Finger extensions on mag bases -- black or red?

[vigil617]

Just curious:

Anybody know why the finger extensions on some magazines are colored red instead of black? I don't see a lot of the red ones, but just noticed a couple recently on gun-sale sites. Any significance at all to the color difference?

At least one inquiring mind wants to know.

 

[Grog]

Possibly used as training mags so the used & abused magazines are not put into service by accident.

 

[vigil617]

Grog may be right, but these are mags for sale with red finger extensions, so presumably, they're not beat-up training mags. Or are they, and the buyer will be getting "a pig in a poke" if he goes for them?

I really thought someone would have weighed in here by now with an answer that is so simple and straightforward, I would be surprised I hadn't thought of it already.

Can I possibly have stumped the Forum? Say it ain't so!

 

[GaryS]

I'm far from an expert, but I've never seen a plastic base plate in any color other than black. I'd want to see some pretty detailed pictures before I'd buy something like that. If they are hand colored, then Grog is probably right and I'd pass.

 

[vigil617]

Gary, I was hoping you would weigh in on this. Nobody I know has more knowledge about S&W semi-auto mags than you do, and if you haven't seen any mag bases in a color other than black, then that's a strong argument to be careful with 'em.

I'll try to find the pics I've seen and see if they'll copy here so y'all can see what I am talking about.

I'm far from an expert, but I've never seen a plastic base plate in any color other than black. I'd want to see some pretty detailed pictures before I'd buy something like that. If they are hand colored, then Grog is probably right and I'd pass.

 

[Comrad]

 

[GaryS]

I refuse to be tagged as an expert!

I've just spent too much time fishing through bargain bins looking for them.

Magazine followers come in many colors and the color usually signifies something. Base plates seem to only come in black.

A possibility is that a particular agency whose order was large enough could have requested S&W to deliver base plates in a different color for training purposes. I've never heard of that or seen it mentioned anywhere, but it's possible.

S&W will do special production variations for large customers. Thus we see the 4006CHP, 3914DAO, and the FBI 10mm semi auto guns.

Which is why I'll only give a definite maybe on this one.

Gary, I was hoping you would weigh in on this. Nobody I know has more knowledge about S&W semi-auto mags than you do, and if you haven't seen any mag bases in a color other than black, then that's a strong argument to be careful with 'em.

I'll try to find the pics I've seen and see if they'll copy here so y'all can see what I am talking about.

 

[vigil617]

Here's a small pic of some for a 4013 size S&W. Maybe the owner painted 'em with fingernail polish, who knows...

Hadn't seen 'em before, but this pic and one other I can't find right now both had 'em, and I was just wondering.

 

[handgunner356]

I have got the red basepads for 6900 & 5900 that are factory and not painted. I was told they were for use on training mags. Bought several new Shorty-Forty/compact 4000TSW mags overrun mags that had the red pads already on them. I would have kept the 5900 pads if they had been the extended style but they were the standard.

 

[GaryS]

Based on that pic, I'd say that those were made in the color. If someone were just doing a quick paint job, they they probably wouldn't do the slots where the base plates slide in to the magazine.

Now you've given me something to look out for on my next shopping trip.

Here's a small pic of some for a 4013 size S&W. Maybe the owner painted 'em with fingernail polish, who knows...

Hadn't seen 'em before, but this pic and one other I can't find right now both had 'em, and I was just wondering.

 

[Smithsrevenge]

Red is for training mags. 100% we used em at the Police academy. Blue is for "simulation" ammo. Basically rounds with paint filled tips. kind of like super airsoft :-D.

I have some red base mags from Glock that I use in my classes , We usually remove the follower and springs. So we can instantly from a distance designate that they are non-working training mags and not live fire mags. A lot of Police/Military agencies do the same thing.

After a while a place will realize they have too many, and sell them off with the springs and followers inside in almost 100% condition. Plastic mags such as glock, and some other brands are easier to tell if they've been abused, where as SS mags are very difficult to find shows of wear.

 

[colt_saa]

I can not comment on what you saw, but we used to use orange stocked shotguns or magazines with orange tape to indidcate they were for Less Lethal ammunition

 

[Smithsrevenge]

I can not comment on what you saw, but we used to use orange stocked shotguns or magazines with orange tape to indidcate they were for Less Lethal ammunition

I've also seen orange baseplates for mags with wood or rubber rounds as well.

 

[GaryS]

And so it appears we have a definitive answer. Something else to add to my knowledge base.

 

[GoodMornin]

You should be able to make out S&W on the baseplate, got these when I got my 5943TSW at a L.E. only store.

 

[vigil617]

Yep, I think handgunner has nailed it. Here are a couple of pics from a different ad -- marked from the site they came from, but these are for illustration only, and they are not anything I have for sale, so I hope this isn't a violation -- and they show more detail on mags that appear to be new old stock. Interesting, and thanks for your replies, guys, and for the S&W mag pic, goodmornin. Smithsrevenge, I didn't know about the LE agencies selling the almost new, formerly training mags in SS, so that's good info!

I knew I couldn't stump the Forum, especially handgunner!

 

[GaryS]

Is that a ten round magazine?

View attachment 120269
You should be able to make out S&W on the baseplate, got these when I got my 5943TSW at a L.E. only store.

 

[GoodMornin]

It's 15 rds.

 

[GaryS]

Thank you.

 

[Grog]

CDNN has some used LE 4006 mags that are shown as such. I've never seen a hooked baseplate that was colored, but it makes sense they were made.