The 10/30 PMag - How To

[AlohaRover]

Required materials:
30rd PMag
3/8" diameter rod, 5.10" long( ** I have been told by a couple people that on the new PMags this is too long and they are making their rods 4-5/8" long. I have not confirmed this. I would make the rod long. Reassemble and test. Cut a little off and repeat until it holds ten and only ten***)
1/8" diameter rod 1/2" long
2-part epoxy

Tools:
1/8" drill
hacksaw to cut the rods.

Disassemble the PMag. This is the underside of the follower. That C shape is part of the spring retainer and has an ID of 3/8"



Cut a piece of 3/8 rod to 5.1" long.
Insert into the C on the under side of the Follower.
yes this is a 20rd follower in the photo


Drill through the rod and both sides of the C with the 1/8 drill.
Drill at the red dot


Insert the 1/8" rod. Make it so that both ends of the rod are just below the surface
Coat with the mixed up epoxy


Let the epoxy fully cure.
Reassemble the magazine


Holds ten rounds and there is just enough room so you can still remove the base plate.

If you are at all worried cut the rod to 5.2" and then just trim until perfect.

No interference with the spring.

[FEDUPWBS]

SWEET. Great post Pete!

[aplinker]

Nice technique and beautiful write-up, unfortunately...

without sealing the floorplate there's potential this could be considered insufficiently permanant as a swap of followers would allow full capacity.

I would epoxy a limiter that impedes the follower onto the wall itself.

[FEDUPWBS]

Permanency (undefinable) is not a factor it clearly is NOT a high cap mag and thus is "permanent" enough for my taste and the letter of the law. I would not sell it as is but would use it in my own rifle and suggest it to my customers to build from a parts kit.


Comments Gene?

[pdq_wizzard]

so did you drill your finger? looks like blood on the bench

[AlohaRover]

it is blood, old project

One thought I have is to drill and pin the base plate in place. Make the pin a little short and fill the holes with epoxy?

I will do up another one, this time with blocks epoxied inside the mag body.
I know the correct length now.

I have also started a 10/20 conversion with the single rod up the middle method. I think the rod is 2.7" long for that one.

All I did was to attach the rod and leave it too long. Insert into mag, add ten rounds, mark rod at base of mag.

[pdq_wizzard]

it is blood, old project

thought so, just don't ask me how I know

[edwordsigh]

The 'how to' I've been waiting for! AT LASTTT! Thanks AlohaRover!

[joemama]

I thought they made 10/30 pmags. why would you have to modify an actual 30 rounder?

[gn3hz3ku1*]

you modify them (30 rders) to become 10/30s its not factory...
where did you buy the rods from?

[joemama]

Oh, I thought they came made like that.

[edwordsigh]

Oh, I thought they came made like that.

Also because of the fact stores that make 10/30s charge 25-30 dollars per mag. So if you could buy a rebuild kit and if you have extra materials lying around... might as well try to save 15 dollars and make it yourself :]

[NiteQwill]

What kind of rods did you use?

[AlohaRover]

I have an assortment of carbon steel rods in my scrap bin. 1/8 up to 1"

But I would think that anything with the correct diameter is going to work just the same.

Aircraftspruce.com
look at their aluminum tube. They sell it by the foot.

6061T6 ALUM TUBE 3/8X.035 1FT is 1.70 a foot.

[shark92651]

Nice technique and beautiful write-up, unfortunately...

without sealing the floorplate there's potential this could be considered insufficiently permanant as a swap of followers would allow full capacity.

I would epoxy a limiter that impedes the follower onto the wall itself.

This sparked a thought - if I take a plain-jane C Products 10 round magazine and replace the anti-tilt follower with a USGI follower without the long anti-tilt legs I imagine it would then hold 11 rounds. Is the 10 round magazine with the anti-tilt legs legal because it was never intended originally to hold > 10 rounds, but a large capacity magazine that is modified to hold 10, but can be converted back easily is illegal because it started out life as > 10?