Bearcat1982
Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2023
- Messages
- 194
Which after market mini 30 magazines feed well? And which ones should I avoid?
Mini 30 Magazines - Which ones?
- Thread starter Bearcat1982
- Start date
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Ive used FedOrd, Promag, and OEM Ruger.
Threw away the Promags and all but one of the FedOrds- only because its chrome-plated and looks cool.
For actual shooting, it's Ruger or nothing.
Threw away the Promags and all but one of the FedOrds- only because its chrome-plated and looks cool.
For actual shooting, it's Ruger or nothing.
Riomouse911
Member
With the Ruger Mini series, three decades of trial and error leads me to say it is OEM Ruger. Anything else is a roll of the dice ,with the odds stacked in favor of them being unreliable. (Since my former office sold off our 65 Mini 14’s and moved to AR’s in 2021, these are all the OEM 20-rounders I have left, Mini-30 on top, Mini-14 on bottom.)
I have a couple unknown-maker Mini-14 and an oddball AK-looking Mini-30 magazine. These are not reliable at all, I keep them unloaded and use them just to teach gun-handling / familiarity with new Mini shooters.
I don’t know why the aftermarket mags rarely, if ever, work right. I guess it’s just one of those unanswered mysteries of the shooting world.
( I carried Ruger OEM 30-round Mini-14 mags on duty when a Mini-14 was my issued rifle.)
I know the Ruger factory magazines are $$, especially compared to AR magazines. But you might as well save the cost of buying unreliable aftermarket mags, since you will probably be having to go back and buy Ruger OEM magazines for your Mini-30 anyway.
Stay safe.
I have a couple unknown-maker Mini-14 and an oddball AK-looking Mini-30 magazine. These are not reliable at all, I keep them unloaded and use them just to teach gun-handling / familiarity with new Mini shooters.
I don’t know why the aftermarket mags rarely, if ever, work right. I guess it’s just one of those unanswered mysteries of the shooting world.( I carried Ruger OEM 30-round Mini-14 mags on duty when a Mini-14 was my issued rifle.)
I know the Ruger factory magazines are $$, especially compared to AR magazines. But you might as well save the cost of buying unreliable aftermarket mags, since you will probably be having to go back and buy Ruger OEM magazines for your Mini-30 anyway.
Stay safe.
OP
OP
Bearcat1982
Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2023
- Messages
- 194
appreciate the replies. Ruger OEM it is... as I thought. This is for a Ruger American in 7.62x39. But Id imagine Same rules applies.
ditmo
Member
I say go with the OEM Ruger mags. I do have promag 10 rounders that actually work though (sample size of 6). They are perfect in the American Ranch size wise and also work in my Mini-30.
illinoisburt
Member
Back in the day, I heard a rumor Bill Ruger had threatened to sue aftermarket magazine companies so the better manufacturers stayed away but honestly never believed it. Still given his propensities about civilian ownership of higher-cap mini magazines it had a ring of truth to it. I suspect it was simply a case that the volume didn't justify building high quality copy of the LE only models.
Steel Horse Rider
Member
When I bought my Mini I found a Pawn Shop/Gun Store in my town that had about 40 Ruger mags of varying capacities (up to 30 rounds) and had them reasonably priced ($30 each if I remember correctly) and as advised above, they work great. Maybe look around a little, but not on the internet.
Riomouse911
Member
Is this for a Ruger Ranch? If so, the same rules do not apply necessarily. Still, you can never go wrong with Ruger mags for a Ruger.
On the other hand, just do away with the problem all together. Call Ruger with your serial number and tell them that you want to order the magwell for the 5.56 model. With that, you can run 7.62x39 AR mags. I run Duramags in mine and they work very well. They're also pretty cheap.
On the other hand, just do away with the problem all together. Call Ruger with your serial number and tell them that you want to order the magwell for the 5.56 model. With that, you can run 7.62x39 AR mags. I run Duramags in mine and they work very well. They're also pretty cheap.
Miami_JBT
Member
PMI prior to being purchased by Fed Ord made good aftermarket magazines for the Mini-14. For the Mini-30, USA made mags were about the best option until Ruger started to make OEM 20rders. And the USA mags were hit or miss.
About the only reliable Mini-14 aftermarket mags made after the Clinton AWB expired was the Gen 2 Tapcos and the Thermolds. I have a few Thermolds along with a pile of OEM Ruger 20rders and 30rders for my Mini-14s. The Thermolds work reliably. Also, I have a pile of 20rd and 30rd Thermolds for my ARs. And they're all pre-ban era mags that still work reliably.
I personally never owned a Mini-30, so I can't go deep into the weeds on 'em. I've only shot 'em when other folks brought 'em.
But Thermold still makes a 30rd mag for the Mini-30.
thermoldmagazines.com
But, I can say this. The Ruger OEM 20rder is the best mag out there for the Mini-30.
About the only reliable Mini-14 aftermarket mags made after the Clinton AWB expired was the Gen 2 Tapcos and the Thermolds. I have a few Thermolds along with a pile of OEM Ruger 20rders and 30rders for my Mini-14s. The Thermolds work reliably. Also, I have a pile of 20rd and 30rd Thermolds for my ARs. And they're all pre-ban era mags that still work reliably.
I personally never owned a Mini-30, so I can't go deep into the weeds on 'em. I've only shot 'em when other folks brought 'em.
But Thermold still makes a 30rd mag for the Mini-30.
R-M-30/26
High Capacity Gun Magazines for AR15, M16, FN/FAL, SCAR, HK91 and AK-47's.
But, I can say this. The Ruger OEM 20rder is the best mag out there for the Mini-30.
"On the other hand, just do away with the problem all together. Call Ruger with your serial number and tell them that you want to order the magwell for the 5.56 model. With that, you can run 7.62x39 AR mags. I run Duramags in mine and they work very well. They're also pretty cheap."
That's a helluva good idea....Is there any reason why using a 5.56 magwell/x39 AR mags in a Mini 30 wouldn't work?
That's a helluva good idea....Is there any reason why using a 5.56 magwell/x39 AR mags in a Mini 30 wouldn't work?
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CoalCrackerAl
Member
The steel promags i have been lucky with. The plastic ones no good. I had one preloaded. And it spread out. And the rounds popped out.
For a mini 30, my guess would be that it's more work than it's worth. On the Ranch rifle, however, it was a no brainer.
.455_Hunter
Member
The only fly in the ointment with Ruger Mini-14 factory mags that I have discovered is that a modern 10 rounder fits too tight in my first production run series-180. The 5's and 20's are fine.
Bcwitt
Member
I wish they made a mini 30 that took AK mags.problem solved.
Miami_JBT
Member
I've never seen such a thing you speak of. The 5.56x45mm magazine well for the Mini-14 is not compatible with AR STANAG pattern magazines.
Are you modifying AR mags to work in the Ruger?
Miami_JBT
Member
I forgot the Ruger American does that.
Riomouse911
Member
Same here. Before I read all the way through, I was trying to visualize where the stud at the front and the lever at the rear of the magwell were moved to.
I've never seen such a thing you speak of. The 5.56x45mm magazine well for the Mini-14 is not compatible with AR STANAG pattern magazines.
Are you modifying AR mags to work in the Ruger?
Stay safe.
Another Ruger American in 7.62x39 owner here – I’ll likewise be sticking with Ruger mags.
What the heck
Like a F350 power stroke with a Belarus engine. Absolutely not. Buy Ruger , expect Ruger. Want cheep mags buy an aluminum or stamped out rifle. Sounds good though.
Bcwitt
Member
Just saying. The AK mags are some of the the best mags in any caliber. Very available & cheap. Why wouldn't you want to make use of them?
I said sounds good.
