Is it possible to shorten a AR-15 Magazine ?

[DuneHopper]

Was wondering
Is it possible to shorten a AR-15 Magazine ?

There are a couple ten rounders but they are the length of 30rders Id like to shorten it.
Why? Because I want something more flush.

Thanks

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[Kruel J]

Why not just buy some ten rounders? I'm sure with enough patience and such a guy could cut them down, and attach a bottom plate (assuming they're metal mags). But that sure seems like a lot of trouble when you can grab 10 rounders for around $15 a piece.

C Products Defense 10-Round .223/5.56 Stainless Steel AR Magazine 1023041178CPD Color: Black, Magazine Capacity: 10, Gun Model: AR, 32% Off

 

[Member 34319]

Ya, if it were me, buying them seems a lot easier than trying to mess with cutting up and rebending any needed metal in place to accept the floorplate.

 

[Member 34319]

Magpul PMAG 10 AR/M4 GEN M3 5.56 NATO Magazine - Black MAG559-BLK

 

[Tully Mars]

Agree with @Kruejl on this. Why go to all the trouble when a new one is a couple clicks away?

But to answer your question sure you can.

 

[billdeserthills]

Sure, You can shorten a magazine--I remember I wanted another mag for my 45 acp AMT Backup and I was too cheap to pay for it, so I just cut down a stainless 1911 mag at the bottom & rewelded the base plate on. It was an interesting lil' project and I enjoyed having something to do. Normal folks just buy the mag they want though

 

[Kruel J]

Ya, if it were me, buying them seems a lot easier than trying to mess with cutting up and rebending any needed metal in place to accept the floorplate.

Not to mention, since there are probably very few members with the right tools to do that, it will probably look like a POS.

@IronMonster is the only one I know that could more than likely make it look factory. Or even better make one from scratch!

 

[DuneHopper]

Well, sure they could be bought,... I have only tackled this on fixed magazines and never external.
I try and do my own work when I can, nothing wrong with buying but I like working on them and when I run out of projects
I think hey lets take a perfectly good 30rd and make it short.
I think 10 or less 7 is ideal but will have to work out the math. Just wondered if anyone here had done it save
me some time. There are quite a few extras around and wanted a shorty for it.
I have made a 10rder into a 40rds using a mag stretcher . !

 

[Kruel J]

Well, sure they could be bought,... I have only tackled this on fixed magazines and never external.
I try and do my own work when I can, nothing wrong with buying but I like working on them and when I run out of projects
I think hey lets take a perfectly good 30rd and make it short.
I think 10 or less 7 is ideal but will have to work out the math. Just wondered if anyone here had done it save
me some time. There are quite a few extras around and wanted a shorty for it.
I have made a 10rder into a 40rds using a mag stretcher . !

Yeah, when I was a carpenter out in the field I used to mess with apprentices and send them to my truck for a "board stretcher" when they cut something short.

 

[DuneHopper]

Problem solved, I just took a 30rd and only put 10 in. I didn't realize they would hold only ten rounds
thanks for all the help guys...

 

[11Charlie]

Problem solved, I just took a 30rd and only put 10 in. I didn't realize they would hold only ten rounds
thanks for all the help guys...

I thought you lost them all in a boating accident last summer?

 

[Argonaut]

I have a factory Colt 10 rounder that came with the Hbar I bought in 1991 in California. No need to make one. We used 20 round (straight) magazines in the USAF well into the 80's. They would be easy to shorten but I am sure there are plenty of 10 rounders around to buy.

 

[Tully Mars]

Well, sure they could be bought,... I have only tackled this on fixed magazines and never external.
I try and do my own work when I can, nothing wrong with buying but I like working on them and when I run out of projects
I think hey lets take a perfectly good 30rd and make it short.
I think 10 or less 7 is ideal but will have to work out the math. Just wondered if anyone here had done it save
me some time. There are quite a few extras around and wanted a shorty for it.
I have made a 10rder into a 40rds using a mag stretcher . !

Well now this is different. You didn't say you wanted a project
Reducing capacity is easy. Stretching can sometimes be tricky. If it was me I would make 5 rounders if they would stick out just below the mag well. I haven't done any measuring. Once you have the measurements you need you just need to lay out the tabs then cut them out.

I don't think I've ever shortened a mag come to think of it. I just adapted a Saiga12 drum to fit my SAS12 I ordered a couple of months back. I ordered an extra 5 rn mag and the drum for this project when I ordered the shotty. All I still need to do is to blast and park it, but I'm waiting til I have a batch of stuff to do all at once.

 

[DuneHopper]

I thought you lost them all in a boating accident last summer?

I did , figured that was a given, my friend who is very needy keeps asking me stuff.


Gees some friends I tell ya. If it wasn't for this guy id have no friends at all.

I asked him if he wanted to go to the movies with me and my wife, so he took my wife.
I tell you friends like this,
My friend moved to a new address so I sent him a birthday card with some money, he sent the card back return to sender
and kept the money.
Wow this friend I think hes out to get me,
We went to the shooting range once, he said he was having a hard time hitting the targets, so he asked me to hold them.

Hehe , my attempt and Rodney Dangerfield

 

[KKG]

I made several 5 rounders but the Aluminum is very easy to break and this isn't something that I can recommend people do. I built a Leveraction .223 and building my own was the Only Option at the time.

 

[Tully Mars]

I made several 5 rounders but the Aluminum is very easy to break and this isn't something that I can recommend people do. I built a Leveraction .223 and building my own was the Only Option at the time.

Preheat the aluminum before bending. Have everything set up and ready before you apply the heat. You can use a standard propane torch and it won't take long at all. Use a nylon type or brass mallet.

 

[KKG]

Preheat the aluminum before bending. Have everything set up and ready before you apply the heat. You can use a standard propane torch and it won't take long at all. Use a nylon type or brass mallet.

I did the heating process but it was still a bit of a hit or miss type of project. Three out of five turned out OK. I was glad I had lots of magazines to work with.

 

[Mark W.]

My son has a Mossberg MVP Varmit and he uses metal 10 rd .223 AR type magazines with it. Being a Bolt action and shot from a bench a lot the short mags work better.

 

[DirectDrive]

Problem solved, I just took a 30rd and only put 10 in. I didn't realize they would hold only ten rounds
thanks for all the help guys...

Better solution is to take a 30 round and stuff 11 458 SOCOM in there.
Now that's "problem solved".

 

[Deavis]

Just buy magpul 10s.