Returning a Used AR-15 Magazine to Service

Magazines have parts that will wear out and reduce reliability. A few simple steps and some cheap parts can return a beat up magazine to reliable service. Total cost of replacement parts was $3.00. A parachute cord magazine pull was added as an enhancement, and total cost for those parts was under $1.00.

Step 1 Gather Required Parts and tools

Minimum requirement is a replacement magazine spring. Parts and tools shown are: paper towels, knife, rescue hook, industrial Sharpie, lighter, 100MPH tape, ziptie, parachute cord (paracord), toothbrush, screwdriver, paracord template, magazine, Magpul Enhanced Self Leveling Follower, and new magazine spring.

Comments

[psyoper22]

great ible Smashy...

[Grimmy Grim]

Thank goodness!

Yep, replace the magazine spring, don't 'stretch it' like some silly people do.

[thematthatter]

That magazine looks like its seen some days in the sand box.

[mr.smashy]

Yeah, I have a 50 can full of them. Some more info and another photo of the mag here

Aren't you the guy who told me I didn't know how to clean my rifle?

[thematthatter]

I didnt say you didn't know how, I said the weapon wasn't clean. _enough

It will never be clean enough but it has to be so clean that if the Sgt Major decides to stick his finger in the star chamber that it will come out carbon free. :)

[mr.smashy]

the Sgt Major decides to stick his finger in the star chamber

Dude, DADT.

[psyoper22]

LOL! burn!

[thematthatter]

Its an inspectable item

[nature223]

bad news....all branches us CLP..it leaches stuff from the metal pores...the ONLY way to pass inspection is to "cheat",jump in the shower with your rifle and use CARBURATOR cleaner.it's the only thing that flushes out the carbon from the "STAR CHAMBER"(Barrel extension,that the M-16 family bolts lock up into).

[thematthatter]

we used carb cleaner, compressed air, even shaving cream (cream not gel) and hot water to remove CLP and Carbon from the weapons. The arms room wanted them completely dry when we turned them in.

[nature223]

*use CLP*

[Cerberus]

Very clever to swap the 550 cord guts for a zip tie. I'll try it and test it before I buy my next set of MagPuls. Thanks!

[Zack Paetzold]

Great Instructable It really helped me out I found a few old mags and I plan on giving them to my dad for fathers day

[phalanx447]

"Be sure to use you hand to catch the spring." Heh, seen a few of those go shooting across the squad bay.

[JamesRPatrick]

Very professional. Do these accept dyes? If they do, I'd give it a new dye job.

[thematthatter]

You can paint them. We paint ours to tell the difference in loads

[hotpixel]

excelent as usual dude!

[nicknack171]

the ar-15 is the civilian m16 right? good instructable

[mr.smashy]

That's right, the AR-15 is the semi-auto only version of the M16.

[rectifiedbuzz]

Excellent subject and excellent details! Will definitely be putting this to good use. Thanks. 5 star Instructable in my book. PS: Thanks for the toothbrush.

[oakleygear]

Just be sure not to brush your teeth with that toothbrush after doing this... just a suggestion! Great write up - more tactical stuff on instructables!