What makes Mini-14 magazines suck?

[Shweboner]

Having recently purchased my first Mini-14, I've been looking for more magazines. I see a lot of complaints about everything but factory mags. So, the question is... What makes the factory mags better than the no-name mags?


The mag bodies look identical between the two. So the problem has to be in the spring or follower.

Could you put an ar15 spring & follower into a Mini14 mag?

Im thinking of getting a few and experimenting with them...

 

[WardenWolf]

Pro-Mag is the answer. Most of these aftermarket mags are made by Pro-Mag, a company that specializes in turning perfectly good firearms into worthless hunks of steel by ensuring they'll jam on every shot.

 

[Titan6]

Maybe you should "like" try them out and find out what is true. I have never had a problem with even cheap plastic ones.

 

[Treo]

I have a couple Pro Mag Mini14 mags that work fine. The folks over on Perfect Union swear by them.

For anything else I've heard Pro Mag sucks

 

[browningguy]

I've only had mine a couple of months but so far no problems with Promags in steel and polymer, 20 and 30 round.

 

[steak-knife]

I've had mixed results with Promag, National, and USA Mags.

My favorite 20 rd mag is the one made by the defunct Federal Ordnance.

If you look at the rear locking tabs on these after market mags and compare them with the factory ones or the ones made by Fed. Ord., you'll notice the difference immediately. After market has whimpy stamped out tabs, while factory has built up/machined tabs.

I'm sure some have had luck with the plastic mags, but unfortunately I'm not one of them.

BTW, you can now get 20 rd mags directly from Ruger, and on sale for a short time.

 

[Bigfoot]

It could be a lot worse, you could have bought the M-30 like I did.

 

[carbine85]

I have 1 Pro Mag and several other no names in my inventory and don't have any problems. You can back order Ruger 20 round mags for $30.00. That's the cheapest I've seen Ruger mags. I refuse to that much for a mag that should cost $10-$15.

 

[Walkalong]

My USA mags work great. I have some other mags, but I don't remember the maker.

 

[Shweboner]

Anyone who has generic mags and doesnt like them, PM me.

I will take them off your hands for a little $$$ and use them for a little experimentation.

Let me know.

 

[ArmedBear]

I have 3 factory 5-rounders, 2 factory 20-rounders, 2 plastic Eagle 10-rounders, a Triple K 10-round, an unknown nickel 10-rounder from a gun show, and two 30-rounders from Cabela's. I write that so you know that I can, and have, compared a bunch of magazines.

The factory mags all fit right and work right. The plastic Eagles fit right and work right, although one of them is a little "iffy" on the LSBHO. The nickel unknown one from the gun show is PERFECT; I wish I could find that vendor again, but I never could.

The Triple K 10-rounder jams every few rounds. Unfortunately, I threw out the receipt and box when I bought it. I understand Triple-K will make good on any magazines with problems.

The 30-rounders DON'T EVEN FIT THE GUN. Holes in the wrong place, tabs that are too shallow, it's totally ridiculous how out-of-spec they are.

I've never tried to shoot the gun using them, because I wouldn't want to damage the gun or cause any other catastrophic failures. They're so far out of spec, it's RIDICULOUS. I threw the boxes away, also, or else I'd return them. They might be Pro-Mags (?). I forget who made them.

Just buy the 20-rounders that Ruger now sells. Do not pass go, do not screw around, do not buy anything else. Buy the Ruger mags while you can.

If you want inexpensive knockaround mags, the Eagle plastic ones are pretty cool, too.

 

[97guns]

+1 on the promags, thats all i run. i have 30 round polys and 20 round steel and theyve never given me a single problem. if you do your research (google)you'll see they are excellent.

 

[JWF III]

I have (approximately) 10 30 rounders, and 10 20 rounders. I shot all of them, from fully loaded to empty in 1 day. Every mag that functioned good went in one pile, every one that malfunctioned went to another. No 20 malfunctioned, only 4 30s malfunctioned. Each of these I replaced the follower with a modified AR follower. (Ruger factories were to much money.) I have since had no malfunctions with the modified followers. They don't hold the bolt open on the last shot, but that's not that big of a deal. I surmised that the legs on the followers (aftermarket mini mag followers) were too short. The longer legs on the AR followers helped to keep it (follower) from binding inside the mag body.

Wyman

 

[Autopistola]

They suck because aftermarket companies build mags out of thin steel that's not quite up to spec. My friend bought a no-name 30rd mag that wouldn't catch until he did some filing on the front lip, and now it works fine. Spend some time tweaking your aftermarket mags to get better performance (after you purchase some Ruger 20 rounders).

 

[SHvar]

I have a few stainless steel 30 rounders I bought years ago, they still shoot flawlessly. I paid a total of $12-14 each for them. I dont know who made them, but back then if you could find them, they were good. The plastic mags back then were weak, cracked easy, looked dumb, and had some feed problems.

 

[Ignition Override]

My Mini 14 Promag 30-rounder, which was bought last spring has worked perfectly-but to reduce ammo use, loaded with no more than 12 rounds each time.

As for Mini 30s (not a very popular gun-due to many mags and people who don't clean chambers), some seasoned Mini users at "Perfectunion" claim that newer Promag 10-round metal mags are the most reliable of any aftermarket types, and work fine.
Afterm. mags are such a major, huge problem that there is a permanent Mag Forum at Perfectunion.

My guns (also SKS) only use Wolf, except for the MN 44s.
I have no use for expensive American-made ammo.

 

[wcwhitey]

Back when I had my Mini there was no interest in the factory 5 round mags. I used to pick them up at the gun shows for a few dollars. I would take the followers and put them in the cheapo USA 20 rounders and had good results. I had a few plastic 30 rounders that were built for the Ar180,Ar15 and Mini14, forget the manufacturer (ramline I believe). They worked awesome. Sold them to a very appreciative Mini owner a few years ago.

P.S. If I were to do it all over again I would just spend the money and wait for the Ruger 20 rounders. They may be expensive but the gun is no good without reliable mags. Things are crazy right now, get em while you can, 30 bucks may seem cheap in a year or so.

 

[HOME DEPOT GEORGE]

I've got some John Masen 20 round steel mags that work great, haven't tried their 30 rounders yet.

 

[dagger dog]

Shweboner,

Grab your 5 round factory mag and take it with you when you go shopping for after market mags.

Look at both in the area of the feed lips, most of the aftermarkets will have tissue paper thin lips compared to the factory mags, also the bodys on the cheaper mags are lap jointed and spot welded, the corners are not bent to a sharp 90 degree angle. The quality mags show butt TIG welded joints extra thick feed lips quality springs crisp 90 degree corners and the same followers used in mil spec AR mags.

Right now if there are any left Ruger is offering their factory 20 rnds for $29.95. John Masen, Triple K, mags are dependable and Quality stuff.

Mags that I have had problems with include Bushmasters Mini Mags, Pro Mag, and USA mags.

As a matter of fact, I have made my own 20 and 30 rnd Mini mags by buying the factory 5 rounders, cuttting the bottoms square,cutiing off the tops of the cheap mags and silver soldering the two together.

I have used some of the springs from the cheaper 20+30 rndrs, but if you want you can order the better springs, and use the factory followers. Grafted Frankenmags a totally reliable.