M1 Carbine Mags that work

[peacemaker45]

I've got two GI 15 rounders that work fine, and a couple of aftermarket 30 rounders (M2-style magazines, if one wants to be pedantic about it) that jam about every third round.

What's the current state of the market? Who makes them, what works, what doesn't, etc?

 

[rule303]

As far as I know, GI are the only ones that work reliably. There are just too many inexpensive originals out there for someone like Mec-Gar to produce a quality aftermarket mag.

 

[VA27]

303 hit the nail on the head. There are tons of GI mags out there. I picked up 15 still in the GI wrapper at a swap meet a few years back. Paid 5 bux each. I opened a couple for range use and stored the rest.

 

[firesky101]

All my korean mags work great. I only run into troubles with the 30 rounders on my dads early M1 with the first mag latch.

 

[mf-dif]

The keepshooting.com ones do not work...well. Issue every mag. Take range off your list.

 

[Ash]

I've had good luck with GI ones, of course, but have been interested in the Korean ones as well.

 

[greyling22]

mf-dif, no offense, but....Huh?

 

[Tommygunn]

The newer 30 rnd mags from Korea work very well in my carbine as well as some of the other people here who have them.
If you want to use them I strongly suggest obtaining the M-2 magazine catch which has the extra "finger" to support the extra lug that's on the left side rear of the 30 round magazines. That made a difference in mine. It doesn't interfere with 15 round magas at all.

 

[mmay1]

Mat, the Korean mags work well in my M1 carbines. I ran across them a few weeks ago at Wideners (out of stock now, as with most things related to firearms, ammo, reloading)and bought 10. The only mags I have had issues with have been "vintage" WWII-era mags, even after replacing the springs.

 

[gk2410]

I concur - U.S. GI or the Korean mags. Hadn't heard of the M-2 mag being an assist but they've plentiful and I'm going to upgrade mine.

 

[mf-dif]

mf-dif, no offense, but....Huh?

Keepshooting.com makes their own brand of M1 Carbine magazines. They have a video showing them doing a mag dump. I own 2 of their mags...they jam up at least 1x a magazine. Meant to say "take them off your list" but my tablet auto corrected the wrong word.

I know it is their mags because I tested 3 other types on the same day, with the same ammo no malfunctions.

 

[1KPerDay]

The Korean 30 rounders have been more reliable for me in my rifles than GI 15 rounders. I have one rifle with the M2 latch and one without, and the Koreans work in both. I've had zero malfs with the Koreans and a couple of FTFs with the GIs. That's it.

YMMV

 

[KODB]

I have had good luck with (of course) USGI 15 rounders and the most recent batch of Korean 15 rounders-although I replace the magazine springs right from the get go with new Wolff 15 round springs.

The 30 round Korean mags have been a bit iffy accross about 5 different USGI/CMP carbines that are well maintained/rebuilt to spec.

Any carbine rebuilds I am doing these days for anyone who is using them in a SD mode gets the recommendation to use either the USGI or the Korean15 round mags and avoid the 30 round mags.

HTH

Bob

 

[Snowdog]

I have yet to test my Korean 30-round magazines for fuction, but the 3 15-round Korean mags purchased a couple years ago have yet to fail in any way. At $10 each, that's not too shabby.

 

[SHR970]

Tommygunn wrote:If you want to use them I strongly suggest obtaining the M-2 magazine catch which has the extra "finger" to support the extra lug that's on the left side rear of the 30 round magazines. That made a difference in mine.

SPOT ON advice.

There is a reason that the M-2 mag catch was part of the M-2 conversions from the military. The 30 round magazine was part of the M-2 conversion. They put the extra "finger on the mag catch and the extra lug on the magazine because the bend in the 30 round magazine makes the magazine tilt in the mag well enough to cause problems. Gravity becomes a gremlin in the grand scheme of things. Look up M1 carbine T-17 kit.

With a proper mag catch in place; then and only then you can have reasonable suspicions about magazine issues. Otherwise it's only a crap shoot in finding mags that will work if you can even find any.

 

[wxl]

Have good luck with original GI mags, keep 6 in rotation and a dozen still in wrap.

 

[Ret.CWO]

I agree with FIRESKY 101 I have about eighty some are korean mags (military)
not after market. They all work as advertised. I also have about 20 US military 30 rounders they also work. However I don't use 30's very much as I like the 15 round ones.

 

[Batty67]

I prefer 15-rd magazine much more than the 30-rds.

 

[HoosierQ]

As far as I know, GI are the only ones that work reliably. There are just too many inexpensive originals out there for someone like Mec-Gar to produce a quality aftermarket mag.

This was true of mine (although not a true M1...a Universal). The 15-rounders worked well, the 30 rounders, seldom.

 

[amd6547]

GI 15rd mags are my favorite, but the Korean 15's and 30's have worked perfectly in my CMP Inland.
I do have the M2 mag catch for the 30's.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Stay away from aftermarket stuff. I learned that back in the late '70s.

Get GI or stuff made to GI specs.

 

[1KPerDay]

Times change. GI stuff isn't always the best. Mec Gar mags are as good or better (BETTER) than GI Beretta M9 Checkmate mags, for example. Pmags are arguably better than some GI AR mags.

IME, Korean M1 Carbine mags are BETTER than GI M1 Carbine mags. I have both. GI mags have jammed... Korean ones haven't.

*shrugs*