Question of age on a mag

[vantrepes]

I have in my hands a rather old mag. Unlike the newer mags, the power tube threads into the main reg body.
Any idea on the age of this thing?
I'm rather rusty on mag history, but for some reason, Level 5 rings a bell because I think AGD started welding them on Level 6. Is that right, or were the Level 6 when they started welding the power tube?

[mihanikos]

I thought level 6 had the power tube threaded and level 7 was when they started welding them.

[BlackVCG]

Level 5 the Powertube was held in by a spiral circlip. There were no threads on it, other than for the PT tip.

It could be a Level 6 or a Level 7 gun where the PT just came un-loctited. I've seen a handful of Retro Valves with loose PTs because all they do now is red-loctite them in place.

[mihanikos]

In the level 7 bolt the power tube is part of the valve, I don't think it is loctited in place, if you look at a level 7 valve, there is no seam between the power tube and the valve.

[BlackVCG]

No. It is a seperate component. There never has been a valve with a solid PT/Valve body. You wouldn't be able to bore the dump chamber, if the PT wasn't removable, during the machining process.

[mihanikos]

Ok,well you learn something new every day