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 Jman78
P.A.G.A.N. & and lover of the nectar of Shitan!
Team Member
Joined: May 2011  FL, USA
 Posts: 5200 Feedback: 100% (1) |
Posted: 6/14/2012 7:01:42 PM
THE IMAGE ABOVE IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT 
I bought a 187 series ranch stainless factory folder last week, and just confirmed with ruger, that it did leave the factory in this configuration. 
I am pleased as punch, and starting to look for extra mags. I only got one factory 20 rounder, and need more. Does any one have know of a site that has good prices on factory mags, or know of any aftermarket ones that work without issues ? I have seen some factory 20 and 30's on gunbroker for about $28 each. |
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Joenavy85
Never A Set Schedule Always Underway
Team Member
Joined: Sep 2011 IL, USA
Posts: 663 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post |
Posted: 6/14/2012 9:20:45 PM
I have several John Masen 30 round mags that work great, never had any issues with them in my 187 series Mini.
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Posted: 6/24/2012 7:36:42 PM
Originally Posted By Jman78:
Well i just got reunited with a Mini 14 factory folder. I had to sell mine that i bought back in 1993. I had to sell it in 2008.
I bought a 187 series ranch stainless factory folder last week, and just confirmed with ruger, that it did leave the factory in this configuration.
I am pleased as punch, and starting to look for extra mags. I only got one factory 20 rounder, and need more. Does any one have know of a site that has good prices on factory mags, or know of any aftermarket ones that work without issues ? I have seen some factory 20 and 30's on gunbroker for about $28 each. that's not too bad of a price considering they aren't AR15 production numbers in terms of volume. I'd buy a few at that price and keep looking for better deals as you go. |
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Posted: 7/1/2012 9:33:04 PM
Originally Posted By Recusance:
Originally Posted By Jman78:
Well i just got reunited with a Mini 14 factory folder. I had to sell mine that i bought back in 1993. I had to sell it in 2008.
I bought a 187 series ranch stainless factory folder last week, and just confirmed with ruger, that it did leave the factory in this configuration.
I am pleased as punch, and starting to look for extra mags. I only got one factory 20 rounder, and need more. Does any one have know of a site that has good prices on factory mags, or know of any aftermarket ones that work without issues ? I have seen some factory 20 and 30's on gunbroker for about $28 each. that's not too bad of a price considering they aren't AR15 production numbers in terms of volume. Hell compared to the ban prices, that`s a steal! I'd buy a few at that price and keep looking for better deals as you go. |
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doorgunner
So many challenges, so little time!
Team Member
Joined: Mar 2001 TX, USA
Posts: 1543 Feedback: 100% (58) Link To This Post |
Posted: 7/1/2012 11:52:29 PM
Current production ProMag steel 20"are good to go. They have been 100 percent reliable over the last three years in 186 up to 580 Rugers.
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Posted: 9/7/2012 12:10:45 PM
Originally Posted By doorgunner:
Current production ProMag steel 20"are good to go. They have been 100 percent reliable over the last three years in 186 up to 580 Rugers. I agree. Ive used the steel 20rd promags in my 580 series mini and my AC556. 100% reliable even in full auto Other than that, I use 30rd factory and 20 rd factory mags |
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Posted: 9/7/2012 2:49:29 PM
Tapco G2 mags are good to go, come with a steel plate on the front wear area and sell for $14 near me.
Not a huge fan of Tapco but they got it right with this one. |
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Posted: 9/7/2012 6:06:12 PM
Originally Posted By B44T:
Tapco G2 mags are good to go, come with a steel plate on the front wear area and sell for $14 near me. Not a huge fan of Tapco but they got it right with this one. Please note that the Tapco Gen 2 mags DO NOT work with the more recent minis designed to shoot 5.56. The receiver is too tight for the mag, causing inconsistent feeding. I tried sanding it down but that just made the plastic too weak. Tapco is aware of this. |
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graywolf
NRA life Member
Life Member
Joined: Aug 2004 MI, USA
Posts: 12201 Feedback: 100% (2) Link To This Post |
Posted: 9/8/2012 9:57:32 AM
tapco gen II 30 rounders work great
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Posted: 9/8/2012 5:29:02 PM
If your looking for good stainless color mags to go with your stainless rifle, I will 2nd the John Masen mags. Mine feed fine in my Rugers....
welcome back to "the A-Team" by the way.... 
Rob |
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Posted: 9/8/2012 9:19:38 PM
Midway has factory Ruger mags on sale right now. 20 rounders for 26.99 and 30 rounders for 32.99. They limited me to 2 20's, though. 30s are backorderable, but I didn't order any.
Rob |
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Posted: 9/9/2012 3:33:54 AM
[Last Edit: 9/9/2012 3:34:24 AM by B44T]
Originally Posted By Brockjames:
Originally Posted By B44T:
Tapco G2 mags are good to go, come with a steel plate on the front wear area and sell for $14 near me. Not a huge fan of Tapco but they got it right with this one. Please note that the Tapco Gen 2 mags DO NOT work with the more recent minis designed to shoot 5.56. The receiver is too tight for the mag, causing inconsistent feeding. I tried sanding it down but that just made the plastic too weak. Tapco is aware of this. This is the first I've heard of it. Do you think it is a rifle problem a mag problem or a combination of the two ? Were your G2 mags first run G2's with out the steel strap on the front or subsequent G2's with the steel strap ? Have you mic'd your Mini in comparison to another ? Did you measure and compare your G2 mags to G2's of different lot ? Thanks in advance for your insights on this. |
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Posted: 9/9/2012 9:27:06 PM
[Last Edit: 9/10/2012 10:24:56 PM by Brockjames]
Originally Posted By B44T:
Originally Posted By Brockjames:
Originally Posted By B44T:
Tapco G2 mags are good to go, come with a steel plate on the front wear area and sell for $14 near me. Not a huge fan of Tapco but they got it right with this one. Please note that the Tapco Gen 2 mags DO NOT work with the more recent minis designed to shoot 5.56. The receiver is too tight for the mag, causing inconsistent feeding. I tried sanding it down but that just made the plastic too weak. Tapco is aware of this. This is the first I've heard of it. Do you think it is a rifle problem a mag problem or a combination of the two ? Were your G2 mags first run G2's with out the steel strap on the front or subsequent G2's with the steel strap ? Have you mic'd your Mini in comparison to another ? Did you measure and compare your G2 mags to G2's of different lot ? Thanks in advance for your insights on this. It's not a rifle problem because I have plenty of other mags that fit. I have a Gen 2 mag with the steel strap and have been emailing back and forth with Tapco's CS. Apparently to make the gun reliable with 5.56, the receiver specs were slightly changed, at least according to Tapco. She told me that R&D was aware that their mags didn't work so hot in the 581series minis due to the different size and that they were working on something to combat that. When I first got the mag, it wouldn't even rock back into place. I had to sand the rear of the mag for it to fit, and it was still tight as hell. After extensive sanding its still pretty snug but the plastic is too thin to not be compressed by the receiver, which doesn't allow the follower to push the rounds high enough to be stripped. The 1st round always gets stripped, it's the next round that doesn't. Its a few mm too low to be grabbed by the bolt. ETA: I bought my Mini in August 2010. It is a 581 series Tactical. Came in an ATI that it no longer rides in. |
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Posted: 9/10/2012 2:51:09 AM
Thanks for shedding some light on this.
I will get and post some measurements of G2 mags in use at the ranges and shooting spots in my area. Measuring the mags should be the easy part. Getting permission to Measure the receivers of someones Mini,,,,slim but I can ask . Anyone else with a series 581 having this problem ? Got calipers ? The new style minis pre date the introduction of the G2 mags. G2 mags have seen to work in new style Mini's. I suspect that something, either rifle or mag or combination of the two, has either changed recently or is out of spec. This begs the question is this a common occurrence. |
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Posted: 9/10/2012 9:38:55 AM
I just got a 3 pack of Promag 20s from
Sportsman's Guide and two of them work like factory in my new 581 tactical. The third one wouldn't hold the bolt open. I'm following the Tapco situation. The older ones work well in my father-in-law's older Mini and the Ak mags are 100% in my gun. |
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owlless
An elegant weapon from a more civilized age
Team Member
Joined: May 2002 CA, USA
Posts: 490 Feedback: 100% (3) Link To This Post |
Posted: 9/11/2012 11:29:31 PM
I bought 3 of the Tapco Gen 2s. The follower in one of them appeared to get stuck causing no feeding.
The other two worked OK. My plan is to sand down the edges of the follower and see what happens. |
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Posted: 9/12/2012 6:13:38 PM
[Last Edit: 9/12/2012 7:16:38 PM by Brockjames]
Originally Posted By owlless:
I bought 3 of the Tapco Gen 2s. The follower in one of them appeared to get stuck causing no feeding. The other two worked OK. My plan is to sand down the edges of the follower and see what happens. That's a good idea. Never thought of it.I'll try that as well. ETA: sanding the follower's contact points with the sides of the mag body seems to be the ticket! I lightly sanded those areas, then reassembled the mag, loaded 3 rounds and hand cycled. Seemed to function. I'll do a full 30 rd mag dump this weekend though to test it fully. I just got some tracer in today that I need to test anyway 
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Posted: 10/7/2012 11:50:07 AM
Anyone know about Thermold 30s?
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Posted: 10/8/2012 9:19:27 AM
I have an AC-556 so my gun really tests the reliability of magazines for the Mini platform.
These are the ONLY mags Ive found that work 100% in my machinegun. 1. Ruger Factory 20rd Mags 2. Ruger Factory 30rd Mags 3. ProMag 20rd STEEL body Mags (You may have to slightly bend the feed lips to align with your bolt slots but after that they are golden.) 4. PMI 30rd Mags (Preban version) The following Mags I've tried and had failures 1. TAPCO G2 30rd 2. ProMag Poly 20 3. Triple K 20rd 4. Eagle 30rd Mags 5. Any USA Brand mags (They are out of business now) 6. ALL 40rd mags Ive come across My test was a full mag and the gun on full auto. Mag dump. Today I only own Ruger Factory 20's and 30's. a handful of Promag 20's |
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Posted: 10/11/2012 5:03:32 PM
Originally Posted By AASG:
Anyone know about Thermold 30s? Got a 3 pack from SG. Hard to load rounds in, hard to lock in gun. Only one would hold the bolt open when empty, and the bullets were so tight they wouldn't feed at the range. Kept jamming. :-( Sent all three back |
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Posted: 11/10/2012 12:54:12 PM
When it comes down to it would you trust your life with anything but factory?
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Posted: 12/6/2012 5:26:51 PM
I have had good luck with Tapco Gen 2 30 round mags. They worked great with brass cased ammo but not with steel. I personally don't mind steel case ammo at all. But steel has less lubricity then brass cased ammo. The steel cases seemed to hold the follower up slightly. I actually had good luck with Silver Bear, I'm guessing the nickle coating gave greater lubricity.
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Posted: 12/7/2012 11:32:56 PM
Originally Posted By mini14jac:
Originally Posted By AASG:
Anyone know about Thermold 30s? Got a 3 pack from SG. Hard to load rounds in, hard to lock in gun. Only one would hold the bolt open when empty, and the bullets were so tight they wouldn't feed at the range. Kept jamming. :-( Sent all three back OK, so I got mine from SG. The spring is way harder than an AR15 mag  Bolt would not hand cycle rounds off the mag, so I left it loaded over night, then cleaned my mini and ran it wet with WD40 and it ran 100% so I order 3 more 3 packs. I'll keep testing them every time I go shooting. |
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