Sometimes, if what you need isn’t available in your present, and unlikely in the future, then you’re only choice is to mine the past for it. Case in point – Mini-14 magazines.
I picked up a Mini-14 a few weeks ago and while I don’t mind buying Ruger factory mags, they are expensive and while I’ve had no problems with the twenty rounders, their thirty rounders havent always been reliable.
A few years ago Tapco came out with a Mini-14 mag that was, in my opinion, the best aftermarket Mini-14 mag available. (Keyword: available) Unfortunately, Tapco got caught up in the Remington bankruptcy and it is, for now, ‘not a going concern’.
I’ve mentioned them before, but years and years ago Eagle made some Mini-14 mags that I thought were just amazing. The Eagle mags were 35-round instead of 30, used a constant-force ‘windowshade’ spring that made loading mags a breeze, and I found them to be utterly reliable. They also havent been made since the ’94 weapons ban. I was scouring gunbroker for more Tapco mags and stumbled across a stash of NOS Eagle mags. Hmm. Okay, lets make a deal for all of them.
As I’ve said, the Mini-14 is barely on my radar as a ‘run out the door’ kind of gun. It’ll do in a pinch, but I can’t think of too many situations where I’d not have one of the three dozen AR’s sitting around here to use. But…who knows what the apocalypse is going to look like? Maybe there’ll come a time to tuck this thing in a case at the beta site with a dozen magazines. Who can say? Better to have and not need…
So, if you have a Mini-14 (or Mini-30) and you’re a little annoyed at current mag selections, I can recommend the Eagle mags if you can find them, and wholeheartedly recommend the Gen2 Tapco mags. (The Gen 2 have the still reinforcement tab at the mag lockup point.)
I should also point out that in a housecleaning frenzy the other day I discovered an old tactical vest from the late 90’s/earlt 00’s that still has six Eagle AR mags, fully loaded, in it. An excellent experiment to see how leaving a magazine loaded for 25 years winds up working out.
Looking forward to reading about the results of the experiment.
Should be a boring range session. Springs wear out from loading/unloading, not from sitting for eternity with a load on them.
Properly tempered springs made out of suitable materials wear out due to load cycling. Shity ones can fail by being compressed over time. Not trying to be a dick because your comments were 98% correct. In the lead up to the 94 ban quite a few mags made it through production with insufficient, or even non existent, quality control.
98% GTFO with those bullshit numbers.
It’s at least 98.5% correct. 😉
+1
35 rounds x 6 magazine = 210 rounds.
A decent sample size to see if those magazine springs took a “set” over the 25 years fully loaded.
As an aside please add the brand of ammo and if any reloaded ammo was involved. Not all civilian ammo is as weather sealed as US Gov ammo.
I really look forward to this report.
Precision Industries (PMI) made excellent magazines also and were as good as Ruger factory ones imo.
Following. Good find. At least you don’t waste time on the internet shitposting with bots and a purveyor of kitten humor videos and are doing some constructive research and work. Even the mini can be a good backstop fall back gun for many prepositioning or logistical supplementing scenarios. Having ample magazines and other accoutrements in a care package bundle with it will be a good insurance policy if and probably will, when you need it. Winter is settling in soon so a good time for Anons to go through their kit, and “check your gear!”. Stay equipped, stay frosty.
I have an early 80’s stainless mini-14. I have an aftermarket barrel that is 2″ longer than the stock barrel. That fixed the harmonic issues and it is a sub-MOA shooter. I have a dozen of the Eagle mags. If I go 5.56 the mini is what I will grab. The Bushmaster can stay in the safe.
Back in the day…..the scoop was……..
Buy Ruger mags, not knock offs. Not 40’s, Not 30’s, Not 75’s Buy Ruger period.
Just sayin’, not sayin’
ben.
As an aside, “spray and pray” don’t get it. Only hits count.
I agree that “spray and pray” isn’t a good plan. At the same time people vastly over exaggerate the need for crazy accuracy in a fighting rifle. A rifle/ ammo combo that shoots 4 MOA is just fine for a legit go to war rifle. That is a 4” circle at 100 and a 12” at 300.
Even further for Joe Everyday who is realistically looking at shots under 100, probably under 50 ya just don’t need a sub MOA gun.
Some guys I know out on the left coast still run early model GB-5Fs with 40 round stainless mags. So proficient working the semi auto you would swear it was an AC556.
You might try Promag 20 rd. In SOME Mini’s they run very well. In my 187 they as good as the factory at half the cost. All other Promags are crap IMHO and the 20s still have a 10 percent failure rate. That said, I view the Mini as just for pleasure of shooting. The AR is just far too superior when things go south.
I got a Mini-14 ranch rifle when my M4 became functionally irreplaceable due to stupid nanny state laws.
Is it the rifle I would want to carry as an Infantrymen in a war, definitely not. Is it a fine carbine for a guy living a quiet life in a small town, I think so.
Short of a full on war or zombie apocalypse I’m fine with the Mini-14 being my social carbine.
I have a couple of Eagle magazines, but can’t recall if they are Mini 14 or Mini 30. Definitely remember the smoke colored material. The second already sold and gone (frustrated with lack of high cap magazines, only six months later Ruger beginning to offer factory version of that – Le Sigh !)