Are PMI mini 14 mags any good?  I'm looking at getting  some factory magazines, but  I would like to have some alternatives.

Yes, PMI mini14 mags are excellent, As good as Ruger facory mags because PMI is the company that made the Factory mags for Ruger.
PS: PMI used to be called Federal Ord.

The PMI are good.  I'd get the Ruger factory mags if I had a choice though.

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted: Are PMI mini 14 mags any good?  I'm looking at getting  some factory magazines, but  I would like to have some alternatives.

I bought a NIB Mini GB a few months ago and did some looking into the magazine situation myself.
Besides Ruger OEM the best alternatives seem to be PMI and Thermolds. I have heard some good things about ProMag but haven't tried any. The new ProMag Thermolds are supposed to be good quality and can bee had for about 15bucks. PMI 30's seem to be going for nearly what I can have a OEM Ruger 20, so with the exception of a few Thermolds its strictly Ruger 20's for me. Since mine is a very recent manufacture, I cannot use the Ruger 30's as they will not function reliably in the newer Mini's. Try eiether the new Thermold from ProMag or the "preban" variant. My Mini is tasked with some HD responsibility so I haven't the patience for a mag that cannot be trusted 110%. I just recently conceided that 20 rounds was more than enough for my Mini and an extra 10 rounds wasnt worth the time to test or the money to locate. Check out the magazine page on www.perfectunion.com for more information. Good Luck!

I've been using PMI mags in my AC556 without any problems.

+1 on perfectunion.com

Have you actually tried a Ruger 30?

I think someone just made up that rumor.

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted: I bought a NIB Mini GB a few months ago and did some looking into the magazine situation myself. Besides Ruger OEM the best alternatives seem to be PMI and Thermolds. I have heard some good things about ProMag but haven't tried any. The new ProMag Thermolds are supposed to be good quality and can bee had for about 15bucks. PMI 30's seem to be going for nearly what I can have a OEM Ruger 20, so with the exception of a few Thermolds its strictly Ruger 20's for me. Since mine is a very recent manufacture, I cannot use the Ruger 30's as they will not function reliably in the newer Mini's. Try eiether the new Thermold from ProMag or the "preban" variant. My Mini is tasked with some HD responsibility so I haven't the patience for a mag that cannot be trusted 110%. I just recently conceided that 20 rounds was more than enough for my Mini and an extra 10 rounds wasnt worth the time to test or the money to locate. Check out the magazine page on www.perfectunion.com for more information. Good Luck!

The PMI/Fed Ord mags are just fine. I've been using them for years (20+ years).  No issues.  They funtion perfectly in my Mini's.

I have some PMI Mini 14 mags that I would trade for AK-47 mags. I get $40 ea. on 30 round blue unused and packed with spring out of the mag for zero compression all these years.

Always feed fine for me.

I need to get some Ruger 20's.  I've been using PMI 30's without any problems.  I'd like to get some factory Ruger's while we still can.

One reason for bad mini-14 mags is that they can rock in the mag well.  Insert a mag and see if you can move it front to back a bit or side to side.  Otherwise good mags by the questionable vendors can be made 100% by fixing this problem.  Usually its lack of material on the backbone of the mag where it latches.  A little fiddling and adding some slag and filing down should help a LOT.

I've often wondered if one could make a rubber lining for the mag well edges to help with this.  Seems like might be a decent market if it worked.

Oddly enough I took a gamble and ordered 7 30rd unknown brand mags from Sportsmans Guide and low and behold all 7 were and are 100% reliable.  I don't know the make of mag, but they were the cheap 11.95 ones.  The all latch up good and dont move in the magwell and the springs and lips work just fine.

tag

https://www.calssportingarmory.com/Ruger.htm

I ordered 3 from here a few weeks ago and they are the real thing at a great price..