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need help tuning USA .223 30 round mags

tr foxtr fox Member Posts: 13,856
edited November 2001 in Ask the Experts
recently bought a good used mini 14 and 4 stainless 30 round USA mags were just part of the deal. I had heard bad things about these mags and from manually cycling them I have already observed some problems. Sometimes the round below the top round will try to come out with the top round when the bolt picks up the top round. And of course this causes a jam. I believe that the lips of the mags are spreed too wide or set too high and don't keep the 2nd from top round low enough in the magazine. I think that if I bend the lips down a little, that will keep the second round from being effected when the top round is stripped from the mag. I don't know anything about metal treatment, but I am guessing I can heat the lips and then easily bend them to the shape I want. I think I could then reheat the lips, dunk them into cold water and that would restore most of the strenth of the steel. Anyone know if that is correct. Actually the USA mags seem to have excellent housings, but the lips are at the wrong angle/position, the spring is not made properly and the follower is rough. I polished the follower and might put in a Govt. issue M16 30 round clip spring and that part of the problem should be solved. Any comments?
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Comments

  • Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
    edited November -1
    tr foxThat seems like an awful lot of effort, I have been frustrated for years by USA mags. I don't know how you are fixed for funds, but you may want to save yourself a lot of head aches, research what these mags are auctioning for and sell em' off. Take the profit and begin investing in some quality mags.
    Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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  • kimberkidkimberkid Member Posts: 8,858 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Matt45 ... You've been frusterated by them for YEARS???I bought 3 for a AK probably 10+ years ago ... nothing but problems with them, got rid of them, never bought another ... no frusteration since
    GUN CONTROL: If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention!kimberkid@gunbroker.zzn.com
    If you really desire something, you'll find a way ?
    ? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.
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  • jocko_ncjocko_nc Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I know USA has been hammered here, mostly for good reason. I too have (2) 20 rnd USA mini 14 stainless mags. Neither ever did work properly. I tweaked the ears, removed flashing from the followers, etc. No good. BTW, PMI and Ruger are great.USA did, however, "rework" (replace w/ new) the mags free of charge and they work great now. I called and got an RGA (return goods) number and it took about five weeks. I do not understand why I got this service and others do not. ?????????. I just sent a letter w/ my address and RGA number. Maybe I was lucky.I think there ia a lot of old junk mags that keep floating around from user to user.jocko.
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  • tr foxtr fox Member Posts: 13,856
    edited November -1
    quite interesting info from all of you. I guess I just can control the "tinkerer" in me. With the excellent looking housing/case on the mags I can't help but think they can be easily made to work. I already went to the trouble of installing new GI issue M-16 springs and might even do some grinding and install the GI isssue follower. Since the USA housing/case appears to be as good as Ruger factory, then it seems like the lips would be the only reason the clip would not work like a factory mag. Larry
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  • competentonecompetentone Member Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Larry,I have to agree with you; the USA brand housing is as good as the Ruger factory--I think a lot of people purchase "Triple K" brand mags, being told they are "USA" brand, then when they don't work, assume the USA are junk.There ARE junky USA mags out there, but most of them were produced around the 1994 Ban (the company was allowed to produce and fill orders placed before the Ban went into effect--they turned out a good bit of junk then).You can probably just "tap" the lips to the position you need--use a factory mag as a guide.I've found the springs to be OK, but replacing the follower with a Ruger factory one can be of better help than just polishing it.Joe
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  • jocko_ncjocko_nc Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Larry:I think your conclusions are correct. The metal work in USA mags is pretty nice. Gague and workmanship both. The problems I had seemed to come from the followers. They do not "follow" very well, lol, positioning in some angle other than 90 degrees to magazine. Misfeed.Good luck.
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  • kaboomkaboom Member Posts: 75 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Funny you should ask this right now. A friend came by last week with a brand new unfired stainless K-mini-14/5 and 2 USA 30-round stainless (or maybe nickel plated,) magazines. We took it out to the back field to try it out with some Wolf 5.56 he got in the deal. The first mag only jammed about every 3rd or 4th shot, but the other one wouldn't feed period. It had to be slapped very hard to get it to lock in place, and the bolt wouldn't pick up the top round even working it manually. We finally gave up on trying out the rifle, and when he left he was headed for the gun shop and was fit to be tied. I haven't heard what happened there, but I'm sure it wasn't pretty. How do they keep selling those things if they're all like that?
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  • wiredogwiredog Member Posts: 116 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had bought some usa 30 round and 40 round pre-ban ar15 mags when i purchased my first ar15. NOTHING but trouble. Got rid of them as fast as I could and any time I ever get a usa mag on a trade or a deal it moves out as quick as it came in. I only use gi issue mags now with no problems what so ever.
    I spent all my money on guns, women, and beer. The rest I just wasted.wiredog70@hotmail.com
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  • jwhardingjwharding Member Posts: 2,897 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bought 2 40 round usa mags 2 weeks ago for my ar 15 colt,loaded up and let her rip. No problem,no jams or problems inserting mag.both mags worked just fine.
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  • tr foxtr fox Member Posts: 13,856
    edited November -1
    jocko_nc: I think you have trouble with your follower because the USA spring has two defects. One is that the coils are wound too far apart helping to cause instability when the spring is reauired to exert pressure on the stack of rounds. The second problem is with the was the top of the spring, where it attaches to the follower, is shaped. A good factory spring, or a GI M16 spring ends in a "platform" shape which allows it to not only attatch to the follower and exert pressure at that point, but the "platform" shape also helps to provide additional support which has to be somewhat of a stabilizing factor on the follower. I think I have corrected all the problems with the exception of the feed lips are form/bent at too high an angle. I can't decide if I should just hammer them down, or heat and then bend. Any advice from anyone?
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