Making a short 223 mag?

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boxhitch

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Can't find what I want for sale, so considering cutting down an MDT metal 10 rnd-er to make a short mag for near flush fit
Looks straight forward, remove base plate, cut box and spring,
re-install of base may require a couple spot welds instead of trying to re-form the crimp-lip
finding the right length maybe a process

feasible?
 
boxhitch said:
feasible?
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Should certainly be a doable thing. I would guess the biggest trick would be getting the mag spring the right length to have enough preload to feed the last round reliably without making it incredibly hard to load all the rounds to start.

Something else to consider is Norinco used to ship short 5 round mags with their CQ-A AR pattern rifles and they are nearly flush on an AR magwell. I have a couple I use for bench shooting because they don't get in the way like a 30 rounder will. Maybe post a WTB ad and see if someone wants to flog a couple they have laying around.


Mark
 
If it were me, I would load 5 in with the bottom plate off and measure that height, then measure the height of the spring and follower compressed, measure that out on the body and chop off the rest. Leave the spring the same length.
 
mmattockx said:
Should certainly be a doable thing. I would guess the biggest trick would be getting the mag spring the right length to have enough preload to feed the last round reliably without making it incredibly hard to load all the rounds to start.

Something else to consider is Norinco used to ship short 5 round mags with their CQ-A AR pattern rifles and they are nearly flush on an AR magwell. I have a couple I use for bench shooting because they don't get in the way like a 30 rounder will. Maybe post a WTB ad and see if someone wants to flog a couple they have laying around.


Mark
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Colt ARs came with a almost flush 5rd mag.

Here are flush fit mags.

https://www.gotenda.com/product/promag-ar-15-magazine-223-rem-5-56-nato-5-rounds-steel-flush-fit/
 
Once upon a time I had some flush 10rd mags that used constant force springs. I liked the flush mags but wouldn't use constant force springs for anything other than informal shooting. I don't recall the brand.
 
Fyn said:
I would assume (since OP mentioned MDT) we're talking AICS mags, not STANAG pattern
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correct, want to have a comfortable carry with a MDT XRS, they make short ones but not for the 223, I'm even thinking 3rnd maybe
I'm not learned-up on mag nomenclature but aics-type must run in other stocks/rifles also?

that 5 rnd Pro mag looks better and if not short enough, it would be a better one @$35 to modify than my extra MDT steel $90 mag
 
I don’t see why not, people have been doing it to Enfield mags for decades.

Alternatively Accurate-mag makes a 5rd aics mag, can measure it for you if you like, my .308 and .223 aics mags fit in either rifle mag well. The external dimensions are identical.

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