I just found a box of Thermold magazines I bught years ago and never used. I've heard that some batches of these were worthless, but other were good to go. How to tell them apart: mfg dates, or some other code? Or are all Thermolds worthless?
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I just found a box of Thermold magazines I bught years ago and never used. I've heard that some batches of these were worthless, but other were good to go. How to tell them apart: mfg dates, or some other code? Or are all Thermolds worthless?
If you PM me an address, I have at least 2 I'd send you for no charge.
AMERICAN INFIDEL
I'm in California. No new Hi-caps for me!
Which is why I hope these ones are good.
How cold does it get where you are?
Up here most of us bought our own Al mags because the CF Thermolds were unmitigated crap.
I found one last winter while moving, took it out for a spin, 10 rounds later.....
...I remembered why I crushed the rest years ago.
I don't know about the US varieties, but if it has a maple leaf on it, it is crap, and it will break, hopefully not at a critical moment.
Krikey! What was the ambient temperature when the mag broke?
Look for "Thermold D&D INC WILSON NC" on the left side. "PAT NO. 4139959" is on the bottom, outside of floorplate.
PAT.NO 4139959
Abstract: An improved cartridge magazine constructed of high impact nylon resin and in which a spring urged follower pushes cartridges into a rifle into which the casing is inserted. The follower is attached to the spring which prevents fore and aft movement of the follower and the spring is curved to physically contact the bottommost portion of the follower to prevent the follower from pivoting about the spring contact. A removable floor plate is removably attached to the casing by means of a pair of resilient latches. The floor plate is symmetrical and has no preferred orientation, thereby simplifying loading of the cartridges.
Inventor Howard; William J. (P.O. Box 573, Wilson, NC 27893); Harvey; William A. (P.O. Box 3065, Wilson, NC 27893)
Owner/Assignee
Publication Date February 20, 1979
Application Number 796560
Filing Date May 13, 1977
US Classification 42/50
Int'l Classification F41C 025/02
Examiner Jordan; Charles T.
The US marketed Thermolds included the use of the Zytel material. "Zytel is a trademark owned by DuPont and used for a number of different high strength, abrasion and impact resistant thermoplastic polyamide formulations of the family more commonly known as nylon, often with varying degrees of fiberglass, from 13% to 60%, added in for additional stiffness"[1]. I had 50 of them and they never gave me fits. Sold them all to a guy in Guam when mags became available again.
[1]Wikipedia, "ZYTEL"
kingc, are you describing the worthless ones or the "good" ones?
Not so cold, maybe 15F or so.
They break in the summer too, just not as constantly.
The CF issued thermolds when the C7 was adopted until about 1992. They were a disaster.
I've heard in conversation that other/later thermolds were better, I have no desire to know any more. USGI mags don't break into little pieces while being inserted on a closed bolt.
They do look good in pics though.
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