AI mag - disappointed

[Meyer1784]

Just got my New AI mag (first one I’ve owned) in the mail today and Im not exactly happy with how it functions in my rifle (MPA 6.5 creedmoor). The amount of force it takes to work the bolt on the first few rounds makes me feel like I’m damaging my rifle. I spent over double the money on the AI compared to the Magpul and the Magpul seems to function much better. Am I the only who had experienced this? Is there anything I can do to make the AI mag feed smoother?

Thanks

Matt

 

[demolitionman]

Same experience here. I had to do a lot of fine grit sanding down the feed lips. After an hour of fiddling and sanding they now run excellent. If you can get by with the lesser OAL of the magpul run them and don't look back. The added oal of the accurate mags and ai mags were a must for me as I was running VLD out pretty long.

 

[MarinePMI]

Sounds like your mag latch is a tad too long. AI mags are the gold standard with a standard .308 based round. If it isn't working, I'd highly doubt it is the mag. Magpul mags are an economy mag. They work...most of the time. But I've seen a whole lot of them have issues in matches, especially when people are working bolts under stress. I very rarely see an issue with AI mags.

 

[Badfinger]

It sounds more like the fit between the mag and your gun....these mags are the smoothest and easiest to load and shoot that I've ever experienced ( in an AI) in fact many times I check to see if a round actually loaded.

 

[demolitionman]

Same experience here. I had to do a lot of fine grit sanding down the feed lips. After an hour of fiddling and sanding they now run excellent. If you can get by with the lesser OAL of the magpul run them and don't look back. The added oal of the accurate mags and ai mags were a must for me as I was running VLD out pretty long.

 

[JMGlasgow]

Everyone I know who runs the AI mags really likes them. Those same people including me have bought and sold the Magpul mags. They all malfunctioned repeatedly. Spend the money on AI and don't look back.

I recently bought an Accurate Mag, and it has been flawless so far in multiple rifles with traditional stocks and chassis.

 

[Jeffd]

Same issue here on one of my 6.5CM bolt guns

 

[AbbyKatt]

Same problem here too. I also run an MPA chassis / 6.5CM. The AI mags didn't seem to present the round high enough to chamber smoothly. Forcing the bolt only drove the tip of the bullet into the feed ramp. We sanded and bent the feed lips. Tried the Magpuls...smooth loading. They function great at half the cost.

 

[nexusfire]

Check your OAL with 6.5cm. I believe AICS mags are like 2.875. My pet load is longer than this and so I am using Accurate Mags that are 2.950.

 

[nexusfire]

Scratch that they are shorter then that. Magpul are 2.860 and they are slightly longer than AI.

 

[Meyer1784]

Same problem here too. I also run an MPA chassis / 6.5CM. The AI mags didn't seem to present the round high enough to chamber smoothly. Forcing the bolt only drove the tip of the bullet into the feed ramp. We sanded and bent the feed lips. Tried the Magpuls...smooth loading. They function great at half the cost.

Once you sanded and bent feed lips did the mag function like they’re intended?

 

[winniedonkey]

To those that had issues, what actions are you running in the MPA chassis? Just curious as I'm looking at them for my next build. Thanks

 

[aam]

@ Meyer1784,

would you by any chance have a link to where you purchsed your magazine from?

 

[deersniper]

This is an action/bottom metal issue. AI mags are the best mags out there.

 

[linedrive301ft]

I had this same issue when I purchased my MPA chassis. The mag catch was too long. A few thousand's filed off the catch fixed the problem.
My AICS, Magpul and Alpha mags now feed and function fine.

 

[noisewaterphd]

You set your rifle up for the mags you want to run. Mags should feed smooth, drop free, and not be able to be pushed high enough to inhibit bolt operation. Generally, this is something your gunsmith will take into account and it is usually wise to continue using the mags they have built your gun to operate with best.

If you want to change things up to a different brand of magazine, you will need to go through this process yourself, or go back to your gunsmith and have him/her do the work.

 

[Meyer1784]

@ Meyer1784,

would you by any chance have a link to where you purchsed your magazine from?

I bought it from optics plantet

 

[AbbyKatt]

Once you sanded and bent feed lips did the mag function like they’re intended?

No. Didn't see any change in function and I got worried that maybe we bent the lips back and for too much compromising the metal. Sent them back to Midway.

 

[Forrest84]

Mine do that in my surgeon for the first couple rounds if I have them loaded to max capacity

 

[A5scott]

I had this same issue when I purchased my MPA chassis. The mag catch was too long. A few thousand's filed off the catch fixed the problem.
My AICS, Magpul and Alpha mags now feed and function fine.

Hey, I have the same issue with my MPA build, stiller tac 30... Accurate mags, when I go to chamber a round, there is a lot of resistance that seems to be coming from the feed lips, and I kind of end up pushing the rifle off target to chamber a round. So you shaved a few thousandths off the top of the mag catch/release thats inside the chassis and that cured it? Would that make the magazine sit a few thou lower?
When I bench it and single feed by hand, the rounds glide right into battery with ease.
I found some AI mags, but maybe I'll hold off until I get this fix checked out

Scott

 

[atxhorn4425]

My Bighorn TL-3 in an MPA chassis worked great with ARC mags from the get go. For what it's worth.

 

[tnichols]

Sounds like the interface between the MPA chassis and AI mags are the common theme. If your Magpul mags run better, run 'em. I run AI mags in AI's, and they're like butter.

 

[linedrive301ft]

A5scott,
5 to7 thousands off the mag catch fixed my problem. Go slow with this. All my mags run smooth now.

 

[04JRB]

I had to open up the feed lips at the front, and sand them a bit. They work really well now.

The magpul mags seem to have the first round of a full mag pop up the tip of the bullet in the action when chambering in my XLR element though. The AI's do not.

I use the AI's in my 6.5CM in the element chassis. I use the magpuls with my .308 in the magpul 700 chassis.

 

[impactaddict]

Sometimes those feed lips can get damaged in shipping. What'll happen is the feed lips deform slightly which usually causes the round to be held lower in the mag; making it harder for your bolt to strip the round clear. When I switched bullet weights in my 6.5CM, the rounds would take a nose dive upon leaving the magazine, causing feeding issues. MPA makes a feed lip adjustment tool to tune your mags to your rifle and round. I adjusted feed lips and they started feeding fine. As others have said, they are the gold standard for DBMs in bolt guns.

 

[Meyer1784]

Sometimes those feed lips can get damaged in shipping. What'll happen is the feed lips deform slightly which usually causes the round to be held lower in the mag; making it harder for your bolt to strip the round clear. When I switched bullet weights in my 6.5CM, the rounds would take a nose dive upon leaving the magazine, causing feeding issues. MPA makes a feed lip adjustment tool to tune your mags to your rifle and round. I adjusted feed lips and they started feeding fine. As others have said, they are the gold standard for DBMs in bolt guns.

It was a the mag not the rifle

 

[Meyer1784]

It was a the mag not the rifle

Adjusted the feed lips and the mag worked like it was supposed to

 

[impactaddict]

Adjusted the feed lips and the mag worked like it was supposed to

Glad it worked out of you. I was suggesting adjusting the feed lips on your mag, not rifle. Sorry if it read that way.

 

[3rd shooter]

I am having tis same problem. Glad I found this. I plan on removing my mag release and shaving a few thousands off to see if this will fix. Would anyone have a video or instructions on disasembly of the MPA mag latch assembly?
Any help would be appriciated.

 

[PDXGS]

I make up several dummy rounds- bullet and brass to length, but no primer or powder.
I coat these rounds with a black sharpie and insert them into the mag.
I cycle the rounds into the chamber, eject and look for scratches in the shell.
I then adjust or sand the feed lips as needed to minimize the drag and scraping.
Reinspect before leaving for each match

 

[A5scott]

My issue has cleared itself up, as my mags broke in from use, and are now running nice and smooth.

In other news, I had a 6.5CM built on a Bighorn TL3 with AW cuts and with AW mags, that setup was silky smooth from the start.

Scott

 

[Stoweit]

Had to sand feed lips with AI mags in Curtis action, and then worked fine. Find Magpul mags much nicer to load. Got an ARC mag this week, seems silky smooth to load. Excited to try it. YMMV.

 

[lennyo3034]

Mine also feed smoother and more reliably with magpul mags. 3 different actions and chassis.

 

[10xk9]

I have 4 new AI mags for my GA Precision 6.5 Creedmoor. All of them give me problems when loading , they bind up and the bolt won’t close sometimes. I was talking to an instructor at a pretty big long range precision shooting school and he said he sees similar issues often with the AI magazines. They are definitely built better than any other magazines I’ve seen and I love the way they feel when loading them , but the function issues when they are in the gun are a pain in the ass. I’ve used Magpul magazines and they function flawlessly in that rifle.

 

[Badfinger]

Never Never Never Never modify the magazine, fix the rifle! Otherwise you have magazines that only work in one rifle.

 

[DOA]

Defiance action in an AI AT stock and have zero issues with AI mags. Smoother than Magpul mags.

 

[majohnson2]

AI mag are tough to beat for reliability and wear. I have run standard, long, and CIP length with no issues is in AI, Rem, and Stiller. And in multiple chassis without any issues. Take a look at Badfingers post, he hit the nail on the head so to speak.

 

[hlee]

I was disappointed with my AI mags too. Not because they didn't work, but because they were no better than the cheap magpul mags I had.

 

[cropdude]

Were you able to make the ARC mag work in your Curtis?

Had to sand feed lips with AI mags in Curtis action, and then worked fine. Find Magpul mags much nicer to load. Got an ARC mag this week, seems silky smooth to load. Excited to try it. YMMV.

 

[Stoweit]

Seems to work great cycling a bunch of rounds through. Super smooth, no contact with bolt. Going to the range today.
Very impressed so far. I’m using an MPA chassis.

 

[cropdude]

Seems to work great cycling a bunch of rounds through. Super smooth, no contact with bolt. Going to the range today.
Very impressed so far. I’m using an MPA chassis.

Mine worked great until I fired rifle a few times. Running 6.5CM in a MPA, after a couple shots the bullets started hanging up under the feed ramp just right or left of center.

 

[Guiseppe83]

Mine worked great until I fired rifle a few times. Running 6.5CM in a MPA, after a couple shots the bullets started hanging up under the feed ramp just right or left of center.

Just felt with same issue. Sold the arc mags. Trying to find someone who had similar problem and found a good mag to work with 6.5 Curtis in mpa. What did I end up doing?

 

[hlee]

If your rounds are hanging up under the feed ramp, you need a magazine with a binder plate. The binder plate prevents the rounds from binding under the feed ramp.

 

[Guiseppe83]

If your rounds are hanging up under the feed ramp, you need a magazine with a binder plate. The binder plate prevents the rounds from binding under the feed ramp.

Agreed. I’ve been looking online all day and so far this evening. Only ones I can find are the MDT. Have read some less than favorable reviews. You have a recommendation?

 

[hlee]

Unfortunately, I do not. My RPR uses a wide range of magazines, and magpul pmags work great. I was not impressed with Accuracy International brand aics mags- they'd be good at an equivalent price to the pmag but are kind of a rip off at 3x the cost. I had a weird malf with magpul aics pattern mags at a match. Pmag COAL is short, but fine for hornady factory ammo. Metal mags are all stupid expensive, especially when a $30 plastic mag works so much better. There was a cert for an MDT mag on a prize table at a recent match that I wish I had picked up. It's hard once a ginuea pig at those prices.

 

[Guiseppe83]

Unfortunately, I do not. My RPR uses a wide range of magazines, and magpul pmags work great. I was not impressed with Accuracy International brand aics mags- they'd be good at an equivalent price to the pmag but are kind of a rip off at 3x the cost. I had a weird malf with magpul aics pattern mags at a match. Pmag COAL is short, but fine for hornady factory ammo. Metal mags are all stupid expensive, especially when a $30 plastic mag works so much better. There was a cert for an MDT mag on a prize table at a recent match that I wish I had picked up. It's hard once a ginuea pig at those prices.

Exactly were I’m at! Pmags feed fine in my setup when sitting on a bench. However most stages at prs matches are a bit rough for the pmags. Anytime pressure from obstacle is applied I have issues with pmags. I’m between ordering the mdt with binder or accurate with binder. Was hoping you had had tried and found my winner haha!!!

 

[LawnMM]

In my experience pmags do NOT tolerate dusty/sandy conditions well