Also: the mag catch might be worn just enough to allow the rear of the mag to be too low,,, thus not allowing the bolt to pic up the top round. Also this would account for the bolt not staying open on the last round. IE: the rear of the mag is too low and thus the bolt catch is not getting engaged.
Very few Mini14's will run with other than Ruger mags. The new Tapco plastic mags do work good, but I have not seen any other brand of mag function correctly over any period of time. Pretty much all the aftermarket ones suck.
it is not unusual for the little bar spot welded onto the back of the mag, that the mag catch engages, to be positioned wrong. I have two Ruger 20 round mags that you couldn't get in the gun when full with the bolt closed. They would go in with the bolt open. Filing down the little bar until it was the same dimension from the top of the mag to the bottom of the bar as magazines that worked, solved that problem. I had to file off .020 to make one work right.
If the mags you are having problems with are not Ruger mags simply throw them in the trash and be done with it. It is common knowledge that these guns are very finicky about mags, and most all aftermarket mags just are not reliable.
Randy
It is 80F here today in Ojai CA,,, Sorry about that snow storm guys.
Very few Mini14's will run with other than Ruger mags. The new Tapco plastic mags do work good, but I have not seen any other brand of mag function correctly over any period of time. Pretty much all the aftermarket ones suck.
it is not unusual for the little bar spot welded onto the back of the mag, that the mag catch engages, to be positioned wrong. I have two Ruger 20 round mags that you couldn't get in the gun when full with the bolt closed. They would go in with the bolt open. Filing down the little bar until it was the same dimension from the top of the mag to the bottom of the bar as magazines that worked, solved that problem. I had to file off .020 to make one work right.
If the mags you are having problems with are not Ruger mags simply throw them in the trash and be done with it. It is common knowledge that these guns are very finicky about mags, and most all aftermarket mags just are not reliable.
Randy
It is 80F here today in Ojai CA,,, Sorry about that snow storm guys.
