M16 magazines: Ok industries vs Colt

[bizz]

The market price of the M16 30rds Colt magazines is about the double of the ones made by Ok industries. Does this price reflect value?
I suppouse not.
I have some made by Ok industries, they look fragile an unreliable, all made out of thin aluminium alloy and green plastic followers. Nothing like the robust AK47 steel magazine, made in Russia.

 

[Westicle]

Okay Industries is a current US Military contractor, and is the subcontractor that manufactures all Colt-marked AR-15 magazines. They also sell magazines under their own name, identical except for the floorplate stamping. Early mags had black plastic followers; mags made since 1992 had green "anti-tilt" followers. Made from late 1970s-present.

 

[BattleRife]

It is my understanding that Colt has never made AR-15 magazines, they have always been made by one of the big contractors like OK or Labelle or Simmons, with Colt markings on the floorplates. Thus, there is no functional reason to pay for Colt mags.

...they look fragile an unreliable, all made out of thin aluminium alloy and green plastic followers. Nothing like the robust AK47 steel magazine, made in Russia.

Sounds like a standard AR mag. Welcome to the first world, where cheap and disposable trumps quality, even in the army.