Got two of the new stainless 30 rd mags from C Products. One was unfinished and one was finished in the black moly finish. First impression was that they looked identical to the aluminum USGI magazine, I thought they accidentally sent me aluminum magazines because they were so light. I had to compare it in weight to an aluminum magazine to feel the difference. The mag is also the same overall length as a USGI magazine. Definately lighter and shorter than the HK steel magazine though. The magazine seated and dropped free with no issues. Noticed that upon hand loading the rounds, the magazine body doesn't have that swelling or flexing feel like when you load an aluminum magazine. Fired 9 full magazines total through a Colt M4 14 1/2 inch barrel and one of the county's new Colt Commando with 11 1/2 inch barrel. Ran mostly short bursts and a few long bursts for function check with no jams. Just a short initial review, but will post again as I get some more range time.

Full-Auto

If your willing, or already done so, tell us how it holds up to a drop test.

Quoted: If your willing, or already done so, tell us how it holds up to a drop test.

Good idea, will do it and post the results.

Full-Auto

.....fully loaded and inserted in the rifle

tag

Visit www.cproductsllc.com Thanks


CP

tag

You guys asked for a drop test, well here is one. You would think a SWAT guy would know how to hold on to a mag! (only kidding)

Ok,I did it! I'm 6'1'' loaded mag dropped onto cement.No Problem with this mag other than marking the floorplate and no apparent physical damage.
I did forget to tell you ,fully loaded with 30 rounds no problem locking and loading.Drops free when unloaded.If I think of any more will write.
 

Sounds good so far. Might need to pick a few of these up.

Quoted: Good info.  How much were they and where did you get them?

I am in the firearms training unit for my agency. They sent the mags for us to evaluate.

Full-Auto

Do Magpul followers fit? Don't think I've seen any info; also, their website says for the SS bodies only their followers work.

That is correct. Only the C Products follower will work in the SS mag. This follower was worked on with Magpul.

Larry

tag

Quoted: That is correct. Only the C Products follower will work in the SS mag. This follower was worked on with Magpul. Larry

Sounds good. Going to order a few to test em out. Looks like ya'll have a good product so far.

Quoted: If your willing, or already done so, tell us how it holds up to a drop test.

OK did the drop test but must begin by telling you guys that this was a very rudimentary test and that I am a steet cop and firearms instructor. Definately not Underwriters Laboratory scientist material.

Took a new C/Products stainless steel 30 rd magazine I got a week ago and an Okay Industries aluminum 30 rd magazine from my SWAT vest. Both were loaded with 30 rounds. Inserted  the magazine into my M16, depressed the mag release and dropped it onto the concrete sidewalk. Here are the results.

Okay Industries aluminum 30 rd magazine:

First drop - Struck concrete on magazine bottom. Baseplate partially came off with right rear of baseplate protruding around right rear baseplate retention flange. The baseplate had a pencil eraser size dimple in it where the follower spine struck it. The baseplate retention flanges seemed intact and only scuffed. It appeared that the magazine body swelled causing the baseplate to partially dislodge.

Second drop - Baseplate flew off causing magazine spring to expel. Magazine body appeared swolen throughout entire body. I removed the mag spring and follower and five rounds fell out of the bottom. I looked into the mag body and saw that twenty five rounds were stuck in the body. The cartridges had wedged side by side in the swolen aluminum body. The baseplate retention flanges appeared intact. I tried to re insert the baseplate, but it was slightly bent and would not fit as the magazine bottom opening was now deformed by the swelling.

C/Products stainless steel 30 rd magazine:

First drop -  One round expelled. No visible damage to baseplate, baseplate retention flanges, or magazine body. No signs of swelling. Slight marks on baseplate from concrete.

Second drop - No visible damage to baseplate, baseplate retention flanges, or magazine body. No signs of swelling. Slight marks on baseplate from concrete.

Third drop - No visible damage to baseplate, baseplate retention flanges, or magazine body. No signs of swelling. Slight marks and scuffing on baseplate from concrete.

Fourth drop - No visible damage to baseplate, baseplate retention flanges, or magazine body. No signs of swelling. Slight marks and scuffing on baseplate from concrete.


From an LE trainer standpoint; it is never good when you drop a loaded magazine on a hard surface. Cartridges get expelled, cartridges flip, mag lips bend, and baseplates break. Did not get a chance to put some rounds downrange with the stainless mag after this little test as I am tied up at work. Hopefully Eric and the others will get some range time soon to get some more feedback. I still trust the Okay mags for duty, just have to be aware of the potential for failure of any dropped ( loaded ) mag if you can't get to another.

Full-Auto

Some tough mags. Do you have a pic of the special follower?

Quoted: Some tough mags. Do you have a pic of the special follower?

Don't have pics, but the follower from the initial observation looks very similar to the Magpul.

Additional observations; Ever notice the occasional deep dimple protruding from the bottom of a USGI aluminum magazine you see in the gun shows. This is caused by the protruding spine or spring guide molded into the black or green followers. The spine striking the baseplate during the drop test contributed to the failure of the magazine by striking and bending the baseplate. This in conjunction with the swelling of the aluminum body by the inertia of the cartridges being forced downwards, appeared to caused the failure.

Interestingly enough, the new anti tilt followers made by Magpul and the Magpul/C/Products version do not have the single narrow spine. The front and rear legs of the anti-tilt follower fall evenly and is caught by the compressed spring before it is able to strike the aluminum baseplate. Unlike the green or black follower which has the long narrow spine that travels in the center of the spring and actually touches the baseplate if the mag is overloaded or dropped. Although this may not have been deliberate in design, the anti-tilt follower may significantly reduce the chances of the baseplate being expelled if the mag is dropped, even in an aluminum magazine. This of course would not have helped the swelling of the aluminum body and the cartridges being wedged side by side due to the inertia.


Full-Auto

Great info so far Full-Auto. How is the finish holding up on the magazine? Feed lips look good?

I figured I would add my initial observations to Full-Auto’s review, instead of cluttering up the board with another thread.  

I received two stainless steel mags and each was finished in the dark charcoal colored moly.  These are darker than the standard gray moly finish on the aluminum CP mags and the color is a close match to current Colt weapons.  If you don’t pay attention, these would pass as standard aluminum USGI mags.  There may be subtle dimensional differences, but short of breaking out the calipers I would not be able to tell.  With the minimal weight difference, someone humping around a full load of mags probably won’t care.  I certainly could not tell the difference of a loaded SS mag versus a loaded aluminum mag, especially once it’s in the weapon.  

The construction of the magazines was very clean.  All the edges and welds were uniform.  One of the mags had a couple tiny blobs of finish on the body, but nothing that would affect the function and actually, something that most folks would probably not notice.  The finish was evenly applied on the exterior and the interior as well.  I was surprised to find out that the floor-plates were steel.  I just assumed that CP would make it easy on themselves and use existing aluminum stock.  

I test fit the mags in several lowers, to include:  Colt, Bushmaster, RRA, Olympic Arms, DPMS and Mega.  All easily dropped free, except for the Mega.  This is not a magazine problem, as I was already aware that the Mega lower had issues with a somewhat tight magazine well.  The follower in the empty mags properly engaged the bolt stop on each weapon and the mags properly locked into place in the magazine well.  

The followers are unusual, in that they are nearly identical to Magpul followers, but with minor differences.  They are truly anti-tilt and they moved up and down the magazine tube without binding.  The follower in the SS mag needed a bit of help when I tried to remove it.  It hung up at the bottom of the mag, but I poked a wooden dowel through the top of the magazine, which dislodged it.  

I ran about 300 rounds through the two mags in one session.  There were no malfunctions of any kind.  Ammunition included:  Three types of Winchester 55 gr ball (Q3131/Q3131A/USA223R1VP), Winchester 45 gr JHP, Federal XM855PD, Adcom M855 and Black Hills 60 gr SP.  The weapon used was a Franken-gun, consisting of an Olympic Arms lower with a Bushmaster 14.5” M4-ish upper.  

Bottom line:  Initial results would seem to indicate that CP has brought a great new product to the shooter.  I’ll be keeping an eye on these mags as the round count increases.  These mags would make sense for heavy use individuals, such as military, LE, competitors, etc.  The casual shooter might be just as happy with a standard aluminum USGI magazine at half the price.  

Here’s a few pics (sorry they are not up to Stickman standards, but this is what you get).  
More pics are
HERE. (dial-up warning!)




CP follower / MP Gen I follower / MP Gen II follower


Center Ind on top / CP SS on bottom

Quoted: Some tough mags. Do you have a pic of the special follower?

Tag, I need some mags.

They probably will, truthfully have not tried one but I will.

Larry
C Products, LLC

I ordered a couple to evaluate myself.  C Products introduced their mags mainly for the civilian market, IIRC.  If only an ammo manufacturer would do the same with some 5.56 ammo...

TS

.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Some tough mags. Do you have a pic of the special follower? img.photobucket.com/albums/v503/AR15forme/CP%20SS/P1010345.jpg CP grn MagPul?

 That's a follower from a CP SS mag.

tag

I just ordered some from 44mag and looking forward to trying them out.  I'm sure they are great mags just based on the attitude of the owner of CP

44 mag does not have the C Products, LLC stainless steel magazine. They have not been released on a full production basis yet. The only hold up is the new Mar-Lube black finish coating line which should be in full production end of next week.

C Products

i picked up a couple of these mags at shot.  I don't have the magpul like follower in them.  I'm not quite sure if the ones i picked up are the ss mags for that part.  Has anyone tried out the non SS mags?  Has anyone had any problems with these?  

Thanks


wish i had gotten the SS mags instead.

Hi Snacks,
The magazines you bought at the Shot Show has to be the aluminum mags. I was at the show and we did not sell any of the stainless steel. Also the stainless comes with the anti-tilt follower only.

Larry
C Products

thanks will the magpul anti tilt followers fit in these mags.  Or do you offer your followers seperately.  

I'm looking forward to trying these mags out.

thanks again

These sound pritty cool,how much will they cost when they become available?

Quoted: 44 mag does not have the C Products, LLC stainless steel magazine. They have not been released on a full production basis yet. The only hold up is the new Mar-Lube black finish coating line which should be in full production end of next week. C Products

! didn't realize the thread was about the SS mags, I quess I need to pay more attention.  I am looking forward to receiving my aluminum CP mags from 44mag.

Our SS magazine will not work with the Magpul follower. They have an anti-tilt follower, same as the Magpul. They are on our web-site at www.cproductsllc.com. Also there are many pics and posts on this site in the magaqzine section. Please check them out.

Larry
C Products

Quoted: Quoted: Some tough mags. Do you have a pic of the special follower? img.photobucket.com/albums/v503/AR15forme/CP%20SS/P1010345.jpg

Awesome thanks!

The new follower will be dark gray. Not green.

Larry
C Products

.

Woohoo! When will these magazines be available, and what is the projected retail price?

Thanks.

Sam

Quoted: Woohoo! When will these magazines be available, and what is the projected retail price? Thanks. Sam

On or about 2/27/06.  For the rest of the info go here:www.cproductsllc.com.

TS

Hi Sam,
The retail price on our web site www.cproductsllc.com is $24.95 each. Come and visit we have many different product offerings. Thanls

CP

Larry,

Would you mind posting the type/grade of SS used in the magazine & material thickness?
I love reading technical specs

Thanks,
Hotgun

Tagged

Hey Larry,
    Here is a suggestion, keying off what Full-Auto said about ID'ing your magazine line.  You should consider marking the C-P mags with a product code and a serial or lot number.   You now have USGI green follower, SS spring; USGI green follower, CS spring; USGI magpul follower, CS spring; USGI magpul follower, SS spring; and SS, custom (magpul looking) follower, CS spring; and various prices associated with each.  

    Pick and place packers do not carry a spectrograph or postal scale to detect SS.  All your floor plates read the same.  There are no marks on the body at all.  Your customers are going to start winding up with items they did not order.  

   A product and lot code  would obviously help with any quality control process you invoke.

CCW,
Thanks for the suggestion. FYI   Internally we mark the stocking location of the mags with a code that allows for easy indentification. We will in the near future (2-3 weeks) have all our bags printed with a description of the product. Lastly you are right, our product line has grown dramatically and will continue to do so. We listen to what you guys want!

Larry

I just bought 10 of the aluminum 20 rounders with magpul follower. I am looking forward to recieving them.

Put a few hundred more rounds through the SS mags and still sitting at zero malfunctions.  They have functioned fine in several different weapons, using several different loads.  I'm a happy camper.  

Quoted: Put a few hundred more rounds through the SS mags and still sitting at zero malfunctions.  They have functioned fine in several different weapons, using several different loads.  I'm a happy camper.

Can't wait to get mine...

TS

Eric,
When you are a happy camper, everyone at C Products is happy also!! You are one tough guy to make happy but we wouldn't want it any other way. A manufacturer doesn't receive NTOA recommendation without guys like you making sure they meet your standards, which are extremely high I may add.  

Larry
C Products

$25 for stainless magazines sounds like a steal! Thanks.

Any chance you guys are going to do stainless 20 round mags?

Also, when am I going to be able to get ahold of some of these 30 rounders?

Thanks. I'm drooling already.

Sam