Has anybody modified a 10 round magazine?

[zachomega]

I bought a used gun and it came with two 10 round magazines. I have the factory correct 17 round magazines.

But these hold 10 in a full size frame. Lame. If i take a Dremel and cut a window out in the side of the magazine where it is crimped to restrict the capacity, will this work? Has anybody done this? This would just be for range magazines.

Thoughts?
-Zach

[gghbi]

I have liberated brain damaged magazines before, but they had internal blocks. On those all I needed was new base plate and locking plate, or just to remove the limiter. On a crimped mag, you might be able to remove/undo the crimp from inside depending on the geometry. It might be better to sell them to a denizen of PRNJ or some such and get a new proper mag.

[Walleye Hunter]

How are they crimped? Could you stick a thick piece of steel in there for backing and hammer it out?

[Driswalds]

I leave them as range mags and just buy the correct high caps.

[GunLawyer001]

Some of the mags were designed to fall apart if you removed the blocks, especially the mags with the groove all around the bottom; the only thing holding top and base together was the blocking material. I suppose that you could weld up the rest of a mag like that and remove the block.

Are the springs full-size? Is the follower the same as your 17 rounder? Can you buy mag bodies?

Me, I'd just buy a couple more full-cap mags, unless you need a hobby. Making things better can be rewarding, even when not cost & time-efficient.

[raxar]

List them on ebay, you will probably be satisfied with the result.

[Knightshift]

List them on ebay, you will probably be satisfied with the result.

This. 🔼🔼🔼
Just get some $$$ to buy full mags.

[zachomega]

How are they crimped? Could you stick a thick piece of steel in there for backing and hammer it out?

They are pretty well crimped. The follower and spring look to be normal. That said, the follower might be smaller to accommodate the Ruger geometry in the magazine.

I leave them as range mags and just buy the correct high caps.

They might just be spare parts of i need a spring or a base plate.

Some of the mags were designed to fall apart if you removed the blocks, especially the mags with the groove all around the bottom; the only thing holding top and base together was the blocking material. I suppose that you could weld up the rest of a mag like that and remove the block.

Are the springs full-size? Is the follower the same as your 17 rounder? Can you buy mag bodies?

Me, I'd just buy a couple more full-cap mags, unless you need a hobby. Making things better can be rewarding, even when not cost & time-efficient.

Maybe to buying the body? I've never even searched for magazine parts for a pistol. I don't think the structural integrity will be compromised of i cut into the sides, but i do worry that I don't be able to clean up any burrs easily.

-Zach

[SgtRecon]

If your just using them as "range mags" as stated in your original post, whats wrong with just keeping them at 10 rounds Vs. potentially rendering them useless when modifying perfectly good magazines ?

I bought a bunch of 10 rounders for my HK USP for a thrid of the $$ of the full caps, use them only at the range keep the standard caps for carry, I generally keep a minimum of 10-12 mags + for all my pistols

[zachomega]

If your just using them as "range mags" as stated in your original post, whats wrong with just keeping them at 10 rounds Vs. potentially rendering them useless when modifying perfectly good magazines ?

I bought a bunch of 10 rounders for my HK USP for a thrid of the $$ of the full caps, use them only at the range keep the standard caps for carry, I generally keep a minimum of 10-12 mags + for all my pistols

I hear you about keeping a bunch of magazines. I minimally keep 5 on hand sand usually it is more.

It wouldn't bother me so much except that i have the subcompact version of the gun i just bought. It comes with 13 round magazines. The full size has 17. The subcompact can accept the full size magazines. But it makes no sense since the flush fit magazines hold more.

I was explaining this to a friend yesterday and he (new to guns) said with a puzzled look, "so 10 rounds make a gun safer?"

I just want to stick it to those magazines for even existing. I don't plan to carry this gun. Although i guess it could happen. So capacity isn't really a big deal.

-Zach