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Posted: 12/12/2012 7:27:19 PM EDT
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I have a 40rd steel 762 magazine that I am curious about the origin of. I kind of thought it is Russian, but the main proof marking is a star in a circle. The common tula marking with star doesn't have a circle that I have ever seen.
I understand North Korean mags have a star in a circle, but I don't really think its North Korean. Some pics with other markings are posted as well. It kind of looks Russian, but I'm not sure which arsenal. 
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| I'll have to agree with it not being Molot magazine. First think that came to mind was North Korean. From what I've read in the past the smaller star/circle like yours are older, there is also a larger variation. I've never seen Tula steel mag marks in circles, so I'm going to have to say it's a North Korean magazine. |
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Quoted:
I'll have to agree with it not being Molot magazine. First think that came to mind was North Korean. From what I've read in the past the smaller star/circle like yours are older, there is also a larger variation. I've never seen Tula steel mag marks in circles, so I'm going to have to say it's a North Korean magazine. Interesting I figured it wasn't a North Korean mag as they seem to have larger stars than this. But I can't find anything else that it could realistically be either. Does the finish and other markings look like it could be North Korean ? The other lettering and markings appear similar to Russian mags. |
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In the AK reference book "the grim reaper" it shows pictures of a north korean magazine with similar logos to mine. It also appears to lack other markings, and I've never heard of a north korean 40rd magazine either.
I wish I remembered where I got it. I was just looking at some mags in my stash and noticed the markings. |
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Quoted:
Molot Russian. Star in a shield mark. AIM surplus has these mags, and from their pictures some have the star in a shield, and some in a small circle like mine. So I think you're right though I don't understand why they aren't all in a shield like every other molot mag I've seen in the past. |
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You have a Russian Molot 40rd magazine.
There's a few variations of the "star in the shield" stamping on these magazines. Yours is one of those that can be found sometimes which has the larger star inside the shield with a more elongated-style shield shape stamping that resembles a stretched-out circle. In addition, North Korea actually didn't produce any 40rd steel magazines in 7.62x39mm. It can be confusing as the stamp somewhat resembles a circle and upon seeing the star inside that's larger than commonly encountered, it can be mistaken for a North Korean "star in a circle" arsenal stamp. As an aside, there are Russian 40rd steel magazines in 7.62x39mm made by both Tula (with a small star stamped on the side of the spine) as well as Izhevsk (with an arrow that has fletchings inside of a triangle also stamped on the side of the spine). Hope that can help. |
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Quoted:
You have a Russian Molot 40rd magazine. There's a few variations of the "star in the shield" stamping on these magazines. Yours is one of those that can be found sometimes which has the larger star inside the shield with a more elongated-style shield shape stamping that resembles a stretched-out circle. In addition, North Korea actually didn't produce any 40rd steel magazines in 7.62x39mm. It can be confusing as the stamp somewhat resembles a circle and upon seeing the star inside that's larger than commonly encountered, it can be mistaken for a North Korean "star in a circle" arsenal stamp. As an aside, there are Russian 40rd steel magazines in 7.62x39mm made by both Tula (with a small star stamped on the side of the spine) as well as Izhevsk (with an arrow that has fletchings inside of a triangle also stamped on the side of the spine). Hope that can help. I believe you're correct. What clinched it for me was looking at it from a different angle where it looks less like a circle and more like a shield. I figured it was likely Russian, but now it makes perfect sense. Thanks. |
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