Carbine 30rd magazines legit?

[scubatke]

Greetings everyone,

Hope I am not fumbling by posting this here; apologies if so. I posted a thread in the fakery forum (link below) and I'm just hoping that it is seen (maybe I should have posted it here to begin with).

I'm wondering about some 30rd magazines. The thread has plenty of pics and can be found here: Military Surplus Collectors Forums

Thanks,
Jeff

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Tom in N.J.]

Before 30 round magazines became a thing of the past in NJ, those "M2" marked commercial magazines were in all the gun stores. They are not USGI issue, but they DO hold 30 rounds.

[painter777]

Hey Jeff,

Are you wondering if they are USGI WWII?

Or if they work ok?

Charlie

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 PM ----------

Thx Tom,

CH-P777

---------- Post added at 05:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 PM ----------

Good link here..........

30 Rd Hardback and Splitback SEY Magazines

CH-P777

[scubatke]

Good link here..........

30 Rd Hardback and Splitback SEY Magazines

CH-P777

Thanks Charlie. That is one of the places I had been looking at; I was also looking at this document from CMP:
http://www.odcmp.com/Sales/pdfs/Carb...ember_2007.pdf

And this website:
M1 / M2 Carbine Magazine FAQ

Its funny, I couldn't get my mind to make sense of the information from all three sources as a whole while I was reading them online but as soon as I printed each one out and read them they were pretty clear regarding the M2 magazines. I thought that I should share what I learned with the person selling the mags so he would know what he has; here's the note (in part) that I sent along with the sources mentioned above:

Based upon three different sources, the M2 mags are not USGI; they are commercial mags made in the 1970’s by a guy named Tony Scherer. I have read that some of the mags were OK and some were very bad. For commercial mags, $50-60 is just too much for me.

Now I see he has the mags listed on Gunbroker as USGI...

At least I know what a Front Top Roll Crimp is now...

[Bill Ricca]

I collect and research both originals and the old fakes.

Here is my collection. It is a large image, so you may have to click on it to see it:



There are a few individual characteristics that show real versus fakes. I do not let all the information out because the fakers will correct their errors.

[scubatke]

Very nice Bill!

Do all USGI 30 rd magazines have the front seam crimp? Also, I think I read that USGI mags were always blued, never parkerized...is that correct?

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

Very nice Bill!

Do all USGI 30 rd magazines have the front seam crimp? Also, I think I read that USGI mags were always blued, never parkerized...is that correct?

Jeff,

The early 30 round magazines had a full seam the later a partial seam. If you go to the link Charlie added here in post #3. Then look at the pictures in post #1 by thorin6 you will see the differences.

[scubatke]

Jeff,

The early 30 round magazines had a full seam the later a partial seam. If you go to the link Charlie added here in post #3. Then look at the pictures in post #1 by thorin6 you will see the differences.

My bad, I wasn't being specific. Jim, you are saying that the hardback mags had the full seam and the split back had the partial seam, right? I failed to note that I was asking only about the splitback mags.

[painter777]

Many were parked as part of rebuild or for storage.. etc.
All were Blued as originally issued.

Charlie-Painter777

[scubatke]

So parkerization doesn't necessarily equate to being a fake? Are they less collectible?