Make Your Own AR-15 Magazine: A Comprehensive Guide
Building your own AR-15 magazine can be a rewarding and cost-effective project. Whether you’re looking to customize your firearm or save money on ammunition, this guide will walk you through the process step by step.
Understanding the Basics
Before diving into the construction process, it’s important to understand the basics of an AR-15 magazine. These magazines are designed to hold a specific number of rounds, typically 30, and are made up of several key components:
- Body: The main housing for the magazine, which holds the spring, follower, and rounds.
- Spring: Powers the magazine, pushing the rounds into the chamber when the trigger is pulled.
- Follower: Moves the rounds through the magazine, ensuring they are properly seated in the magazine body.
- Baseplate: The bottom part of the magazine that holds the rounds in place and attaches to the firearm.
Now that you have a basic understanding of the components, let’s move on to the materials and tools you’ll need for this project.
Materials and Tools
Here’s a list of materials and tools you’ll need to build your own AR-15 magazine:
| Material | Tool |
|---|---|
| Magazine body | Drill press, drill bits, file |
| Spring | Spring compressor |
| Follower | File, sandpaper |
| Baseplate | Drill press, drill bits, file |
| Magazine catch | Drill press, drill bits, screwdriver |
| Magazine release | Drill press, drill bits, screwdriver |
| Hardware | Screwdriver, wrench |
Make sure to gather all the necessary materials and tools before starting the project to ensure a smooth and efficient process.
Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you have all the materials and tools ready, let’s go through the step-by-step process of building your AR-15 magazine:
- Prepare the Magazine Body: Use a drill press to create the necessary holes for the spring, follower, and baseplate. File the edges to ensure they are smooth and free of sharp burrs.
- Install the Spring: Use a spring compressor to install the spring into the magazine body. Make sure the spring is properly seated and not twisted.
- Attach the Follower: Slide the follower into the magazine body and secure it with the appropriate hardware. File the edges of the follower to ensure a smooth fit.
- Install the Baseplate: Place the baseplate on the magazine body and secure it with the appropriate hardware. Make sure the baseplate is properly aligned with the magazine body.
- Attach the Magazine Catch: Drill the necessary holes for the magazine catch and secure it to the magazine body with the appropriate hardware.
- Attach the Magazine Release: Drill the necessary holes for the magazine release and secure it to the magazine body with the appropriate hardware.
- Test the Magazine: Load the magazine with rounds and test it in your firearm. Make sure the magazine functions properly and holds the desired number of rounds.
Once you’ve completed these steps, you now have a custom AR-15 magazine that you’ve built from scratch. Not only will this magazine be tailored to your specific needs, but it will also save you money on store-bought magazines.
Customization Options
One of the great benefits of building your own AR-15 magazine is the ability to customize it to your preferences. Here are some customization options to consider:
