Hey y'all.  Since this is my first post I'd just like to say that I'm proud to finally be a member of this kick ass community.  I've been lurking around for a while but just joined not too long ago.  Bought my first AK (1968 Wasr 10/63) on my birthday and must say that now I have the AK fever.  Anyway, I'm looking to pick up a few more mags and wanted to get some opinions on which ones to get.  My Ak came with 2 steel mags and I picked up a Tapco 30 rounder when I bought it.  Shot a couple hundred rounds today thru the gun and it functioned flawlessly with all mags.  AimSurplus has some New Bulgarian mags for $8.95 and Surplus European mags for $9.95.  So my question is, which ones are the best?  Will both function equally or is it just a matter of personal preference?  I thought I read in another thread that the European mags are the flat back (chinese) style and the Bulgy mags were the standard ribbed mags?  Is one style better than the other?

Thanks

Andy

I always feel it's preference, but more often than not the popular answer is go with steel milsurp mags. I gave a polymer Bulgarian 40 round and a Tapco 30 rounder, along with a good number of steel 30 round mags, all work well for me. But given a choice, I'd go with tried and true steel euro/etc. surplus.

Oh yes, and from someone still fairly new to someone newer, welcome to the boards!

Powder,

    Everything I've gotten from AIM has been great.  I bought a few of the Bulgarian/plastic follower mags but haven't tried them yet.  They look great and I expect they will work fine, but the tried and true commie/Eastern European steel mags have the best record.  So try a few of each, but I would get more of the used European mags than the ones with the plastic followers.

You can't go wrong with either mag. It's just a choice of whether you want the Chinese style (flat back) or the Russian/European style (spine back). Both will serve you well.

Just a note.   The "surplus European" mags that you are looking at are Chinese mags that were imported to Yugoslavia years ago and are now being sold off as European surplus.  All true steel "European" mags have the spine on the back.    

Russian/European  steel mags = spine on back

Chinese steel mags =  no spine on back.

AIM is great to deal with. Get the all steel surplus European mags. They will last forever.

I have been buying these Chinese [European] mags at the local shows for about 8 months now. They cost $1 more than AIM, but there is no shipping charges,  & I choose the best mags from his huge supply. However, any steel imported AK mag is great, & at under $10, a bargain. Should you have compliance issues, you get 1 Tapco mag. Who even cares if it works.  GARY  N4KVE