Rifle Magazine Basics & Buying Guides

New to buying a replacement rifle magazine? Start here. American Rifle Magazines builds US-made, factory-pattern magazines for two rifle families — Marlin rimfire (.22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR) and Remington 783 centerfire — and this page walks through how to identify what you own before you ever look at a product page.

Step one: which rifle family do you have?

Everything on this site fits one of two families. If your rifle is stamped Marlin, Glenfield, JC Higgins, or a Western Auto/Revelation store brand, you're in the rimfire family — go to the Marlin Magazine Fitment Guide. If your rifle is a Remington Model 783, go to the Remington 783 Magazine Guide. If it's neither, we don't currently make a magazine for it — we only manufacture detachable box magazines for these two platforms.

Step two: find the model number or caliber

On a Marlin, the model number is stamped on the left side of the barrel, near the receiver. Store-brand rifles (Glenfield, JC Higgins, Western Auto) carry a different name but map to an equivalent Marlin model — see the rebadge fitment guide if that's your rifle. On a Remington 783, there isn't a separate model number per chambering — instead, check the caliber stamped on the barrel, since the 783 is built in short-action, long-action, and magnum long-action versions that each take a different magazine.

Step three: confirm caliber before capacity or finish

Caliber is the first filter, always. A .22 LR magazine will never fit a .22 WMR/.17 HMR rifle, and the reverse is also true — the cartridges are different diameters and the magazine bodies aren't interchangeable. Once caliber is confirmed, capacity is the next choice, and finish (black oxide vs nickel) is last, since finish doesn't affect fit or function at all.

Marlin .22 LR capacity options

Most factory Marlin .22 LR magazines hold 7 rounds. ARM also manufactures 10-round versions across both the 71903 and 71900/71901/71902 families, plus a 15-round 556-XT15 for the older 20/25/80/780 bolt-actions. The 556-XT15 can't ship to a handful of states with capacity restrictions — see the capacity laws by state guide.

Marlin .22 WMR / .17 HMR capacity options

The rimfire magnum bolt actions run 4-, 7-, or 10-round magazines. The semi-automatic Marlin 922M uses its own dedicated 7-round magazine that doesn't interchange with the bolt-action magnum magazines.

Remington 783 capacity options

Short-action calibers (.308 Win, .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor) run a 4-round or 8-round XT magazine. The .223/.222 short action runs 5 rounds, and .22-250 short action runs 4 rounds. Long action (.30-06, .270, .25-06, .35 Whelen) runs 4 rounds. Magnum long action (7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag) runs 3 rounds, as does the .450 Bushmaster.

Factory-pattern (OEM) versus generic aftermarket

Fitment lives in the small details — feed lip angle, follower geometry, and body tolerances. Every ARM magazine is manufactured in the USA to the original factory pattern for its specific rifle, not scaled from a generic universal design meant to loosely fit "most" rifles. That's the difference between a magazine that feeds every time and one that occasionally hangs up.

Black oxide or nickel — does it matter?

No, not for function. Both finishes start from the same steel and perform identically. Black oxide has a classic matte-black look that matches a blued barrel and needs a light wipe of oil now and then to stay rust-free. Nickel plating is more corrosion-resistant out of the box and wipes clean fast, which is why a lot of shooters carrying a spare in a range bag or a truck prefer it. Pick based on looks and your maintenance habits, not fit.

Clip versus magazine — the terminology

A magazine is the spring-loaded box that feeds cartridges into the rifle's chamber; a clip is a separate piece used to load cartridges into a magazine (or, on older rifles, directly into an internal magazine). Everything American Rifle Magazines sells is a magazine — a self-contained, detachable box that holds and feeds ammunition on its own.

Magazine capacity and state law

Several states limit how many rounds a rifle magazine can legally hold, and a few apply different rules to rifles bought for hunting versus general use. ARM does not ship certain extended-capacity magazines to states where they're restricted. Before ordering a 10-, 15-, or 8-round magazine, check the magazine capacity laws by state guide, and confirm the current statute with your state — this isn't legal advice, and laws change.

Why buy the magazine from the company that makes it

• US-made, factory-pattern: every magazine on this site is manufactured in the USA to the original factory dimensions for the specific rifle it's built for.
• Manufacturer-direct: American Rifle Magazines makes these magazines and ships them from our own shop in Naugatuck, Connecticut — you're not buying from a reseller layering on a markup or guessing at fitment.
• In stock and ready to ship: the magazines listed in the Marlin and Remington guides are current production, not special-order.

If you're outfitting a shop, range, or FFL rather than a single rifle, see wholesale purchasing for bulk pricing across the full lineup.

Rifle magazine basics FAQ

How do I know which family my rifle belongs to?

If the receiver is stamped Marlin, Glenfield, JC Higgins, or a Western Auto/Revelation store brand, it's in our rimfire family — see the Marlin guide. If it's a Remington Model 783, see the Remington 783 guide.

Does capacity affect how the magazine fits?

No. A 7-round and a 10-round magazine built for the same rifle family use the same body width and feed geometry — only the internal spring travel and overall length change to hold more rounds. Finish (black oxide vs nickel) doesn't affect fit at all.

Can I use a Marlin magazine in a Remington, or vice versa?

No. These are two entirely different rifle platforms with different magazine wells, body dimensions, and feed geometry. There's no crossover between the Marlin rimfire lineup and the Remington 783 centerfire lineup.

What's the difference between OEM and aftermarket?

An OEM-pattern magazine is built to the original manufacturer's dimensions and feed geometry. A generic aftermarket magazine is often designed to loosely fit multiple rifles, which increases the odds of feeding issues. Every ARM magazine is manufactured in the USA to the factory pattern for its specific model.

I don't see my exact model listed — what should I do?

Send us your rifle's model number (or caliber, for a Remington 783) via contact us and we'll confirm the correct magazine before you order. We'd rather answer a question up front than have you guess and return the wrong part.

Buying for hunting versus the range

Fitment doesn't change between hunting and range use — the same magazine works in both settings. What changes is capacity, since some states set separate magazine-capacity limits for hunting than for general possession. Check the capacity laws by state guide and your state wildlife agency's regulations before heading out, and see the hunting & range life guide for more on carrying spares in the field.

Ready to find your magazine?

Head to the Marlin Magazine Fitment Guide or the Remington 783 Magazine Guide to match your exact model, or browse every magazine we make. Buying for a shop, range, or FFL? See wholesale purchasing.