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Posted: 8/6/2019 4:54:28 PM EDT
Hopefully I don't get in trouble for posting this here. I posted in the mag sub forum, and didn't get any hits, so I'm going to try my luck here..
Has anyone had any experience with these Bulgarian AR mags? I haven't been able to find anything online about them, other than the reviews for the product listing on clearviews site (below) and on Numrich's site. These are the only two vendors that I've found that offer them so far. Numrich being almost 2x more. From the reviews, it seems they have AK style base plates and followers. I just found them interesting, and so I grabbed 10. At $10.50 a mag after shipping, why the hell not. https://www.clearviewinvest.com/ar1522330rdmagazinesbulgariannewinplasticwrap.aspx |
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I can't obliviously see the floor-plates but they look like HK maritime clones.
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Interesting, After you get them , please post a review. ( With more pics )
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Quoted:
Interesting, After you get them , please post a review. ( With more pics ) View Quote https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar-15/-ARCHIVED-THREAD-Bulgarian-35rd-M16-Magazines-Who-s-Been-Using-Them-/17-483385/&page=1 |
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I would be alot more enthusiastic if these were made by the legitimate millitary factory known as ((10)), which is the Bulgarian factory who earned the reputation for extremely durable and reliable AK magazines. It is well known that the commercial Bulgarian (non ((10)) polymer) mags were junk trying to capitalize on the association of Bulgaria with quality extreme duty ((10)) polymer mags for Kalashnikov based rifles.
Heres an example where the "gun writer" seems to confuse commercial "Bulgarian" with legit ((10)) military issued mags and has a terrible experience. Theres a reason why ((10)) mags are $40/piece. https://www.thegunwriter.com/19338/im-done-with-polymer-ak-mags/ "Bulgarian" is not ((10)), "Polish" is not FB Radom just as delton or bear creek arsenal are certainly not Colt just because all three happen to be from the U.S. For as long as these have been availible, you would think there would be tons of reviews either way. Are these good? Who knows? Who knows who the manufacturer is? Bulgaria certainly isnt the manufacturer. The real "Bulgarian" magazines come from Arsenal Bulgaria aka ((10)) aka the former state owned military factory who produced (and still do) small arms for use in war. |
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Quoted:
I would be alot more enthusiastic if these were made by the legitimate millitary factory known as ((10)), which is the Bulgarian factory who earned the reputation for extremely durable and reliable AK magazines. It is well known that the commercial Bulgarian (non ((10)) polymer) mags were junk trying to capitalize on the association of Bulgaria with quality extreme duty ((10)) polymer mags for Kalashnikov based rifles. Heres an example where the "gun writer" seems to confuse commercial "Bulgarian" with legit ((10)) military issued mags and has a terrible experience. Theres a reason why ((10)) mags are $40/piece. https://www.thegunwriter.com/19338/im-done-with-polymer-ak-mags/ "Bulgarian" is not ((10)), "Polish" is not FB Radom just as delton or bear creek arsenal are certainly not Colt just because all three happen to be from the U.S. For as long as these have been availible, you would think there would be tons of reviews either way. Are these good? Who knows? Who knows who the manufacturer is? Bulgaria certainly isnt the manufacturer. The real "Bulgarian" magazines come from Arsenal Bulgaria aka ((10)) aka the former state owned military factory who produced (and still do) small arms for use in war. View Quote I wanted some bombproof AR mags though, and the fact that they are similar in design to AK mags makes it even better:) now I’m going to have to try to find some of those HK mags.. https://glbbg.com/html/upload/files/Polymaggs.pdf https://glbbg.com |
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More choices the better. Post up pictures and a review when you get them. Hopefully they are good to go.
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I would be interested in your review. Please post one when you get/use them.
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Quoted:
Interesting. Tagged for updates. View Quote |
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Alright, some more honest feedback. The mags are easy to load. With the thicker AK style spring, there’s a little more spring resistance towards the last few rounds than there is with the various USGI mags and Magpul mags. They feed really smoothly, even the first of 30 rounds.
The only con so far is that unless you plan on giving the mag a slap (which it seems most people do anyways) these need to be downloaded to 28. I’ve never had to download mags, except for when I had an SP1 that didn’t like full mags for whatever reason. It doesn’t take a hard slap, but enough to where it won’t seat without a slap. A lot of people already download, so if you already do, this obviously isn’t going to be an issue. If it bothers you, this could probably be easily fixed by shaving a small amount off of the follower. All that being said, they fit really snug while having no issues dropping free. I’m definitely happy. I’ll be doing some durability testing, and again, will probably be grabbing several more while they’re still available, but in all honestly, it’s still really hard to beat the D&H mags. The D&H mags don’t feel nearly as durable as these Bulgarians, and I’m sure they aren’t, but they are cheap, light, lock into place easily, and are well made. So far, if I could only have one mag, and it was between one of these Bulgarian mags or a D&H, I’d probably choose the Bulgarian. If I had to pick between the two to squirrel tons of one kind away, it’d be the D&H mags. |
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Those look good, i like the AK style floor plate. Can you weigh a mag that is empty and loaded and post results?
thanks |
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Quoted:
Those look good, i like the AK style floor plate. Can you weigh a mag that is empty and loaded and post results? thanks View Quote I've got you some weight comparisons. Like I said, these are definitely a bit heavier than your standard AR mags, but that's the sacrifice you make for the bombproof construction I guess :) Empty mags: Pmag G2 - 4.804 OZ D&H Aluminum - 4.081 OZ Bulgarian Steel - 8.24 OZ Loaded mags: Pmag G2 - 17.544 OZ D&H - 16.821 OZ Bulgarian - 20.98 OZ Roughly a 4 OZ difference per mag. Not terrible. |
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Quoted:
https://i.imgur.com/ddTaX2Pl.jpg View Quote |
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Quoted: @cwm1150 I've got you some weight comparisons. Like I said, these are definitely a bit heavier than your standard AR mags, but that's the sacrifice you make for the bombproof construction I guess :) Empty mags: Pmag G2 - 4.804 OZ D&H Aluminum - 4.081 OZ Bulgarian Steel - 8.24 OZ Loaded mags: Pmag G2 - 17.544 OZ D&H - 16.821 OZ Bulgarian - 20.98 OZ Roughly a 4 OZ difference per mag. Not terrible. View Quote |
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Thanks for the weights. Gonna order a few in a week. Hope they are still on sale.
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Quoted:
Great info, thanks for posting. That does look like the Made in Bulgaria sticker on the commercial polymer AK mags. I bought three of those for around $11 just to try out as range mags - two with the (very thin) metal reinforcements and one plain polymer. They work fine, but I have no doubt that the locking tab would snap right off if I did the rifle / mag drop test. Hopefully these 5.56 mags are more like their commercial metal AK mags. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Great info, thanks for posting. That does look like the Made in Bulgaria sticker on the commercial polymer AK mags. I bought three of those for around $11 just to try out as range mags - two with the (very thin) metal reinforcements and one plain polymer. They work fine, but I have no doubt that the locking tab would snap right off if I did the rifle / mag drop test. Hopefully these 5.56 mags are more like their commercial metal AK mags. Quoted: I'd like to try them myself, but at 1/4 pound difference 8 magazines is 2 pounds of extra weight. |
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Quoted:
... "Bulgarian" is not ((10)), "Polish" is not FB Radom just as delton or bear creek arsenal are certainly not Colt just because all three happen to be from the U.S.For as long as these have been availible, you would think there would be tons of reviews either way. Are these good? Who knows? Who knows who the manufacturer is? Bulgaria certainly isnt the manufacturer. The real "Bulgarian" magazines come from Arsenal Bulgaria aka ((10)) aka the former state owned military factory who produced (and still do) small arms for use in war. View Quote |
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Quoted: Some of the "Bulgarian" mags in other instances were Chinese mags that were ran though a Bulgarian intermediary. My guess is they are probably not really Bulgarian. View Quote |
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When somebody tried that trick running Chinese made AK 75 round backloading drums thru Romania and tagging them as 'Made In Romania' they went to prison. Or at least that's what the story is.
I bought one and can't tell the difference between a Chinese production unit but it's got better welds than a Korean made one. Considering Bulgaria already stamps out AK mags I don't find it hard to believe they're stamping out AR mags as well. I just never knew they'd been available this long, or at all. If they are actually made in China they could ask for more IMHO. And I have no doubt as CI gets to the bottom of their stock the price will creep up and the last ones will net $20. |
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Quoted:
When somebody tried that trick running Chinese made AK 75 round backloading drums thru Romania and tagging them as 'Made In Romania' they went to prison. Or at least that's what the story is. I bought one and can't tell the difference between a Chinese production unit but it's got better welds than a Korean made one. Considering Bulgaria already stamps out AK mags I don't find it hard to believe they're stamping out AR mags as well. I just never knew they'd been available this long, or at all. If they are actually made in China they could ask for more IMHO. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
When somebody tried that trick running Chinese made AK 75 round backloading drums thru Romania and tagging them as 'Made In Romania' they went to prison. Or at least that's what the story is. I bought one and can't tell the difference between a Chinese production unit but it's got better welds than a Korean made one. Considering Bulgaria already stamps out AK mags I don't find it hard to believe they're stamping out AR mags as well. I just never knew they'd been available this long, or at all. If they are actually made in China they could ask for more IMHO. https://glbbg.com/ Their mission statement: "GLB Bulgaria is a company which specializes in the production, engineering and installation of photovoltaic systems. Our holding structure is focused on several key business areas - renewable energy, accounting and financial management, defense products, organic and propertys - resdential, commercial and industrial." Quoted:
And I have no doubt as CI gets to the bottom of their stock the price will creep up and the last ones will net $20. |
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I just sent Polymaggs LLC (GLBBG) a list of questions in regards to these mags and their AK mags. If they get back to me, I'll share the answers.
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I weighed a couple more mags. Here's the complete list for comparison:
Empty mags: Pmag G2 - 4.804 OZ D&H Aluminum - 4.081 OZ Bulgarian Steel - 8.24 OZ Colt 2010 dated Aluminum - 3.538 OZ (I believe this is due to the green follower being lighter than the magpul anti tilt) Pmag G3 - 5.128 OZ Loaded mags: Pmag G2 - 17.544 OZ D&H - 16.821 OZ Bulgarian - 20.98 OZ Colt 2010 dated Aluminum - 16.278 OZ Pmag G3 - 17.868 OZ By the way, for further comparison, the HK maritime mags weight 8.64 OZ empty. More than the Bulgarian mags. |
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Can you pull a follower and take a pic? Wondering if you could add Magpul anti-tilts or is that not needed or not an option?
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Quoted:
Can you pull a follower and take a pic? Wondering if you could add Magpul anti-tilts or is that not needed or not an option? View Quote |
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It would require an AR spring as well for one, the Bulgy spring runs completely front-back like an AK spring so there's no room for the legs of a magpul follower.
I had a spare magpul GI follower and opened up one of my Bulgys just to give it a try. You'd have to modify either the AR spring or the baseplate, or just let the spring sit sit on top of the floorplate without any way to anchor. IMHO it's not an improvement over the stock setup, this follower has zero tilt. |
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When somebody tried that trick running Chinese made AK 75 round backloading drums thru Romania and tagging them as 'Made In Romania' they went to prison. Or at least that's what the story is. I bought one and can't tell the difference between a Chinese production unit but it's got better welds than a Korean made one. Considering Bulgaria already stamps out AK mags I don't find it hard to believe they're stamping out AR mags as well. I just never knew they'd been available this long, or at all. If they are actually made in China they could ask for more IMHO. And I have no doubt as CI gets to the bottom of their stock the price will creep up and the last ones will net $20. View Quote |
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I'd always assumed the original market for these mags were .223 AKs with AR magwells.
Although if you're already stamping out AK mags then making this hybrid mag would be easier to produce than a clone of an AR mag with an AR type follower & spring. Although if Clearview says this is inventory from 2010 and they're still sitting on 3 to 4 thousand, they're not gonna order more, they're probably gonna be thankful when they're no longer taking up space. I need to order a few more small parts from CI and may throw a few more of these mags in the cart to cover shipping. |
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Quoted: They can't be advertised as Chinese because of import restrictions and these aren't Chinese or Bulgarian military grade magazines. If you want to move cheap AR mags from china (which is already producing them for airsoft industry) you make them un-stamped intentionally and send them to a 3rd country that has looser import and export restrictions and you put a "Made in ..." sticker on them. There isn't a domestic market for them in Bulgaria. If your trying to make some money in Bulgaria by selling some mags to America would you invest in a factory, R&D, and all of this or buy the parts from china for $1.50/ea. View Quote I spoke with Clearview’s sales rep, and they are really thankful for all the new business lol he did say that once these mags are gone, they’re gone though, and confirmed they have 3,500+ left in stock. If the site is correct, it’s around 4,000. He wasn’t sure if Polymaggs is still offering or importing the mags, but he’s going to find out. Either way, there’s no plans to buy more for whatever reason. As I assumed, they’ve had what they have since 2010, and he said he doesn’t remember the price ever being changed. He said they don’t have any plans to change the price either. That’s one of the main reasons I reached out to them. Didn’t want them thinking the new traffic was because of a panic, and therefore bump the price as a result. I asked whether they’d consider offering a bulk discount, and he’s going to ask. The owner is actually going to call me Monday to discuss the mags and the stock set they have (I’m trying to find out the origin). I’ll update everyone once I’ve spoken to him. I should have some durability results for everyone before hand. |
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No problem! Yeah, it's definitely the same paint too. I have one of the new Bulgarian AK mags made by the same company, and they are actually really nice. I prefer actual steel military surplus AK mags, but the new Bulgarian mags are some of the best, if not the best, new commercial steel AK mags available right now. WAY nicer than the Korean. View Quote Attached File The finish on the AR mag is more textured - not exactly rough, but sort of a nice matte finish that should offer a better gripping surface. When I wiped the oil off with a paper towel, I ended up with white fuzz on the mag body, especially in the grooves on the sides, where the rough surface ripped up the paper towel. The AK mag has a more smooth, gloss finish (hard to see in photos): Attached File The AR mag seems like a good quality, well-built product. I like the small tabs on the sides of the AK-style baseplate, which should help with gripping the mag when pulling it from a magazine pouch. However, it’s definitely more suited to a single mag pouch, since stacking them side by side in a double pouch could cause the baseplate tabs to interfere with each other. |
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As of this date and time, on sale for $9.34 each from the Clearviewinvest website.
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Just for others’ benefit, here is a comparison of the packaging for the AR and AK mags - clearly from the same source (and both thoroughly wet with a light oil, not Cosmoline like many older European magazines): https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/27888/8EB6864A-5521-4498-B54A-4DF348E233CD_jpeg-1049243.JPG The finish on the AR mag is more textured - not exactly rough, but sort of a nice matte finish that should offer a better gripping surface. When I wiped the oil off with a paper towel, I ended up with white fuzz on the mag body, especially in the grooves on the sides, where the rough surface ripped up the paper towel. The AK mag has a more smooth, gloss finish (hard to see in photos): https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/27888/01429AA0-9D45-48D8-8904-8F623E49C9D2_jpeg-1049245.JPG The AR mag seems like a good quality, well-built product. I like the small tabs on the sides of the AK-style baseplate, which should help with gripping the mag when pulling it from a magazine pouch. However, it’s definitely more suited to a single mag pouch, since stacking them side by side in a double pouch could cause the baseplate tabs to interfere with each other. View Quote IIRC the earlier new Bulgarian mags (around the same time these mags were imported) had a finish closer to these AR mags. I’ll dig the one out I have for comparison. |
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As of this date and time, on sale for $9.34 each from the Clearviewinvest website. View Quote |
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Thanks for the background info on these magazines. Definitely a good price - the shipping cost is a little higher than some places, but it seems to be a flat rate that doesn’t go up when I add more items. Having said that, their shipping was crazy fast - I placed my order on Tuesday, they shipped the same day and arrived on Thursday. I’ll have to order a few more next month - kind of busted the hobby budget this month!
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Quoted:
Thanks for the background info on these magazines. Definitely a good price - the shipping cost is a little higher than some places, but it seems to be a flat rate that doesn’t go up when I add more items. Having said that, their shipping was crazy fast - I placed my order on Tuesday, they shipped the same day and arrived on Thursday. I’ll have to order a few more next month - kind of busted the hobby budget this month! View Quote No problem at all man! Just glad I’ve been able to point people to what appears so far to be a quality product. Shipping is a little high, but it is priority, and like you said, if you buy a few it’s not bad at all. I think you have plenty of time to get your hobby funds up again to buy some more before they’re out for good. They’ve sold around 200 in the past 2 weeks since I started the thread, most of which were in the last week, but they have around 4,000 left. I’ve saved enough funds for 30 more, but waiting until after testing tomorrow before buying them just in case the mag happens to fail, which I’m highly doubting. That’ll probably be all I buy. I sent one to a friend of mine for testing with a full auto, and I’ll be beating up one a little tomorrow, so that’ll put me at 38 total. Really would love to buy much more, but while I can still get used USGI mags for around $5, I’m going to put my future hobby funds towards them instead. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll be able to buy 30rd mags for much longer. So whether or not the Bulgarian out performs the Okay Ind and pmag mags, more is better at the moment, and USGI mags are obviously proven. |
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Thanks for posting this. The Beretta are my favorite steel mags, but they aren't available anymore. The SCAR mags are really nice and expensive. I'll give a few of these a try.
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Well I am really impressed so far. I haven't had a chance to seat one in one of my AR's yet, but cosmetically, they are REALLY nice. They are obviously heavier than Pmags and Aluminum USGI mags, but this doesn't bother me any. I prefer durability over light weight, and I'm use to the weight of my AK mags anyways. They come COVERED in oil and sealed in plastic, so these are perfect for someone who wants to squirrel away some mags for a good price. The follower moves smoothly and they are easy to disassemble and reassemble. I'm loving the AK like design. Once I have time to function test one, I'll give a more thorough review. I also plan to beat one up some (nothing impractical). Just wanted to get some pics up.https://i.imgur.com/ddTaX2Pl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/94osHjRl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/RYxS5iGl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/TfqEVfyl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/sen4HGRl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/zQsF5fDl.jpg View Quote You should worry more about reliability as you will spend more time shooting with your mags than trying to destroy them. |
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Quoted: Thanks for the input! Seems everyone has been happy with them so far. I was going to do some durability tests today, but it’s going to have to wait until tomorrow. IIRC the earlier new Bulgarian mags (around the same time these mags were imported) had a finish closer to these AR mags. I’ll dig the one out I have for comparison. View Quote |
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Quoted: It's not needed at all. The follower in the Bulgarian mag is anti-tilt by design. A member of the Files compared his magpul anti-tilt to the Bulgarian follower. The way the Bulgarian mag is designed, it would take a lot of work to get it to work if you could even get it to work. View Quote |
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Quoted: No need for durability tests. They are a bit moot. Reliability tests would be better. Drop free, seating, rounds between failure, etc. Those are what mags are used for. Testing with various rifles/lowers would be good too. Please don't do any running them over with your car or dropping them loaded on the feed lips tests. Unrealistic and waste of time. View Quote |
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I had one in my three mag load-out for a 3 day carbine class over the weekend. Stone/dust range and working surfaces during course. I just shook out dust and rocks every once in a while. No problems with the Bulgarian.
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I picked a few up also.
Ran fine in a 20" retro, 18" rifle, and 7 1/2" pistol So far, I'm very happy with them. |
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