9mm magazine question

[Hang-Fire]

I received my 9mm mag block and a converted uzi magazine from Rock River Arms. I noticed that there is a lot of slop in the magazine when inserted in the mag block (front to back play). Are the original Colt or Pro mag plastic waffle mags slightly different in dimensions, or can I expect slop in all the other mags too?

[aftershock]

its normal i have it on my uzi and pmag

[Gunfixr]

You know, you could use a converted Sten or UZI mag that will fit the magwell without a block and have less wobble, and use the factory mag catch.

[Hawgleg44]

I use converted STEN mags with my Oly upper and have never had a malfunction. They lock in tight with no play, either. But, I don't think you can use a STEN mag with a Colt/RRA style upper, since they are designed for a double feed magazine, while the STEN is a single feed style.

When I got my 9mm upper, I only got two converted STENs with it. But, Ohio Ordinance has them advertised as "Used WWII British" mags for $30 for 10 mags. I ordered 30 of them and am going to convert at least another 18. I'm not sure what I'm going to save the rest of the mags for. I may end up converting them all someday, who knows.

Some people complain about having to weld the piece on the back of the magazine, like Olympic does. I've actually heard the arguement on another board that in a "survival situation", you have to rely on magazines converted like that instead of being able to use any magazine you come across. I'm not sure what you think about this, but I doubt that you'll find very many available battlefield pickup STEN mags in a modern conflict in this country! I got a kick out of that one!

The reason I like this conversion the best is exactly what's mentioned above. You get to use your original magazine release. I do have a SOCOM paddle-type block, too, for unconverted STENs, but I kept dropping it out when the time came for a mag change since I'm so used to changing my .223 AR mags that way. I use my 9mm AR mostly as a training tool. Since I cast my own bullets, buy powder in bulk, along with primers at a minimum of 30,000 at a time, ammo is very, VERY inexpensive. It's not as effective of a training tool if I have to train myself to swap mags in a different way than my .223 AR's.

There is a problem with converting Uzi mags to work in Colt/RRA-style AR's though, if I remember correctly from the one Colt I had. With the Oly style, the magazine is placed all the way at the front of the magwell and you just need a block in the back. Isn't the mag in a Colt in the middle of the magwell? I guess you could use the old style Colt 2 piece blocks, retaining the front block and welding a piece of tubing to the back to space it out and engage the mag release. I'd have to take a look at my neighbor's Colt 9mm AR, though. I haven't owned a Colt pistol caliber AR for many years now. Not after finding that they are totally unreliable, at least the one I had, and two of my friends' 9mm Colts, too, and discovering my 100% reliable Olys.