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Posted: 11/14/2010 9:10:08 PM EDT
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I wonder how much heat a MagPul 20-rnd magazine can take??? I picked up one of the 20-rounders to make a “dead weight” for my Tactilite .50 BMG. I’ve seen other people make a magazine weight – but they all used fine shot mixed with epoxy to fill in the mag.
I don’t have any shot for the project and don’t know anyone that reloads shotshells, so I’m inclined to just ladle in small amounts of molten lead into my MagPul magazine shell. If I keep it suspended in cool water (wearing serious eye protection), I’m thinking that the lead would fill and cool/adhere in a manner that produced the heaviest “magazine-type” action weight possible. I’ll think more about this and report back. If I decide to try it – I’ll post so if no one hears back from me, then obviously I died trying. |
| Filling a magazine suspended in water? Sounds like a very bad/dangerous idea. I would just pour the lead into the mag. The mag won't melt. I would only put in one pound at a time, though, until it was the right weight. It could be a real bitch to get that lead back out. |
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Using water to keep the magazine from overheating would require me to wear my sandblasting hood, welding gloves and other protective gear since molting lead accidentally hitting water blows up all over the place.
I’m going to test the plastic’s heat resistance with the part I cut off to make it flush with the top of the receiver. Some of today’s “super-plastics” (like Glock frames) are very heat resistant. I may be able to ladle in small amounts at a time let it cool and add some more. If I had some really fine lead shot – I’d go the epoxy route, but I don’t want to buy a whole bag just for this project. I considered using a metal magazine body, but there are too many place for the lead to leak out and the magazine catch are would be troublesome. It the plastic holds up well enough to go a little at a time, I’ll go that route. Time to go out back and fire up the Coleman camp stove… 
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I have a bunch of thin lead about 3 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick on a big role. It can be cut with a big sissors or knife and folded easily to what ever size you want. Got it at a plumbing supply store. You could cut it the size of the magazine and stack them.
Ed |
| Its not going to work!!! I already tried this? That is why I have lead shot in mine like you described. The lead just melts the hell out of the mag. I think it gets to like 700 degrees or something? As far as the lead shot goes, I just filled it up and put Acra-Glass on top of it. Acra-Glass is used to bed stocks to free float the barrel, for those of you that do not know. This is the best way to do it that I could think of. But you could go to a hobby shop and get the black sand that is really heavy compared to standard sand and use that in the same manner. Snot-Rocket, did you ever put some pics up of your Tactilite? I might of missee them. I have to get some grouping shots up from mine one of these days also!!! |
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FWIW,
I made one for me and some fellow in the military once. I took apart a 20 round metal mag. Pulled out the guts and cut the lips off so that you had a straight opening. Now I re-installed the floor plate and I had available some copper tape like you use to close the joints of a copper box for R.F. shielding. But any kind of metal tape will do. I had to install this tape from in side to seal the sides to the bottom of the mag. As for the mag catch on the side. Again using the tape I made a small raised piece and then put it over the mag catch. Now note that this is a tape so it has some adhesive on the back side and helped hold the tape in place. Place this in some kind of metal pan just incase there is a leak. I poured as fast as I could so that leaks would become solid as fast as possible. Might need to so some filing to clean up the outside of the mag. Now with the lips gone. You will need to depress the mag release also when installing the mag. Dont know what stock you have, but I have an A2 stock and I also make a plaster of Paris mold so I could cast a lead weight for the tool box in the stock. Between the 20 rnd mag full of lead and the tool box, I think I have added about 5lbs to the rifle. Running about 32 lbs now with the scope. |
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Well, my crazy-assed idea actually *worked*!!! I heated up some of my lead “pucks” (l make my ingots in beer cans) and used enough to equal about one full beer can of lead. I heated it up on my Coleman camp stove in the garage with a good fan going as it was too windy outside to reach full temp. After I de-slagged the melted lead, I brought the heat down to where it was just still liquid – but barely.
Then I tested the P-Mag plastic by stirring the feed-lips that I cut off of the magazine. The plastic didn’t melt, but the finish was “crazed” somewhat like a chemical etching compound would do. I wrapped the magazine in a bunch of aluminum foil and mashed it into the hole in the floor-plate and wound it tight around the small slot in the rear of the floor-plate. I then used one of my welding gloves to hold the magazine in my hand, and about half-way through the heat became so high that I used my other welding gloved wrapped around the magazine and held it with the other glove on. I ladled in about a tablespoon of lead on each pass and paused to let it take a set – then repeated until the mag was nearly full. The molten lead did a gread job of filling all of the small voids in the magazine and when I got near the top – I exercised more caution, I left a few small voids, but permitted me to trim off the excess lead. I used a sharp box-opened to shave off as much unwanted lead as possible and then finished it up using a belt-sander with an old belt. DO NOT use a good or new belt for sanding because the lead will plug and pretty much ruin the belt.. I used a steel bristle brush to unclog the belt of lead particles. Here’s how it came out-> This is the top that needs to be cut flush. I plan to finish it with a skim-coat of JB-weld and sand to a perfect fit. 
Here’s the bottom. Only a small amount of lead got past the hole in the floor plate – and that was easily trimmed off with a sharp blade. 
All in all this entire project came out well and actually exceed my expectations. The weight of the lead-filled magazine shell is just a few ounces under 3 lbs, and should be a nice piece that can be used as needed without being a permanent fixture to the rifle. Like I’d mentioned – I’ve done FAR stupider things and this sounded a bit “kludgy” from the start. For my efforts, I ended up with a piece that I can elect to install on me rifle (or not) should I want some extra weight to soak up recoil. The Pmag will take the heat and not distort, providing the temperature of the lead is kept just above the point that it remains liquid. I hope someone finds my “experiment” helpful – because so many of you folks have helped me more than you’d ever known by sharing your tips and tricks for the .50 BMG. Sorry, I have not posted any complete pix of my Tactilite T1 because I have to leave CA in order to mount it legally. I’m planning on going to Reno soon with a friend whose girlfriend lives there. Then I’ll have some decent photos to share… Sorry, I’m just a victim of CA law and have to jump through stupid hoops… |
| So, just curious. How much does your P-mag and lead weigh? BTW looks like a great job you did there.. Now I know you do not own a BOHICA, but for those of you who do own a Bohica or any rifle that blows the gaes from a blown primer down the bolt and out the mag well. In a case like that. You will want to drill a hole down through the mag and lead, giving the gas a place to excape |
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It comes in at a gnat’s ass under 3 lbs.. When you pick it up, it surprises you as to how heavy such a small item can be.
The added weight is helpful – but now I have to get it locked stationary. I have an idea for that and hope to use a furniture bump-stop to quell any wiggle. The JB-Weld “swipe” will help make the whole thing smoother. It took quite a bit of time to make. If I’d dribbled lead in any faster – I think the mag-body would have “swollen” – and ruined the project. Take your time (get some beer) and expect to pay attention to what you are doing for a while. Hoping I get to run to NV next week! Unfortunately it won’t be to shoot – but I’ll be able to work on any issues concerning the lower to upper connection. Damn! And I stumbled onto a Winchester 1897 pump a couple weeks ago! Oh well – it’s kind of nice to have “too many projects” to attend at the moment. |
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Quoted:
It comes in at a gnat’s ass under 3 lbs.. When you pick it up, it surprises you as to how heavy such a small item can be. The added weight is helpful – but now I have to get it locked stationary. I have an idea for that and hope to use a furniture bump-stop to quell any wiggle. The JB-Weld “swipe” will help make the whole thing smoother. It took quite a bit of time to make. If I’d dribbled lead in any faster – I think the mag-body would have “swollen” – and ruined the project. Take your time (get some beer) and expect to pay attention to what you are doing for a while. Hoping I get to run to NV next week! Unfortunately it won’t be to shoot – but I’ll be able to work on any issues concerning the lower to upper connection. Damn! And I stumbled onto a Winchester 1897 pump a couple weeks ago! Oh well – it’s kind of nice to have “too many projects” to attend at the moment. HAHA!!! Get beer ––-> pay attention Used in the same sentence .... sounds like my buddy who drinks while he's reloading. Sarg |
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Quoted:
HAHA!!! Get beer ––-> pay attention Used in the same sentence .... sounds like my buddy who drinks while he's reloading. Sarg Yeah, I suppose that doesn't sound like a real "precision" way to go about things... 
It’s mostly because it’s a rather long and hot process and a couple beers aren’t going to get me drunk. I don’t have a ladle with a spout, so I used a long handled spoon and poured in the lead a couple teaspoons at a time. I’d pause until the heat subsided a bit, and then add a couple more teaspoons. It took almost an hour to get the magazine full, and then there was quite a bit to trim off after I tried to get it as full as possible. |
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Quoted:Now I know you do not own a BOHICA, but for those of you who do own a Bohica or any rifle that blows the gaes from a blown primer down the bolt and out the mag well. In a case like that. You will want to drill a hole down through the mag and lead, giving the gas a place to excape
That’s definitely an important point to consider for that application. My upper is a Tactilite and the area above the mag well is just solid steel – with no vent of any sort. |
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