guncats
05-20-2005, 22:24
I got a few cheap westen metal mini-30 mags floating around......Not my fault, them came with the gun, I didn't go out and "buy" them.Last night I found them hiding in the corner so I took them out and did a comparsion with the "GOOD" mag (USA 20rd that is, works really well for me)......
The main problem with most of the cheap mags is the lock up. cheap mags use shallow stamping so the locking lug is not sticking out far enough, not enough area for the mag latch to hold it in the gun. Everything else is easy to fix: feeding lips can be adjusted, springs and followers can be replaced (supposely with AK stuff, have Not try that yet), so if the mag locks in the gun well it can be made to work ok for general plinking.
To solve this locking problem, there are two ways to go:
1) building up the locking area's thickness so it sticks out more. THis can be done by welding or silver soldering a piece of mild steel.
2) My mod: cut a recess into the mag's back under the locking piece so there are more deepth for the rifle's mag latch to go into. This is done by a Dremmel tool with a small cutting wheel. Here is how it is done: Most cheap mags have the sheet metal over laping on the back side. use a small cutting wheel to cut a groove below the locking area, wide enough for the mag latch to fit into. cut all the way through the outside sheet metal, just deep enough to reach the sheet metal layer under it.(the layers overlap in that area, I hope I am not to confussing?) This will give the mag latch lots of meat to hold on to and ensure a tight locking.
Just look at the picture and you will know see what I meant. The blacken area is where the mag latch will engage after the mod.
Before the mod the mag's locking area was .055" deep, after it became .1". A USA mag has 0.85" thick locking piece, so after this mod the cheap mag actually locks better than the USA..... Simple mod, takes about 5 minutes or so. I will try a modded mag out tomorrow and see how it works, should not fall out of the gun anymore..... ;)
The main problem with most of the cheap mags is the lock up. cheap mags use shallow stamping so the locking lug is not sticking out far enough, not enough area for the mag latch to hold it in the gun. Everything else is easy to fix: feeding lips can be adjusted, springs and followers can be replaced (supposely with AK stuff, have Not try that yet), so if the mag locks in the gun well it can be made to work ok for general plinking.
To solve this locking problem, there are two ways to go:
1) building up the locking area's thickness so it sticks out more. THis can be done by welding or silver soldering a piece of mild steel.
2) My mod: cut a recess into the mag's back under the locking piece so there are more deepth for the rifle's mag latch to go into. This is done by a Dremmel tool with a small cutting wheel. Here is how it is done: Most cheap mags have the sheet metal over laping on the back side. use a small cutting wheel to cut a groove below the locking area, wide enough for the mag latch to fit into. cut all the way through the outside sheet metal, just deep enough to reach the sheet metal layer under it.(the layers overlap in that area, I hope I am not to confussing?) This will give the mag latch lots of meat to hold on to and ensure a tight locking.
Just look at the picture and you will know see what I meant. The blacken area is where the mag latch will engage after the mod.
Before the mod the mag's locking area was .055" deep, after it became .1". A USA mag has 0.85" thick locking piece, so after this mod the cheap mag actually locks better than the USA..... Simple mod, takes about 5 minutes or so. I will try a modded mag out tomorrow and see how it works, should not fall out of the gun anymore..... ;)