Converting the 10 round 308 Magazine to work with other cartridges PN 110930

[geezerhood]

It looks like the only higher capacity magazine Savage is offering that fits their "Premium" metal DM system is the 10 round 308 for the FCP series (NOT the Axis or the AI pattern mags) - part number 110930. If they offer the same style of magazine in 223 I can't find one listed anywhere.

I was able to successfully and quite easily convert said 308 magazine into a 7 round 300 WSM by swapping the top piece and follower, using the spring from the 10 round mag attached to the 300 WSM follower. I am sure some of you have done that. Works great. Sure beats a measly 2 rounds in the mag!

Can you take that same 10 round 308 mag and swap out the top piece and follower from a 223 DM, also using the same longer folded spring that comes with the 10 round 308, or is there something different about the 223 DM mags? ( I don't have one to look at.)

[J.Baker]

You could try it, but I highly doubt it will work.

The .223 mag's have a spacer block in the back of them which you wouldn't have in the bottom extension. You could add a matching block easily enough I suppose, but then you run into the second problem - the internal width of the extension. They're machined out for .308 sized cases and the .223's are notably smaller in diameter which would likely result in stacking issues that would lead to feeding issues.

If you look at the followers they have notches in the sides to match the indentations in the side of the metal magazine housings. This is what helps to keep them level both fore and aft as well as side-to-side. Those same indentations in the housing are what aligns the cartridges to stack properly to ensure proper feeding.

[geezerhood]

You could try it, but I highly doubt it will work.

The .223 mag's have a spacer block in the back of them which you wouldn't have in the bottom extension. You could add a matching block easily enough I suppose, but then you run into the second problem - the internal width of the extension. They're machined out for .308 sized cases and the .223's are notably smaller in diameter which would likely result in stacking issues that would lead to feeding issues.

If you look at the followers they have notches in the sides to match the indentations in the side of the metal magazine housings. This is what helps to keep them level both fore and aft as well as side-to-side. Those same indentations in the housing are what aligns the cartridges to stack properly to ensure proper feeding.

Thanks for the information. The differences in the followers as well as the internal dimensions of the bottom box sounds like it would take quite a bit of modification / fabrication to get it to feed reliably. I am not surprised that they are different enough that they would not work, since even the 308 / 300 WSM followers are different from each other. A 300 WSM follower would not work with my 308 CF mag "boxes". Having never looked at a 223 center feed of any kind I, was curious to hear from someone who has seen both mag types. Hopefully Savage will come out with a higher capacity 223 mag soon.