Vinyl Bags For 30 Round M16 Magazines.

I came across a vinyl bag in my stash of junk that takes a 30 round M16 mag. I did not think there was such an item. My sample is dated May 2000. Picture shows the longer 30 rounder on the left, a 2-70 dated 20 rounder in the center and a 20 rounder with Viet Nam era safe conduct pass on the right.(Also dated 2-70). My question is does anyone know when the 30 round bags were adopted, Viet Nam or later?? Doing a little research, I found the 30 round magazine bags listed on page C-2 of TM 9-1005-249-10 dated Feb 1985.

Attachment 88444

I only saw the 20 rounder Chieu Hoi bags. I still have a couple, in fact. I did hear, though, that they developed the 30 rounders for the first Gulf War. In that case it was to keep the talcum powder fine dust out, rather than the moisture.

Not common to find them for the 30rd magazines, the Viet Nam 30rd plastic bags are very rare too

30 round mags were fielded and on like second or third vendor when the M16A1E1 Technical Feasibility Test started in 1982 at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

The cyclic rate increased when the 30 round mags were introduced. They were used in the FPWs (Firing Port Weapons) and they were in use in 78 when I got to the Army Sm Cal Lab at Picatinny.

early unmarked 30 rd magazine (Costa Mesa). these started to find their way to Viet Nam
during theAttachment 95326Attachment 95327 the end of the 1960's -