Axiom 10/22 Duomag Holder experience
I found these listed on Gunstuff NZ by Axiom and bought two for $52 shipped. (They are a connecting device to lock two Ruger 10/22 mags together back to back if you are not familiar with the concept)
They arrived and I duly got around to setting them up during lockdown. Out of the courier bag they looked less than precision made. I have no experience of 3D printing but my guess is that this is how these are fabricated. They are certainly not machined or moulded as their edges and surfaces lack that clean smoothness as, for instance, you find on the Ruger mags themselves. The plastic material is kind of waxy.
I could not get the mags to seat in the connectors. I have six mags, 2 came with the rifle years ago, the others I acquired new and used along the way. All genuine Ruger. I contacted Terry at Axiom and he advised me that Ruger mags vary. Apparently some are rounded in the receiving part, some are square. Mine looked rounded. Terry advised me to dress the corresponding edges of the connectors very lightly with a file, which I did. The material has more the consistency of hard cheese than hard plastic. Anyway the mags now seated right in. Then I fitted the connector lockplate and screw to the one side. Tight on that side, the connected mags were still loose on the other. There is nothing to hold them tight on that side other than a close fit to the connector. I inserted one mag assembly into the rifle. No matter how I tightened the locking screw, the bottom mag was loose a little on the opposite side if lightly tested by hand and would gape open slightly, hinging on the locked side. Gripping the assembly to remove the mags from the rifle with the release lever activated, the bottom mag hinged further as the assembly was withdrawn and the gap on the edge opposite the locking screw and plate remained open. So quite floppy.
Another call to Terry and he expressed surprise and asked me to check the mag's orientation in the connector. The Ruger symbol is in a raised circle offset from centre and the connector has a recess for it to locate in. However I had that correct. I tried all the mags in different combinations. To some degree or other they gaped on that edge. A further call and Terry offered to take them back and give a refund.
I paid $4.50 for a tracked NZ Post Courier Bag to return them, after Level 3 allowed shipping. I sent an email with the tracking number, the shipping cost and my bank account. About 3 weeks later, I phoned Terry to see if he had received them and what was happening about my refund. "Oh yes, there is a bag here" I was told. Long story short, I had to dig out the original transaction records and my email and resend. Apparently the Gunstuff website was not behaving and passing communications through.
A few hours later I received an email from Terry saying he had made a refund less shipping costs as this was the first instance of product not fitting in over 1000 sales and the ones I returned fitted perfectly when he tried them on his mags. Having spent $56.50 I received a $48 refund to my account.
I responded to Terry saying I did not think I should have to pay to find out his product did not work. Also that I did not believe I would be the only one to have this problem, that these were less than precision items, and that I would be saying so. So here I am with my experience.
I would be keen to hear if in fact others have universally found them to be a perfect fit, locking tightly with no issues of looseness. If that's the case I should probably send my six mags back to Ruger...
I am now interested in other folk's experiences with, not just Terry's product, but other perhaps more traditionally factory produced, moulded or machined products. I am also interested in people's experiences with 3D printed products. Is the plastic and the process used capable of decent tolerances?
Also any other recommendations? E.G Gun City has the Archangel Clamp for $30. Anyone had success with this?
Thks in advance.
