Mini-30 Magazines Interchangeable with Mini-14?

June 11, 2002 09:23

Actually 2 questions...

I just got a mini-30 with one (big) magazine.
I have several mini-14 magazines, but can I
use these in the new rifle?

I haven't seen many adverts for magazines
that specify they are for mini-30. Are they hard to
come by or am I just not looking in the right place?

I would like 10-15 rounders instead of the 40 rounder I got.

Comments

10 comments

Nighthawk

June 11, 2002 09:31
You can not use a Mini-14 mag in a Mini-30 nor vice versa. Hi cap mags for the Mini-30 are easily found, and not priced to break the bank. The place I buy from is CDNN at 1-800-588-9500.

Good Luck.

Rugster
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JustC

June 11, 2002 10:09
cases are different diameters, therfore the answer is no.

A great rifle with a junk scope,....is junk.
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Iconoclast

June 11, 2002 15:00
As a good basic rule of thumb, if the basic case is different, then you can't double up on mags - for example, if you have an '06, a .270 mag will usually work (same head, body dimensions), or a .308 mag in a .243. Here, you have entirely different dimensions . . . which doesn't keep some folks from trying !
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Texas Jaguar

June 11, 2002 18:35
I have inadvertantly fired a mini 30 using mini 14 mags and was not aware anything was amiss untill it was pointed out to me I was using the wrong mags. I don't recommend the practice and to this day don't know why they worked but they did function flawlessly for the 50 or 60 rounds I fired before my irate companion reclaimed his mags.
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REBJr

June 11, 2002 19:11
just a sec- the mini's use the same stock, and same trigger group. that tells me they're the same mag- just different followers.
but OTOH, mini 30 mags go $12 for 30 rounder around here, so why bother? -Ralph

Nothing very, very good or very, very bad lasts for very, very long.
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gundummy

June 12, 2002 01:40
Go figure. Everyone seems to have a problem with making an aftermarket mini 14 mag work (other than using PMI or Masen). Now we have aftermarket mini 30 mags working flawlessly in a mini 14...wow! I better start stocking up on the 30 round mini 30 mags so I can change follower and stuff 50 rounds in them. Just kidding!! Actually, I am not sure, but this might be illegal. Use a mini 14 mag for a mini 14 and vice versa for the mini 30. GD
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War_Gamer

June 14, 2002 15:25
First off thanks for all the replies. They are very helpful.

Second, I may have sent a reply to the wrong place. gundummys comment got me to wondering how I can differentiate between the different magazines.

What do I look for on the follower that would seperate the Mini-14 from the Mini-30?

If I had ammunition, would it be easier to seperate them/
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competentone

June 14, 2002 18:53
War_Gamer,

The magazines are NOT interchangable.

As already noted by the early responses you received.

Texas Jag's experience was probably with 5-round magazines; if you started to load any higher capacity magazine designed for 7.62x39 rounds with .223 rounds--or vice-versa--you'll run into problems...quick.
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gundummy

June 14, 2002 23:44
War Gamer,

I don't have a mini 30 mag handy and really not too familiar with that mag. I have a couple mini 14's, therefore I can spot the mags for them right away. I am sure they are different, otherwise I would already have a couple of mini 30 mags by now by accident.

As competentone said, if you tried to load the wrong ammo in the wrong mag, you'll know you have a problem right away. You'll have to look at your mini 30 mag and compare them with a mini 14 side by side. At the minimum, the follower will look different. Once you see the difference you'll know what to look for in the future. GD
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rmeyer

June 15, 2002 00:32
The high cap mags. for those 2 rifles look nothing alike to me. Mini 30 mags look alot more like an AK mag then a mini 14 mag.
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