How to pin a 20 round mag to 5
- Thread starter Fusilier
- Start date
Travis Bickle
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Upper Lower Middle Alberta
I've seen a few strange configurations.
My buddies factory M1A came from the states with the mag block pinned to 5 with a piece of light wood which the spring was slotted into. It's hard to explain.
Very odd but easy to put in and effective.
Maybe he won't mind if I take a few pics.
My buddies factory M1A came from the states with the mag block pinned to 5 with a piece of light wood which the spring was slotted into. It's hard to explain.
Very odd but easy to put in and effective.
Maybe he won't mind if I take a few pics.
X2. Simple to gently pry up the bottom plate and slide off - being careful not to have the mag spring come flying out at warp 99. Insert a dowel and close back up
not legal. (i know there are lots out there). the body needs to be modified.
I have used this on some 30rders
I am not a gunsmith, but the following method (using a ruler, hacksaw, vise, files, pop riveter, centre punch and a drill press) worked for me:
1. Prepare 1/8" x 3/4" aluminim flat bar stock (Home Depot SKU 142-640) by cutting 5.25" long and squaring and smoothing ends.
2. Centre punch and drill 9/64" holes in spine of magazine approximately 1" & 2.25" from base (between welds).
3. Slide baseplate toward front of magazine (leave spring and follower in tube) so baseplate contains spring but exposes approximately 3/4" at spine.
4. Brush & blow drilling debris from magazine.
5. Load magazine with 5 dummy rounds.
6. Insert magazine into rifle with bolt closed, ensure magazine catch engages.
7. Insert bar stock up along spine of magazine until end is firmly against bottom rear of follower.
8. Mark bar stock through holes in spine.
9. Eject and empty magazine, remove bar stock.
10. Centre punch and drill 9/64" holes at marks on bar stock.
11. Insert bar stock up along spine of magazine and align holes in bar stock with holes in spine.
12. Fasten 1/8" aluminum rivets through lower, then upper hole in magazine spine into bar stock.
Note bending of bar stock on application of upper rivet may increase capacity slightly.
13. Test by loading 6 dummy rounds (last must not fit), then insert magazine containing 5 dummy rounds into rifle with bolt closed and verify magazine catch engages without undue pressure on magazine base.
The rivets are below the magazine well so they don't interfere with magazine insertion or removal.
As CanAm stated having a loose dowel doing the pinning will get you into a lot of trouble. The pinning must perm enough that you need a tool of some sort to "de-pin"
Sabre
I am not a gunsmith, but the following method (using a ruler, hacksaw, vise, files, pop riveter, centre punch and a drill press) worked for me:
1. Prepare 1/8" x 3/4" aluminim flat bar stock (Home Depot SKU 142-640) by cutting 5.25" long and squaring and smoothing ends.
2. Centre punch and drill 9/64" holes in spine of magazine approximately 1" & 2.25" from base (between welds).
3. Slide baseplate toward front of magazine (leave spring and follower in tube) so baseplate contains spring but exposes approximately 3/4" at spine.
4. Brush & blow drilling debris from magazine.
5. Load magazine with 5 dummy rounds.
6. Insert magazine into rifle with bolt closed, ensure magazine catch engages.
7. Insert bar stock up along spine of magazine until end is firmly against bottom rear of follower.
8. Mark bar stock through holes in spine.
9. Eject and empty magazine, remove bar stock.
10. Centre punch and drill 9/64" holes at marks on bar stock.
11. Insert bar stock up along spine of magazine and align holes in bar stock with holes in spine.
12. Fasten 1/8" aluminum rivets through lower, then upper hole in magazine spine into bar stock.
Note bending of bar stock on application of upper rivet may increase capacity slightly.
13. Test by loading 6 dummy rounds (last must not fit), then insert magazine containing 5 dummy rounds into rifle with bolt closed and verify magazine catch engages without undue pressure on magazine base.
The rivets are below the magazine well so they don't interfere with magazine insertion or removal.
As CanAm stated having a loose dowel doing the pinning will get you into a lot of trouble. The pinning must perm enough that you need a tool of some sort to "de-pin"
Sabre
Thanks for the info. I have a bunch of mags that were pinned when the regs first came out by a guy who "eyeballed it". Some hold 3 rounds, some 4 and the rest 5 with some being a VERY tight 5. Now I can put in a rivet on the other side and standardize the bunch!
Having spent the day putting together a letter to my MP and reviewing the regulations I sadly agree.
From:
Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-98-462/FullText.html
Part 4 Subsection 4
(4) A cartridge magazine described in subsection (1) that has been altered or re-manufactured so that it is not capable of containing more than five or ten cartridges, as the case may be, of the type for which it was originally designed is not a prohibited device as prescribed by that subsection if the modification to the magazine cannot be easily removed and the magazine cannot be easily further altered so that it is so capable of containing more than five or ten cartridges, as the case may be.
(5) For the purposes of subsection (4), altering or re-manufacturing a cartridge magazine includes
(a) the indentation of its casing by forging, casting, swaging or impressing;
(b) in the case of a cartridge magazine with a steel or aluminum casing, the insertion and attachment of a plug, sleeve, rod, pin, flange or similar device, made of steel or aluminum, as the case may be, or of a similar material, to the inner surface of its casing by welding, brazing or any other similar method; or
(c) in the case of a cartridge magazine with a casing made of a material other than steel or aluminum, the attachment of a plug, sleeve, rod, pin, flange or similar device, made of steel or of a material similar to that of the magazine casing, to the inner surface of its casing by welding, brazing or any other similar method or by applying a permanent adhesive substance, such as a cement or an epoxy or other glue.
Thanks. I've been trying to find these Regs for a while. All I was able to find, until now, is the statement that suitable methods are laid out in regulations - or words to that effect.
I guess I have a number of Mags to fix up (or better worded: to cripple down).
I guess I have a number of Mags to fix up (or better worded: to cripple down).
Yeah not sure I'm happy to give that info...
Hence why I have discussed a few times now face to face with my MP about these mag limits (Amongst other things about the firearms act). Seems orders in council is where all this stuff is set... which means it does not go through parliament but rather through the PM, Some Cabinet and the Governor General of Canada for approval!
I am, I even took mags to show my MP how silly these restrictions are! He agreed and wants me to write him up a letter that he can take to caucus meetings. He sits right beside Garry Breitkreuz in those meetings so he's got someone on our side sitting there!
I dunno, I asked that question myself to an RCMP buddy of mine at the range. She wasn't a handy person with tools and stated she would think it was not easily removed. Her idea of easy was the ability to remove without the use of tools to disassemble or remove. That suited me fine.
However, as a precaution, when I hunt with my rifle, I only use the little 5 round capacity mags and have never, ever needed more than two shots from it, so all is good.
Pop rivets are a very common way to pin a mag. Because they need tools, they are likely (I say likely because I cannot find in writing anywhere) fine. I have mags so pinned and I'd have no problem living with them.
It would be nice if the long tailed followers were OK too. Especially since the M308 shipped with them years ago. I can see that running afoul of the regs because all it requires is swapping a short tailed follower from the 5 round mag.
The rules don't have to make sense. The rules certainly don't have to work. They just suck. No mag capacity limits is what we should be shooting for next. Just think of the boost to the economy as we all a. buy new normal capacity mags, and b. spend more on ammo.
It would be nice if the long tailed followers were OK too. Especially since the M308 shipped with them years ago. I can see that running afoul of the regs because all it requires is swapping a short tailed follower from the 5 round mag.
The rules don't have to make sense. The rules certainly don't have to work. They just suck. No mag capacity limits is what we should be shooting for next. Just think of the boost to the economy as we all a. buy new normal capacity mags, and b. spend more on ammo.
They still are shipped with them!
