5906 Magazine questions..

digi-shots

digi-shots

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Both of these magazines are 14/15 rounds with orange followers and S&W marked black base plates. One has the S&W logo and one doesn’t … is there any difference otherwise?

Also, one side has 14 round witness holes and the other side says 15 (??)

I’ve seen these sell on Gunbroker for anywhere between $30 and $60.. why the large range in pricing… what am I missing?

Thanks
 

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No idea.
But I do believe that currently you can buy new ones from Mec-Gar.
Possibly a few other manufacturers as well.
 
digi-shots said:
Both of these magazines are 14/15 rounds with orange followers and S&W marked black base plates. One has the S&W logo and one doesn’t … is there any difference otherwise?

Also, one side has 14 round witness holes and the other side says 15 (??)

I’ve seen these sell on Gunbroker for anywhere between $30 and $60.. why the large range in pricing… what am I missing?

Thanks
Click to expand...


Price variation depends on condition and whether seller knows new S&W 5906 15rd mags are still available for $36 from Midway (or more likely whether seller thinks potential buyer knows).

Most S&W 3rd Generation Mags are no longer available new and except when a large supply of used mags from a PD changeover hits the market, they can command $50+ per mag (Up to $100 ea for 1006 mags).

As for the 14 vs 15, I believe the early 5906 (and 59, 459) mags were 14rd - I have one that only has holes marked 14 and it only holds 14rd, but there are plenty of 15rd S&W mags plus 15 and 17rd MecGar mags out there under $50.

Only wish that were true for other 3rd Gen mags. There are some ProMags and others out there in some configurations, but for most part, people seem to recommend staying with S&W or MecGar mags for 3rd Gen S&W pistols.
 
The original 5906 magazines were indeed 14 rounds and had a metal base plate. I was given one that was an unused orphan. You can convert these to 15 round by changing the baseplate, base plate locking plate and follower to the later style. But that also requires some very minor dremel work on the bottom of the mag tube to allow the plastic base plate to install.

That comment will likely horrify purists, but the newer parts are far more available should you damage something.
 
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I think the only difference is the follower. I replaced the follower in my 14 rnd marked mag with the new orange follower and it now holds 15 rounds. Some of the older 59 mags don't have markings at all and some only have 1 hole on 1 side.

Edit:

My 14 came with the plastic base plate. Came on the gun when I bought it 25 years ago. I recently changed the follower and 14 now fits.

Not sure about the metal vs plastic base plate myself.

Rosewood
 
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There isn't much difference in the price of the OEM 15 round mag from Midway and the MecGar. I'm just wondering which one to get. I'm leaning toward the OEM.
 
fiasconva said:
There isn't much difference in the price of the OEM 15 round mag from Midway and the MecGar. I'm just wondering which one to get. I'm leaning toward the OEM.
Click to expand...


Always OEM first choice unless you need/want the 17 rd MecGar and even then I personally would favor the OEM 15rd. Not sure about now, but when they came available earlier this year you were limited to 2 OEM at Midway.
 
I believe that the newer mags with the S&W logo stamped in the left side will be more likely to have both the left and right side notches for an ambidextrous magazine release.
 
fiasconva said:
There isn't much difference in the price of the OEM 15 round mag from Midway and the MecGar. I'm just wondering which one to get. I'm leaning toward the OEM.
Click to expand...

Doesn't make any difference since Mec-Gar is one of the suppliers to S&W for OEM magazines! Odds are the magazines purchased from S&W were made for them by Mec-Gar! S&W has not made their own magazines for many years.

Most firearms manufacturers purchase their magazines from a third party, this will include Mec-Gar, Metalform, and Checkmate. This is true for S&W, Springfield, Kimber, Colt, Bersa and others, including other European makers. In other words, pay no attention to anyone who tells you to always buy OEM, they don't know what they are talking about!:D

For Mec-Gar buy them from Greg Cote LLC, they are much less than direct from Mec-Gar USA
 
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Alk8944 said:
In other words, pay no attention to anyone who tells you to always buy OEM, they don't know what they are talking about!:D
Click to expand...
Yes, but do you really want to let someone buy "S&W" magazines made by ProMag or Triple K? I know some people have had good results, lots of people have had nothing but failures with them, some people go to the trouble of replacing the follower and spring to get them to work. Who really made S&W's magazines? S&W ain't saying, but i'm sure it was not ProMag or Triple K, most likely it was MecGar.
 
stansdds said:
Yes, but do you really want to let someone buy "S&W" magazines made by ProMag or Triple K? I know some people have had good results, lots of people have had nothing but failures with them, some people go to the trouble of replacing the follower and spring to get them to work. Who really made S&W's magazines? S&W ain't saying, but i'm sure it was not ProMag or Triple K, most likely it was MecGar.
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Agree - thats why I say OEM is always the best choice - they are made to S&W tolerances and S&W hopefully would not put their name on mags not to their specifications.

MecGar does make some OE mags, but not sure about 3rd generation S&W - the MecGar are slightly different geometry so I would doubt it. Still MecGar has a high quality reputation, unlike most other aftermarket mags for 3rd gen S&W pistols.
 
I much prefer mec-gar to factory mags. In recent years they have been available for a lower price, have been absolutely flawless, and I know who made them with no guesswork involved.
 
Just received an email today from Greg Cote LLC that they have MecGar blued 15 rounders back in stock for $23. That seems like a pretty good deal.
 
If you look at Mec-Gar and OEM magazines you'll see that they are identical EXCEPT that the Mec-Gar doesn't have any S&W logos on them.

Since neither Mec-Gar or S&W will comment on whether or not Mec-Gar is the OEM manufacturer we can only be 99% sure that they are.

I have a mix of OEM 14 and 15 round as well as blue and stainless Mec-Gars. If I took them all apart and threw the parts in a bucket it wouldn't make a difference if I re assembled them randomly. They'd all work flawlessly.

Yes, it's too bad that no one makes 69xx, 39xx, 45xx magazines any longer. At least none that I'd use.

RufusG said:
I much prefer mec-gar to factory mags. In recent years they have been available for a lower price, have been absolutely flawless, and I know who made them with no guesswork involved.
Click to expand...
 
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