View Full Version : Value of old AR 20 round mags
Hecklerusp45
06-30-2016, 06:28
I found a place online where someone is selling some of the OLD 20 round AR mags. Do they hold any collector value? If so do they have to be made by a specific company to have value?
I don't know about collectability but I brought several home after my tour.
Nothing collectable about anything to do with an AR-15.
Griff Murphey
06-30-2016, 09:56
36314
Nothing collectable about anything to do with an AR-15.
I would disagree to a certain extent. Original GI from the Viet Nam era is certainly collectible. The older guns "look right" with 20's, the gun is less bulky, easier to case, carry, get in and out of a blind with... If you are shooting in a CMP or NRA hi power match the 20 is much better for prone. For zeroing off of the bench it's kind of a "must have" unless you don't mind being up in the air.
I had a bag of them checked out for the third Mar Div intramurals for my dental team and in the interim they re-equipped with the 30's and would not take them back...
I like to carry a 20 with 5 rds in it for hunting. It slows down my shooting on running turkeys, weight is lighter, etc.!
There are variations which are difficult to find with both the 20 rd and 30 rd magazines
Photo shows pre 1964 "waffle magazines" in special pouch, these waffle magazines run from $200 to $300 ea36315
Lets say collectability would be minimal except in really unusual cases. I personally like 20 round magazines on an AR, not as bulky, and fewer feed problems
PhillipM
06-30-2016, 02:02
Lets say collectability would be minimal except in really unusual cases. I personally like 20 round magazines on an AR, not as bulky, and fewer feed problems
Plus one! I bought four thirty round mags just because I could, but twenties seem fine for semi auto use.
Like collecting en bloc clips or carbine magazines, there will be someone interested in the variations.
When you bought your early AR-15 in '64, the magazines had a white dot sticker and had the small "CAL.223" on the floorplate
Cooper magazines had a lot of rejections and a cancelled contract - there are a lot of variations for the collector
early "sterile" AR-180/AR-15 30rd magazine from '69 made it to Viet Nam before the Colt 30 rd36327363283632936330
PhillipM
06-30-2016, 03:49
What does sterile mean?
Can't be traced back to the United States. Used in clandestine operations.
Johnny P
06-30-2016, 07:18
I would be interested in any first year production non-collectible AR15's.
With the recent gun and magazine ban in CA there are going to be plenty on the market cheap I'll bet
early magazines have always been difficult to find, even back in the 60's troops were told to dump the
waffle magazines.
There are repros but the floor plate and follower are not as original36340
Major Tom
07-02-2016, 06:51
Colt 20 round AR mags going for $60.00 around here.
PhillipM
07-02-2016, 10:35
Colt 20 round AR mags going for $60.00 around here.
How many of mine do you want to buy?
Andouille
07-06-2016, 05:17
early magazines have always been difficult to find, even back in the 60's troops were told to dump the
waffle magazines.
There are repros but the floor plate and follower are not as original36340
The waffles are indeed quite collectible, as are the Colts with .223 markings instead of 5.56. Colt marked 20's tend to bring somewhat more than the Simmons or Adventure line magazines. And be on the look-out for the early 30-round mags with the constant curve radius, unlike the ones made today.
Lest anyone doubt some of these magazines aren't collectible, they should bounce on over to the retro forum of AR15.com and inquire. There are guys there who take replicating the early model rifles to an extreme.
Don't forget the early USAF 20 rd magazine with the holes so you could see the amount of cartridges left in the magazine.
The early 75 round drums have not been around for years
Nothing collectable about anything to do with an AR-15.
Not entirely true, while they may not be your area of interest, tons of other folks love them - and sheer demand makes them -sort of- collectable.
Was at an architectural detail store and heard the proprietor say: "Just because its useless doesn't mean it's worthless"
New in wrap Colt 20 round mags are indeed "collectable" in a sense, like an unopened box of M1 Rifle follower arms, to someone....
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d20/bachrachh/DSCN1052.jpg (http://s32.photobucket.com/user/bachrachh/media/DSCN1052.jpg.html)
Hunter
That's exactly what I was thinking to, the old waffle mags.
How about the old Colt AR-15 30-rounders with the number 62667 on the side?
Anything rare about them?
cage code number,
not sure, as in cannot remember, but the ones with the dark green followers are not as common,
Difficult to impossible to find are the "franken" magazines which were made-up before
the 30 rd M16 magazines were introduced365373653836539
M1Riflenut
07-27-2016, 05:45
I have a pile of Colts 20's and 30's but only a few were early .223 marked. A few three four years ago at a gunshow I was pawing through some boxes of mags under a dealers table and he said $10 each for the mags. I found 4 that were .223 marked Colt's and got them for $40. At that time they were averaging about $40-50 each online. Not sure now, been out of the loop on that stuff for awhile. Without a doubt I prefer 20 rd mags over 30's. It's also hard bench shooting with 30's.
Shooter5
07-28-2016, 08:27
20 rounders made a comeback when the SPR was fielded. It was quickly found shooting prone off a bipod was much better suited to the short mag (duh). My old unit found a bunch laying around, probably from the 80s or maybe even Vietnam, and spread them around. Orders were put in for new production 20 rnd. I saved a few of the old ones.
Clark Howard
07-28-2016, 11:40
Collectable? Maybe. Easier and more convenient to carry all day long? You bet! Regards, Clark
I like them for the prone position in matches.
Steve
PhillipM
08-01-2016, 11:43
20 rounders made a comeback when the SPR was fielded. It was quickly found shooting prone off a bipod was much better suited to the short mag (duh). My old unit found a bunch laying around, probably from the 80s or maybe even Vietnam, and spread them around. Orders were put in for new production 20 rnd. I saved a few of the old ones.
Vietnam era have aluminum followers.
I got a few, and always look for them at shows.. I rarely ever find GI 20 rounders, but when I do, I'll grab them.. The only new ones I found that actually work are Brownell's.
All mine are Universal.
20 rounders made a comeback when the SPR was fielded. It was quickly found shooting prone off a bipod was much better suited to the short mag (duh). My old unit found a bunch laying around, probably from the 80s or maybe even Vietnam, and spread them around. Orders were put in for new production 20 rnd. I saved a few of the old ones.
high power shooters like them too,
the 30's get in the way while in position
GB in WY
08-30-2017, 10:42
You can buy new 20 rounders from many places. If you watch the sales, for about 10 bucks. So unless you run into a someone who is collecting various makers, the only ones that seem to draw interest are the Colt marked mags along with the Armalite marked mags(old ones not the new manufacture) I have a mag marked: made by Armalite for Colt, I think is sort of nifty. I also prefer the 20 rounders for shooting. It is hard to sling up and shoot prone with 30 rounders.
You don't see the waffle mags come up for sale very often but when you do, ouch, the owners know what they sell for.
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/689270737
Anyone know where I could pick up a couple of 5 shot blocks like original came with early SP1s, for a retro?
Steve
Anyone know where I could pick up a couple of 5 shot blocks like original came with early SP1s, for a retro?
Steve
I don't know about the SP1 variation but I do see some 5rd mags on GunBroker.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/767101778
Phil McGrath
06-05-2018, 05:41
I have 3, Colt 20's that are marked 5.56 with Universal Ind mag bodies but only two of those are AR-15 marked the third only has the circled pony with std. Colt industries printing, all three have the zinc follower. I have 3 more Colt 20's marked AR-15 cal .223 these three also have the zinc follower, plus one odd ball in that it has a black syn/plastic follower?
Look nice with retro AR15A1 build, also.
Steve
Tom in N.J.
06-13-2018, 12:44
Twenty round AR15 / M16 magazines are worth up to 10 years in jail here in New Jersey. They went 'outlaw' in 1991 when magazine capacity was made 15 rounds. The Dems just now passed a law cutting that to 10 rounds, and you can not block an existing mag nor are they 'grandfathered'. Don't say they can't do that... they did!. June 16, 2018.. now reduced penalty to 4th degree.. only up to 18 months, and magazine can be permanently blocked to 10 round capacity. Fixed .22 cal tube magazines on semi-auto rifles are now exempt.
Even the infamous Cooper magazine belongs in a collection43663
Twenty round AR15 / M16 magazines are worth up to 10 years in jail here in New Jersey. They went 'outlaw' in 1991 when magazine capacity was made 15 rounds. The Dems just now passed a law cutting that to 10 rounds, and you can not block an existing mag nor are they 'grandfathered'. Don't say they can't do that... they did!.
It is apparent, you should get involved with your electoral process? If you think you've got it tough try living in Illinois with Chicago democrats running everything and our problems? We are learning the same lessons here. Beat them at their game, in the ballot box not physically. Think smarter not harder.
Steve
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