Review: ProMag 20-Round Steel Blue Magazine for the Ruger Mini-14
[[image:Promag20-locked.jpg|thumb|200px|right|ProMag's 20 Rounder]]
Magazines are always an issue for mini-14 owners, at least those who are after more than 5 rounds. Unfortunately, Ruger won’t sell higher capacity magazines to civilians. Research the web and you’ll see that Ruger and PMI are about the only magazines without some controversy regarding their reliability. Unfortunately, these magazines are pricey and hard to come by. Since I was mainly looking for something for plinking, I was open to cheaper possibilities. I settled on ProMag’s 20 round steel magazine at Midway USA
The magazine itself is sturdy and has a nice blued finish. It is constructed of welded steel with a polymer follower.
[[image:Promag20-compare.jpg|thumb|120px|right|ProMag 20 vs. Ruger 5 Round]] || [[image:Promag20-front.jpg|thumb|120px|right|Front View]] || [[image:Promag20-bottom.jpg|thumb|120px|right|Bottom/Back View]]
Loading the gazine presents no problems and there are no noticeable differences from loading a factory 5 rounder. As with the factory 5 round, loading this magazine is far easier than the pistol magazines that shooters might be used to. Even on the 20th round, resistance is reasonable.
[[image:Promag20-top.jpg|thumb|120px|right|]] || [[image:Promag20-boltstop.jpg|thumb|120px|right|]]
Inserting the magazine is arguably easier than the factory 5-round due to its added length, at least on the 580 series ranch rifle the magazine was tested with. Fit is slightly loose. Holding the rifle in firmly one hand, the magazine can be moved a little side to side and and front to back. However, when just shaking the rifle itself, the magazine does not rattle or appear to move.
Reliability was flawless with the first 200+rounds.
I see no reason not to buy the magazine for plinking or any other use, for that matter. The magazine appears to be of quality construction, it has done everything this shooter has asked of it, and at $20, the price is right. While one magazine is not a significant sample, I’m now open to the possibility that mini owners do not have to buy PMI or Ruger mags. Hopefully, potential buyers play close attention to the fine details when researching magazines and don’t blacklist entire companies based on vague complaints. In conclusion, Promag’s steel 20 rounder and the 580 series mini-14 make a fine combination.
For further information on the Mini-14, visit our Mini-14 page.
armory.stoppingpower.info
The issue with the promags….
On the rear end(the end facing you) when inserted,…..some of the promags have a flat steel piece welded on,..some have a rolled metal (tunnel – like) piece welded on.\\
The flat ones are the problem …..the rolled ones all work flawlessly.
Stick with the Ruger mags. You can now obtain a 20 round and even 30 round if price is not an issue. I would rather pay a little more for trouble free problems. Pro Mags and all these other companies need to shut the door and pad lock if they can’t produce QUALITY products. Most of the aftermarket products are junk!!!!!!
I bought some Pro Mag 20 round polymer mags for my mini 14 tactical, none of them work. Took them back and couldn’t get my money back, just different mags. They wouldn’t work either. Stay away from Pro Mag as they are junk and the company doesn’t care either.
Thanks for the update Lonnie. For everyone else’s benefit, were these purchased recently (aka, it’s still a problem) or sometime in the past (they were a problem at some point)? Have you tried Ruger 20 round mags yet? If so, I’d be curious to hear about any feed issues you do or don’t have…
Also, was it any particular brand of ammo that was failing to feed? Or was it some other problem with the mags. I just assumed you were having feed problems…
No problem with my Promag 20 steel. My Promag 30 polymers wouldn’t hold more than 28 rounds. But then again feed was a little iffy first couple rounds with factory 30′s I’ve used.
i purchased 4 20′s & 6 30 round pro mags about a year ago , all of them go in & out with ease and feed just fine.