So I put a few of my military surplus magazines through their paces at the range and had WAY more failure to feeds than I should have. Let’s think about preventatives maintenance…
Everyone always says that it’s the constant compression that weakens magazines, but you have to consider the conditions that those magazines were used/stored in and the age of the mag itself. Don’t assume that your mag will work every time. Make sure it will.
Let’s look under the hood and see what we’re working with. First we remove the magazine base plate.
This spring, like every one I checked, had taken a definite set. Notice the new magazine spring on the table for comparison.
Some were in even more rough shape with rust on the spring.
Make sure to remove the follower and inspect for any dirt or debris that could impede function.
These mil surp mags will need some persuasion to remove the retention plate that secured the outside base plate. We’re getting rid of them anyway, so get after it!
Reassemble in reverse order after cleaning. Don’t forget that a light coating of oil never hurts. Snaps caps are a great training aid and I highly recommend them.
Time for a quick function check. Load up a snap cap and insert your refurbished magazine.
That mag was a lot stiffer to load and should push the round underneath it up way faster during operation.
Military surplus magazines are a great and affordable option, but know what you’re getting into. A small amount of effort will give you great reward.