[panderson]

I am perplexed by the "This one fits and that one doesn't" phenomena that I hear about regarding magazines.

So I decided that I would reverse engineer the Ruger factory mag and the Masen mag (which works flawlessly in mine). Just fancy talk for measuring the top end of the mag with calipers and drawing the overalls in AutoCAD (a drafting computer program) and comparing the ones that work with the ones that don't work and tapping them into compliance.

I find it to hard to believe that you can't tap or persuade with a hammer or other tool on the other mags to make them fit.

I have been in the sheet metal fabrication business for almost 20 years and should be able to figure this out and would appreciate any input on research done to date that includes dimensional aspects on the various magazines.

Here is my disclaimer: I once said to a customer when they wanted to give us some business and warned of the difficulty of the manufacturing. I said "it's only sheet metal", I had to eat crow for months while we crawled through the learning curve.

If we could figure out how to tap into shape the otherwise crappy magazines, I think we could save tons of $$.

Paul

 

[cajungeo]

I believe the main problem is the mag latch dimension of different series mini's, and the dimension from the bottom of the mag latch tab to the top of a cartridge rim sitting in the mag. What works well in my 196 may not work in a 184, and visa versa. (Provided feed lips are in proper form. )Check out this thread: http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...=&threadid=1540

 

[mini14jac]

I recently bought some mags from CDNN.
I tried the measurement route.
Even though the specs were close, the top of the mags, the area in front of, and behind the feed lips was so "misshappen", that I wasn't willing to risk the work.

A new PMI is around $38 delivered. (from Gunpartscorp.com)

A junk 30rd mag is ~$20, plus $1.75? for a Ruger follower, plus shipping on both.

There was a good thread here about using a product from Brownell's to heat treat the mag lips after you finished.
It was around $20, but would probably treat several mags.

If you have the time and inclination to experiment you may be able to make the cheap mags work.

I would rather spend the extra cash up front, and spend my time at the range. :ar15: :2guns: