Designer Creates Multi-caliber AR-15 Magazine, Ambidextrous Bullpup
OutdoorHub Reporters 06.11.13
Can you imagine firing 7.62x39mm, 5.56x45mm, or 5.45x39mm out of the same AR-15 magazine? According to The Firearm Blog, gun tinkerer Jing Zheng had been working on a magazine design that is compatible with these calibers as well as 6.5mm Grendel and 6.8 SPC. Zheng first announced this wonder mag in late 2011 on the popular riflemen’s forum AR15.com:
The idea is very simple. The M43 round will introduce far more tilt inside of the STANAG magazine comparing to other calibers. If a non-tilt follower is used, the rounds can have a nose dive if certain amount (very small) of ammo is inserted, hence more prone to induce jam. If a tilt-able follower is used, the follower tend to tilt too much if a large amount of ammo is inserted, such that the follower would slide into the gap between the round tips and the front magazine wall and cause the ammo tail sink into the cavity the follower left behind, which also introduce jam. So I thought, maybe I can use a two piece follower approach, one that is non tilt, while the other is tilt-able. This way, the follower assembly would be stable inside of the magazine, while the tilt-able piece to accommodate tilt introduced by the ammo.
Calling his design the “Longziz #2,” Zheng states that the magazines are constructed chiefly of steel and has the following capacity:
- 24/25 rounds of 7.62x39mm
- 30 rounds of .223/5.56mm
- 23/24 rounds of 6.5 Grendel
- 25 rounds of 6.8 SPC
- 28 rounds of 5.45x39mm
A video of the magazine being tested was uploaded in April and can be seen below.
Zheng’s first foray into firearms design was a bullpup rifle which is capable of discharging spent casings from either the left or right. The “Longziz #1” can be modified to discharge from the left or right simply by pulling a lever and slapping the cheek piece.
Zheng is working towards the end goal of one day producing these products commercially, but as of now it is still too soon to tell when they may be released, if ever.
