Magazine Project Pt1 Do they Exist?

This post is regarding the magazine info and pics shared by USCGBMC...

I started the research into the "Bavarians" back in 2005. They are what got me involved with the .30 caliber carbines and these websites.

I haven't seen a magazine like that one with any of the carbines used by the police in West Germany or Austria. I don't think it was done by one of their agencies. Individual officers constructed or came up with various things to fill a need. Just as owners here have done.

When the Germans were given carbines, and throughout the occupation years, they weren't given much ammo. They usually had no more than 5 rounds in one magazine per officer. We weren't inclined to give them more given most of the officers had been German troops prior. German and Austrian companies didn't begin manufacturing .30 carbine ammo until after the occupation ended in 1955, with the Bavaria Forestry Police starting to phase out their carbines.

There was one exception to the limited ammo. In response to the growing threat from the Eastern Block nations and Russia, in 1952 the West Germans were allowed to form a paramilitary organization called the Bereitschaftspolizei (BEPO). They became their Bundeswehr in 1955. Some were trained on and armed with carbines and 30 round mags. But, their carbines didn't come from the various police agencies, they came direct from the U.S. military as military assistance.

The .30 round mags the Germans eventually made (Church magazine) were for their Bundeswehr and not used by their law enforcement agencies.

I think it more likely someone here in the USA made the magazine.

Hope this helps.

Jim

I should clarify something about the Bereitschaftspolizei (BEPO)

1952-1955 they were paramilitary police because Germany couldn't have a military. Those who served in those units 1952-1955 became the Bundeswehr. However, BEPO continued as a national paramilitary police run on a land/state level, and eventually became where all police officers start their "academy" and work their first years. The number of years has varied over time.

BEPO being paramilitary, they have weapons and equipment not used when officers leave BEPO and move on to police work.

Jim

Mags arrived today. Got quite a bit of fly rust on them. Will clean them tomorrow and take pictures. 

This afternoon cleaned the Mags a bit. one IS was very rusty and the bluing was no longer there. They are 4x IS and as New2brass suspected 1 marked U-S'G'. One of the four IS is the marking of IS smaller. A few pictures of the Mags and the other Mags I have at the moment.

Whew, you guys are amazing! I started collecting carbines, but not magazines 50 years ago, and I've only got seventeen 15 round magazines (not including a few WEP marked mags given to me by William Doerfner, who was a General Manager of Saginaw Steering Gear from 1941-1965.

After checking Dan P's list of "wanted markings" (and finding none), I did find a few that may or may not be interesting. So I submit this info to those who may be interested in the minutia of markings:

Of the 17 mags, all but 5 have the grooved floorplate.
One I.I. (serifed I's) has the "hold open" follower

Flat floorplates:
2 with flat unmarked floorplates (with small drain hole) are S.I. (serifed I) and UQ

Two marked A.I. (serifed and underlined) and one marked A.I. (serifed with an underline and 'overline.' These 3 A.I. mags have the large hole on the rear wall near the bottom. The first two listed have a small A marking on the inside of the floorplate, and the third listed has a K marked on the outside of the floorplate.

I bought these 3 A.I. mags together somewhere a long time ago, and used them in Carbine Matches, so they show some wear.

FYI, mb

Nice Collection

Dnikkor, out of all those you have collected, do they all already appear on Dan's known list? That is a very impressive magazine collection you have there