30 Rd Hardback and Splitback SEY Magazines

[Bill Ricca]

I have about 35 to 40 original 30 rounders and about 12 different fakes. Comparison, which I will not reveal shows there are characteristics on each original maker. I cannot let the information out because the fakers will adopt the changes.

As far as B Jahn, I have studied the contract and there was no unmarked contract. I have an unmarked J Jahn and SEY, but I suspect they were small production errors, or possibly foreign purchases. I know their ID due to their characteristics.

I have seen several hundred new in wrap magazines over the years and years ago they were opened at gun shows in order to sell them (all rewraps for inspection and repack). None were ever unmarked.

[thorin6]

I have noticed that there are two broad groups of non-USGI 30 round magazines (not counting the correct AYPs); aftermarket, where there is no attempt to replicate an original USGI, and reproductions, where there is a deliberate effort to look like a real USGI. While it is not that hard to distinguish the first group, the second group is often sold at Gunshows and on line as USGI; sometimes the person selling them doesn't really know but is just retelling what he was told from a seller or another source. I have been told that the M2 marked magazines were USGI, and I've seen many unmarked magazines passed off as USGI but sold to foreign countries; some of the latter have characteristics of true USGI, but lack the weight and feel of an original USGI. They also are off on some critical dimensions, but unless you carry a caliper with you it's hard to tell. There are some that have weak springs, high locking lugs that don't allow the first round to feed properly, followers that don't feed right either, and so on. I've made a couple of unwise purchases, but that's the price of an education.

[Bill Ricca]

I have been told that the M2 marked magazines were USGI

That is totally false. The maker has been around since the mid to late 1960's. Between 1972 and 1976 I purchased about 500 of them. The last batch was so bad that they did not fit the trigger housing. I called and the wife told me to put a trigger housing on a table, bottom up, insert the magazine and if it does not fit, hit the bottom of the magazine with a wooden hammer.

That was the last batch I purchased. The owner is long retired and his sons are now in charge.

[thorin6]

"I have been told that the M2 marked magazines were USGI."

That is totally false. . . The last batch was so bad that they did not fit the trigger housing. . .

That is the point I was trying to make. I've had several sellers of 30 round magazines tell me those marked with the "M2" were USGI made during the Viet Nam war. I bought a couple before I knew the difference; hence the comment about the price of an education. I should add that I had to modify one of them by filing down part of the third lug so it would lock on the magazine catch; the other magazine seemed to work alright.

[Bill Ricca]

Sorry, I misunderstood your post.

You are not alone. We all have spent money on Repro junk only to find out it is a fake.

It will never end. I have seen several items that have not been around in years, which now are easily available. The maker has changed the method of production and they look quite real.

In 15-20 years there will be so much "original GI" items available that most individuals will never know the real scarcity of them. I am glad I will be gone by then.

[CrossedCannons]

I am glad I will be gone by then.

We won't be!

[USGI]

How about the split back SEY mag shown in the original post - the drain hole looks like it has sharp edges, not deburred? I have (2) that are identical to the one shown, and thought they might be fake - now I'm not sure. Mr. Ricca has commented before that genuine USGI mags have all holes deburred.

[Bill Ricca]

It is very hard to tell by images, but the one of the right has no seam crimp. All SEY had crimps.

B Jahn and some Autoyre have very slight crimps which can be difficult to see unless one gets up close.

None of the hard backs have crimps.

[USGI]

It is very hard to tell by images, but the one of the right has no seam crimp. All SEY had crimps.

B Jahn and some Autoyre have very slight crimps which can be difficult to see unless one gets up close.

None of the hard backs have crimps.

I believe the one pictured on the right is the hardback SEY.

[thorin6]

The one on the right is the hardback and has no crimp, as it should. The splitback SEY holes edges are squared off and not as clean as the hardback. I checked my other splitback SEY and my J marked splitback mag, and the holes are all the same. Interestingly, the M2s have rounded edges on the holes. I've looked at the holes on the SEY splitbacks with a magnifying glass, and they look rough, not smooth like the SEY hardback. The splitback SEYs both have the back shape, crimp, and bolster shape described in the literature.

If Bill Ricca can elaborate on the holes on the SEY splitbacks, that would help.