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M1 Carbine magazine questions

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neelyja View Drop Down
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    Posted: Jan 13 2017 at 1:15pm
Newbie questions:

1) Is it possible to put the variously marked magazines in some sort of chronological order??  For example, which was the first magazine issued for the Inland??

2) Is there a typology of carbine magazines available on line or in print??

Thanks,  Neelyja

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Marty Black View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marty Black Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 15 2017 at 7:11pm
Tough questions, Neelyja....

The earliest carbine mags (that I'm aware of) were marked with a (circled) II for Inland, IW for Winchester, IU for Underwood, IR for Rock-Ola, IN for National Postal Meter, all manufactured as sub-contracted items by International Silver of Meriden, CT. They had small retention nibs (to engage the mag catch). These nibs were weak and didn't withstand the abuses of combat (or training!). Progressively larger nibs were used in later production mags, and the nibs were also heat-treated (hardened) to make them hold up longer.

Some floorplates had an indented groove (a channel). I assume this was to strengthen the rigidity of the mag, but I haven't seen a document to support that assumption. Other floorplates have a hole (drain hole?). Some floorplates were marked on the inside surface.

Beyond those two features (retention nibs and floorplates), I'm not aware of any progression of 15 round mag manufacture. There may be small manufacturing differences in the follower, but I'm not sure.

There were a dozen or more magazine manufacturers, and at least 5 different floorplate designs have been observed. Markings are varied. For example, Seymour Products marked their mags SP if it was a "sub-contracted" part (for a carbine manufacturer), and (SP) if it was a "prime contracted" part - i.e. a direct contract to the Ordnance Department. Rugg Manufacturing marked their "sub-contracted" parts RU, and their "prime contracted" parts RUGG. Union Hardware mags on prime contract to the Ordnance Department were marked merely with a U.

Most mags sub-contracted to carbine manufacturers contain the manufacturer's code letter, others don't. For example, Wade Electrical Products marked their mags sub-contracted to Saginaw as merely WEP, with no reference to SG.

Carbine Club newsletters 13 and 37 contain articles by JB Powers and Bruce Dow, and remain our main sources of magazine markings and construction features...although many newsletters contain a small report or observation on this subject.

Hopefully, a mag collector on the forum, who has studied these things more than me, will chime in with more info. Mag collecting is a sub-speciality all to itself! In fact, the study of 30-round mags is ALSO a study onto itself! Carbine Club newsletter 332 is our best source of info on 30-round mags.

This stuff has kept us scratching our heads for 40 years. Good collecting!

Regards, Marty Black
Marty Black
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