Ruger Mini-14 pre-ban mags

[Combat-wombat]

Okay, I have gotten in trouble for suggesting illegal activities in threads similar to this before, but I am not now.

Alright. I want a Mini-14 rifle, and want starndard-capacity magazines for it. I realize this is illegal in the People's Republik of California. My plan would be to have our friends in Ory-gun buy them, and keep them there until we move up there, or to some other free state. The reason I would not simply do it later when we move somewhere else is because of rising pre-ban prices, and the fear of HR 2038.

Okay, with that disclaimer in mind, tell me what would be the best pre-ban magazines for a mini-14, and what websites our friends in Oregon could buy and temporarily hold for us.

 

[Hawkman]

About the only ones worth a hoot are factory mags and PMI's. Both are scarcer than hen's teeth and will cost a LOT of money. USA slapped together a bunch of them before the ban hit, but I could never get any of them to work. Good luck.

 

[benEzra]

I'll second Hawkman on the lousy state of USA brand mags--definitely hit or miss. Also avoid the no-name nickel-plated ones with the stamped bump at the back (rather than welded on) that engages the mag catch--I have tried two or three and never gotten one to work properly. (These often come in a plastic wrapper that has "Precision Mag" or some such on it, IIRC.) Two were so bad that the feed lips locked up the bolt when the mag was inserted, even with no rounds in the mag. (Sheesh.)

I have had EXCELLENT luck with a Triple K brand blued steel 30-rounder and with the Ram-Line 30-rd polymer "Combo Mag" that fits the AR-15, mini-14, and AR-180. These are still available at reasonable prices, and the fit is very good. Duncan Long even recommended the Ram-Line in his book on the mini-14 back in the 1980's, and they are very "cool looking" when loaded. (IIRC, Long did say the Ram-Lines may fail to lock the bolt back on some mini's, but mine have always functioned perfectly.)

 

[WonderNine]

Not true, there's a pile of PMI mags to be had out there. CDNN has the blued 30 rounders new in the package for what, $29 I believe??

And after the AWB expires in September, there'll be plenty more.

 

[MiniZ]

From my personal experience, I would only buy factory Ruger(outrageously expensive), or PMI(half or less than a factory Ruger). There are others that work, but not as consistently.

 

[WonderNine]

The new ten round Pro-Mags are absolutely EXCELLENT. Just as good quality as the PMI's and nice and short not to mention light and handy.

 

[Solinvictus70]

USA Magazines

Ditto on their shoddy magazines. I had one with my Mini and the magazine had to be altered to fit properly into the mag well. $29 for a PMI mag is not bad as the best price I ever found was $40 or more.

 

[Sven]

Any word on TripleK brand? Have a 10 rounder that is working so far.

 

[308win]

The John Masen 10rd mags work great.

You can get PMI at FourFourMagStore

 

[benEzra]

Sven, my TripleK 30-rounder (purchased in mid-1990s) works great.

 

[Onslaught]

I want a Mini-14 rifle, and want starndard-capacity magazines for it.

All Ruger Mini-14's come from the factory with standard capacity mags

PMI's are available at CDNN as mentioned. I had bad luck with USA and other no-names. I can tell you that the Eagle brand 35 round mags work perfectly, but I cannot attest to their long term endurance as I didn't have them for more than a year.

I'd get some of those 10 round mags for Kali... Anything longer than 20 rounds (to me) seemed to stick out too far.

 

[Sven]

Uh.... my Ruger Mini-14 picked up last week came with one 5 round magazine. Is that 'standard capacity'?

 

[Brian D.]

Another vote for PMI, or factory original, in my Mini anyhow. Took my USAs to the plinking range and used them for targets. Oh, and I smashed one that I could almost get working, with my trusty three pound hammer. (No anger issues here, as long as I can "Hulk out" with a gun or blunt instrument on inanimate objects from time to time. )

 

[Snaps]

I'm also interested in this. My younger brother is thinkign about a Mini-14 but is worried about the mags. My dad's Mini-30 has had some problems finding ones that work properly.

I've seen some on Bushmaster's site (yes I spent some time on that today) that says guarenteed function.

I'm just going to be browsing for some info here... Please keep talking amongst yourselves

 

[Combat-wombat]

"Standard capacity" is pre-ban. Look at Oleg's site. http://www.a-human-right.com/RKBA/effective.html

 

[lee n. field]

The John Masen 10rd mags work great.

I have 2 Masen 10 round magazines. Both feed ok, but neither will hold open the bolt after the last round.

RSN I intend to get one of the Pro Mag 10 round magazines.

 

[Onslaught]

Uh.... my Ruger Mini-14 picked up last week came with one 5 round magazine. Is that 'standard capacity'?

"Standard capacity" is pre-ban. Look at Oleg's site. http://www.a-human-right.com/RKBA/effective.html

My comment was made in lighthearted fun, but technically, as my experience with the Mini's go, YES, a 5 round magazine is "standard" capacity for that rifle.

As I understand the term, a "standard capacity" magazine is a magazine that accepts the full number of rounds that a factory magazine included with a given weapon held prior to '94. So for a Glock 17, a "Standard" capacity mag is 17 rounds, a Klinton mag is 10, and a "hi-capacity" mag is 33.

Since civilian Mini-14's come with 5 round mags and have (as far as I know) always come with 5 round mags, the "Standard Capacity" mag for a Ruger Mini-14 is a 5 round mag. Anything over that is technically a "hi-cap" mag.

But again, all in fun

 

[benEzra]

Actually, Ruger sold many mini-14's with 20-rd mags, but refused to sell them to non-LEO's. Since the mini is patterned after the M14 and M1 carbine, the 5-rd "civilian" mag is indeed less than the gun was probably designed for (and is certainly less than optimum).

 

[Gary G23]

PMI & Federal Ordnance.

 

[Daniel T]

I bought some 20 and 40 rounders from FourFourMags, and they were wretched. Horribly wretched. With every single one of them, the bolt could not close because it ran into the feed lips at the back of the mag.

Would it be considered "altering" the mag to shave down the feed lips with a Dremel? I'd hate to break a fed law by making the mags reliable.