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Early Glock 17 Magazines

6K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  cadillacguns 
#1 ·
I took a chance and bought some Glock 17 mags that a guy said he had for "years." These look a good bit different than the mags that I carry on duty for my issued G17 Gen3, so I did a little research and these appear to be early mags. How early, I'm not sure, but I know some people like these early items so I figured I'd share my purchase with you all here. For the price I paid I can just as easily use them as range mags if they're nothing special.
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#2 ·
I was issued a G17 in 1988 and these are Gen1 mags. They are non-full metal lined and not drop free. I have two of these mags and they still function. Again they are not drop free. My mag base plates have the Glock logo. The back of the mag has the round cut out and that is Gen.1. Second and third generation mags have the squared cut and are full metal lined. My old fart memory cannot remember when the Gen 2 can into use.
 
#3 ·
These mags are all pre-1990, because until the .40 G22 and G23 were introduced in 1990, Glock didn't bother to stamp a caliber designation on their mags (they only offered 9mm pistols until the .40s were released).

The two with the "Austria" over the top of the Glock logo are older than the one with "Austria" under the logo. The two older mags have the straight edge on the top-left side, which is the way the original magazines were made. Some time after the G19 was released, an angled "stop ledge" was added to the top-left side of all G17 mags/molds, (I believe) to prevent over-insertion of the longer G17 mag in the new-at-that-time shorter-frame G19 (I've been told that if an old G17 mag without the ledge was inserted into a G19 forcefully when the slide was locked to the rear, it could go in too far, preventing the slide from being closed or the pistol from being fired). None of these mags will have a floorplate insert, which is why none of the floorplates have a hole to allow the insert to be tilted for disassembly.

I have several mags like these, and all mine still work just fine with round-nose/ball ammo. I don't use old mags for hollowpoint defensive ammo, because JHPs are used for serious uses, and serious uses demand new(er) mags, IMO.
 
#8 ·
You can trust the Devil DJ, those are original gen 1 and gen 2 magazines as discussed, the "U" notch color can be dull black, gold, or silver colored. They were designed originally to not drop free of the firearm when loaded in case a soldier or cop accidentally hit the mag release, or the mag somehow tried to come out. They can come with an unmarked base plate as shown, a GLOCK marked one, a part # 455 marked baseplate with a part # 1693 insert, or as you know a part # 1967 factory (+) 2 bottom. Yours appear to be in good shape, however, I have seen some start to split after years of use.

Those in restricted states or areas may see the need for them as well as collectors wanting to add them to a Glock of that era, so in some cases they can bring a premium if sold.

Catco used to do a (+) bottom for them with a big 2 on the bottom like Glocks part 1967 (+) baseplate.

If it was me, I'd hang onto them, as they will only increase in value, as in some areas like I mentioned those type standard mags are the only ones they can use.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I know this about early G17 mags, but I have a unusual G17 magazine. (top mag)

Got lucky off Gunbroker a few years back. Now if I could just find a "Restricted in USA" G18 magazine.........

:supergrin:
 
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#11 ·
Agree. Very cool. Have never seen them either. Guess that's what foreign mags looked like during the stupid AWB. Incredible that Glock actually marked foreign mags this way. It's not like they mark current US standard cap mags "no legal" in all of the nations where they are not legal.
 
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#12 ·
#13 ·
Great information, guys, thank you very much.

I also picked these early G17 mags up from the same guy. These have an extension on them. Are they original Glock extensions?

Note the three are completely brand new, yet one is cracked along the seam. The more research I do on these early mags the more I'm finding they cracked often, and in various places. Either way, they make nice collectibles I suppose.
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#14 ·
DJ Niner: check out the base of the back of the mag on the left in OP's first and third picture. The base of this mag is the smooth base I believe. I have not seen the polymer at the base, lip?, in that lateral shape before. It looks to angle out, away from the mag, to allow for reinforcement. I have not personally seen originals cut that way. I also can't find any photos of "original" smooth based magazines cut that way.
 
#15 ·
Good eye!

I don't remember seeing that type of angle before, either. I have a small handful of older G17 and G19 mags, I'll dig them out and see what they look like sometime in the next week, when I get a chance.
 
#16 ·
Very nice Jersey Devil. Those old mags look brand new. I have a little collection of older Glock preban mags and those are the earlier U notch NFML variant, although I don't know if the +2 extension is original. However, if I had to guess I'd say that they are since they don't have the hole in the baseplate for the follower which is in line with standard capacity Glock mags of that era. I'd love to find some in that condition.
 
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