Need 204 Ruger mags...

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I am still on a quest to find reliable AR-15 mags, with the length to support 204 Ruger COLs. Before someone tells me to get ASC mags, I should state I have them, and they SUCK! I have three new ASC mags, that just went to WY, on a P-Dog shoot, and all three failed to feed reliably. They bowed in the middle of the magazine walls, and consistently were unreliable, until I took my Leatherman and bent the bowed mags back into shape. They ran with less unreliable feeding, but it is a matter of time until they bow again. This is not the first time I have had issues with ASC mags, and have now officially banned them from my magazine pile.

So does anyone have a suggestion, for an alternative? I see PRI makes a 5.56/.223 Rem. magazine, but there doesn't seem to be many stocking dealers. I guess it is hard to compete with Magpul, or others, in the 5.56/.223 market, when PRI wants $36 for a 10 round mag, and I can get a Magpul for less than $20. Too bad the Magpul plastic body eats up some hundredths of an inch of the COL.

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Originally Posted By: Plant.Onei use regular USGI mags and load to book COAL without any problems. are you trying to load longer than 2.260?

Yes, I think I have a COL of 2.305" with the current load. This load fits in the ASC mags, and probably will fit in USGI mags. I was hoping for a smaller body mag, instead of the 20 round USGI, but I could fall back to that mag, if need be.

Next range session, I am going to try my PRI 6.8 mags, to see if they will run reliably. Issue is the mag follower is for 6.8 case sizes, so the last round or two may not feed well. PRI makes a mag, with a 5.56 follower, so I was hoping to hear from someone that may be using them for 204 Ruger, and what COL they are loading to. I think I have some Magpul 5.56 followers, so maybe I already have the pieces for this experiment.
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have you tried getting ahold of bartz? they may be able to help you out - IIRC they've had a couple mag projects in the works, including making one of the most realiable 450bm mags on the market right now.
 
Originally Posted By: GLShooterBased on your COL I am guessing those were STAINLESS ASC's?

Greg

Yes they were. Pretty FDE colored SS ASC's. I wish I would have snapped a phone picture of the bowed sides before I took the pliers to them. I have the same issue with SS ASC mags I bought for my 6.8/6mm WOA rifles. I gave one to my son, when I assembled a new 6.8 SPC rifle, for him. He had cycling issues, so I lent him a PRI, and the rifle ran flawlessly. I gave him a PRI mag, and took back the ASC mag, which is in the steel recycle bin now.

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I've been shooting the ten rounders in various flavors and had no issues in everything from 223 on up. A 204 shouldn't be any worse than a 223. Funny how across the country no matter what the product results vary from shooter to shooter. I've also shot some of the bigger 223's with no issues from them.

Greg
 
ASC must have cheaped them out lately? IDK, they are about all I use in 204, and 6.5 along with a couple AR Stoners iirc. Never an issue with mine even after a loaded 6.5 got ran over by the truck on a hunt a couple years ago.

Maybe try the Stoners? You will have to go stainless, or window the front of a GI mag to get the length you want.
 
I use Lancer mags in my 204's. I've used some older ASC'S but I like Lancer better mostly because they make short 5 & 10 rounders for bench shooting.
On PM's here somewhere is a really good thread with pictures of how to modify a PMAG so that it will work reliable. BTW, the Lancers have metal feed lips.

Jim D
 
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Originally Posted By: Texas SwiftyI use Lancer mags in my 204's. I've used some older ASC'S but I like Lancer better mostly because they make short 5 & 10 rounders for bench shooting.
On PM's here somewhere is a really good thread with pictures of how to modify a PMAG so that it will work reliable. BTW, the Lancers have metal feed lips.

Jim D

Jim, what COL are your 204 loads?

Thanks to all that took the time to reply. Greg, I do remember you recommending ASC mags, so I was a bit surprised when I started having issues with them. Basically they were loaded in WI, stuffed into the rifle case, brought out 4 days later, in WY, and locked into the AR-15 looking over a P-dog town rich with targets. On the first round of shooting, with three different mags, I had numerous failures to feed, always checking if the mag was still locked up. Frustrated, I took a permanent marker, and numbered them, so I could determine if one of them was better or worst than the others. Next round I looked carefully at the mags, and noticed the body sides had a noticeable bow in them. The one mag, that had fewer failures, had less bow. So I dug the Leatherman out of the shooting bag, and squeezed the sides of the empty mags, to remove the bow. That got me to far less failures, but still the occasion "click" signaled a failure to feed. I have a similar experience with ASC 10 round SS mags, with a 6.8 SPC follower. Maybe it is the 10 round mags, in general, from ASC that tend to bow when loaded to 10 rounds. IDK, but I hate unreliable magazines with a passion, and these ASC are now in that category, for me.

I think the waffle sided PRIs might be the solution, but if the Lancers support a COL that works for my 39 gr. BK loads, for the 204 Ruger AR-15, I will give them a shot first. The price is better on the Lancers, and I like the idea of steel feed lips.

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I feel your pain on the bulging. I had some 45 ACP mags that would do that were just a tad tight on a custom 45. A 2X4 laid flat on top and a whack fixed that. I've never left those magazines loaded for an extended period of time.

I would pull those mags and send a note to ASC explaining why I modified them and ask for replacements.I've always had good dealings with them. As many 223 mags as they sell this might be an anomaly based on lack of internet chatter. Heck and e-mail won't cost you anything or the more personal touch of a phone call seems to turn the trick for me.

In this day of competition the companies seem to be wiling to replace rather than get bad press. I'm getting ready to have a conversation with Midway over this piece of not tomato stake worth 22 Nolser barrel that shoots 4" and I'll see what happens on that. I might chronicle that one if it's entertaining.

Greg
 
Lancer mags will not allow for any more coal than pmags. I think your only choice is to call and try to get the asc warrantied or adjust your coal.

Fwiw None of my ASC magazines bow
 
Last night I took my two 204 Ruger loads, with COLs of 2.3", and 2.275", and tested them in the PRI 6.8 10 round mags I have, and all fit nicely. Since the follower is for 6.8 cases, the second to the last cartridge presented a bit weird, at the feed lip, but I think it will function. PRI also has 5.56 versions of this mag, so although they are higher cost, I think I will save the pain of unreliable feeding, and just pay that price.

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