AK Mag quality?

[Mikej]

Dropped the hammer today on an AK from Atlantic. FFL Tigard Pawn 4 More @ $25.00. This will be my only long gun other than a 40 YO Ruger 10-22! Now I be needing some magazines for the gun. I'm looking at these.....https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/co...-x-392012-07-30-01-08-50-detail.html?Itemid=0

I wouldn't know good from bad, I wouldn't know WHAT even makes a good/bad mag? A little worn paint doesn't bother me (More authentic, right?). I figure I need to get a few before the morons come up with new mag capacity laws here!

I'll be going to the show at the EXPO on the 21st to get some ammo, and be able to look at mags there too.

Mike

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[Member 5605]

@Contract_Pilot has been bringing in surplus ones and he isn't far from you.

 

[Unka-Boo]

surplus, all the way....all others are range mags.

 

[bolus]

After you get a few metal ones like you posted consider the following:

Get a Romanian drum mag. Im betting mag bans are coming in 2016 from our legislature. They are expensive but may be the last time to get one
http://www.jgsales.com/romanian-ak-...azine,-wind-up,-blued-steel,-new.-p-3785.html

the Korean drum mags are less but I dont hear good things about quality

Then get some tapco cheep ones. These will probably suck, but they are cheep and fine for lugging to the range
<broken link removed>

Get a few Pmags
http://sgammo.com/product/magpul/30-round-ak-47-mag-magpul-moe-polymer-magazine-pmag30-ak-mag572-blk

Consider a Russian 40 rounder
http://www.copesdistributing.com/russian-ak47-steel-40rd-762x39-p-8617.html

 

[raftman]

I would avoid anything by ProMag even though they're widely available and cheap. Probably one of the worst AK mags made by anyone anywhere.

Tapco would also probably be towards the bottom of the barrel, though I'd expect better reliability than ProMag, the build quality is still pretty chintzy.

Pretty much Eastern Bloc surplus is the gold standard.

 

[filsonhand]

Check sgammo.com they usually have a good selection of surplus mags etc....

 

[bolus]

Tapco is crap, steer clear.

at $5 each I dont expect much. But seeing stuff like this does not make me feel bad for buying some as backup mags.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

To the OP:

The link you posted is a decent current market price. Atlantic runs a little more on all their mags than anyone else.

Try Classic Firearms, Buds (Sometimes) and Aim (sometimes) they have great deals from time to time. On average a surplus mag in the current market will run around $10-15 they are RARELY cheaper than that these days. Some deals are to be had, but it all depends on timing and the retailer.

The mags Id stay away from:
All Korean mags and all non reinforced plastic mags..
Yes, even tapco and Magpul.. Ive cracked all of them, especially if left loaded and accidently dropped.
That being said, Nearly all AK mags make decent range magazines.. They work, sure.. And a lot of part time AK shooters will chime in and say they like theirs..blah blah blah.
Im telling you that as an avid AK shooter, AK magazine collector and someone who bangs up his AKs.. Non reinforced Polymer mags are not for long term. Seriously, they all break given enough time, where as Surplus mags can take a beating and last past that.
Cons, steel mags are heavier and can rust if left in the elements without oil or finish resistance.

But for hard use, surplus mags and Bulgarian Circle 10s are the best possible choices.

Function wise, all AK mags pretty much function like they should. Yes, even those thin sheet metal Korean mags. Though the 20 rounders have caught my eye as the Hungarians are all but sold out forever.. So the Korean 20rnd mags may be a decent option.. The soft metal, shoddy rivets and finish suck, but for $8-10 per mag buy a ton like you would AK Pmags and expect them to break in time and have a stockpile to replace them as needed, and if thats the tactic, buy a few tapcos, Magpul (gen 1s) and koreans for simple and light range use becuase $5-10 AK mags are still a goid deal, even if they're going to break.

The question is, what do you want to do with your rifle and what are your expectations?
Are you going to compete, drop(mag change) and store loaded mags for the long term?
Or are you an occasional weekend shooter who doesnt have well earned scratches on his firearms? If you're the ladder, all AK mags will work for you and you'll never see mechanical failures from you AK mags.

Gun shows are usually pretty bad for getting deals on AK mags these days. If you find any surplus mags in nonrusted out condition for under $14 then count yourself as lucky..
Ive never seen AK mags
(aside from the junk and polymags) at gun shows for under $15-$20 per mag. Online buying is usually the better option.

Also, dont buy into the Yugo BHO mags.. Seriously, it serves NO realistic function if you train/compete, seriously.
You're still going to have to run the bolt to chamber a new round anyway unless you're running a saiga.. And even then, thats a funky manipulation, And uncommon.
So dont pay extra for that BHO mag feature.. And even then, you can just buy BHO followers and place them in your current surplus mags if you really wanted to.

If the yugos are the same price as the surplus mags you're looking at then there really isnt a difference other than the fact that the BHO follower on yugo mags are useless for actual AK shooters, but AR guys sure bought into the hype.

 

[FireArm]

I have always prefered my Chi-com block mags, Norinco and polytech , triangle 36 drums, mine are all 15 years used and work reliably.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

The Hungarian 20 rounders are nice but like you said the are hard to find. Pretty much a private sales deal any more.

I don't buy cheap mags, to me it is a waste of money. I' ve gotten a few that came with guns or some other trade but I don't ever see my self shelling out cash for Korean mags, Tapco, Promag, etc.

Exactly.
Buy once cry once. And if anything, they'll be worth more over time, as we've seen with Circle 10s (especially in colors other than black) and bakelites.. Though bakelites in the last two years have came over in huge shipments dropping the prices down to $30-40! Sure wish they'd do that with Bulgarian mags haha.

Also, if you happen to hit the buy window for Toth tool mags, try those! $25 and with Bulgarian quality.

 

[gaijinsamurai]

I was going to post my opinion, but ZA_Survivalist pretty much said it!

x2 what he had to say! (Esp. stay away from the Korean, Tapco, and other non-reinforced polymer mags. Chicom/Russian/East European milsurp is the way to go!)

 

[Mikej]

Wow you guys....I really appreciate all the input! ZA, you especially, that's a lot to type. There's way more info here than I'm able to process, so, I guess it's steel surplus mags, not Korean. Stay away from plastic, not including Bakelite. $10.00-$15.00 is the going price for the good ones, definitely want mags that will be worth something if I am ever forced, god forbid, to cash in "Things".

The link for Atlantic, (On Sale!) mags has the additional $15.00 shipping charge.....Wonder if a double order would be one shipping charge? I'll call. Ten mags is a good start I 'spose.

Thanks again guys!

 

[Stomper]

TitsonTHEritz, Unkaboo, and ZA voiced EXACTLY my opinion (big shocker... not) on all facets/issues of AK mags. Love my Chi-commie spineless and surplus Eastblock steel razorbacks.

No kimchee mags of ANY flavor (Glock, AK, etc) sullies my armory.

 

[Mikej]

Looking at different mags.....Will the "BHO" mags work in any AK?
https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/co...t-hold-open-magazine-2pk-detail.html?Itemid=0

I've read about some small fitting being needed on a WASR? I'm not opposed to some fitting as long as it doesn't end up being flaky in the end.

I get it, I think. The BHO mags will hold the bolt open on the last round. I was thinking that was just something to go with the N-PAP. $12.00 each for those isn't bad, Croation wasn't listed in the "Do Not Buy" group?

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Looking at different mags.....Will the "BHO" mags work in any AK?
https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/co...t-hold-open-magazine-2pk-detail.html?Itemid=0

I've read about some small fitting being needed on a WASR? I'm not opposed to some fitting as long as it doesn't end up being flaky in the end.

I get it, I think. The BHO mags will hold the bolt open on the last round. I was thinking that was just something to go with the N-PAP. $12.00 each for those isn't bad, Croation wasn't listed in the "Do Not Buy" group?

Yeah, those surplus mags fit all AKs. Or at least the AKs I have.

For $12, thats not a bad price, but I wouldnt go out of your way to buy them for the BHO feature alone. All it does is stop the bolt, you'll still have to eject the mag (unless you do an Iraqi reload) let the bolt fly forward, insert a new mag and rerack the bolt carrier to chamber a new round. It adds an extra step to reloading.
If you find you dont like it, just swap the follower(s) on the BHO mags you have to standard ones, because the bodies of the yugo BHO mags are still top notch surplus.

The Croatian mags arent bad. They (the bodies) are very similar to a run of commercial steel Bulgarian mags that used a polymer follower and floor plate lock/spring retainer.
With mine, the button of the floor plate lock/spring retainer sticks out past the floor plate quite a bit and can chip off if dropped.
The croation mags are ok, at least they come sealed in a bag and can be kept in storage for a while like the Bulgarian steel mags I had did.

The steel and finish seems to feel different both on the Croatian mags and my commercial Bulgarian mags the rivets are much like the hastily made Korean ones..

But I couldnt find any info on them when I ordered a bunch or if anyone has had issues. So far, mine have held up, no popped rivets
Id say buy a few, the price last I saw was around 8-12 per mag which is still pretty good.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Ill also note, US palm mags are ok.
They're pricey.. $30.

Pros,
*Reinforced locking lugs (albeit cheaply done)
*Stout body (but adds to thickness)
*Aggressive spine serrations for better gripping
* Very Smooth feeding
*All poly so it wont rust
*Come in a few colors.. Well they did. Seems like just Black and FDE now.

Cons:
*The ported follower allows rocks to get in.. No matter how much water you flush in there, some tiny rocks dont come out. So dont do any mud puddle tests or smash the mag down in mud/grit.
*The floorplate is permanently atatched to the body of the mag.
*Early versions had floor plate pop off and needed glue to stay.
*The mag body is thicker and longer than surplus mags and dont fit in all the same mag pouches
*Cost $30 per mag

I bought a few and realized for $10 more I could just buy Bulgarian..
And for the same price you can get a toth tool mag.. If you're fortunate enough.

 

[Mikej]

I just ordered the four mag pack, and with Bolus' input ordered a NEW Romanian drum mag, comes with a 20 round mag for $75.00. The single Rom. drum mag @ $79.00 was sold out? Hope it's the same mag.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Nice! Those romanian drums are great. And $75 is A good deal considering you got a $10 mag with it.
$59 & $69 drums can be had around Christmas usually at Copes, Classic Firearms and J&G sales
(if there isnt a buying panic) so if you find you like them, thats the time to buy. Seems like every December I see drums go on sale.

Some reports of shoddy craftsmanship but folks get Koreans and Romanians confused.. Mine work just fine!
I bought a couple for investment purposes as well as a few to play with.

 

[308]

20-rounders are nice for the range. I have always had a good experience with AimSurplus.com
http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.a...+Steel+20rd+AK47+7.62x39+Magazines&groupid=15