity more than use anyway, KSGs to go with my 1943 Saginaw.
I own carbines, mags etc. I have never saw a quote "20 rd gov. contract mag". Do you have pics and documentation on those? ALL standard mags for the carbine are 15/30 rds..
CMP has the Korean mags off & on.
The military issue 15 round mags are likely to be the most reliable in the M1 Carbine. Most of the 30 round mags you now see are knockoffs and are often unreliable. The 20 round mags are in the same class as the knockoff 30 round mags. I would not use a polymer magazine in the M1 Carbine.
ACP230
Member
CDNN out of Texas has M1 Carbine mags.
I think he's referring to the USGI M16A1 mags.
There were no government issue 20 round M1 Carbine magazines, but there were some aftermarket 20 round magazines available several years ago. They look like 30 round M1 Carbine mags, but shorter. They strike me as being 30 round mags that were shortened to 20 rounds, perhaps trying to make them more reliable. The few reviews I read indicated that they were still unreliable.
BearBio
Member
My understanding is that the 20 rd mags were for M2 carbines and are quite scarce. After market ones have a rep for jamming.
Just looked at the Fulton Armory site. 15-round USGI magazines, 'like new', are listed for $49.95. I haven't seen a GI 30-round one in a while, and I've never seen a 20-round M1 carbine mag. Of course, that doesn't mean they don't exist.
Faulkner
Member
^^^ This is correct, the only government issue magazines were the original 15 round magazines and the later 30 round magazines.
Although I find USGI 15 round magazines to be very reliable (and I've had no problems with the recent Korean made 15 round magazines), the 30 round magazines can be quite problematic and that's mainly with the commercial copies. Most people don't know how to tell the difference between original USGI 30 round magazines and the commercial copies therefore they all have a pretty bad reputation. Jokingly, the easiest way to identify a USGI 30 round magazine is that they sell at gunshows for about $75+.
I ran across the commercial 20 round magazines a few years ago and purchased one to try out. I gotta tell you, I was impressed with it enough that I purchased half a dozen more. They are a little shorter than the 30 round magazines and mine have been every bit as reliable as the USGI 15 round magazines. I have not seen any 20 round magazines available in a while, but I wouldn't hesitate purchasing them rather than the much maligned 30 round magazines.
Pictured below for size comparison is the commercial made 20 round magazine in the center.
USGI 15 rounders are widely available, you can even find them new in the wrap. $20-$30 should get a excellent GI mag. GI 30 round mags can be a little pricey. The FN produced 30 rounders marked “AYP” are Belgian and are every bit as good as USGI. CDNN used to sell them for $20.00. Don’t know if they still do. As others have said, the Korean mags work well.
One thing I like about the Korean mags is they have a bolt hold open slot milled into the magazine follower.
