UZI Talk - After Market 9mm Magazines

After Market 9mm Magazines

A number of manufacturers have produced after market UZI magazines. Unfortunately they do not have any identifying tool marks so it can be difficult to separate the good ones from the bad ones. And make no mistake - after market magazines are not all alike. They run the spectrum from very good to very bad. Know what you're looking at or you may be very disappointed.

32 Round Chinese

Caliber: 9mm
Manufacturer: Chinese
Capacity: 32
Witness Holes: 10, 20, 32
Construction: Heavy gauge metal, no seam in back, flat seam in front.
Tool Marks: Nothing on the mag body. Sometimes "Made in China" on the floorplate.
Finish: Smooth blued steel or black phosphate
Reliability: Very good to excellent.

32 Round USA

Caliber: 9mm
Manufacturer: USA
Capacity: 32
Witness Holes: 10, 20, 32
Construction: light gauge metal, no seam in back, flat seam in front.
Tool Marks: number on lower rear
Finish: Smooth blued
Reliability: Poor. You can count on these magazines to give you problems.

32 Round Mec-gar

Caliber: 9mm
Manufacturer: MecGar
Capacity: 32
Witness Holes: 10, 20, 32
Construction: Heavy gauge metal, no seam in back, flat seam in front.
Tool Marks: A number on lower rear
Finish: Rough green parkerized
Reliability: very good

32 Round Mec-gar

Caliber: 9mm
Manufacturer: Mec-gar
Capacity: 32
Witness Holes: three unnumbered holes.
Construction: Heavy gauge metal, no seam on front, flat seam on the back
Tool Marks: "I.M.I" on lower side. Tool marks are added after the magazine was finished and are probably not original. Also seen with no marks.
Finish: high polished blued
Reliability: Very good to excellent
Comments: They have unusually long tear drop shaped magazine well stops. The magazines can be a little wide (front to back) for some loaders.

32 Round Unknown

Caliber: 9mm
Manufacturer: Unknown
Capacity: 32
Witness Holes: 10, 20, 32
Construction: Heavy gauge metal, no seam on front, flat seam on the back
Tool Marks: none.
Finish: high polished blued
Reliability: Very good to excellent
Comments: Some purchased from Vollmer. Magazines can be a little wide (front to back) for some loaders.

40 Round Dual Cut South African

Caliber: 9mm
Manufacturer: Advertised as South African but manufactured by Fabric Militar (FM) in Argentina
Capacity: 40
Witness Holes: 10,40
Construction: medium gauge metal, folded seam in back, no seam in front. Additional cut made after manufacture so they work in certain 9mm AR-15 rifles.
Tool Marks: None
Finish: smooth black painted
Reliability: fair if you can get them in the gun. Many seem to be wide at the top and will not go into the gun easily or at all.
Comments: Same as the FM magazines but with AR-15 cut added.

40 Round Argentine

Caliber: 9mm
Manufacturer: Fabric Militar (FM) in Argentina
Capacity: 40
Witness Holes: 10,40
Construction: medium gauge metal, folded seam in back, no seam in front.
Tool Marks: None
Finish: smooth black painted
Reliability: fairly good but sometimes the top of the mag is too wide and will not go into the gun easily.
Comments: These magazines are not actually made for the UZI. Although they work fairly well, the stops on the magazine will not contact the magazine well, allowing the magazine to be inserted too far and the potential for jamming.

40 Round Mec-gar

Caliber: 9mm
Manufacturer: Mec-gar
Capacity: 40
Witness Holes: unnumbered at positions 10,20,30,40
Construction: Heavy gauge metal, smooth seam in back, no seam in front.
Tool Marks: none
Finish: Smooth, blued finish
Reliability: Very good. Probably the best 40 round UZI mag you can find.

50 Round USA

Caliber: 9mm
Manufacturer: USA
Capacity: 50
Witness Holes: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50
Construction: light gauge metal, no seam in back, flat seam in front.
Tool Marks: none
Finish: Smooth blued
Reliability: Poor. You can count on these magazines to give you problems.

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