DIY mini-30 hi-cap mags

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Nuke8401

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Mar 11, 2008
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Quaker Hill, CT
Hello all,

I have been struggling to find good reliable Mini-30 mags since about 1988 when I got my mini-30. Well I finally made my own from some old 30 rd USA mags and some parts form a stock Ruger mag and I thought I would share what I learned.

There are several problems with the USA mags.
The ears that hold the rounds in need to be bent/adjusted to work at all and the mags don't fit perfectly into the rifle. They are also missing two little "ears" that guide the round up and into the chamber (just above my thumb on the right pic).


Mag on left is the stock USA. The mag on the right is a stock 5 rd Ruger.

With a stock USA mag, as the mag is filled greater than about 20 rounds, the tip of the next bullet to be chambered sinks into the mag and will hit either the front of the mag or the action. This is because the USA follower will not pivot to apply equal pressure to the front and rear of the cartridge.

USA follower on left, the vertical piece prevents it from pivoting. Stock Ruger on right with USA spring modified and installed. It is important that the first contact between the spring and the follower is at the front of the follower.


I cut the top off the stock USA mag but left it 1/4" long.
I also cut about 1/8" off the bottom of the stock mag to get rid of the slots and ears for the base plate. The front to back dimensions are about the same. I bent the USA mag to match the profile of the Ruger and tack welded the back of the mag first, then the sides, then the front. Then I stitch welded it completely with a mig welder, ground it smooth. Don't make fun of my "Chicken SXXX" welding; I just have a cheap 110 mig. If you don't weld, I would have a welding shop TIG these.


The modified mag on the left, and a ten rounder on the right.


This is the important part, when complete the spring and follower must be installed so that when fully loaded the tip of the round is high in the mag. On the right are the final components; 30rd USA mag housing with a 5 round Ruger housing welded to the bottom, USA spring modified to fit the Ruger follower, stock USA bottom caps.

Here it is installed, 30 rounds, easy to load and insert into the weapon, runs flawlessly. Don't make fun of my cheap sight; it cost me 30 bucks and works great for <100 yards. I am going to do a 20rd mag next and even take a look at an AK mag for possibilities.

Yes I have lots of pics, How do I load them? They are on my hard drive not on a URL?
 
Right for your photos go to www.photobucket.com and create an account, then while logged in upload the pictures you wish to show us by clicking browse and selecting the photo from where it is located on your hdd. Once you have all the photos ready to upload click upload. Once all the photos have bee uploaded they will have 3 urls at the bottom click the img url and it will be automatically copy, so all you have to do is paste the url by right clicking on your post and right click , selcet paste. Rinse and repeat for the other photos and your done. Irwin
 
with pics

Hello all,

I have been struggling to find good reliable Mini-30 mags since about 1988 when I got my mini-30. Well I finally made my own from some old 30 rd USA mags and some parts form a stock Ruger mag and I thought I would share what I learned.
mini30mag006.jpg [/IMG]
mini30mag002.jpg
[/IMG]

There are several problems with the USA mags.
The ears that hold the rounds in need to be bent/adjusted to work at all and the mags don't fit perfectly into the rifle. They are also missing two little "ears" that guide the round up and into the chamber (just above my thumb on the bottom pic).


Mag on top is the stock USA. The mag on the bottom is a stock 5 rd Ruger.

With a stock USA mag, as the mag is filled greater than about 20 rounds, the tip of the next bullet to be chambered sinks into the mag and will hit either the front of the mag or the action. This is because the USA follower will not pivot to apply equal pressure to the front and rear of the cartridge.
mini30mag005.jpg
[/IMG]
mini30mag014.jpg
[/IMG]
mini30mag015.jpg
[/IMG]
USA follower on top, the vertical piece prevents it from pivoting. Stock Ruger on bottom(2) with USA spring modified and installed. It is important that the first contact between the spring and the follower is at the front of the follower.
mini30mag007.jpg
[/IMG]
mini30mag017.jpg
[/IMG]
mini30mag018.jpg
[/IMG]
I cut the top off the stock USA mag but left it 1/4" long.
I also cut about 1/8" off the bottom of the stock mag to get rid of the slots and ears for the base plate. The front to back dimensions are about the same. I bent the USA mag to match the profile of the Ruger and tack welded the back of the mag first, then the sides, then the front. Then I stitch welded it completely with a mig welder, ground it smooth. Don't make fun of my "Chicken SXXX" welding; I just have a cheap 110 mig. If you don't weld, I would have a welding shop TIG these.

mini30mag020.jpg
[/IMG]
The modified mag on the left, and a ten rounder on the right.

mini30mag011.jpg
[/IMG]
mini30mag012.jpg
[/IMG]
This is the important part, when complete the spring and follower must be installed so that when fully loaded the tip of the round is high in the mag(top). The final components; 30rd USA mag housing with a 5 round Ruger housing welded to the bottom, USA spring modified to fit the Ruger follower, stock USA bottom caps(bottom).
mini30mag016.jpg
[/IMG]
Here it is installed, 30 rounds, easy to load and insert into the weapon, runs flawlessly. Don't make fun of my cheap sight; it cost me 30 bucks and works great for <100 yards. I am going to do a 20rd mag next and even take a look at an AK mag for possibilities.
 
If anyone wants to do this and doesn't have access to welding equipment, I will do the welding(TIG) for them free of charge, as long as they do the cutting and pay shipping.....all in the spirit of pissing off GFWs and turning up the RPMs as ol' bill ruger spins in his grave.:)
 
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