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Posted: 9/30/2002 12:27:20 PM EDT
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Hi all. I have two (odd to me anyways)USGI magazines that are seemingly rare to me. First off, I have a 30rnd Colt pre ban mag that has the Cal .223 intead of the 5.56 that I think was the standard in the latter 60's since going common with other NATO countries and such. The floorplate has NO slot cut in it for the 20rnd mags that they have as the floor plate "catch" so it completely boggles me. Second mag I have is a 20rnd mag marked ARMALITE AR-15 Pat Pending Cal .223 Colt's P.T.F.A. MFG. CO. INC. Hartford, Conn U.S.A. as each line is marked. How rare are these? 
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I have three of these old mags and would rate them scarce but not rare. Probable worth about $100. Just an estimate. There are a few in the old waffle pattern that ARE rare and some very, very few 15 round transitional mags that are...well, highly desirable. |
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Alright, I've seen the pic. My 20 round floorplates are marked identically to the 20 round mag pictured. I really don't have much of an idea about the 30 round mag but chronologically that mag would have come 'after' the 20. (If for no other reason than ArmaLite's name no longer appears.) A side view of the 30 round mag 'might' be helpful. |
If you want to post any more, just send them my way.
Does this Colt mag have a very dark Emerald green follower w/ white numbers on it? Is the mag body stamped '62667'? If so, the mag an early Colt 30rd. mag and the f.plate would be marked .223. If it doesn't have that dark green follower or the # stamp it's just a mismatched f.plate. I'm fairly certain this is in the mag faq, look again under 'early Colt 30rd.' |
Kevin, If your knowledge is correct, it is a replacement floorplate for this mag. Maybe the original was fubar'ed and it(plate) was slavaged. The housing does/did have the red-stripe at the lower side of the mag-maybe it was used as a tracer clip at one time. Oh well.....thanks to all for the info 
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| Well, my previous reply wasn't 100% accurate, the early Colt mags that I have are marked '5.56' not '.223'. Regardless, I'm still confident the f.plate you have is off the earliest Colt 30rd. mags, the stamping design is the exact same layout except for the caliber designation. |
Yep, I too believe you have a very early floorplate from a very early 30 round mag. BoneS., I think the progression went something like this: 15-round, waffle pattern 20-round, waffle pattern 20-round, as in your picture 30-round, marked .223 30-round, marked 5.56 Undoubtedly there were a few exotic prototypes made but as for any production numbers I believe the above is fairly accurate. We have a member "Gus" whose father designed the 5.56mm projectile for ArmaLite. Maybe Gus will take a look at this post and add or correct. |
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I have some of the Armalite mags like yours. I haven't seen any 30's marked for .223, but there were a lot of 20's that were marked .222 for export to countries that restrict military ammo usage. My best guess is that the 30rd .223 marked mag is either an export mag, or just a very early standard USGI. Also, the floorplate could easily be from one of the emerald green follower mags, now being attached to your mag, or maybe just the follower has been changed out. I'm not a mag expert though, that title falls to Troy, who probably knows more about mags than just about anybody. |
Well, maybe Troy will come by and have a look. |
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Colt made 30rd magazines with the .223 markings, I have 17 of them. They were originally made for the Colt XM177E1 circa 1965/66. They're marked ( 62667) on the side and they have Emerald green followers with the same number printed in white paint. They were marked 5.56 staring in late 1968 early 1969. Colt/Armalite never made a 15rd magazine, the first magazines made for the AR15 were 25rd waffle magazines. |
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