Beta C-Mags

[Mahatatain]

Does anyone know when Beta C-Mags (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_c-mag) became available IRL as I'm trying to figure out whether they are feasible for a T2k game?

I've seen a reference on Wiki that mentions "Coil Magazines" for 7.62x51mm weapons from the "early 1990's" and the H&K MG-36 was released in 1997 (I think) and that was designed to be used with the C-Mag (again, according to Wiki). It therefore sounds feasible to me that a rare 5.56x45mm C-Mag or two could exist in a T2k game but I'm not certain.

As you can see my information is not very reliable so I wondered if anyone knows much about the C-Mag and when it became available, both in terms of general supply to troops and, prior to that, as a rare item amongst special forces types.

Thanks for any information/help.

[Raellus]

My copy of Osprey's Panama 1989-1990 has a color plate (F3) of a USN SEAL carrying an Colt Carbine fitted with a Beta C-mag twin 100 round drum magazine. So, it looks like USSF had access to them no later than '89. In the T2KU, I reckon most NATO SF using compatible weapons would have access to such magazines.

[Mahatatain]

Originally Posted by Raellus

My copy of Osprey's Panama 1989-1990 has a color plate (F3) of a USN SEAL carrying an Colt Carbine fitted with a Beta C-mag twin 100 round drum magazine. So, it looks like USSF had access to them no later than '89. In the T2KU, I reckon most NATO SF using compatible weapons would have access to such magazines.

Thanks for the info Rae - that's a hell of a lot earlier than I thought was the case!

[StainlessSteelCynic]

The patent for the C-Mag was filed in April 1987
Here's a link to the patent document
http://www.google.com/patents?id=A6s...page&q&f=false

According to this website, the US Army tested the C-Mag recently in Afghanistan and found it had problems. Typically these were jams and failures to accept the stated 100-rds into the mag.
http://www.defendamerica.mil/article.../a072803b.html

[raketenjagdpanzer]

The soldier in the foreground on my 1.0 boxed set has an M16 sporting one.

[Rockwolf66]

Originally Posted by raketenjagdpanzer

The soldier in the foreground on my 1.0 boxed set has an M16 sporting one.

That's not a C-mag that's a Modified RPK drum magazine. I've heard of them for a Mini-14 and they carry about 90 rounds.

[waiting4something]

Originally Posted by raketenjagdpanzer

The soldier in the foreground on my 1.0 boxed set has an M16 sporting one.

The magazine on the box cover is actually a drawing of a Firepower Inc. Firepower Assault Magazine. That drum always got me curious to what it was or if it was just something the artist dreamed up from a RPK drum. Then when I finally saw them on auctions I was like "that's it"! It was the one real thing I bought because of that box cover.

[Mahatatain]

Thanks for the help.

Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic

The patent for the C-Mag was filed in April 1987
Here's a link to the patent document
http://www.google.com/patents?id=A6s...page&q&f=false

According to this website, the US Army tested the C-Mag recently in Afghanistan and found it had problems. Typically these were jams and failures to accept the stated 100-rds into the mag.
http://www.defendamerica.mil/article.../a072803b.html

Thanks for the date.

From the research I've done I think that they are susceptible to breakage, particularly if dropped or bashed. They therefore sound like a good option but shouldn't be exclusively relied upon.

Originally Posted by raketenjagdpanzer

The soldier in the foreground on my 1.0 boxed set has an M16 sporting one.

I'd forgotten about that. Being picky though I don't think that that is a Beta C-Mag in the drawing as its got one drum not two. What other extended mags were available at the time? Does anyone know?

[raketenjagdpanzer]

Originally Posted by Mahatatain

Thanks for the help.


Thanks for the date.

From the research I've done I think that they are susceptible to breakage, particularly if dropped or bashed. They therefore sound like a good option but shouldn't be exclusively relied upon.


I'd forgotten about that. Being picky though I don't think that that is a Beta C-Mag in the drawing as its got one drum not two. What other extended mags were available at the time? Does anyone know?

Actually taking a closer look, it looks like a smaller version of the a drum magazine, the type of which the bad guys used in the North Hollywood bank robbery shootout.