OK folks, I will try to explain the complete history of my one and so far only mag, which should be brief! the rest of the story will take longer. Hopefully then someone can determine if I can effect a repair or should just buy some new ones. Purchased 30 rounder December 04 from Bushmaster, stored fully loaded for only a few weeks at a time between trips to the range. Mag insertion was never as easy as I have encountered on worn out and beat up mags and rifles while on ROTC FTX's (which slid in and dropped effortlessly). I would have to sort of rock mine in like it was an AK mag, but it was always smooth once the full length of the feed lips was in the mag well. Never thought it was too bad to warrant a post until today. Dropped said magazine while fully loaded today at the range. Not sure what attitude it landed in, but it was on concrete. Thereafter, back of magazine feed lips felt splayed (though I can't SEE any difference), or must be, because now I really have to rock the mag in--I have to put the back of the feed lips at the front of the mag well, slide it to the rear, and slap on it to get it to lock in. Removing from the mag well (keep in mind this is when it is empty, which is strangest to me) is very tight, and I have white streaks on only the rear half of my mag well!

SO now the questions: What did I do to my mag? Can I fix it, and how?

Last thought: the seam at the rear of the mag is not square, and never was; stamps are solid, but the overlap narrows as you reach the top of the mag. Perhaps a manufacturing defect, separate of my bumbling?

If you've read this far, thanks in advance!

GTLandser

Buy new magazines.

Hard to tell by reading your post, but it sounds like you fucked the mag up when you dropped it?

About the seam on the back of the mag- that is normal.


You need to buy some new mags, they can be had on the EE here brand new for $13 a piece.

what they said but several of them.

if you're going to keep dropping them loaded on concrete?

....maybe mag pulls would be in order too.

+1 on buy more.

Throw that mag away and buy some more. Mags can be a disposable item. Especially if you drop them loaded on concrete. You should have at least 5 anyway.

Well, it turns out that if you are careful, you can squeeze a mag back into shape with a bench vise. The mag fits fine now, and my other two black mags arrived a few days ago from Talon Arms (they appear to be out now), the fit and finish of which are also excellent. All work even when fully loaded. Now, I will work on my hand-eye coordination, so I quit dropping them.

Quoted: Throw that mag away and buy some more. Mags can be a disposable item. Especially if you drop them loaded on concrete. You should have at least 5 100 anyway.