Silent-Snail
Member
Is it possable to use mags from an AR-15 in a Mini-14?
Magazine Compatability
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jobu07
Contributing Member
I believe there is a company (can't recall which) that makes a mag that is compatable for both firearms.
Silent-Snail
Member
But factory AR mags aren't interchangable?
Actually both mags are DIMENSIONALY the same,,,the difference is that the slots cut in them where the mag release locks them into the mag well are in different places. RAM-LINE made (makes?) 30rd mags that have the slots cut in both positions so it fits both rifles.
Billy Sparks
Member
The name of the company was Eagle arms and altough it was advertised as compatable with both if reality it never really worked great in either weapon.
So it's possable to mod AR-15 mag to work in the Mini-14. Or if Ruger wanted to they could have made the Mini-14 to use AR-15 mags to begin with.
Armalite did they same thing with it's AR-18/180 rifles. Used its own magazines instead of the AR-15/M-16 which was common place. Would using AR-15 mags volated Colt's Patent or something.
-Bill
Andrew Wyatt
Member
the magazines aren't dimensionally the same. the mini-14 magazine narrows more at the front than the m-16 magazine. to make a mini work with AR magazines would require millwork on the reciever.
Silent-Snail
Member
Oh well. Thanks for the help.
GW
Member
I don't know if its a patent issue on magazines as much as it is a "Wanna use my gun--buy my magazine" thing
IMHO this attitude has screwed the AR 10 up massively
Bushmaster was much smarter with their BAR 10 using FAL mags Now they don't have to waste any factory space to build/repair mags
And believe me here, Cheap, plentiful & reliable mags will always be a selling point for a rifle
IMHO this attitude has screwed the AR 10 up massively
Bushmaster was much smarter with their BAR 10 using FAL mags Now they don't have to waste any factory space to build/repair mags
And believe me here, Cheap, plentiful & reliable mags will always be a selling point for a rifle
Dionysusigma
Member
Actually, the AR-15 is an Armalite invention (which is where the AR comes from, not from the words "Assault Rifle"). Once the US Gov adopted it as the M16, the patents were then open-source (to borrow a computer term). Anybody could make them, and Colt was the lowest bidder, IIRC. Hence, the AR-15/M16 was thought of from that point on as owned solely by Colt, even though they were famous only for being the gov't supplier.
Armalite then went on to make the AR-18, designed to be cheaper to manufacture (and in my opinion, was/is a better rifle). But since not many people/countries were interested in its initial design, mag compatability was not an issue until the British turned it into a bullpup (the L85A1), and had the design modified even further to accept NATO STANAG magazines (which I think are the same thing as AR-15 mags). However, even the original designs (if I remember right) used AR-15 mags but with the mag-catch hole in a different place.
Note: The above is what I understand based on what I've read over a long time. Educated guesses fill the holes, and those with more historical knowledge than I should correct me.
Armalite still could have made the AR-18/180 to use AR-15/M-16 mags. We were giving a lot of M-16s to our allies in the 60's.
From stuff I have heard, Bill Ruger Sr didn't like other companys making addons or parts for any of his guns. Supposing he even didn't like people costumizing them.
That's a little short sighted for a business.
-Bill
From stuff I have heard, Bill Ruger Sr didn't like other companys making addons or parts for any of his guns. Supposing he even didn't like people costumizing them.
That's a little short sighted for a business.
-Bill
The current AR180B intelligently uses AR-15 mags unlike the original.
The FAMAS, FNC, L85, the new A3 model Steyr AUG, all use or can use the AR/M16 magazine. With an adapter the German/Spanish Army adopted HK G36 can use the AR mag.
But the Mini can not.
If Ruger was smart, they'd chop the Mini's barrel to 16.5" heavy barrel, make it accept AR mags, and put a rail on it and call it the Mini-14 Police model, and then sell it to everyone. But that'd be too intelligent for Ruger.
The FAMAS, FNC, L85, the new A3 model Steyr AUG, all use or can use the AR/M16 magazine. With an adapter the German/Spanish Army adopted HK G36 can use the AR mag.
But the Mini can not.
If Ruger was smart, they'd chop the Mini's barrel to 16.5" heavy barrel, make it accept AR mags, and put a rail on it and call it the Mini-14 Police model, and then sell it to everyone. But that'd be too intelligent for Ruger.
GW
Member
Right on there! :banghead:
Is there any way to adapt a Mini 14 to accept AR mags?
Is there any way to adapt a Mini 14 to accept AR mags?
While I do not know if it is actually possible, it has been discussed here before.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=94852&highlight=mini+magazine
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=26810&highlight=mini+magazine
I absolutely agree, but I think another question is why hasn't anyone tried to top the Mini-14 with their own similar design but with the features that everyone wants?
Magnuumpwr
Member
no one seemed to mention that the mini-14 mag has a block @ the rear of the mag with no slot in the side and the ar-15 does not have a block @ the rear of the mag but does have the slot in the side.
Domino
Member
Well the SU-16 might leave a lot to be disired but it is a neat design that probably deserves a little credit.
Watch this LINK to see an SU-16C in action.
It seems to me that some companies get it and some do not. The Mini-14 might be a great design but in the hands of jerks leaves it undesirable.
You are right Domino, the SU-16 is a very fine competitor for the Mini-14. Heck, when faced with which one to buy, I chose the SU-16. I guess I should have clarified my point a little. The Mini-14 is now well over 20 years old and therefore the patent has long since expired, at least from what I understand. Even if the patent is not expired someone could scale down an M14 like Ruger supposedly did. I am not sure about the legalities of all this, but if someone came out with a Mini-14 like rifle with all of the features that everyone is asking for, I would gladly pay $100 or so more for it.
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
Ram-Line made a 30-round magazine prior to 1994, called the "Combo Mag," that fits the AR-15, the original AR-180, and the mini-14. I have a mini-14 and a Combo Mag I purchased in 1989, and the magazine works flawlessly, even after maybe a thousand rounds through that magazine. I tried it once in a friend's DPMS AR-15, and it worked fine there too.
Standard AR mags won't fit a mini magwell, though.
Standard AR mags won't fit a mini magwell, though.
Take a Lesson form Microsoft
Some gun manufacturers need to take a lesson from Bill Gates. Being a "guy" he UNDERSTOOD we all liked to tinker, open the hood, modify, tweek, etc, so he allowed us to do so. As a result, the PC price dropped and there was SW & HW galore available for next to nothing. On the other hand, Apple would not let us inside their case! You know the rest of the story. Making a rifle that accepts readilly available AR15/M16 mags is a BIG selling point in my decision on Mini 14 vs. SU-16.
Some gun manufacturers need to take a lesson from Bill Gates. Being a "guy" he UNDERSTOOD we all liked to tinker, open the hood, modify, tweek, etc, so he allowed us to do so. As a result, the PC price dropped and there was SW & HW galore available for next to nothing. On the other hand, Apple would not let us inside their case! You know the rest of the story. Making a rifle that accepts readilly available AR15/M16 mags is a BIG selling point in my decision on Mini 14 vs. SU-16.
Some years back, like fifteen years or more and then living in Canada, I had a pair of Sterling-made (English) AR180 rifles.
Along with the rifles I bought a dozen or so thirty-round Sterling mags, plus a couple of forty-rounders as well. These magazines were superb, made of steel and utterly reliable, even the forty-rounders, and even at forty degrees below zero (I tested them at that temp, after keeping them fully-loaded for six months).
The interesting thing was that the magazines had all the requisite holes to fit the AR180, AND the AR15, AND the Mini-14. I did use them in both AR types, but didn't have a Mini on hand at the time. However, we could easily get Ruger-made 20-round mags for about $10 each, so didn't worry much about mags for Minis. Seems strange that Ruger freely sold the big mags in Canada, but not in the USA.
The original AR180s were interesting little rifles, and functioned extremely well in our harsh climate in the Arctic. Its only real flaw I could find was a rather flimsy locking-catch arrangement to lock the stock in the extended position.
Along with the rifles I bought a dozen or so thirty-round Sterling mags, plus a couple of forty-rounders as well. These magazines were superb, made of steel and utterly reliable, even the forty-rounders, and even at forty degrees below zero (I tested them at that temp, after keeping them fully-loaded for six months).
The interesting thing was that the magazines had all the requisite holes to fit the AR180, AND the AR15, AND the Mini-14. I did use them in both AR types, but didn't have a Mini on hand at the time. However, we could easily get Ruger-made 20-round mags for about $10 each, so didn't worry much about mags for Minis. Seems strange that Ruger freely sold the big mags in Canada, but not in the USA.
The original AR180s were interesting little rifles, and functioned extremely well in our harsh climate in the Arctic. Its only real flaw I could find was a rather flimsy locking-catch arrangement to lock the stock in the extended position.
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