M1A and 20 round mags

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hend238

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Hey guys.

Has anyone used the 20 round mag in their M1A's in service rifle competition or just plinking at the range while prone? I'm curious if the mag is of proper length in order to rest the rifle off the mag while shooting prone as the AR guys do with their 30 rounders. Thanks.
 
I personally find the 5/20s a little on the short side, I find the rifle wont sit in my shoulder properly. You're better off with a bipod. Just more comfortable IMO.

Cheers
 
The last match of Service Rifle I shot (ORA Base Borden Mons Range ) was in 2005 and I tried both methods during the deliberate matches. I shot off my elbows for match 1 and did reasonably well. Then at 500 yards, Match 9, I shot off the rested magazine. The buttplate was getting pretty close to the ground and I tried my best (in the spirit of the competition) to keep it off the surface.

Yes, it is a bit on the short side.

Cancer; I recall those 5/30 rounders being sold years ago. I cannot remember if they were a good / reliable quality magazine. At least converted 5/20 USGI and 5/20 Norinco magazines worked well enough for trusting/reliable Service Rifle competition feeding. :D

Hope this helps,

Barney
 
the 30 rounders were absolutely terrible- came from an outfit called cdnn or something- they'd hang up , wouldn't latch properly, you name it
 
hend238 said:
Hey guys.

Has anyone used the 20 round mag in their M1A's in service rifle competition or just plinking at the range while prone? I'm curious if the mag is of proper length in order to rest the rifle off the mag while shooting prone as the AR guys do with their 30 rounders. Thanks.
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It's not easy to do. The rifle sits way too close to the ground and you end up being uncomfortable, I found anyway. The AR guys can do it, larger mags, and higher optics. It's just not easy to do with the m14. I ended up just holding the rifle up. Though if you watch the service video, someone has an M14 using the mag to rest it on the ground.
 
Ok thanks for the info guys. Sounds like I'll stay away from the 20 & 30 rounders. The reason for my inquiry is that I'm going to start using my M1A for service rifle comps and I need to buy another mag as I only have one 5/10. Just needed to have that question answered before I sourced a new mag or two. I'll just buy another 10 as they seem easy enough to grab when changing mags compared to a 5 rounder.
 
OP: I would not know if they are the proper length but here are some observations on some mag. types...

I bought 2, 5/30 rounders from Canstar Arms. I have not shot either yet, however, a few observations:

1. extremely high quality magazine bodies with excelent parkerizing
2. spring is VERY strong, I don't doubt it's ability to seat 30 rounds and certainly sufficient for 5, as pinned.
3. follower: when compared to the stock Norinco 5/20 magazine follower, from magazines I have shot and I know to be reliable, the 5/30 seems to angle into the magazine body at such a steep angle that does not look favorable. Right now, I am skeptical, but I will take it to the range one day soon.

The 5/25 I have from Canstar looks to be every bit as good as the Norinco 5/20s which work well.

I have no original USGI magazines so I cannot compare although I have had them in the past and the ones I owned, from what I remember, weren't worth keeping!

I'd rather own current issue Checkmate Industries 5/20s if they were available but I doubt it.
 
I find with a 5/20 while wearing a chest rig / mag carrier I'm not even close to getting the mag on the ground while prone.

I shot 1 stage with the chest rig off, and slid back a bit on the berm which put my legs / waist / stomach a little lower behind the rifle, and I was able to shoot off the mag and it made a huge difference. This is all with irons.

Either have to rethink my chest rig or get better shooting off my elbows.
 
hend238 said:
Ok thanks for the info guys. Sounds like I'll stay away from the 20 & 30 rounders. The reason for my inquiry is that I'm going to start using my M1A for service rifle comps and I need to buy another mag as I only have one 5/10. Just needed to have that question answered before I sourced a new mag or two. I'll just buy another 10 as they seem easy enough to grab when changing mags compared to a 5 rounder.
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Hold on. I said the 20 rounders were too short to rest on. They are, however, excellent for the service shoot because they are so large, they are easy to grab and remove, and get a new one and insert. The 10rounders you will find are too small to grab easily. I have eleven 20 rounders for this and the CQB.
 
Mauser GDog said:
I find with a 5/20 while wearing a chest rig / mag carrier I'm not even close to getting the mag on the ground while prone.

I shot 1 stage with the chest rig off, and slid back a bit on the berm which put my legs / waist / stomach a little lower behind the rifle, and I was able to shoot off the mag and it made a huge difference. This is all with irons.

Either have to rethink my chest rig or get better shooting off my elbows.
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Elbows, the old fashon way:D
 
I've shot a couple of matches resting the M14 on the 5/20 mag in the prone.
Shot a 49/50 in the 200m deliberate using a basically stock Norinco the last time I tried it.
It gave me a really sore neck, but it still provided a more stable firing position than shooting off the elbows. I had to stay a bit further back on the mound than other competitors beside me, so the mag was still resting on the highest part of the slope.
 
JRW (QOR) said:
Hold on. I said the 20 rounders were too short to rest on. They are, however, excellent for the service shoot because they are so large, they are easy to grab and remove, and get a new one and insert. The 10rounders you will find are too small to grab easily. I have eleven 20 rounders for this and the CQB.
Click to expand...

Ya I understood your point. I don't find the 10 rounders hard to grab. Besides I just bought 4 of them for a good price so there is no turning back now. Perhaps I'll buy one 20 round mag and work with that and see how I like it. Might be nicer to shoot offhand with a 20 rd mag though...
 
When I shoot my AR, I grip the mag with my weak hand, mag in contact with the ground. When I shoot the 14 I grip the mag, mag not in contact with the ground, but my hand is. If I were to move back on the berm to adjust as mentioned above, I would have a boot buried up my butt for endangering those around me. Doing this would put my muzzel behind them. VERY bad range practice.
 
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