Mini 14 "Original Equipment" Mags

I see CDNN has Mini 14 mags for sale at a cheap price. The manufacturer is listed as "Original Equipment". Reading the product information you're led to believe they are actually the Ruger brand mags minus the Ruger brand emblem and name stamping. At least that's what they want you to think. But I'm still left with doubt.

I called and talked to someone in their internet sales and my concerns weren't allayed. They claim they have been selling them for a good while and have had no complaints.

I would like a few more quality Mini-14 mags but in years past I've never found any Mini-14 aftermarket mags that were reliable. Anyone have any experience with these?
CDNN SPORTS - RUGER(R) MINI-14(R) 223 20RD MAGAZINE OE - MAGAZINES

If it sounds too good to be true... What is the $ difference between these and the OEMs? Is it enough to warrant the risk?

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I bought two of the OE straight mags because I like the look of a straight mag in the Mini 14. They seem to be highly rated on some Mini forums and don't last long at CDNN. I had some jams with mine and ended up replacing the mag springs and followers with genuine Ruger. Now they function fine.

I bought a couple of them. They seem good quality and I've had no problems with them. like you, I first thought they were original Ruger mags. Turns out the name of the company that makes them is "Original Equipment", lol. I did some research before I bought them and couldn't find any negatives.

Also, there is this on the CDNN website: This magazine is original equipment; which means it's manufactured in the same factory using the same process as the magazines that shipped with the gun originally.

They also sell out fast, so get them while you can.

Maybe. They sure look like Pro Mag or some other knockoff. If they were Ruger, they should be marked Ruger.

The Ruger factory 20s are the only ones that really work. During the AWB I tried the knockoffs and wasted my money. Even the factory 30s can be hit or miss; that's why new minis ship with the 20s.

Avoid:

National
USA Magazines
Pro Mag
Thermold
No name gunshow
Triple K

Some speak highly of the new Tapco polymer 30s, but I have no experience with them.

I have tried different types of non-Ruger mags in my Mini. None were reliable.

There are some die hard fans of OEM magazines over at Perfect Union. One of the appeals is the similarity to the early straight Mini-14 magazines and you may find some debate about whether OEM made those originals or not.

The 20 round magazines are also popular with folks who are using a SOCOM style Accu Strut, a Browning style Choate flash hider and a Choate or wood handguard to create a Mini-M14 or Mini M1A rifle, where the straight profile mimics the M14 magazine.



I bought a 10 round and a 20 round OEM magazine from CDNN, and my experience was mixed. The 10 round magazine was perfect and functions as reliably as Ruger magazines, while the 20 round magazine arrived with feed lips that caused the rounds to nose dive. I had to re-bend them to get reliable functioning. I can't say whether this was poor QA by OEM, or poor handling by CDNN, but it is what it is.

I will say however that if I had not gotten one with bent feed lips, I'd agree that they function very well and are an exception to the rule that non original magazines don't function well in the Mini-14.





As it is however, I found a batch of 20 round magazines surplussed from the NC corrections system in mint condition for $20 each and bought enough to meet my Mini-14 magazine needs for the forseeable future.

From what I can tell, CDNN's "Original Equipment" does not mean Factory. In fact, they specifically state "Factory" on their Ruger factory marked Mini-14 mags (which they currently have on sale for $29).

I bought two of their "OE" marked mini-14 handguards thinking they were factory. What I got was complete junk.

Treat these for what they are. A range mag that may or not run reliably.

If you want factory 20's, "Grabagun" has them them for $22.59.
Mini 14 Magazine 20 Round 20 Round Blued Mfr 90010

If you want to read a review of the early Mini 14 (180 series) by Jeff Cooper, and see the early straight 20 round magazine, you can find it here:

Jeff Cooper's 1975 Review of the Mini-14 - Shooting Sports Forum

Mine is the early 180 series.

Before Ruger Factory were readily available to the general public I got a couple of John Mason 20 round mags........ worked OK. But I've gone to Ruger mags..... with the Mason going to range use only.

I like the Factory 10rd magazine (not quit flush fit) for a low profile non-tacticoool look... backed up with Ruger 20rd magazines.

I've got one of the "NRA" models with the 16.2" heavy barrel

I've got a Mini 14 6.8 rifle and the only mags that have been reliable are the Ruger 5 round mags.

I love the look of the Mini above with the Accustrut and wood hanguard - I think I’ll do mine up the same way.

I’ve been lucky with mags - I traded into eight 30 rounders, half factory and half aftermarket. All work fine.

I bought a bunch of the Eagle brand 30 round plastic mags back prior to the Clinton ban. I spent more money than I should have, but rolled the dice and hoped for the best. I have never had a problem with any of these. I ended up selling about 15-20 of them when the market was peaking during the middle of the "ban". If I remember correctly I believe I was getting $80 each or $150 for a pair. I think I paid under $20 for them. I still have a handful but rarely load up 30 at a time. I mostly use the factory 5's or 20's.

sigp220.45 said:

I love the look of the Mini above with the Accustrut and wood hanguard - I think I’ll do mine up the same way.

Click to expand...

I can't quite decide between the wood handguard or a Choate handguard (painted brown like the M14).

I prefer the classic looks of the wood handguard, but the Choate ventilated handguard results in better accuracy in sustained fire as the barrel cools better.



Here's my 16" Mini 14 in the same walnut stock with wood an Choate hand guards and with leather and OD cotton slings:




Someone in the 181 series Mini 14's past shortened the barrel to 16" to improve accuracy. It apparently didn't work since he sold it, and it shot around 4 MOA when I bought it.

Both got the same treatment:
SOCOM style Accu-strut;
Tech Sights rear sight;
Choate Browning style combination front sight and flash hider;
.045" gas port bushing;
shock buffer; and
Choate ventilated hand guard.

As noted above, the Choate is probably a better choice if accuracy is paramount as it keeps the pencil barrel cooler and more stable. However to get good accuracy you'll need to hand fit the hand guard so that the rear doesn't touch the receiver when the barrel is cold. It it does, it'll press forward on the gas block and in turn the barrel and that pressure will change as the barrel warms. You do the same thing with match grade M1 and M1A/M14 rifles.

I used an end mill (just under the thread size) to mill divots in the gas block for the rear screws on the Accu Strut where it contacts the gas block. It creates a very solid fit.

The Choate muzzle devices improve the barrel harmonics and almost always improve accuracy. I stopped drilling and pinning muzzle devices (unless it has to be blind pinned to meet a 16" minimum barrel length), and instead use Loctite 620. It's designed for cylindrical fit applications with gaps up to .015" and is rated to 450F for 30 minutes and over 600F for brief exposures. You won't shoot it off, unless you're doing several continuous magazine dumps.

If you're a perfectionist, temporarily fit the muzzle device with masking tape over it and the barrel to hold it in place. Fire three shot groups and rotate the device (moving the front sight sight or left as need) until you are zeroed with the rear sight mechanically zeroed. Then index mark the tape, cut through the tape at the join, remove the device, apply the Loctite and install the device, aligning the index marks on the tape. Wipe off the excess that squeezes out and then after it sets in a couple minutes remove the tape. It will ensure the front sight is perfectly clocked for a mechanically centered rear sight.

With the above treatment, both my rifles (1-10" twist) shoot honest 1.5 MOA 5 shot groups with 55 gr FMJ.