When it comes to feeding your Ruger, the factory 10 round magazines are probably a bit more reliable than the 15 and 25 round versions. That is, until the magazine doesn’t want to drop free. Then the 10 round has a distinct disadvantage. TANDEMKROSS has an affordable and elegant solution with their Companion magazine bumpers for the 10/22. But the Companion bumper isn’t just for easy extraction.
What it is
The Companion bumper is a non-permanent base for Ruger factory 10 round magazines. It’s two separate plastic (Zytel®) pieces that match the stock magazine body. They extend the magazine body by about a half inch, and flare out at the base for extra grip. This allows for easier reloads. And certainly easier extraction if your magazine sticks. They sell for $21.99 a pair on the TANDEMKROSS website.
Installation
With only two parts, and a few bits of hardware, installation is a very quick process. Place the nut into its space on the smaller plastic part. Then orient it on the magazine base so the little opening is facing forward. This piece is held on with small coarse screws, so they should not be overtightened. I recommend starting them, then tightening them equally, one turn at a time. Then put the “T” shaped piece into its space, so the TK logo faces up. Pins and holes on the two parts will prevent you from installing the final part incorrectly. Set it in place, and gently tighten the screw that holds the two pieces together. That’s it. Pop it into your magwell, and you’re ready to go.
In use
With the Companion bumper, magazines are a bit easier to load into a 10/22. More importantly, they make extraction easier. I tested mine in four stocks, and two different chassis’. Even though my magazines drop free from each one, I don’t want them falling to the ground. Rather than wait for them to drop into my hand, I can grab them as I hit the release. I don’t compete, but my guess is they might speed up reloads a bit. Overall, they just make handling the magazines a bit nicer.
As luck would have it, the Companion bumpers arrived in the middle of a new project. I’m building up another Charger, this time in a Deep Six chassis from Enoch Industries. And then I discovered the real utility (for me) of the Companion bumpers. When using them in a braced Charger, they make for a nice “magwell grip”. The bumper sticks out just the right amount.
Conclusion
If you regularly have magazine extraction issues, you should address them separately. So I’m not sure these belong in the “must-have” category. But are they nice to have? Definitely. Do they look cool? Yeah, they do. Function is what really counts though. To that end, I like the extra grip area, and the flared base. Especially on a braced Charger. And braced Chargers are a hot item right now.
I’ve had many 10/22 variants over the years, and used plenty of factory and aftermarket magazines. The ten-round ones have always been the most reliable. Had you told me there was a way to improve them, I would have been surprised. Yet these little pieces of plastic make them better. I’ve gone without them all this time, but going forward, I’ll probably put them on all my ten-rounders.
TANDEMKROSS provided their Companion magazine bumpers for my testing and evaluation. As with all our reviews, I‘ve made every effort to provide an honest opinion, including overall quality, function, and durability. If it‘s not something I would buy myself, or recommend to friends, I don’t share it with our readers. Note that purchasing their products through our affiliate links helps to support this site.
Comments? Questions? Have any of our readers tried out the Companion bumpers? Feel free to share below.