[SemiAuto]

After I bought my SU-16 I picked up a couple of 30 rd mags. Note that this was before I checked in here and read all the informative notes and FAQs. Needless to say, I cringed as the mags I bought are steel. But the gentleman who sold them to me has never done me wrong and he told me they were new mil spec M16 magazines of good quality.

There were no identifying markings anywhere on them except for a sticker on the side that read "Singapore". They are solid and well formed and have a matte gray finish. You'll note in the pics that although they have a black plastic follower, they are the long tang variety and are identical side-by-side with the mil-spec green ones I've seen. They fit smoothly into the SU-16, and snap sharply into place, with just a hint of wiggle.

I haven't had a chance to range fire them yet. That'll be the true test, but I thought I'd see what you guys had to say about them.

Thanks,
Mike

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[Midiman]

If they work, they work. Great. I haven't seen many that did... for long anyway... and there's no such thing as a steel mil-spec mag.

 

[naturecop]

Steel mags

There is the H+K steel magazine, though it's LE/MIL only, for the time being.

 

[Ed.V.]

They should work good. They are "mil-spec" in terms they where contract made for the Singapore milatary. I tried one at a gun range when I first bought my SU-16. The range master wanted to see if they worked and they seemed to function fine. I ended up buying some of the British SA-80 steel "mil-spec" mags from him and they work great. They look the same as the Singapore ones but with an "England" sticker instead. I have a feeling they fall under the NATO specs (if there is such a thing.) But they are milatary.
Good luck.

 

[Midiman]

Well gee... I wonder if Singapore and British "mil-spec" mag catches are steel too....

I don't give a crap about foreign "mil-spec".

 

[naturecop]

Foreign crap

That's why they're on the market in such numbers- esp. the UK ones- because they're crap . The SA-80 "re-work" program found alot of the problem of reliability lay in these very magazines, consequently they were surplussed and here they are. Buy American! (And/Or get some H+K M4 mags if you're LEO/MIL)

 

[SemiAuto]

Ed.V.,

Thanks. I'm definately going to give them a workout.

Midiman,

With my background in structural engineering, I can tell you that what metal the mags are made of doesn't mean beans. What matters is the quality of the manufacturing process and how closely the dimensions adhere to specified design tolerances. That's what I meant by "mil-spec". Nor does where they are made matter. I deal with foreign made components all the time that are manufactured to tolerances that some American companies have wet dreams about. I have no idea if these mags are good or bad. But blanket statements that all steel or foreign made mags are crap don't help me or anyone else.

Sorry I asked dude.....won't bother you again.

 

[Midiman]

Quoted directly from the AR-15 Mag FAQ:

[3-1] Metal Magazines
--------
The majority of metal aftermarket magazines (Sterlings excepted)are very substandard, using cheap springs, flat floorplates, and black plastic followers. The mag bodies are often dimensionally out-of-spec, being too large to fit in the AR mag well, or will be assembled with one half higher than the other, resulting in the feed lip on one side being too high or low. The feed lips aren't connected to the rear of the mag body like USGI mags are, making the feed lips weak. These mags are either made from steel and are quite heavy, or made from aluminum stock that is about half the thickness of USGI mags. The "finish" on these mags is black paint applied directly onto the mag body. These mags are known for their feeding problems, short life spans, and poor workmanship. However, they cost less than real USGI mags and are widely available, which is enough to attract many buyers at least once. Recently, the prices on these magazines has risen to near-USGI levels, giving further reason to avoid buying the aftermarket magazines at all.

 

[Flyer]

Two Points! 8)
Flyer

 

[Ed.V.]

Whoa....Did not mean to ruffle any feathers here. I did buy two other metal mags from ctd for $10 each on sale. They were just as discribed above. Feed lips aren't connected, assembled with one half higher than the other. etc. Just plain junk. With some bending and tweaking I was able to get them to work. I ended up trading them in for an Orlite at a gun show. I think I got the better end of the deal. By the way a P3AT happen to come home with me today can't wait to test it out.