Does anyone know just why Yugo mags had the BHO followers?  Is this of any advantage other than providing a different "feel" when you fire the last round from the magazine?

I've seen the videos of people using the BHO mags in conjunction with modified selector switches to mechanically hold the bolt open during the mag change.  To me this just looks like they're adding a step to the process.  Am I missing a reason that BHO mags would be preferable over standard magazines?

I don't understand it either, I'm not a fan but they work.

Well depends, if you're using a notch cut into the selector lever and pulling the bolt back and locking it there then yeah it adds a step. But if you're using the BHO follower to notice/look into your action/chamber and actually see that you're out and just removing the mag then there is no extra step but atleast you know for sure that you're out.

The yugoslavs actually had a last round bolt hold open on their M64s. The mags looked closely similar to standard yugo mags, the only difference is that they had regular AK followers, they had a notch cut into the side of them so the lever from the bolt hold open gets pushed up with the follower like an AR. Now if I'm not mistaken they still had to rack the bolt back to chamber a round and release the bolt forward, also I don't believe they had a bolt hold open release like an AR. My guess is the yugoslavians just took a simpler route, and put BHO followers in their mags when they modernized their AK variant.

If I'm wrong someone with more knowledge will correct me.

I would just use them or the new followers to let me know when I'm out.  It really is annoying to take careful aim and squeeze the trigger to hear a click.  I have heard that click many times with a Ruger 10/22 and HK 90 series rifles.

Thanks for the good info everyone!

^^^ This


AKs are not ARs.  The bolt will not stay back after the mag is released. With that said, I am OK with that.  I like the BHO feature of yugo mags because they make it easier to know when Im out which just saves me a little irritation on the range, BUT in a real fight it might mean the difference between knowing when to reload and hearing that very evil click when you are already exposed and in a fight and needing to send one downrange.  For the minor price difference, Im happy to use Yugo mags everytime.

200% this.

Their only function is to let you know without a doubt when you have run dry on a magazine. They do this exceedingly well, without adding any additional parts to the rifle.

All of my mags are either Yugo BHOs or Combloc surplus ones with the nubs & follower dremeled to act like Yugo mags.

Converting surplus mags to act like them is cheaper than just buying the Yugos, but the ones I got were in much better shape than your average milsurp mag.

Zone-Thanks I learned something today.