Laws about magazine manufacturing?

[theperfessor]

Are there any current federal laws regarding the manufacture of magazines? I am in a position where I will have access to a complete CNC machine shop, an injection molding machine, waterjet and a welding robot. No press brake, but I can make stamping/press dies and injection molds. Trying to decide on which way to go, mold some AR mags or stamp/weld them out of sheet metal. I also have an AR 30 round CAD file, plan to print one out on 3D printer.

Note: 30 round mags are legal in Indiana under state law.

I trust most of the opinions I read here, so tell me what you think. I do not own an AR so I have no ideas as to which is the lightest, most durable, etc. type of magazine.

I figure that as long as Brownells has a million gazillion magazines on back order and as long as there is no law against making them then there might be a little money in doing some "agile manufacturing".

Thanks for your response.

[xs11jack]

I don't think there are any laws against mags...by the way did you see the clip of a guy who's company wrote a program for the printers that print out plastic items, he printed a 30 AR-15 mag and fired it on the clip. Only thing he had to buy was the spring. He put the program on the public domain so that there would be thousands and thousands of copies that the government can't find and delete. Next comes a AR lower.
Jack

[theperfessor]

Yes, I have that file to try out.

[dlamp]

well unless you have one big plastic injection machine i don't see how you can mold 30rd mags. having to have to cam out a ruffly 6.750 core that has little draft on it

[MtGun44]

IMO, the original aluminum stamped, folded and spot welded mags are superior
mags. OTOH, the plastic injection molded ones are very popular now. As an
engineer, I am concerned about long term creep in polymers, especially in the
feed lips area when stored loaded for long periods. The biggest seller has a
'dust cover' that snaps onto the feed lips, and (just by coincidence - kidding,
I am fairly sure that "dust cover" is a "cover story" ) also takes all the stresses
off of the feed lips when in place. Aluminum feed lips will not creep.

Plastic molded followers makes sense, and it would be easy to copy the std
milspec ones out there.

Blanking aluminum sheets, pressing in the ribs (IIRC, the AR original GI aluminum
mags are two stamped halves spot welded at front and rear), folding the ends
(maybe same time as pressing ribs?), and need right and left halves and then
spot welding in a fixture is not too difficult for small scale production.

The big issue is economic. I have heard unproven reports that there are apparently
several complete sets of machinery and tooling to make AR mags that have been
produced by the government and passed around to various different minority
owners to produce milspec mags and get huge GI contracts. Apparently after a
while, these makers 'graduate' and the gear moves to a new minority company
for another government manufacturing setup. No idea if this is all true, partially
true or total BS. The fact is that there is a HUGE supply of mags at normal times,
enough to keep them selling nearly new condition at gun shows for $8-10 in
quantity. Also, I think they are gold anodized and then tumbled in moly
disulphide - probably on some kind of media like aluminum balls with
moly disulphide dust. I have read of the "solid film lubricant" in military
descriptions of the GI mags, they turn gold when worn enough and the
surface finish looks exactly the same as burnished moly disulphide.

I'd do a VERY detailed economic analysis before jumping into this one. Years
ago, when discussing small business economics with a successful small
manufacturer, I was told that if you cannot retail your product for 3X
your actual raw production cost you are doomed to insolvency.

Best of luck!

Bill

PS Call Brownells and ask if they would buy them and to what specs
and for how much $$.

[wv109323]

IIRC the AWB under Clinton regulated the manufacture of mags over 10 rounds.Under that law, There could be no more High capacity magazines made after a certain date. At the hint of a ban on High Capacity mags the manufacturers made as many as possible before the cutoff date. With the sunset of the AWB there was never a real shortage of some magazines just a price increase.
I would wait to see what shakes out of Congress before I would invest in the manufacture of magazines.

[shooterg]

Sounds like a good school shop project. Manufacturing and FREEDOM combined. Hey, sell us some with the Cast Boolits logo ! (I promise to only load boolit tipped cartridges in mine !)

[Wal']

If the access to the machinery is not costing you a lot, then I say go for it.

Hopeing the land of the free still exists & free enterprise still rule's.

[runfiverun]

a 10-15 rd magazine wouldn't need to be curved.
yep two halves spot welded together.
fold overs for the lips.
and fold overs for the bottom plate to slide into.
followers could be made too.
my origional followers were aluminum,or sheet steel also.
the springs would be where the work come in.

[Blammer]

some 20rn AR10 mags for Armalite rifles would be the ticket.

[Blacksmith]

Don't forget liability insurance.

[41 mag fan]

well unless you have one big plastic injection machine i don't see how you can mold 30rd mags. having to have to cam out a ruffly 6.750 core that has little draft on it

Better do a search and you'll realize why keith is called theperfessor

[41 mag fan]

Are there any current federal laws regarding the manufacture of magazines? I am in a position where I will have access to a complete CNC machine shop, an injection molding machine, waterjet and a welding robot. No press brake, but I can make stamping/press dies and injection molds. Trying to decide on which way to go, mold some AR mags or stamp/weld them out of sheet metal. I also have an AR 30 round CAD file, plan to print one out on 3D printer.

Note: 30 round mags are legal in Indiana under state law.

I trust most of the opinions I read here, so tell me what you think. I do not own an AR so I have no ideas as to which is the lightest, most durable, etc. type of magazine.

I figure that as long as Brownells has a million gazillion magazines on back order and as long as there is no law against making them then there might be a little money in doing some "agile manufacturing".

Thanks for your response.

Keith I myself like the plastic thermold mags for my AR's. If you need to borrow a 30 or 20 rd one for measurements let me know. Also you get into this project let me know and I can come help out on the weekends, if you'll be producing then

[Artful]

Currently no federal restrictions - lets work on the congress critters so it stays that way...

check out this thread
http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285655

I agree that if you build a magazine for some of the oddball rifles (SCAR, AR10's etc) you will have quite a following if your product is up to snuff.

[WILCO]

I would consult an Attorney. Go from there.

[lavenatti]

Why not make 7-round mags for NY?

Half the material costs and a pretty big market.

[km101]

Dont know about the legalities and the logistics, but I know what a perfectionist you are from having seen your work. You might drive yourself crazy trying to get this project perfect! But if you do decide to go for it, put me down for a dozen of your first run. I know they will be perfect!

[beagle]

How about a magazine adapter that would allow belt fed? Then we could do away with all of this capacity craze. Man, talk about ripping the liberals./beagle

[dakotashooter2]

If mag cap goes into effect I would think someone could make a few bucks refurbishing existing hi cap mags and/or converting existing 10 rnd mags to high cap. There might be a legal loophole since the mags , made before any new ban, essentially have a hi cap frame and were modified to accept only 10 rnds. (just stamp out the internal indents)

[shooterg]

With the prices 5 round/10 round mags are bringing on the site that must not be named, have to look serious at those !