Sten 20-Round Magazines From Centerfire Systems

Read about this source here on MilSurps, ordered the 10-pack ($110 shipped), which arrived yesterday. None of the 10 mags or internals had ANY preservative on or in them , and all are rusted, some with considerable rust.

Is this typical for these mags from Centerfire?

I think they'll clean up reasonably well, but this is way outside my experience buying a couple dozen mags from other sources, all of which were heavily packed with cosomoline. I certainly want the 20-rounders since we've been having so many feed issues with the unmodified mags.

Rusty magazines are nothing new, even with SLR/Bren magazines. Just degrease, light bead blast drop in the phosphate tank, paint, through an oven then an oil bath. They'll last another 30 years. Done zillions of them

Thanks, Peter. Good news indeed!

Now to figure out whether the feed lips are correct . . .

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Originally Posted by tj214

Is this typical for these mags from Centerfire?

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For these ones, yes. The pictures on their site show they have rust. 10-Pack of 9mm Sten 20rd Magazines - Used


I got some a while back. I tried one right out of the box without cleaning the filthy thing and it ran fine. Gave the rest a quick clean with WD40 and rags. They all worked flawlessly. They are by far the most reliable Sten mags I have. (I only load 19 rounds in them)

There was a rusty MP38/40 mag in the last batch of these I got from them. I called and she asked if I wanted to exchange it or keep it. I chose to keep it since I could sell it for about the cost of the 10 Sten mags. Then I friend asked me if I was interested in a transferable C&R MP40. Well, I already had a magazine! How could I say no.

Another alternative, requiring less equipment, is petroleum jelly, spread it on, let it sit, then wash it off. Then paint with a high temp auto paint in flat back. I did this on some M-14 mags I ran across 20 years ago. The mags have held up very well. Of course, they are no longer in a combat environment.

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Originally Posted by Vincent

Then I friend asked me if I was interested in a transferable C&R MP40. Well, I already had a magazine! How could I say no.

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My kind of logic, I've bought a rifle because I had a bayonet too...

Sten magazines. Lips to be parallel and the bullet 'angle of presentation' to be 8 degrees. How do I remember all this guff after all these years........

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

Sten magazines. Lips to be parallel and the bullet 'angle of presentation' to be 8 degrees. How do I remember all this guff after all these years........

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It’s how are career paths are chosen. If you could do the same thing with biological systems, you’d have been a surgeon! 😉

Most 20 round mags were done post manufacture in India.
Due to feeding problems with the mags in India (for some reason) they went to the wires and while reducing the capacity from 32 rounds to 20 increased the reliability.