NEA oversized M14 magazine release review
Jeff at IMA was kind enough to send me one of their new oversized M14 mag releases to try out so I thought I would post some photos and provide a little review for anyone thinking of this upgrade. (rifle is a 2009 Polytech in a Troy MCS stock)
For starters, this mag release is designed to fit ONLY Chinese M14 trigger groups. This means Polytech and Norinco. It is NOT a drop-in part for a USGI or Springfield Armory Inc. trigger housing since these units use a smaller roll-pin. You COULD use a sleeve or collar to decrease the pin hole diameter on the mag release and it might still properly index the magazines, but I have not tried this and I don't know if the centre-point of both roll-pin holes is in the same location on each type of housing - some experimentation would be needed.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1835-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1834-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1847-1.jpg
My friendly advice to NEA is that if they want to tap the vast American M14 market, they will either need to make a separate run of these with GI pin holes or they will need to supply an adaptor collar for those customers, assuming the alignment is the same for both hole diameters.
Now that that's out of the way, lets talk about build quality. It's excellent. This is clearly a CNC machined part. It is made of hardened stainless steel and blacked commercially. You will note the horrible degree if fit and finish on the Chinese part by comparison.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1839-1.jpg
Also note that the Chinese (and USGI) releases are slightly curved - this is to get the release farther from the mag to increase leverage, while the NEA release has a straight face. The curve is not necessary on the NEA part as the larger radius provides plenty of leverage and the linear smooth face seems to make mag changes slicker as you slide the mag up along the face of the release, guiding it into the magwell. If you have a reasonably long index finger, you could operate the release with the grip hand, though due to the M14 design, the mag still won't drop completely free, but it will speed up changes slightly.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1838-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1844-1.jpg
The back of the paddle is serrated but not so roughly as to irritate the pad of the thumb when using it. It is also slightly wider than the width of a magazine, which really takes the guess work out of fast or blind mag changes. The tolerances were tight enough that I can not notice any binding issues due to the thumb pressure not being in line with the centre of the magazine. It is also ambidextrous, though since I am left handed the photos will reflect that.
GI type release:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1833-1.jpg
NEA release:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1846-1.jpg
Now as for changing this part out, if you're not careful you will almost need 3 hands! If you follow these steps, however, it's pretty straightforward.
1) Drift out the roll pin with an appropriately sized punch. A roll pin punch is best.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1836-1.jpg
2) Do NOT drift the pin out all the way. Stop just after the pin clears the old release.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1837-1.jpg
3) Using a tight fitting punch, push the new release more or less into place and work the punch into the side opposite the roll pin.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1841-1.jpg
4) Using the punch to wiggle the release around until the holes line up, tap the pin into place with a small jeweller's hammer or with a brass punch.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1842-1.jpg
5) Done!
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1843-1.jpg
These Canadian made releases are selling for about $46 at select Canadian dealers and their nearest competition is likely the Sadlak mag release. The Sadlak, generally, is available only with the USGI type roll pin hole and won;t reliably fit a Chinese trigger group. The exception is a run Fabsports had made up special by Sadlak, but they are no longer on the Fabsports website and may not be available any longer.
Sadlak release:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...004037_1-1.jpg
Having tried both, I personally prefer the NEA release much more. It is easier to find without looking down and the serrations are horizontal as opposed to the vertical serrations on the sadlak. With my hand positioning, the horizontal serrations provide a more positive purchase on my the thumb pad. Checkering might be even batter, but no checkered releases are yet available that I know of.
If you do anything with your M14 where fast reliable mag changes are required, I give this product a very strong two thumbs up. The build quality difference alone is almost enough to justify the upgrade over the stock chinese part.
I timed myself doing rapid mag changes with both release types on the same rifle and by my calculations I'm about 10% faster with the NEA release.
Hope this helps anyone who is on the fence about picking one up :)
