OKay AR Mags Ok?

[Edward429451]

Got a guy tryna' unload some (empty!) Okay AR15 Mags on me. I never heard of them. They look kinda milspec, metal with the green follower. Are they ok or a brand to be avoided?

[Creeper]

Okay Ind. makes the mags for Colt and have for decades... arguably the best metal mags you can get.

C

[Coach Z]

As above, far more then ok. Arguably the standard for metal mags.

[joyrock]

I got 6 or 7 from the war. They work good. Mud, rain, sand, works fine.

[10-96]

The one's we were issued in '03 Iraq trip were not all that bueno. They would not reliably feed unless we downloaded (stripped off) at least 3 rounds. What we did though, was use a small file to slightly round off the leading edge of the feed lips and smooth up the underside cut edge of the feed lips. It was kind of like a forced break-in if you will. Once we did that to all of our brand new clips- we didn't have any more problems.

We were carrying the M-16A2's, so I don't know if there was more buffer spring tension on the M-4's. And no, nobody was riding the bolt forward.

I would take a used or well used one over a brand new one anytime.

[Crow Hunter]

OKAY is also the manufacturer of NHMTG magazines. OKAY is technically not supposed to be sold directly to civilians, but occasionally some get into the market through surplus.

OKAY makes lots of other things too. They are a pretty sharp company.

http://www.okayind.com/

[Edward429451]

Well I feel better now. I guess I'll jump on it then. Thanks!

[AKsRul.e]

OKay mags were first produced for U.S forces during the Vietnam War.

I myself still own a couple that I bought as surplus in 1978 - 79

There must be literally tens of thousands in civilian hands ;)

[Edward429451]

I did some horse trading and got a dozen of them. They do look just like the nhmtg's except for the floor plate. 3 Colt mags too!

[Crow Hunter]

I did some horse trading and got a dozen of them. They do look just like the nhmtg's except for the floor plate. 3 Colt mags too!

Don't look at the floor plates. You can just slip them off and put different ones on.

You need to look at the CAGE code stamped on the magazine body itself. If it is 33710, it is an OKAY/NHMTG/COLT.

Here is a list of the others. Don't buy a magazine that doesn't have a CAGE code on it, if it doesn't have a CAGE code (Unless it is a Antique), it is probably a commercial knock off that someone switched floor plates on. Nothing is allowed to be sold to the military without CAGE codes since the early 1970's, I think.

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=88888

[Edward429451]

Thanks Crowhunter, that's good info and simplifies mag selection a lot for me in the future. I just looked and they all have 33710 on them. Most are 12/04.

Good for me because I walked right into that one by only looking at the floor plates and followers. What year did the start using cagecodes?

(oh, early 70s, duh) :o

Thanks!