Mini 14 magazine issues

[RickN]

Decided to start another thread instead of keeping it off topic in the beehive round thread. Anyway, as I mentioned I think the problem with ProMags Mini 14 mags is the thickness of the front and back walls are causing drag problems with longer rounds. I loaded a factory and a ProMag with three rounds of the same 55 gr Sierra Ballistic tips. If you look very close at the photo you can see more space between the front of the rounds in the Ruger mag. In the ProMag you can not even slip a thin sheet of spiral notebook paper between the nose of the bullet and front of the magazine.

I also have the feeling the Mini 14 GB is designed to function correctly with the higher pressure 5.56 round and not the 223 round. That will be my next experiment.

 

[Gunbuffer]

The problem with pro mags is that they are pro mags.

 

[RickN]

The problem with pro mags is that they are pro mags.

I have used ProMags in AKs and M-1 carbines without issues. Never tried them in anything else until now.

 

[rc508pir]

I have used ProMags in AKs and M-1 carbines without issues. Never tried them in anything else until now.

Where are they hanging up at?

 

[scott024]

I've had the same problem with older Colt 20 round mags when trying to use Ballistic tip ammo in them. It's the OAL of the cartridge and not the mags. If you set one of those ballistic tipped rounds next to 193 or 855, you'll see the difference.

 

[Jcann]

The mini 14 is notorious for not liking any magazines other than ruger.

When I had my mini 14 it functioned flawlessly with 5.56, 223, and reloads as long as it was fed by a ruger magazine

 

[Oklahomabassin]

The mini 14 is notorious for not liking any magazines other than ruger.

When I had my mini 14 it functioned flawlessly with 5.56, 223, and reloads as long as it was fed by a ruger magazine

Exactly my thought when I read the title.

 

[mightymouse]

The mini 14 is notorious for not liking any magazines other than ruger.

When I had my mini 14 it functioned flawlessly with 5.56, 223, and reloads as long as it was fed by a ruger magazine

Exactly my thought when I read the title.

This! Do not, under any circumstances, expect anything other than a Ruger Mini-14 magazine to work in the Mini. With genuine Ruger-made mags it can be boringly reliable, but stay away from anything else.

 

[O4L]

Exactly my thought when I read the title.

Yep.

 

[RickN]

Where are they hanging up at?

When I was at the Eat N Shoot I tried a few of the ballistic tip the rounds seemed to drag and would not feed reliably. The nose of the round seemed to be down. Before that I had fired a few rounds at a buddies house and the ProMags feed them all perfectly. They were shorter 5.56 rounds.

At the ENS the Mini also would not eject all the time and once would not even fire the round. This coming week when it cools down a bit, I am taking it to the gun club and testing it again. This time I will take both a Ruger mag and some ProMags. Some 223 and 5.56. I will see what works and what does not.