AR Magazines

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WALKERs210

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Last year before all the panic buying I was able to pickup about a dozen 30rd mags for my AR. All this time and I had never actually inserted any of the mags into the rifle. To my surprise I had four (4) that require a moderate amount of effort to insert into the well, and same amount to remove them. Two are from same manufacturer and the other two are from different manufacturers. I did take a set of mics and each have different between .020 and .030 over the ones that insert and drop with not issues. I don't want to take a hammer and start smashing so looking for wisdom from THR members.
 
I just went and measured 10 GI, Colt, and Brownell's mag thickness at the top rear, near the feed lips.
All mags were fully loaded.

20-round Colt, GI, and one Brownells mag.
.885", .888", .889", .890", .890", .891".

30-round GI mags.
.887", .892", .901", and .904".

If your hanging mags are within those measurements?

They are in spec.

But your lower receiver mag well isn't.

rc
 
set them aside for sale during the next (sadly) inevitable panic gun control frenzy. Use the profits of said sale to pay for the 6 you keep.
 
After reading your Readings I went back and these 4 are way over, .905 - 908. I never gave much thought to the possibility of such differences. Its not that they will not work, I just didn't want to get something stuck that requires a cutting torch or sledge hammer.
 
I might just sell them, when I have told others what I paid for them most of the time the question is either does he have more or how hot are they. I bought them from a Pawn/Gun shop and paid a whopping $5.00 each. So if I have to lose 4 I think I'm still way ahead of the game.
 
Do you know which brand mags are having this issue, or are most of them doing it?

For $5 each you can just store them as spares. Buy some good mags from Magpul, Lancer, and GI's from D&H or C-products.
 
I have to ask if you have even run live rounds through these mags. If you have problems fitting they may well have problems feeding as well.
 
I can say for sure that I have not run rounds thru these in question because until a few nights ago they had never been in the mag well. All the other I have along with the ones I bought in that group have worked flawlessly. I even ran blanks thru a couple and it will feed fine. I might take these 4 out and run a few rounds to insure there is not a deeper problem also.
 
For only $5 per, I wouldn't be afraid to either tap them a couple times with a dead-blow hammer, or try them in another rifle and sell or trade if they work better in your buddy's rifle. I would also consider just keeping them for spares.
 
Are they dimensionally accurate front-to-rear? (Making them thinner will make them longer..) How much clearance do you have between the followers and the mag walls?

Given that most USGI spec magazines can be had for less then ten bucks each, I'd be tempted to either trash them or VERY! lightly compress them in a vice to see if they can be salvaged as range-only mags.

In the very least, I'd mark them to keep them from getting mixed up with mags that may need to be used for more serious purposes.
 
I had some old Vietnam era Colt mags that wouldnt drop free. I marked them with a sharpy and inserted them in the mag well a few times to see where they were rubbing (most were rubbing at the top of the spine).

I used a pair of channel lock pliers and lightly squeezed the area til they would drop free. It worked well, but they became range mags.
 
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