Hi there!
Is there a Point of contact in Bulgaria to
buy 7.62x39mm Circle 10 mag's directly?

Has someone done it before?
I can't imagen, that a Circle 10 in Bulgaria
is that expensiv.

So If you can name me a source were to get then ceap, I bring them on.
Any ideas???

Cheers,

Gunner

Yes, Chief Thunder did it.

Just need cash, a connection, and import permits.

Who is Chief Thunder and how good was his deal?
Any contacts in Bulgaria ???
Cheers!

How good was his deal? He ended up in jail.

I don't hate the guy, it's too bad I wasn't into AK's during his tenure.

Jail? What for???

Why should you hate him???

You should hate him for selling Virgin Krinkov kits for like $150 or $250 when others where charging a arms and a leg for them.  You should also hate him for making Circle 10 mags cheap.  Not only cheap, he brought in different colors when no one had them.  Like White, Clear, Plum, OD green and some other colors.
I can't remember the exact details as to why he went to jail.  I thought he did the AK community a favor.  Maybe someone can provide the details on his fall from grace.
FYI, he also brought 5.45x39 mags in the colors you see today.  Fire Brick, Brown, and so on in when they where thought of as unobtanium.  Sold them cheap too.  *edit: or where these the ones that where bought by someone else from customs after he was arrested?  Two containers full of ak-74 mags.  Brought in enough to drop the price on them Way down.*

BikerScout
Sunny AZ

Hm, sounds like a nice guy to me??
Can anyone remember what he payed for the circle10 or at least what his price was?
Merry Christmas every one.
Cheers,
Gunner

As for his incarceration, I thought it was due to importing firearms parts from overseas without a permit. I'm sure someone more knowledgable will chime in and correct me if I'm wrong.

From my understanding certain retailers were not a big fan of him due to his low prices. That's why I don't hate the guy, it drives the price down due to competition. There's not a lot of companies importing rifles and accessories from Bulgaria, hence $35 ((10)) mags. Atleast that's my theory.

New circle 10 -74 mags @$3-4/ea, iirc.

I remember a few of his post, they were epic!

Here is the info on why he went to jail.   With the connections, importation forms, and $, anybody could pick up where he left off.  He was a strange guy, but he really was a huge benefit to the AK community.

Keith Baranski, aka "Chief Thunder"

More Here

At this point, the Bulgarian connection is locked down. Aside from the Circle 10 ammo (which might actually be a part of the same deal), most comes through one source.

Honestly, it's not terribly nefarious...just business. Chief Thunder was the tail end before everything was locked down. There were some great stories from the early days when the market was open (the Global Trades/Arsenal USA connection was one of the first).

OP...you won't have any luck getting anything from the factory. Maybe you find another source on the secondary (surplus) market, but importing enough to make the market notice will bring pressure from Arsenal. (which is a natural reaction from any exclusive distributor)

Wow! What a Story!
Nope! I don't want to get them from Arsenal.
The local Dealer would block it anyway.
But I guess you can buy them somewere in Bulgaria.
In a Store or a Streetmarket. I have no clue so thats why i am asking for contacts.
I also was rather thinking of a small number without any "Impact" in the market.
So important Mags in the US is a Crime?
Getting them into germany just requiers me to Pay the Customs/tax fee.
This is not worth doing anything illigal!!!

So Hr sold them for 8 Bucks? Did I get this right?

interesting story

Same thing is gonna happen to people that are ordering saiga and vepr mags from England. The atf is very aware of who is importing from rusmil and other companies. Heck, locally they just arrested a few guys at flea markets for waiting at Walmart early mornings and buying a the 22lr to resale for higher at the flea market. Unlicensed arms and ammo sales is the reason cited.

I remember buying a bunch of 30 rd 7.62x39 Circle 10 waffle mags in 2000-2001 for $12.95 each. I remember a half page ad for them in the shotgun news. I don't remember who I got them from. Years later I purchased 2 more for $18, but I've never paid more than that. GARY

I knew Keith and a lot of what happened. It's his story and not my place to say; IMO he got a bad rap. $3 Circle 10 mags and $200 AKS74U kits those were the days.

Wow 3 Dollar for a Circle 10.
But times have changed even in Bulgaria I guess.
So who has a contact for me in Bulgaria to check Things out?

Actual price list, June 2001.



Previously he (Chief Thunder) had sold Bulgarian AK parts through a company called Progressive Arms.

I ordered 20 Bulgarian steel AK 7.62 mags from them for $6 each + shipping, and when I got the box it was awfully light. Opened it and discovered they sent me 20 Circle 10 poly mags instead. I did not complain... That's probably why he stopped doing business through them.

Ultimately I also got great deals on the 5.45 and 5.56 polys as well, piggybacked on an order a friend placed directly with CT. Prices were as above.

$259.95 for a Krinkov kit...don't we all wish that price was still valid

LOL, seriously? Would you happen to have a link to this story?

Shit, that could shut down the EE.

They didn't get arrested for the ammo sales:

Q: Is a license required to engage in the business of selling small arms ammunition?
No. A license is not required for a dealer in ammunition only, but a manufacturer or an importer of ammunition must be licensed.
[18 U.S.C. 922 (a)(1)(B)]

BATF FAQ

Just one more thing to Attest that "Arsenal"  charges NOMORE than $5 per mag (and that's if the price has risen, being I think they used to be $2 or $3) and yet, Arsenal's distributors charge $35-$45 and claim to make such little profit to where alot of shops will not even sell them.

That's likely 700-800% profit being made from a single magazine!!!! I'm sure Arsenal charges ATLEAST $20-25 to their Distributors, then 25-30 to the Online Vender and Gunshops. Ive never saw them lower than $35 in the past few years (and that's a "Steal"), and they were $20 in 2008 on AIM during the "Panic", and $7-$8  in the 90's.

I seriously doubt Arsenal of Bulgaria went from charging a couple dollars per mag to $10-20 in the last few years when they buy around Ten Thousand at a time. Kvar are the ones that should be ashamed, $45 per mag Plus shipping!! WTF!?!?

How long did "Chief Thunder" have them for $10? In early 2000's (like the 2001 price list) or years later until 2008 when he got busted?? (Which would prove they still cost a few bucks in Bulgaria)

He also got busted for having "374 machine guns" bought with forged Licenses and 14 crates of accessories stored in a warehouse according to the report!!! That's what got his ass thrown UNDER the Jail, although I couldn't find where it said how long he was sentenced on that link, seems like it said the cops messed up and it helped him in the case somehow.)

Seems he had good intentions at first probably wanting cheap mags for himself, then saw $$ signs, and finally got WAY too comfortable and started doing Bigger deals that were VERY Illegal, when he should have just gotten an ATF approved "Form 6" and stuck to magazines, parts, or Kits.

I bet those Kits he sold ALL had the Third hole!! (I understand if some previous buyers say "No comment"..lol) Being I bet those Kits came from his cache of "Machine Guns", as they are called in the report.

I find that hard to believe. There is no federal license required to sell ammo.

I would suspect they're in trouble for sales tax, and/or not reporting their taxable income.

I still have a CDNN catalog from 2000 and the AK mag and Saiga  prices will bring tears to your eyes.