why only USGI M14(m1a) magazines?

[eatatjoes]

i am curious as to why people only seem to want to buy USGI M14 magazines. are the aftermarket ones really bad enough to justify the 50$+ price of the USGI magazines?

 

[Powderman]

In a word, yes.

The main problem that I have found is the magazine lock in the back. These are frequently barely stamped into the metal, not seperately mounted as in the GI mags. The result is this: first round, the mag disengages and sometimes falls out. Doesn't happen with the GI mag.

 

[Sactown]

$50+ for m14 mags? You need to shop at http://www.coledistributing.com/

 

[C.R.Sam]

Those $36.95 ones look good.
But I would go for the next ones down at $44.95.
They are in the proper wrapping and have passed several levels of inspection.
Sometimes unwrapped ones are just fine.
sometimes unwrapped ones were, for some reason, not acceptable and never made it to packaging. Could be something as mundane as finish color, or could be a dimensional problem.

Sam

 

[B27]

What sactown said. There is no reason to pay $50 for an M14 mag unless you are a collector searching for a specific item.