Was going to purchase a couple of the newer M&P 9 full size magazines, and  the blued ones that are out really don't seem to have anywhere the quality of the older ones, and the price has certainly increased on them. 

The blue ones seem to work just fine.

I'm sure that they work fine, but the quality and finish is no longer there.   I'm wondering what else is being skimp on.  With contracts for LA Police, etc. and success of Shield and all, S&W shouldn't be skimping...  Are the blued ones stainless?

Have you actually found them in stock?

Blued, as opposed to what?

The older ones I have seem to have a shiny stainless? bluish glossiness to them with an extremely hard finish.   The Shield mags have sort of a silvery finish.  The new ones are flat black. 

 

Yes, there were some in stock at Midway.

Mine work just fine. You may be overthinking things.

They work, the quality seems to have dropped.

If it feeds consistently I don't care what the finish looks like. It's a tool, my hammer isn't shiny but boy does it do a good job banging nails in.

I don't care what material they use, if they do the job, I am happy.