Magazine Stored Loaded

[Ernest T. Bass]

Yesterday a young fella gave me a 15 round M1 Carbine magazine.
When he aquired the magazine it was wrapped in what may have been the original USGI storage wrap.
He had removed it from the wrap, and I did not see the actual wrap. I did show him some magazines in the original wrap and he said the wrap was identical.
The odd thing, to me, is the magazine was stored fully loaded with LC43 ammunition.
The magazine is marked R-C and appears unused. There is no wear to the blued finish on the two "nubs" on the back of the magazine from having been inserted in a gun.
I realize there is more that I don't know than what I do know, but I have never heard of such.
Was it somewhat common for the US military to store M1 carbine magazines in this fashion?
This magazine has been around for many moons and there are a lot of possibilities as to when and by who it was loaded and wrapped/rewrapped.

[browningautorifle]

Apparently they sent some forward fully loaded. I thought the mag covers were employed though not VCI or whichever wrap it had. I also understand the practice was only marginally successful as there was some reliability issues with the pre loaded mags.

[Neal Myers]

That's an interesting story. And, a great find: R-C is the Rockola manufacturer's mark; your new mag is worth $40-50.

[Col. Colt]

I know BAR mags were shipped, fully loaded, from the factory, ready for use. So this is quite likely not an odd thing. Rare to find one unused - I wonder where the orignal case is - it would be marked "loaded magazines", I'm sure. CC

[browningautorifle]

That's right, BAR mags were the other. Again, I thought the rubber mag covers were employed in this endevour. Again, I understand it was only marginally successful and not prefered by the troops in the field.

By the way, didn't 20 rd M16 mags come loaded in RVN? In Bandolleers? Or was that just a story?

[firstflabn]

So, from a second hand account originating with a young, inexperienced user we are to believe that empty carbine magazines were gooped with preservative inside and out, yet preloaded magazines were clean and dry? That's a pretty tall order with no documentation.

[browningautorifle]

No, I dont believe the goop part either. From my understanding, the military orders were capped with the rubber caps only.

[USGI]

I missed the part about the "goop." Maybe from another forum? Good to know 'ol Ernest T. is still around after all these years. "You ain't seen the last of Ernest T. Bass!" - Bob

[Neal Myers]

My new carbine mags, which came directly from the US military, are wrapped in a sticky waxed paper. Yes, they leave a sticky residue, but there is no "goop".

Neal

[emmagee1917]

My case of 100 WW2 mags came wraped in a folded paper wrap in individual cardboard cells . No goop or sticky residue , ready to unwrap and use.
Chris