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For me the question is, how many magazines by contract were required for each carbine during production? From a collector's view, I have found original magazines for my Postal Meter and Underwood and from a poor memory, the number 8 sticks in my mind. I have also managed to find original oilers and slings. To me, original issue accessories are as important as the rifle. Interesting thread. Regards, Rick.
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Originally Posted by sakorick
I think at least one from each magazine subcontractor to each carbine maker would be a good start. Correct type for the mfg date of the carbine of course.
I haven't even seen an official list of all the subcontractors. That would be quite a collection.
As to how many magazines were required per carbine by contract?
I rather imagine that only Bill Ricca, the contract expert, could answer that question.
I think he once posted a typical contract requirement on this subject but I didn't save it......
Bill, want to jump in here? Again?
I know contracts, but how many were issued with each weapon depended a lot on the location, type of unit, type of mission, and what was available.
Yes, there were standards, but once a unit gets into a combat zone, the standards were no longer required.
I have an IBM late contract that does not show magazines. My assumption is replacement contracts were growing because it was cheaper to get the magazines from the sub contractors. That would apply to late production only, but not sure.
Approx 760,000 30 round magazines were produced during 1966. That shows that 30 round magazines were in much smaller quantities than 15 round.
I was able to find the quantity of Rugg 15 round mags, which was approximately 313,000.
I am still trying to estimate the production of 30 round magazines in 1945 and 1946, but so far I can only estimate a few million.
Bill, if I am reading your post correctly, are you saying that 15-rd Rugg mags are "more rare" that 30-rd WWII mags? Wow, it would be interesting what other mags are "rarer" than some of us previously thought.
What is on the market has no direct connection to the amount produced. Back in the 1950's thru the 1980's several million 15 round magazines were released surplus. Circa 1985/86 I was a partner in one of the smallest releases of 28,000.
Not many 30 round were released because they were sent to other countries and were still in use to the end as they were not considered obsolete.
It is not safe to assume production numbers by what is on the surplus market.
It makes you wonder how they did it. A rifle and ammo to last a good (Combat T.V. show) skirmish must weigh a ton. I wonder where SGT. Saunders carried all those mags. LT. Hanley seemed to only have maybe 5=75 yet 1000 rounds later, well Hollywood what do we expect.