Gunsmithing AI 223 Magazine delima

[SporterII]

I have a 700 in 223 with bottom metal installed for the AI magazines.
They do not last long. They also are not available.
I would have ceased production myself.
They are soft and the brass erodes the feed lips quickly. Initially wearing the foreword part of the lips so the cartridge noses up and the bolt runs right over the round without picking it up. They will soon not retain a round at all.

Am I the last guy here to figure this out?
AI has a good rep and people like their expensive product.
What is the solution?
BDL time ?- what a waste of money, A Major hit. There must be a solution.

 

[matthias]

Get th.e 308 mags and bend the feed lips, install a block in the back of the mag. Hooray you have a high cap 223 mag that doesn't suck. Did this for my 300 blackout , also did the same for my 458 socom. Works well.

 

[nexusfire]

I have a 700 in 223 with bottom metal installed for the AI magazines.
They do not last long. They also are not available.
I would have ceased production myself.
They are soft and the brass erodes the feed lips quickly. Initially wearing the foreword part of the lips so the cartridge noses up and the bolt runs right over the round without picking it up. They will soon not retain a round at all.

Am I the last guy here to figure this out?
AI has a good rep and people like their expensive product.
What is the solution?
BDL time ?- what a waste of money, A Major hit. There must be a solution.

I have shot 1000's of rounds thru an AI 223 mag with no issues.

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk 2

 

[SporterII]

I have shot 1000's of rounds thru an AI 223 mag with no issues.

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk 2

That could show that there are inconsistent product.
Clear to see mine are soft. Feedlip erosion to the point of barely holding a round, 400[+/-] rds. No replacement.
Matthias, I have some SA steel mags. Personally I am scared to start bending but that may have to be.
Accurate offers a steel mag that they Convert. Anyone have these?

 

[SporterII]

I have shot 1000's of rounds thru an AI 223 mag with no issues.

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk 2

That could show that there are inconsistent product.
Clear to see mine are soft. Feedlip erosion to the point of barely holding a round, 400[+/-] rds. No replacement.
Matthias, I have some SA steel mags. Personally I am scared to start bending but that may have to be.
Accurate offers a steel mag that they Convert. Anyone have these?

 

[johninok]

I had a couple soft ones too, wore out in short order. I went with Wyatts on the next build , and after a little polishing of the steel mags, they feed great and seem pretty bomb proof, YMMV.

 

[cal50]

I have two (2) and both work flawlessly but I only have a couple hundred rounds thru them.

 

[bohem]

Haven't managed to wear one out, though the people that I have seen wear them out have the retention bar in the DBM adjusted incorrectly and the bolt body contacts the feed lips and shaves them away.

 

[223ai]

I have 6, 3 of them have seen competition this past year and have +/- 5000 rounds between. All of mine have been flawless outside of extremely dusty environments in new mexico, but I saw plenty of mags choke at that match.

 

[SporterII]

Mine are seated just right by a Good smith.
They show erosion under the feed lips mostly front half.
The Lapua brass I run thru these is sharp around the base - extractor groove. I try to load them without shaving. Softer profile brass will probably extend the life of [mine]. May be a factor in yours. P mags are not as susceptible but I will not run them now. Decades of aluminum mags. No issues.