PMI mags

[Sidewinder]

I have an opportunity to buy some no-longer-made Precision Mag Industries (PMI) for Mini-14. Although they are after market, are they worth buying on the presumption they are quality mags?

 

[MG34_Dan]

I have an opportunity to buy some no-longer-made Precision Mag Industries (PMI) for Mini-14. Although they are after market, are they worth buying on the presumption they are quality mags?

Buy 'em, you'll like 'em. But, make sure that they are marked PMI first. If no markings, then walk away.

 

[Sidewinder]

MG34_Dan

What's the skinny on unmarked mags? Are they knockoffs or what?

 

[MG34_Dan]

MG34_Dan
What's the skinny on unmarked mags? Are they knockoffs or what?

Unmarked stuff came from everywhere and you could find them easily in Shotgun News. Most, if not all were crap. Northridge International sold a bunch of then in the late '70s and early '80s. 99% worked like $hit. The PMI stuff is well constructed and always works. Not only did PMI make great Mini-14 mags, they also made nice Valmet mags. PMI mags, even back then, were two or three times the cost of the unmarked crap mags. I guess they just couldn't compete.

 

[Sidewinder]

The PMIs I'm looking at are in PMI wrappers but have no markings on the floor plates. But they do match Internet images of PMI magazines. I'm assuming that because of the wrappers and match up with images of PMI mags that they are the real things. I understand that PMI did no always mark their mags for some reason, which seems strange to me,

 

[MG34_Dan]

I have some PMIs around here somewhere. If I can locate them, I'll take some pics and post them for reference.

 

[ateamrob]

I have used PMI mags in my Minis and AC's for years and years. Always had great luck with them. The only thing I had with a few of them over the years is the bolt did not lock back on the last round however the functioned flawlessly. Bolt not locking back was most likely a follower issue.

Again no issues with the PMIs. Always worked great for me. Also the John Masen mags (might be black dog these days I can't remember) also worked very well for me over the years.

Rob

 

[ScottinTexas]

I used to have some PMIs new in plastic. I could see no PMI markings on the mags but the plastic package was clearly PMI.

I think I eventually sold them in that condition as I didn't need them and keeping them unopened was the best way to prove they were PMI and therefore get the best price for them.

 

[Battering ram NIB]

whats wrong with the normal Ruger Mini 14 mags? they arent hard to find or that expensive....buy the real deal and have no worries....or buy PMI and get ??

 

[ScottinTexas]

Nothing wrong with either Ruger OR PMI mags and the PMI mags are probably 1/2 the cost of Rugers.

In other words, that's what you should have learned from this thread at this point.

 

[Battering ram NIB]

risk quality to save $10 a mag on a $10k-14k rifle (if were talking ac556 vs Mini14).....just wondering why this conversation is worth having....buy ruger and be 100% sure you got it right...or save 50% and roll the dice

 

[ScottinTexas]

risk quality to save $10 a mag on a $10k-14k rifle (if were talking ac556 vs Mini14).....just wondering why this conversation is worth having....buy ruger and be 100% sure you got it right...or save 50% and roll the dice

You learned nothing from this thread and probably should let it go. Just stop commenting on the topic.

Folks with PMI magazines and reading comprehension in their inventory understand the point.

 

[ateamrob]

whats wrong with the normal Ruger Mini 14 mags? they arent hard to find or that expensive....buy the real deal and have no worries....or buy PMI and get ??

nothing is wrong with them however Ruger does not make the mags in Stainless or nickel plated finishes only black. Some folks.... like myself have stainless rifles and like to have some stainless mags and PMI offered them in stainless finishes. Thats the main reason for me anyways.

Rob

 

[MG34_Dan]

Well, it took a while, but I did find my stash of Mini-14 PMI magazines. Here are some photos comparing them to other non-Ruger magazines:

New in the wrapper PMIs including a couple stainless 40 rounders.

Crap no-namers on the left with PMIs on the right. Notice the PMI locking block is a separate piece that is spot welded in place while the no-namers have a press-to-form locking block.

Crap on left. PMI on right.

Crap on left. PMI on right.

Crap on left. PMI on right.

The blued PMI mags have blank floor plates while the stainless ones are marked.

All PMI stainless 30 rounders have marked floor plates.

But the PMI stainless 40 rounders have blank floor plates. Go figure...

Now let's compare PMI 30 round blue mags with the stainless mags:

Well, that's all she wrote. If you should stumble upon a non-Ruger marked Mini/AC magazine compare it to the pictures above. If it looks to be a PMI magazine, you can be assured it will work just fine in your weapon.

I know I have a couple Valmet PMI magazines around here. If anyone wants to see them, let me know and I can spend an additional month to find and photograph them.

 

[Sidewinder]

Thanks for posting the various images. They answer my questions on quality and unmarked floor plates.