M1 Carbine Magazines

[Splat Shot]

Anybody know a good, reliable source for 15 and 30 round mags for a M1 carbine? I have bought a couple at gunshows not really knowing what to get or look for and they did not work at all, they were junk.

Also, does it matter what the manufacturer of rifle is when you buy mags for an M1? Say if you have a IBM, Inland or Underwood, should you stay with mags made by the same manufacturer? Any advice is appreciated, thanks Splat.

 

[MrMurphy]

Any mil - surp M1 carbine mag will work with any milspec M1 carbine. Try cheaper than dirt for some decent mags, theirs are usually in good condition.

 

[Sisco]

They show up from time-to-time on ebay too. Don't be put off by the "Listed as 10 round magazines" fool you, that's just to get by ebay's policy.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

The most reliable mags will be USGI 15 rounders. You can still find them new in the wrapper, even after 60 years.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Best I've found were some Winchesters at the Tulsa gun show. $15 each new in wrapper, 15 rounders.

From what I've heard, NONE of the 30 rounders are reliable.

 

[Sisco]

From what I've heard, NONE of the 30 rounders are reliable.

I've got one, it hasn't caused any problems. Couldn't tell you who made it.

 

[Badger Arms]

For years, some company was selling aftermarket 30 rounders as "GI" where they really were crap. I don't know any way of telling myself.

 

[DorGunR]

Larry Ashcraft is correct, all my 15 round mags work just fine but I sometimes get a FTF with the 30 rounders.

 

[Sunray]

"...NONE of the 30 rounders are reliable..." Nonsense. Your Army and ours used all kinds of 'em in Korea. Mine needed to have the lips tweaked open a tick, but it works fine.

 

[DorGunR]

Excuse me..........I guess I need more experience.........I've only been shooting the M1 Carbine for 55 years.

 

[106rr]

You might want to look for 30 rd mags marked AYP. The letters are in a funny script on the front of the mag. They were manufactured by FN many years ago. They are reliable 30 rd mags usually sold in reddish wrappers, many are discolored. I don't know the cost since mine are oldies.
The 15 rd USGI are usually the best but reliable mags are available in 5, 10, 15 and 30. Many users replace the M1 followers with M2s. these hold the bolt open after the mag is empty.Follow local laws etc.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I've never tried 30 rounders in my Carbine. I base my opinion on the experience of a friend who carried an M2 in Vietnam. He said he never found a 30 rounder he would trust his life to.

 

[M2 Carbine]

My 30 round mags work pretty good semi auto but can't be counted on not to jam full auto.

No telling how old the springs are or the quality when they were new.

 

[saddlebum]

r guns & natchez

 

[greg531mi]

All the military mags have some type of manufacturing marking on them, the commericial ones usally don't... Wasn't one aftermarket mag was made on military machinery?

 

[106rr]

Many of the mags issued in Vietnam were totally worn out. This includes 1911, M1 Carbine, M16s, etc. I couldn't find an M16 I could trust with my life until 1968!
A new production run of reliable .30 M1 mags would go perfectly with the introduction of .30 M1 Powerball from CorBon this summer.
E mail Cor Bon for info.

 

[NEtracker]

Have picked up some very nice 15 rndrs (Inland, Underwood) on ebay for what I would call "reasonable" prices. All excellent condition.

Got a 30 rndr from Fulton Armory. Check their site and see if they still have them.

 

[Chipperman]

All of my 15 rounders are GI and work fine. I have about 4 aftermarket 30 rounders that also work fine. My Carbine has never jammed with any mag. Guess I've been lucky.

 

[greg531mi]

Chipperman, what brand do you have that worked?

 

[Newton]

Fulton Armory in Severn (or is it Laurel) Maryland has large stocks of new, still in the wrapper, USGI 15 and 30 round mags.

You can order straight from their website and have them shipped to your door.

They also make the very best new build M1 Carbine that money can buy (about $1,000).


Newton

 

[Texian Pistolero]

Many years ago, gun shows were awash with very low quality 30 round m-1 carbine mags.

These were wortlhess junk, virtual jammomatics. I even saw one that had the faint impression of the label from the Heinz tomato can it had been hammered from.

I learned to recognise genuine, G.I, which have a greyish finish. These work fine.

There were probably some decent aftermarket makers, but I don't know them.

Generally, if 30 rounders are blued or black painted, they are junk.


The 15 rounders wrapped in greasy paper are usually genuine reliable G.I.

 

[Chipperman]

greg531mi,

I got the 30 rounders at a gun show. They have a thin black finish (not the thick black paint that you sometimes see on garbage mags). One of them says Made in Japan, the others have no markings that I can recall. I'm not at home right now, so I can't look at them.

They have all worked fine in my M1 (a Rock-Ola).