Mini-14: Make your own factory 10 round mags!

[Dave3006]

As they said in the stock commercial, "It's time to put some lipstick on this pig."

Everyone agrees that the factory 5 round mags make the Mini a very reliable gun. I did an experiment and found a way to sort of banana clip two together. It is very sturdy and fast to switch between the two magazines. Way faster than indexing one from a mag pouch.

Am I re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic? I don't know. Take a look at these pics.

 

[Dave3006]

Here is one more pic in the gun.

 

[foghornl]

Dave:
It "aint tha' purtiest ahv seen", but if it works, so much the better. Now, if you could get 4-way bolts................

My long deceased dad related a story of one of the guys in his Army unit (WW2) had gotten someone in the machine shop to do soemthing similar with the 30-Rd stick mags for his "tommy gun". I dont recall if they were welded, bolted, or a combo of those methods, but it worked for him.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

seems like a good way to get bent feed lips and dirty ammunition, to me. perhaps chopping off the feed lips and welding them together to make an actual 10 rounder would be better.

 

[Frohickey]

I think that Colt, Ruger, and the other semi-auto magazine fed gun manufacturers out there ought to just break down and make belt/chain fed firearms already.

Kalifornia's assault weapon ban via features should not apply since it would not be magazine fed.

 

[Dave3006]

Good point on the bent feed lips and dirt. I am really just screwing around with this. I would never trust my life to this gun. It is just for fun. Once I realized the mini is a toy, I actually like it.

My serious gun is my Garand or M1S90.

 

[Mannlicher]

Dave, I thought you hated the Mini-14. This magazine arrangement is guaranteed to malfunction and make you hate your Mini even more.

Since I have a dozen Factory 20 round mags, and now 4 factory 30 round mags, I don't have to resort to this Rube Goldberg idea.

 

[HKguy9]

Dave, other than the power of the .30-06 and price, is there a reason why you like the Garand better than the M1A? Not knocking the Garand in any way, just curious.

 

[Dave3006]

Here is why I decided on the Garand over the M1A. I gave it alot of thought before the Kali so-called assault weapons ban:

1. The worksmanship of the Springfield M1As that I saw in stores was inferior to the Garand. Some M1As are nice. Some M1As looked very bad. This was a minor point though.

2. The Garand is much faster to reload than a box magazine battle rifle. Topping off the gun is easy. Just hit the ejector and pop in a new clip. Capacity is not as important as the speed to reload to an empty weapon. A box magazine is invaluable in a select fire weapon. In a battle rifle it is not as crucial. Speed goes to the en-bloc. Capacity to the M1A.

3. You can get closer to the ground with the Garand. No box mags to catch on things.

4. Box mags loaded with ammo are heavier than the Garand en-bloc clips for the same number of rounds.

5. You can load en-bloc clips ready for action for 50 years without a problem.

6. I can buy 4 Garands from the CMP for the cost of one M1A.


To go even further, I seriously think capacity is overated. I play paintball every month. It is far more realistic than any shooting school I have been to. I have been to a dozen classes. In paintball, people actually try to shoot you back. What I have learned is that you want a weapon that can be brought up to full capacity fast so that you are not caught off guard. You want a weapon with maximum penetration because people hide behind things. No one sits out in the open. And, you want an accurate weapon because you usually only have a small body part to shoot at for a short period of time. Not the proverbial man size target at 100 yards everyone talks about. Accuracy is also important because if you hit your target the first try, you don't have to expose yourself additional times trying again. Nobody stands out in the open. You only have a head, leg, or other small part of your opponent to shoot at.

Most of all, I have learned you need a team. 3 guys working as a team will be able to take out any wonder warrior with a tricked out Gunsite special AR15 or the like. One guy pins the guy down with fire. The other two manuever for an angle. End of wonder warrior.

If you have any interest in firearms for self protection and have not done paintball or simunitions, you are not adequately trained. You need to train with an opponent who is trying to kill you back. It will open your eyes.

 

[Dave3006]

Mannlicher, I decided to stop hating the Mini-14 once I realized it was a toy. My 9 year old likes shooting it. And, it is strictly for fun. When, I was trying to look at it like a serious fighting rifle, I saw all of it's faults.

Now, I could care less about its crappy accuracy, lack of functional and affordable mags, bolt that does not always lock back, plastic wobbly sights, rattling op rod, shoddy workmanship, and terrible trigger. It is a toy and I don't care.

 

[Tackleberry]

Dave, ... quick question ....

as long as you don't have a patent pending and such Can you describe briefly how the bolts are attached???

I think I figured it out, ..... three nuts per bolt??? Sound about right???

I've been thinking about something like this for my Ruger Deerfield, ... 44mag in a 4rd rotary mag. What do you think?? Do able??

 

[Dave3006]

Sure. I took the baseplates off the mags. I drilled holes at both ends. I used 1" 6-32 screws and bolts with washers. I fed the screw through the hole at one end and used a washer and nut to tighten it down. On the other end, I used two nuts and a washer.

It is actually harder to explain it than it is to do it!!

 

[Tackleberry]

Let's try it this way.....

1/take bolt, pass thru hole in base plate (bolt head against plate)

2/ screw on washer and nut snug against plate

3/ screw on nut then add washer (part way)

4/ insert hole of plate from "outside" of plate.

5/ screw on washer and nut

**repeat with other bolt**

Laying on table it should look like ;
bolt head, plate, washer, nut, *space* nut, washer, plate, washer, nut!!

Does that sound about right Dave??????

Now I have to go home and see if I can figure out how to take down the rotary mags.

 

[JIH]

No one's gonna comment on the concept of making your own factory mags?

 

[281 Quad Cam]

thats just plain rigged.... but i guess if they arent long enough to tie or tape side by side... thatll have to do!

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

i see what the problem with your mini is. it's one of the stainless ones.

The stainless ones have been known to crack and all sorts of nasty things like that. did you ever get that gas block thing sorted out?

 

[Dave3006]

Ruger replaced my rifle. The new one, although it has terrible workmanship, works fine with the five round mags.

Tackleberry, on the last nut, I did not use a washer. Not enough room.

 

[4V50 Gary]

"No one's gonna to comment about the concept of making your own factory mags?"

I'll take the challenge. You can't make factory mags. Only the factory can make factory mags. That was a trick question wasn't it? Did I do well? Did I? Did I? Do I get a prize?

 

[Art Eatman]

Gary, you are herewith awarded membership in the "Royal Order Of The Queen's Elevator".

AKA the purple shaft.

, Art

 

[DFBonnett]

Dave..
Has your love affair with the Pro-Mags ended?