Looking at getting into AK pistols, saw this. I'm a little worried about the polymer adapter and the fact it uses AR mags. Is it reliable and durable?

I have yet to hear anyone breaking the mag adapter, But have heard folks having some issues with tight mags, usually Pmags.

Mags are tight.  I started sanding the inside, it helps a lot, but I need to sand a little more.  Biggest complaint I have is the mag release.  It is small and sits about 1/2 an inch to far to release it with your trigger finger without moving your hand.

I say you are trying to make up problems OP.  Considering you don't own one and yet you think this or that is the weak point in the M85NP.

I've had mine for two years an no issues...that polymer mag adapter is solid.

I agree with the other poster about the mag release being small....would be nice to be able to get an extended mag release as it's my only grip.

I have heard that recent batches of M85NPs have some failures.  My friend bought one recently and he has issues.  I suggested that he send it back to Century.

I"m a little skeptical of buying a second M85NP as I don't know when it was manufactured and I wanted to avoid any issues.

My next purchase is going to be the M90NP as I want a rifle version that uses AR15 mags.

I'm not a Magpul fan, so will likely continue to use my Lancers without issue.

What issues did your friend have? I just bought one, I have not fired it yet, need to test it fully soon.
Thanks

Please expand on this. I was thinking about getting one because I have so many Gen 2 Pmags.  GARY

I just texted my friend who was having issues with his M85NP.  Once he replies, I'll update this post.

I know some guys on AKfiles had issues that they reported from 2015.

I have nearly 1,000 rounds through my M84NP with no issues.

I went with an AK builder 4pc brake as I heard it's a better unit compared to CNC's 4pc brake.

AKbuilder

Only other things I've done was to add Stormwerkz side folding mechanism and Sig Brace.  I'm at work and I can never recall my password for photobucket or else I'd share a picture.

I just texted my friend who was having issues with his M85NP.  Once he replies, I'll update this post.

I know some guys on AKfiles had issues that they reported from 2015.

I have nearly 1,000 rounds through my M84NP with no issues.

I went with an AK builder 4pc brake as I heard it's a better unit compared to CNC's 4pc brake.

AKbuilder

Only other things I've done was to add Stormwerkz side folding mechanism and Sig Brace.  I'm at work and I can never recall my password for photobucket or else I'd share a picture.

ETA:  Friend said his issue was FTF failure to feed.  I'll see if I can find the threads over on AKfiles as well.

Mine has run 100% for the first 200 or so rounds and then recently had some issues with a sticking mag release button and a fail to feed.  I'm not sure if it just hated that mag or not.  I didn't have a lot of time to tinker with it but will get it back out soon for a full run through.

I couldn't find the posts over n AK files with the issues, but I can tell you that a few guys were complaining about the recent batch of M85NPs.  I know there were multiple posts about the issues and not all of them were FTF.

I just ordered M90NP to accompany my M85NP since I'm going to wait a little bit before I buy another M85NP, just in case there are still issues with those pistols.

I was all set to buy one, then work got a shipment of Micro Draco's. I went with the Micro, & couldn't be happier.  GARY

No news is good news.
Works for me.

My M85NP has over 1000 rounds and has run flawlessly. I have run up to 400 rounds without cleaning and it will only fail to chamber every 100 rounds or so when VERY dirty and it will need you to hit the bolt carrier handle forward like a forward assist to chamber said round.

Besides that it's an extremely fun rifle and amazing to shoot.

I just picked up a M85NP as I wanted the reliability of the AK, but in 5.56 and could feed from AR magazines. Seems like a great concept. I scanned the web a bit and most people seemed happy. I somehow missed the part where mags are tight. I did however discover this myself at the retail shop. Because they had in marked down to $479.00, I thought I would take the chance. Figured I would either file the interior of the mag well or send it back to Century, as they will honor their warranties.

What I have since discovered is pretty much what guys here are saying. The mag button is small. I can reach it without too much trouble as my fingers are long enough, but I sometimes find myself pressing on the bent metal tab located just above the mag button on the receiver. I am hoping some industrious aftermarket maker comes up with an improved mag release.

I am not too worried about the plastic mag well body. I think it will hold up well enough for my range sessions. But my well is EXTREMELY TIGHT! G.I. contract aluminum, Pmag, Promag and Armalite steel mags are all tight in this thing. So much so that it takes both hands and locking it between my knees to get them out!!? I have ONE 40 round steel mag that has the looks of an original Armalite style 40, but is not, it is a no name brand. It fits really well and even drops free. BUT, this defeats the purpose of me wanting the pistol in the first place to run any and all AR mags. My AR's do this with no problem. :-)


So I would not really recommend this product to people until Century gets the manufacturer to step up and resolve these issues. We all respect the AK platform, but I would recommend staying with either the Draco or the M85 with AK like magazines if you want a 5.56.

Ok,


After deciding I would not jump through Century's onerous service return policy, I threw Warranty to the Wind and decided to work on my own M85 NP. Glad I did. Just saved myself WEEKS of waiting on Century. It was sooooo easy. After looking into the mag well, I realized that there were "ribs" at the front and the rear of the mag well. I simply took a file and worked on those ribs for about 5 minutes and wonderful things happened!


I now have a M85 NP that drops free Gen3 Pmags and a few others. G.I. aluminum still don't drop free, but they are WAY better at coming out easily. The ONLY mag that gives me any trouble and I will remove it from the list of mags to use in the PAP is a 40 round Promag. No love loss there.


pictures included.....maybe.


http://Nope, I don't host pictures, I just keep them in my computer. Sorry.

This biggest mistake people make with the "mags do not drop free" issue is to sand away at the INTERIOR of the mag well wich is the absolute LAST thing you need to do. Even CNC Warrior does this and for the life of me why would you remove plastic from what is already a relatively thin and poorly reinforced area of the adapter. The reason it is hard to remove is the sides of the mag well are starting to cave in. Just look at the rifle-woops-pistol. I have looked at half a dozen and the same issue is happening to all of them. The radius of the well is too tight with not enough material on the corners and not enough material to maintain the magazine well "walls" to keep from bending. Yet the first thing people do is start sanding on the magwell walls so that the mags will drop free. It works for a little while and then the plastic magwell starts caving inwards again. The magwell really needs more plastic on the corners and better reinforcement on the sides to keep from losing shape. The only fix is to heat it up using a heat gun and keep the temp 250-275 deg for a few minutes and then reshape it CAREFULLY by inserting a thick polymer mag like a P-mag with a couple of layers of aluminum tape around it. Let cool and then maintain the shape as much as possible by keeping a loaded P-mag or whatever polymer mag you have that is on the thick side. The magwell is a poorly executed design that has too sharp of a radius for the thickness of the plastic and too thin wall thickness for the dimension of the well. For the dimensions they made it, it really need to be aluminum. When I get some time my next project is reinforcing the sides of the magwell using some aerospace adhesive that might bond aluminum to plastic. That requires a bit of research that I don't have time for right now.

Im real interested in the M90NP. I have a 5.56 AR, but would like a 5.56 AK that uses AR mags.

 

choctaw,

I wish I could post some pics, but I reference the front and more importantly, the rear of the mag well, NOT the sides. While I see that there was a 1st model mag funnel that had NO ribs on the exterior, mine is of a newer design (Gen 2?) and has reinforcing ribs on the outside of the mag funnel. What I filed very judiciously was in the interior at the rear of the funnel, which consists of two heavy ribs that provide plenty of material to remove without reducing the structural rigidity of the side walls. Sorry I can not post a picture of this area or the process, but if you look inside, at the BACK spine of the funnel interior, you will see what I am referring to.


With AR lowers getting down to $39.00 dollars in some instances, it might be worth chopping up an AR lower and seeing if a retro fit could be done with a true AR mag funnel!? Anybody got skills?

FYI. A note about the Promag AR mag in regards to the PAP M85NP.

While the ONE Promag I have (40 round, FDE) is tight even in my adjusted mag well ( I refuse to file enough material to fit a Promag, since every other style mag I own does work now), it does feature a follower that acts as a last round hold open in the M85!! This is due to a slightly squared back end to the cartridge hump on the follower. Not sure how long this little feature would hold up under repeated use, but for now, it appears to offer that nice feature.

Its kind of funny how overbuilt the M-85 is.  Its built like a brick shithouse, but the magwell feels like crap and would likely break under hard use.  I wish someone would make an aluminum/steel/better quality polymer one that an end user could install.

The AR-15 magazine adapter appears to be very durable. I just received my new M85NP last week. It came with two Pmag M3. The magazines are not drop free, but they are very easy to insert and remove. CAI needs to add more material to the adapter exterior & extend the magazine release button.

Magazine adapter durable test videos:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umEJsQbKsB4[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJriYuzUcGE[/youtube]

My magwell has a small pencil tip sized chip on the left hand side just from setting in the case at the Gunstore when I bought it.  Maybe the Draco didn't like being next to it?

EMags will actually slip a bit and will drop completely if they have any weight like a few rounds in them.  I will be buying more Emags from now on.  Not just for the M85 though, I like the ribless/smoothside design which not only looks better, but fits and slides out of pouches better.

ETA:  The bolt will also ride more freely over the EMag and not bind like it does with the PMag.

I own M85NP and M90NP...I haven't had any issue with the polymer mag well not being durable.  I agree that having an extended mag release would be a great benefit to these firearms.

I am going to SBR it if it shoots well. Lancer magazine is the best. It drops free. I will buy more Lancer magazines when I find the good deal.

Check out this link... http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/outdoor-sports-recreation/1585921-ak-charging-handle-pull-distance-2.html

Update!!!!!!

I now know why my aluminum magazines are not drop free. See the arrows in the picture.
The magazine guide rails on both sides, inside my receiver is a hair too marrow. It causes some thick magazines to stick in there. I filed the rough edges and smooth out both rails with sand paper. All magazines appear to drop free before I reinstall adaper. My problem is not the mag-adapter.

Great info, I have to check mine!! Thanks......Sully

M85NP mag-adapter removable instruction.
http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258443

Mine runs great!  Mags insert and drop freely, and I haven't gotten it to jam once!  



I bought it along with the brace, but just recently SBR'd it and switched the brace for a stock.

 
Can you tell me where you get the bolt handle add-on like your M85NP?






Thanks,



Cal



 
 

Here: http://www.carolinashooterssupply.com/Tromix_Saiga_Ak47_extended_charging_handle_p/trx-extch.htm

That is a Sexy AK!



BIGGER_HAMMER

Only issue I've had.  The Lancer mags drop right out.  I've heard of users gently filling inside the mag adapter to get more room/less drag on the PMags.

M92 locks back with BHO magazines... does M85?