Is the bolt hold open supposed to work with a Beta C-mag in an AR-15?

I picked up a Beta mag a while back, and it will not trip the bolt hold open when empty.

Mine doesn't. I guess because of the metal follower rounds in the tower. There isnt  a piece for the bolt catch to catch on. Look at the difference between the Beta, and a 20 or 30 round mag. With the bolt closed, put in an EMPTY 30 rd mag, and then pull the charging handle back slowly, and slowly let it go forward and watch the bolt catch grab on the mags follower. Do the same with the Beta, and you will see the difference. There is no follower for the bolt catch to grab.

Yea, I looked to see why it was not raising the bolt catch when I first noticed it happening.  It does appear to be designed that way.  I was just making sure.

Seems like it wouldn't be that difficult to have a bolt hold open on one; something added to the round followers perhaps.  I'm certainly not an engineer though.

When were you in Gitmo?  I was with the SAR unit there from 1999-2001.

Were you ever stationed in Gitmo, or did you just think that would be a cool sig line?

A little suggestion I heard, since the Beta C is NOT designed to hold the bolt open, put a snap cap in the mag as the first round.  That way after the last live round is fired the snap cap is hit instead of dry firing.  Also it will stop the bolt gouging the top beveled aluminum round in the mag.  A Beta dump in my 16 is piles of fun.

Scott

Quoted: A little suggestion I heard, since the Beta C is NOT designed to hold the bolt open, put a snap cap in the mag as the first round.  That way after the last live round is fired the snap cap is hit instead of dry firing.  Also it will stop the bolt gouging the top beveled aluminum round in the mag.  A Beta dump in my 16 is piles of fun. Scott

Or a tracer, that way you know for sure it's the last round and not a dud.