best Mini-14 magazine

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roscoe

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Hey folks,

My dad just moved from California and he wants to get some 20 or 30-round magazines for his Mini. Here in Phoenix we have Cabelas, Sportsmans Warehouse, and assorted smaller stores where he can browse.

The question is - what is the most reliable magazine for the Mini 14 and where can it be found? Obviously Ruger factory mags are not available, but someone must be making something decent.

Thanks

Oh, and, yes, I know, sell the mini 14, etc. But since he won't . . .
 
Ruger factory are best but I think they are more available now. Of course, Ruger will not sell hicaps to mere civilians. However, you can buy their LE-stamped mags from dealers (CDNN sometimes has them).

Second place would go to PMI (Precision Manufacturing Industries). They are out of business but you can find their mags floating around.

I have five of the pre-ban PMI 30rd mags for my Mini and they work great. Got them for $10/mag during the ban, from Ammoman (of all places).
 
Ruger mags not available???:uhoh: I just saw a whole stack of them at the little gun show we have here in Lafayette.

Check SGN, many people carry Ruger factory 20 rounders. IIRC $40 a pop is the going rate. Have seen them cheaper at police dealers like Kiesler's. J&G out there does not carry them???
 
I've had 20-, 30-, and even 40-round mags for Minis. I still think the overall best is the factory ten-round magazine. It protrudes very little, and carrying the rifle at the balance point is quite easy.

Unless the main point is that of rapidly turning money into noise, of course...

:D, Art
 
Used mini 14s at work for 20 years before they replaced them :(. The only trouble we ever had was non original magazines. All got scrapped and since using Ruger only, the department never had any more trouble. We used to load 10 rounds in each 20 round mag. Mick.
 
I never found an aftermarket mag that worked in my mini. Factory Ruger 20 round mags are out there, but they will cost you. I bought a few at a local gunshow a few years ago for $30 a piece. They cost more but I would rather spend more on mags that work, than spend less on junk that fails. Plus I got a premium selling them off later when i sold my mini ;) . I had enough $ from selling to buy alot of AR mags.
 
I also see plenty of 20 rounders at the shows for $30-40. But, I buy the Ramline 30 rounders for $10-15 new or good condition used. I have either been very lucky (according to some) or maybe they are not as bad as everyone says, because despite 1000s of rounds I have never had a jam.
 
Black Warrior mags by John Masen http://www.johnmasen.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=J&Category_Code=RMA

I have yet to get or try them, but they come highly recommended, on par with the PMI mags, some say as good or better than Ruger. Give them a try, and let us know back here what you think. Not a bad price either, may do better at a different source, shop the internet first, seems I saw them for 12-13 each for 30 rounds. Not sure if he makes 20 rounds, but he has 10 rounds on the site

Good luck
 
Ruger factory #1. When the AWB lifted, several outlets had them under $25/ea.
Others were available at even lower prices. ProMag polymer 20s were around $8.
As soon as the AWB was reintroduced, all that ceased. I've seen Ruger factory 20s anywhere from $40-$75/ea. There haven't been any Ruger factory 10s on the market since the first year or so of production, that I know of. They fetch $80 and up on auction sites. Want a mag and no problems? Ruger. Don't mind having to tweak to smooth out any problems? PMI are good, Promag poly 20s and steel 30s have had some good feedback. For gobs of detailed mini-14 magazine info, try here.
 
I don't own a mini, but my Dad had one since I was a little kid. I don't remember him ever having any problems. He had a stack of Ruger 20 round mags that still work fine.

If this is anything like AR15 mags, you can buy cheap mags that are not as good, but you will buy 5 mags and hope 2 or 3 will work well. You might get lucky, but you might not. I have 2 40-round USA mags that work fine in my AR. I have other USA mags that are crap.
 
I've got couple of Eagle mags 30 round mags,they work great,and a Factory 10 rounder,it's the best,and of course the 5 rounder that came with the rifle

I've also had a couple of cheap pieces of crap,they wont work,no matter how much tweeking I do,I get tired of clearing FTFs,if you can't fix it with a couple of tweeks just toss it on the ground and give it a couple of good stomps,that will keep it from accidentally ending up back in the shooting bag.
 
Ruger has been selling their factory 20-rounders to non LEO civilians since the election, for about $30.
This was the first time, ever.
They then increased the price about $10 dollars or more due to the overwhelming sales, and might still be available on back-order.

Last spring bought a polymer 30-rd. Promag for my old 14, and although it fits with a wobble and has been loaded to only 10-20 rounds (less ammo consumption), it has never had a misfeed.

There is a magazine forum at "Perfectunion", due to problems with the so many Mini 14 and 30 aftermarket mags. On the main page click on 'Mini 14' and on that next page, it is near the top of the list.
 
Eagle mags.... much less failures than any other mag ive tried

Ruger_mini_14_30_round_magazine.jpg


http://taylorgunsmithing.com/Store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6
 
Factory 30 rounders have never failed me. I've seen USA mags that would not lock into place because the welded "block" was almost an inch out of place.

I have had good luck with the old Ram-line transluscent magazines, however the spring can be a bit weak when more than 28 rounds are loaded.
 
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