M-16 Magazines

[jimmyj]

Purchased two (2) M-16 magazines.
1. Colt's Mfg. Co. Inc. Cal 5.56 MM

2.Center Industries Corp. Wichita. KS.USA MFG 6P199

(I do not own a M-16/AR-15 Rifle)

Are these original magazines ?

 

[Ozark Marine]

They probably are not M-16 mags.
Is there a date on them, 07/65 or something like that?
And does it have a green follower?

 

[Frank46]

Center mags were being made during the vietnam war. Put a lot of rounds down a few of them and they always worked, Frank

 

[DWalt]

There were several M16 magazine makers during the post-Vietnam era. There were actually just two sets of contract 30 round magazine tooling, both built by Colt. They wandered around from contractor to contractor. These contracts were usually "minority or small business set- asides." Typically what would happen is a small business would get set up with the tooling, and start to crank out a contract. Then, the contract was so lucrative that the business no longer qualified as a "small business", the contract was cancelled, and the tooling got yanked and sent on to the next contractor. Contractors included: Adventureline, Parsons Precision Products, Labelle Industries, Sanchez (DSI), Center Industries, Okay Industries, Cooper Industries, and a few others.

There are even M16 magazine collectors as there are so many different variations around. I think I have examples from every manufacturer, but they don't vary much aside from what is stamped on the floorplate.

 

[OldK22]

Jimmy - you did not say if they are 20 or 30 round magazines. If I remember correctly the early Colt 20 round magazines had a metal follower and the Colt marking on the base plate was different (either larger or a smaller "COLT" ). The finish used on the magazine body has changed over the years. The early ones had a finish that when worn and used was burnished yellowish gold.

 

[4506517]

Center Industries is an OEM supplier.

They have been supplying for quite sometime. I have a lot of them in the original wrap dated 92, 99, 03, 09, 11, and 12.

The Colt is not issue per say. I believe they were made for them by whatever company held the GI contract at the time. Some think they are higher quality but they are not. Very very early Colt mags are collectible to some, but not the vast majority.

You do have two good quality mags.

 

[DWalt]

"If I remember correctly the early Colt 20 round magazines had a metal follower and the Colt marking on the base plate was different (either larger or a smaller "COLT" ). The finish used on the magazine body has changed over the years. The early ones had a finish that when worn and used was burnished yellowish gold."

I have something like a dozen 20 round M16 magazines, all of which are stamped on the baseplate as "Colt AR-15" and have the metal followers. Most have that goldish color, which I think is a chromate conversion coating to control aluminum corrosion.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Most of the OEM or contract mags are good to go, and it is often recommended that you load "two rounds down."

The current "flavor of the day" is the Magpul, which is quite a good magazine.

 

[jimmyj]

Jimmy - you did not say if they are 20 or 30 round magazines. If I remember correctly the early Colt 20 round magazines had a metal follower and the Colt marking on the base plate was different (either larger or a smaller "COLT" ). The finish used on the magazine body has changed over the years. The early ones had a finish that when worn and used was burnished yellowish gold.

These magazines have green followers.
The outside finish where worn is bare bright metal.