Couple M11/9 mag questions...

[Gonz]

Hello folks! Please enlighten me on 9mm factory mags.

I'm familiar with the Cobray marked 32rd 9mm Zytel mags.
Also the cut down Zytel versions, which are what, 12rd?

I have read that there are some factory steel mags floating around.
Did "Cobray" ever manufacture 25rd steel mags?
Would anyone happen to have a few pictures of factory steel mags handy?

If you own steel mags, are they marked in any way? Have you seen any unmarked?


Thanks for any info you could provide.

 

[macaholic]

Hello folks! Please enlighten me on 9mm factory mags.

I'm familiar with the Cobray marked 32rd 9mm Zytel mags.
Also the cut down Zytel versions, which are what, 12rd?

I have read that there are some factory steel mags floating around.
Did "Cobray" ever manufacture 25rd steel mags?
Would anyone happen to have a few pictures of factory steel mags handy?

If you own steel mags, are they marked in any way? Have you seen any unmarked?


Thanks for any info you could provide.

Component metals made some for a very short time in the early 90's. I don't know how reliable they were, but they were produced for the model-11/9's in 30 round steel. I saw a couple at a gun show a few years ago, and the guy who had them didn't even know what the were. I also saw a couple at a local Class3 dealer who also didn't know what they were untill I told him. The price doubled emediately. Greed! it's our worst enemy.

 

[Gonz]

Component metals made some for a very short time in the early 90's.

Is that the only MFR of M11/9 mags that you know of? If I'm not mistaken, they had a marking.

I have a couple mags here I can't figure out wtf they are.



Real similar in the floorplate and feedlip/follower to the Zytels. :dunno
Theres no markings on them whatsoever.

 

[surefire]

mags

The three on the left look to have the Cobray logo on them on the lower section and the 4th one over looks like a national .380 mag. The last one looks like a cobray zytel cut in half though it looks like there are ridges on it?

 

[Gonz]

The three on the left look to have the Cobray logo on them on the lower section

Yeah, those are Zytels for comparison sake.

and the 4th one over looks like a national .380 mag.

Except that the images I've seen for .380 mags have a pretty awkward looking floorplate which extends out around the mag body. This mag has a floorplate which fits exactly like the zytels.
It doesn't have that black easy-rust finish of most National mags I've seen, these mags are more grayish.
Also, did National mags ever come wrapped in paper, like you see in the photo?

The last one looks like a cobray zytel cut in half though it looks like there are ridges on it?

lol... Well I assume its a Cobray Zytel, but the floorplate, which "clicks into" the mag body, is like a hollow extension. Kinda weird, I have NFI it's origin. I was hoping you guys would know :thinking

 

[Vegas SMG]

I noticed a couple of things right away. The metal magazine has it's catch cut on the side and the stops are at an angle. This magazine stop orientation indicates an angled insertion that's more ergonomic, like that of a hand gun rather than the 90 degree insertion of the M11/9. Does this mag also have a cut on the rear for the gun's magazine latch to allow for use with the M11/9? I can't see one in the photo, and if it's absent, it won't lock into the gun. Have you ever used this magazine in a M11/9, and if so, how does it lock up and how is the bullet to chamber presentation?

The short Zytel magazine obviously isn't a factory cut down. It would be identical to the three OEM magazines on the left. The feed lip area looks identical, but their seems to be a magazine catch on the side of the magazine absent in the OEM magazines. See the line that's molded into the OEM mags about halfway up the body? That's actually the new floor plate location if you cut the magazines just below that molding flash. Also note the magazine stops on the front of the factory 32 round Zytels. Does this mag have two additional catches on the rear like those found on the OEM 32 round Cobray magazines? I can't tell from the photo, but without them, the mag catch has nothing to lock up on. Have you tried inserting those magazines into a SWD M11/9 and do they lock up? I swear I've seen those magazines some where, but I can't recall what they fit.

__________________
"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." - Abraham Lincoln

 

[Gonz]

I noticed a couple of things right away. The metal magazine has it's catch cut on the side and the stops are at an angle. This magazine stop orientation indicates an angled insertion that's more ergonomic, like that of a hand gun rather than the 90 degree insertion of the M11/9.

I noticed that also, but on handgun mags I've usually noticed a matching angle at the bottom of the body.
So as the floorplate follows the same angle.
On these mags, the floorplate is flat, just like Zytels or Sten mags.

Does this mag also have a cut on the rear for the gun's magazine latch to allow for use with the M11/9? I can't see one in the photo, and if it's absent, it won't lock into the gun.

Not exactly...

Weird huh?

Have you ever used this magazine in a M11/9, and if so, how does it lock up and how is the bullet to chamber presentation?

No, and I don't have the ability to do so yet... possibly never will.
I'm working on a Sten mag S/A build, my state is a no F/A fly zone.

The short Zytel magazine obviously isn't a factory cut down. It would be identical to the three OEM magazines on the left.

I have seen the factory Zytels where they are cut at the ridge.
But I'll argue this has to be a factory job... maybe not "Cobray" but I'm pretty sure not a homebrew.

I've taken 25 pics of these mags and uploaded them to Photobucket.
Please head over and take a look. If you need higher res on any just let me know.
http://s512.photobucket.com/albums/t329/GonzoBeyondo/Mags/

The feed lip area looks identical, but their seems to be a magazine catch on the side of the magazine absent in the OEM magazines. See the line that's molded into the OEM mags about halfway up the body? That's actually the new floor plate location if you cut the magazines just below that molding flash. Also note the magazine stops on the front of the factory 32 round Zytels. Does this mag have two additional catches on the rear like those found on the OEM 32 round Cobray magazines? I can't tell from the photo, but without them, the mag catch has nothing to lock up on. Have you tried inserting those magazines into a SWD M11/9 and do they lock up? I swear I've seen those magazines some where, but I can't recall what they fit.

I think the pics will cover most of these questions.
You'll notice the floorplate, and how it locks into the mag. Tight fit!
I didn't try too hard, but it would take some work to separate the "extension" from the body.
Also note the pic showing how that piece is hollow.


Any help narrowing down what these mags could be would be greatly appreciated.
I've been obtaining parts for a build, and the guy I got this stuff from...
He is pretty certain he bought this as M11/9 stuff, and he can't think of anything else it could possibly be for.

 

[StealthyBlagga]

I'm guessing the short plastic mag is an original Zytel mag made during the 1994-2004 AWB to limit capacity to 10 rounds... that "thick floorplate" approach was used on a lot of pistol mags of that era (and presumably still today in AWB states). Here is a SIG magazine built the same way:

As for the metal mag with the angled mag stops, I really doubt it is for a MAC... more likely an aftermarket extended mag for a pistol (Browning HiPower, Beretta 92 or similar). The square floorplate is not really indicative of anything except that it is a cheap and easy way to close the end of the tube.

 

[Gonz]

I'm guessing the short plastic mag is an original Zytel mag made during the 1994-2004 AWB to limit capacity to 10 rounds...

Possible. I'm told the capacity is over 10rds, but I haven't checked that.

As for the metal mag with the angled mag stops, I really doubt it is for a MAC... more likely an aftermarket extended mag for a pistol (Browning HiPower, Beretta 92 or similar). The square floorplate is not really indicative of anything except that it is a cheap and easy way to close the end of the tube.

What I'm referring to isn't the floorplate itself, but rather the angle it's installed at.
I can't really find any mags with plates installed out of whack with the pistol grip's angle.

Anyways, aside from that small observation...
ever seen aftermarket mags, in 20rd or 25rd, that come wrapped and taped in paper like these?







:thinking