Fred C Dobbs
Single-Sixer
Hi folks. I got a Maglula magazine loader for Ruger Mini 14 magazines. I tried it with the 5 round mag that came with the gun. Worked fine. Tried it with three ten rounds I ordered from Ruger directly. Their stamp on the bottom. Loader didn't work well. The reason turned out to be the new Ruger mags, while working fine in the gun must be from a different sub contractor. Note in the picture the 5 round mag has a groove on the back side. The Maglula hooks into it and stabililzed on the groove. With the groove missing the loader rocks when you attempt to load the gun and in order to make it functional I had to Bubba a nylon strap to stabilize the loader so it will work properly. Note the missing groove on the latest ten round Ruger mags.
Groove, no groove.
The strap slips on and off but is irritating to have to use it.
I subsequently ordered a couple ten round Promag magazines. They work fine in the gun and also have the groove. Also notice the bottom of the Promag magazine has a plastic base the same shape as the original Ruger mag and the new Ruger mags ave a flat metal plate.
I also ordered a triple K magazine from Brownells and it too has a groove. Here are a couple shots of the original 5 round Ruger mag and my two 10 round mags from Promag.
I am using the mags with the grooves so I can use the loader. This is not Rugers problem. It's not their loader and they are free to subcontract their mags anywhere they wish. (My assumption that they don't make them in house)
I emailed Maglula in Israel. After a lot of discussion I finally got the guy to recognize the problem but hes working on something else and didn't say he had any plans to redesign the loader.
This could be fixed with a new lower part of the speed loader that was designed like a plastic holster for the mag to slip in to. That would keep the upper part and the cartridge clips it uses from tilting and failing to work. More bulky but at least it would work with a variety of mags if you set it on a hard surface to work it.
Groove, no groove.
The strap slips on and off but is irritating to have to use it.
I subsequently ordered a couple ten round Promag magazines. They work fine in the gun and also have the groove. Also notice the bottom of the Promag magazine has a plastic base the same shape as the original Ruger mag and the new Ruger mags ave a flat metal plate.
I also ordered a triple K magazine from Brownells and it too has a groove. Here are a couple shots of the original 5 round Ruger mag and my two 10 round mags from Promag.
I am using the mags with the grooves so I can use the loader. This is not Rugers problem. It's not their loader and they are free to subcontract their mags anywhere they wish. (My assumption that they don't make them in house)
I emailed Maglula in Israel. After a lot of discussion I finally got the guy to recognize the problem but hes working on something else and didn't say he had any plans to redesign the loader.
This could be fixed with a new lower part of the speed loader that was designed like a plastic holster for the mag to slip in to. That would keep the upper part and the cartridge clips it uses from tilting and failing to work. More bulky but at least it would work with a variety of mags if you set it on a hard surface to work it.
