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Was going thru my stash of 30-rd mags and noticed about 6 of them being Colt. Did no know they made 30 rounders. Are these worth more than the other mag contractors?
thanks
thanks
Colt AR mags
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Colt has made GIGANTIC quantities of 30 round magazines for military and civilian buyers, starting during the Vietnam war.
Genuine Colt marked mags do bring at least moderately higher prices.
Genuine Colt marked mags do bring at least moderately higher prices.
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The Colt 30 rd mags that cost more are the early version with dark green color followers.
Most of the Colt mags are made generally (but not all) by Okay Industries, the dark green followers are the oldest and these are at
least cost twice as much as other 30 rd mags, even if also made by Colt.
After the dark green color followers the color was changed to black and the recent or current color is light green.
During the assault weapons ban of '94 up to now the body of the mags have a two digit month and two digit year outside the mags, these mags are also marked "Law Enforcement/ Military Use Only".
To determine if your Colt mags are genuine and not fake, older mags that are unmarked outside the body have markings inside the body, one side inside half of the mag body will have the letter "O" and the other half inside will have the "K", the letters are usually near the feed lips, also some will have manufacturing date codes.
There were several floorplate versions which would indicate around what year the mag was made.
The US military switched to 30 rd mags in the early 1970s, but there are earlier 30 rd mags exists around 1968, generally before 1970 the floorplates are marked CAL. .223 cal. after 1970 they're marked CAL. 5.56mm.
What are the markings of your floorplates?
Most of the Colt mags are made generally (but not all) by Okay Industries, the dark green followers are the oldest and these are at
least cost twice as much as other 30 rd mags, even if also made by Colt.
After the dark green color followers the color was changed to black and the recent or current color is light green.
During the assault weapons ban of '94 up to now the body of the mags have a two digit month and two digit year outside the mags, these mags are also marked "Law Enforcement/ Military Use Only".
To determine if your Colt mags are genuine and not fake, older mags that are unmarked outside the body have markings inside the body, one side inside half of the mag body will have the letter "O" and the other half inside will have the "K", the letters are usually near the feed lips, also some will have manufacturing date codes.
There were several floorplate versions which would indicate around what year the mag was made.
The US military switched to 30 rd mags in the early 1970s, but there are earlier 30 rd mags exists around 1968, generally before 1970 the floorplates are marked CAL. .223 cal. after 1970 they're marked CAL. 5.56mm.
What are the markings of your floorplates?
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164 Posts
Thanks AR. Knew Colt had 20-rders during Nam, but did not know the history on the 30's. Mine have the light green followers, and the bottom floorplate, reading left to right starts with the: Colt rampart CAL. 5.56MM
Colt's Mfg. CO. INC.
Hartford, Conn.
U.S.A.
Colt's Mfg. CO. INC.
Hartford, Conn.
U.S.A.
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164 Posts
Date
Just noticed the numbers on the left side near the bottom. Printed up-side-down:33710/7-08
Just noticed the numbers on the left side near the bottom. Printed up-side-down:33710/7-08
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893 Posts
Most of the 20 round M16 mags I saw during my Army years were marked "Parsons..." or "Adventure Line..." Colt's were fairly rare in my experience. Not sure of the markings on 30 rounders - can't recall. But I bought some Colt floorplate marked 30 rounders years ago at a show and concluded later they were not entirely Colt but switched floorplates costing $1-2 more. The things folks do to make a buck!
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Your Colt mags are the recent production which started around the early 1990s up to the start of the assault weapons ban 1994, then after the ban they added the month and year date outside the mag bodies, they all have the same light green followers (very early ones had the old black non anti tilt followers, they all have the same floorplate markings of (Pony) Colt CAL. 5.56MM Colt's Mfg. Co. Inc. Hartford, Conn. U.S.A..
Before 1990 back up to the early 1970s the floorplates were marked:
"(Pony) CAL. 5.56MM
Colt's Firearms Division
Colt Industries
Hartford, Conn. U.S.A."
The number 33710 on the mag body are the Cage code of Okay Industries.
Additional reply:
Sadly I only have one Colt 30 rd magazine with the older non anti tilt black follower, no date markings and the Colt's Mfg. Co. floor plate, pre ban from the late 1980s.
I used to have about a dozen same pre ban mags after the ban ended but I mostly gave them away to friends and relatives when they're having mag problems.
Most of my 30 rd mags now are teflon finished D&H Industries/ Tactical brand (over 70 mags) they bought out LaBelle which used to be a US military supplier, the mags are as reliable as Colt and other USGI suppliers but the teflon finish are tougher, more slippery and last longer.
I also use other polymer brands like Magpul PMAG and Lancer Systems translucent, I actually prefer to use my polymer mags because they're stronger and trouble free so far.
If you would like other brands that Okay Industries are making same as Colt but at lower prices take a look at NHMTG, now is another time to get more mags while the prices are lower.
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