I searched & found nothing on this here & via Google found this answer:
Colt never made a steel AR15/M16 30 round magazine. I would like to confirm this–true? I did find a place claiming to be selling Colt OEM 30 round steel mags, but I am suspicious.
Other than the SA-80 & HK 30 round steel mags–did any reputable manufacturer make a reliable steel STANAG 30 round magazine?
Thank you.
A bit off topic, but why are you wanting a steel mag? I know of no advantages of a steel mag has over an aluminum or polymer and it will be heavier than either.
On topic, I would bet even money that they are aluminum and the retailer just marked them as steel because they don’t know, or the person writing the descriptions are not as knowledgeable as one would like. I have had more than a few people grab an aluminum AR mag and refer to it as a steel mag, so without knowing more that would be my assumption, with me assuming they are current production and the fact that retailers are not always the most knowledgeable.
I don’t. I use mil-spec aluminum NHMTG & PMags. I’m boring–I like mags that work.
My brother claims to have steel Colt OEM 30 round mags that aren’t working in his rifle. I suspect they are not Colt, but an after-market mag with a Colt baseplate. They are magnetic, so they are steel.
I’ve searched & cannot prove it–but I think he was had.
Ah, I see.
Did you pull the spring out before seeing if it would attract a magnet? I just grabbed a magnet at my work bench and a NHMTG mag and with the spring in it will attract the mag, even a Pmag will. Not calling BS, just checking to make sure that it is a steel bodied mag and not just getting attraction from the spring.
That said, I would not be surprised if someone did screw the man, have seen a lot of shady things over the years, and swapping base plates to get a premium would not be above the line for some. Hell seen places gut rifles and replace the parts with junk parts, build rifles off of stripped lowers and bill them as factory, also places claiming a rifle is one manufacturer just because it has X parts on it.
Thank you for the advice re: disassembling the mags–but my question still stands, as he was told they were Colt OEM steel mags.
Nope.
I’ve read that people made counterfeit Colt mags during the ban out of cheap steel mags and tried to pass them off as real.
Right. No such animal. I do recall seeing some lame counterfeit floor-plate photos years ago.
Some info on TOS from a couple years back:
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_17/600497_Mag_Question.html
Not COLT.