What we need for the AR shooters...

sscoyote

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Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Messages
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Location
Pueblo, CO
Sure wish some enterprising gunsmith would pick up on this little modification to the AR magazines. DPMS used to sell it as the "VLD Magazine", but i think the guy who was making it for them died. Here's a couple pics, the 2nd of which is the OAL needed for the 75 A-Max seated to the VLD magazine's max. length--

DPMSVLDmagazine.jpg

IMG_0756.jpg
 
I get that you want to seat the bullet out, but I'm not sure I understand what the modification is? Please elaborate.
 
If you look closely at the back of the magazine in the top picture you can see where its spot-welded right behind the case. in the bottom picture the magazine is a lot thinner in that area, allowing him to slide the cartridge a little further back into the magazine. I belive it is no longer a stagger-feed type magazine, I've never seen one in person, and I dont think Steve's gonna give his up...
 
That's right Matt. Right on the nose. It allows for efficent seating of (probably) the best long-range varmint bullet out there for the AR 223-based cases--the A-Max's.
If a gunsmith or fabricator would be interested in putting this magazine back in circualtion i'd send them 1 to play with.
 
thats an interesting mag,,, but the 75 gr amax isnt much good for coyotes and your ar better have a 1-8 or 1-7 twist and a min 24" barrel and 26'" even better. the 52 gr amax would be a better choice for yotes.
 
Fairly common modification (at least at one time) was to cut away the front portion of the magazine where the meplats would normally contact the mag, allowing them to be seated out just a tad longer. The front portion of the magazine well then becomes the limiting factor. Might be worth a try, if you're serious about this. The mags mentioned here were originally known as LRP (Long Range Products) specialty mags, but they have since been discontinued.

Hope this helps a bit!

Kevin Thomas
Lapua USA
 
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Thanks Kevin--i heard that the guy who was making them for DPMS died, and that's the reason they're no longer being made. He was supposed to be the guy that started the LRP business u mentioned. Can't believe nobody's picked up on this little gem. I have 1 as pictured above and it's just as sweet as it gets when attempting to shoot the longer VLD's.
 
sscoyote, can you post a pic of the mag without a shell in it? I would like to see the follower. What are you getting for max oal? 2.400" ish? What is the capacity of these mags? Is there something incorporated into the mag to keep the cartridges pushed to the back of the mag, and the front kept centered?

I'm thinking I may cut up a few mags and see what I come up with.

thanks,
m
 
The total capacity should be 9-10. The rounds end up with the case head into the notch in the rear of the magazine yielding even greater OALs.

I've shot more that a few coyotes with the 75 AMAX from 16" AR with a MV of ~ 2500. They were all less than 300. More like 250 or less. It killed them dead just fine. They are not explosive on prairie dogs like the VMAX, but they all died too. The most amazing thing was shooting them at mag length with a HEAVY compressed charge of Varget and the bullets took a HUGE jump just fine. When the planets are aligned, that little rifle shoots 1/3 MOA groups with that load.

If you look carefully at Steve's mag, the two pieces are clamshelled together different than most, making it easier for OAL modification.
 
Hey sonny, see u at work Thur. Needs me some free coffee.

M, PM sent. The LRP magazine that i can send u is rated at an OAL of 2.425", but i think i was working at 2.45 when i loaded them. It does require a special bolt stop since the base of the case is further back. I think u can see that at the very back of the magazine the aluminum (maybe it's steel?) is 1 piece. OK i'm looking at it now and it looks like the guy cut the back of the guide ridge completely out and made a new one piece ridge and slid it into the magazine. Then stamped it on both sides to hold it together.

There have been a couple companies that had an interest in making these at 1 time, but haven't heard anything recently. One told me it would cost about 100 grand to get machined up for it. But u know the guy that was making them oughtta' still have the machinery around somewhere...right?

IMG_0812.jpg

IMG_0809.jpg
 
Hmmm, I bet I could make one. I have a life time supply of mags laying around. I have access to sheet metal and a small metal break. Bending the feed lips over wouldnt be a problem at all. The hardest thing to make would be the follower. To me it looks like it was machined out of solid UHMW.
 
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