What AK47 magazines should I be buying right now?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What AK47 magazines should I be buying right now? (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 5/7/2017 2:20:15 PM EDT

What magazine is reliable, available, and affordable?

I need between 5-10.

Posted: 5/7/2017 2:26:36 PM EDT

[#1]

AIM surplus still had some "Polish" a while back. They ain't too bad.

Posted: 5/7/2017 5:43:52 PM EDT

[#2]

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Quoted:
AIM surplus still had some "Polish" a while back. They ain't too bad.

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How do the Gibbs-Matra newly manufactured ones stack up in comparison?

Posted: 5/8/2017 2:04:00 PM EDT

[#3]

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Quoted:

How do the Gibbs-Matra newly manufactured ones stack up in comparison?

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Never used em. Communist metals are still quite available so I stick with those. Magpuls are the only others I'd use.

Posted: 5/8/2017 11:09:10 PM EDT

[#4]

Same advice now as in the past.

Surplus steel commie mags, the heavy duty ones.

Posted: 5/10/2017 8:53:19 PM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
Never used em. Communist metals are still quite available so I stick with those. Magpuls are the only others I'd use.

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The Gibbs-Matra mags are metal, made in Bosnia or Croatia, maked on the commie tool and dies.

Posted: 5/13/2017 7:21:29 PM EDT

[#6]

All of them

Posted: 5/13/2017 7:43:44 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Same advice now as in the past.

Surplus steel commie mags, the heavy duty ones.

View Quote

This!

Posted: 5/14/2017 3:53:27 PM EDT

[#8]

I tried to like the Yugo BHO mags from AIM Surplus. They are well made and at a great price but the cosmoline they come packed in is a PITA to clean off and time consuming, at least for me. My favorite steel mags as of now are the blued finish Polish Radom mags I got from AKOU. These look to be brand new, not repainted or re-furbed. Yeah, they cost more than the Yugos but are worth it to me.

Posted: 5/14/2017 6:19:22 PM EDT

[#9]

I know a lot of people bash TAPCO but their smooth side magazines I got from them seem to be fine and they are cheaper than the steels ones too. I did have to file/sand down my magazines to fit in the mag well though since they were a tight fit. They even come with an anti-tilt follower too.

Posted: 5/14/2017 6:31:41 PM EDT

[#10]

The new magpul M3's are really nice.

Lock up tight in my 2 ak's.

Got them off the EE 5 for $60 shipped niw

Posted: 5/14/2017 6:43:54 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
AIM surplus still had some "Polish" a while back. They ain't too bad.

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I have a half dozen recently purchased. Professionally refinished. Supposedly the paints so thick they need some sanding or muscle to seat

Posted: 5/15/2017 4:51:30 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
I know a lot of people bash TAPCO but their smooth side magazines I got from them seem to be fine and they are cheaper than the steels ones too. I did have to file/sand down my magazines to fit in the mag well though since they were a tight fit. They even come with an anti-tilt follower too.

View Quote

I dont get the hate as I've seen Tapcos, both ribbed and smooth, hold up well to use and abuse. I got 10 black smoothsides from Primary Arms as they were $7.99 each on sale, much cheaper than all my surplus Bakelites, Chinese flatbacks or even new production Bulgarian steel. For the price I paid for my two (10) mags I can get 8 more Tapcos. They fit a little tighter in my SLR-107FR but not too bad and they've been 100% reliable. I use them as my training and range mags while I keep all of my surplus ones stashed away for SHTF. Im very impressed for a cheap, non steel reinforced, American made AK mag.

Posted: 5/15/2017 5:01:57 PM EDT

[#13]

Depends on what you use them for...

Range mags - the Tapcos are fine and good shooters. They don't have metal reinforcements, so the locking lugs (front and rear) are the weak points.

Magpul made their latest generation AK mags with the Steel Reinforcements (like the Bulgarian Circle 10s) due to that weakness in serious use.

For Serious Doo-Doo - I'd want only WARSAW PACT Steel mags. Indestructible!! The Polish mags I've all purchased are good to go for come whatever. (test fit each and every one in your AK (s) to make sure. They are tight and right in all my guns with no wobble or bobble. They will last a lifetime

BIGGER_HAMMER

Posted: 5/15/2017 5:37:17 PM EDT

[#14]

What A Country has NOS Polish and used, very good Hungarian mags. I got five of each.

Posted: 5/29/2017 7:56:06 AM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
For Serious Doo-Doo - I'd want only WARSAW PACT Steel mags. Indestructible!! The Polish mags I've all purchased are good to go for come whatever. (test fit each and every one in your AK (s) to make sure. They are tight and right in all my guns with no wobble or bobble. They will last a lifetime

BIGGER_HAMMER

View Quote

Euro commie mags are very durable and a good shtf option, but they are far from "indestructible". Plenty have been damaged to the point where it affects function...usually just dents to the body.

Posted: 5/30/2017 8:48:08 PM EDT

[#16]

https://www.apexgunparts.com/ak47-magazine-30rd-zastava-bho-7-62x39-new.html

This is a good price, but are these good?

Posted: 5/30/2017 10:08:51 PM EDT

[#17]

I've got about 30 serb bho mags. From what I have read / seen, every once in a while you find one that doesn't fit in all of your AKs. Fit isn't 100% in every AK ever made. Not that big of a deal IMO. Mags are cheap enough that I'm fine attempting mods and using those ones as range mags, or just tossing them.

Big boxes of these from psa are the best deal.

Posted: 7/20/2017 12:31:56 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Same advice now as in the past.

Surplus steel commie mags, the heavy duty ones.

View Quote

This is always the answer.

Posted: 7/20/2017 1:33:12 PM EDT

[#19]

One thing I will add to my comments above...bakelites. They ain't making any more of them and they never will. Fixed supply, and good demand = always going up in price, so if you EVER want to get any, the best time was yesterday (or 20 years ago!) and the second best time is today.

Posted: 7/29/2017 9:42:20 AM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
I tried to like the Yugo BHO mags from AIM Surplus. They are well made and at a great price but the cosmoline they come packed in is a PITA to clean off and time consuming, at least for me. My favorite steel mags as of now are the blued finish Polish Radom mags I got from AKOU. These look to be brand new, not repainted or re-furbed. Yeah, they cost more than the Yugos but are worth it to me.

View Quote

soak them in a 5 gallon bucket of warm soapy water... the dried on cosmoline turns to a soft butter like material that can be taken right off with a regular bristle scrub brush

after the soapy water bath and scrub, spray them with oil and wipe them down to finish up the job...

I cleaned 100+ this way, it is a bitch, but the warm bath helped a lot... I did five mags a night... took me quite a while

Posted: 8/1/2017 2:22:32 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
Depends on what you use them for...

Range mags - the Tapcos are fine and good shooters. They don't have metal reinforcements, so the locking lugs (front and rear) are the weak points.

Magpul made their latest generation AK mags with the Steel Reinforcements (like the Bulgarian Circle 10s) due to that weakness in serious use.

For Serious Doo-Doo - I'd want only WARSAW PACT Steel mags. Indestructible!! The Polish mags I've all purchased are good to go for come whatever. (test fit each and every one in your AK (s) to make sure. They are tight and right in all my guns with no wobble or bobble. They will last a lifetime

BIGGER_HAMMER

View Quote

Magpul didn't reinforce the feedlips unless I missed the memo.

Posted: 8/1/2017 2:29:07 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
One thing I will add to my comments above...bakelites. They ain't making any more of them and they never will. Fixed supply, and good demand = always going up in price, so if you EVER want to get any, the best time was yesterday (or 20 years ago!) and the second best time is today.

View Quote

I don't remember seeing x39 bakelites in any quantity until the last several years. X45 ones used to be like $1 when I was a kid lol, but I'm not sure there was any rifles or ammo for them at that time.

Posted: 8/1/2017 4:46:44 PM EDT

[#23]

yeah, 20 years ago you'd prolly need to take a trip to Russia with some hard currency in-hand, but if you had I bet you coulda got a ton of them cheap (compared to today's prices!).

I don't know anything about the import history of bakelites honestly...just that they will never make more, and they are cool.

Posted: 8/11/2017 11:31:48 AM EDT

[#24]

http://www.jgsales.com/arsenal-ak-47-7.62x39-30rd-magazine,-black-p-41226.html

I still think these are the best.

Also the newest Magpul series does not include metal feed lips, so they are not 'basically the same' as the ((10))

Granted when I bought mine they weren't this expensive, $42 is the cheapest I can find. Luckily I have 14 of the 30s, 2 of the 40s...

One last thing, all AK mags have 'anti tilt' followers. At least they should, this isn't like a new idea. Not to bash on the AR crowd (which I'm apart of), but the AK never had this flaw with their mags like for decades the AR series had. The Russians originally made 'anti tilt' followers for their AKs since they were made for 7.62x39 and its taper... Otherwise the standard 30s would be jamomatic pieces of trash...

Posted: 1/14/2018 10:53:43 AM EDT

[#25]

What’s the consensus on Toth Tool’s magazines now that they've been out for a couple years? I managed to get a few a year or so ago but haven’t gotten around to testing them yet. I’ve seen a mention or two of their followers sticking. I’m guessing that their sporadic availability makes them too difficult to stock up on.

Posted: 1/18/2018 11:17:32 AM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
What’s the consensus on Toth Tool’s magazines now that they've been out for a couple years? I managed to get a few a year or so ago but haven’t gotten around to testing them yet. I’ve seen a mention or two of their followers sticking. I’m guessing that their sporadic availability makes them too difficult to stock up on.

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They are double the current price of a steel surplus magazine and have a less proven track record. I doubt I will be buying any. I am always a fan of commie surplus first.

Posted: 1/18/2018 12:27:48 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
I tried to like the Yugo BHO mags from AIM Surplus. They are well made and at a great price but the cosmoline they come packed in is a PITA to clean off and time consuming, at least for me. My favorite steel mags as of now are the blued finish Polish Radom mags I got from AKOU. These look to be brand new, not repainted or re-furbed. Yeah, they cost more than the Yugos but are worth it to me.

View Quote

Buy a gallon of WD40 and drop them in. Dissolves it away.

OP,
I just bought some Zastava Yugo BHO mags from gun mag warehouse for $9. They are nice and brand new and built on the same machines that built all the Yugo military mags, so I have heard. Much better than the Croatian.

Posted: 1/19/2018 5:37:18 AM EDT

[#28]

I bought some of the Polish magazines from AIM and they work great in my WASR. They appear to be painted, which gives them a tight fit. They are even tighter in the Draco. They are almost too tight in my Bulgarians, but that is due to the paint. A little wear on the magazine paint and they'll work just fine.

Posted: 1/19/2018 9:22:08 AM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:
Buy a gallon of WD40 and drop them in. Dissolves it away.

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My dad used kerosene to clean cosmoline off the VW parts they shipped to him back when he was a mechanic. He ended up with leukemia, though, so be sure you use gloves and don't breathe it if you clean with any of these solvents (WD-40 or anything).

Posted: 1/19/2018 9:27:06 AM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
I bought some of the Polish magazines from AIM and they work great in my WASR. They appear to be painted, which gives them a tight fit. They are even tighter in the Draco. They are almost too tight in my Bulgarians, but that is due to the paint. A little wear on the magazine paint and they'll work just fine.

View Quote

I ended up having to file the flat part of the back of the mag right above the locking tab on my Polish mags to get the thick paint off. They seated fine in my WASR, some wouldn't go in the M70, and almost none would go in my DDI Hungarian build until I filed the paint off the backs.

So far, the only negative is that a couple of them have paint flaking off near the feed lips where they're rubbing in the rifle. It leaves big black flakes on my hands after using them. They look parkerized underneath the paint to me.

Posted: 1/19/2018 10:16:35 AM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:

The Gibbs-Matra mags are metal, made in Bosnia or Croatia, maked on the commie tool and dies.

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These^^^ turned out to be duds. Buy mags which were made in a commie Arsenal for military issue and you'll be good to go.

Posted: 1/19/2018 10:42:11 AM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:
Magpul didn't reinforce the feedlips unless I missed the memo.

View Quote View All Quotes

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Depends on what you use them for...

Range mags - the Tapcos are fine and good shooters. They don't have metal reinforcements, so the locking lugs (front and rear) are the weak points.

Magpul made their latest generation AK mags with the Steel Reinforcements (like the Bulgarian Circle 10s) due to that weakness in serious use.

For Serious Doo-Doo - I'd want only WARSAW PACT Steel mags. Indestructible!! The Polish mags I've all purchased are good to go for come whatever. (test fit each and every one in your AK (s) to make sure. They are tight and right in all my guns with no wobble or bobble. They will last a lifetime

BIGGER_HAMMER

Magpul didn't reinforce the feedlips unless I missed the memo.

The 3rd Gen Magpul AK mags have steel inserts in the front and rear locking lugs. (the previous were plastic)

The feedlips remain polymer...

Posted: 1/24/2018 1:14:59 AM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:

The 3rd Gen Magpul AK mags have steel inserts in the front and rear locking lugs. (the previous were plastic)

The feedlips remain polymer...

View Quote

they also reinforced the spines with steel inserts in front and back.... and they didn't reinforce the front lug, they just put a metal insert on the front spine... the lug itself is still plastic on the front. However, it was the BACK lug that was prone to breaking so no biggie. IMO they screwed up by not reinforcing the feed lips. Even if they figured they didn't NEED to they should have done it anyways because the AK nuts would have had a competitor to the fabled (and overpriced) Circle (10) mags.

Posted: 2/3/2018 9:52:45 PM EDT

[#34]

Quote History

Quoted:
Depends on what you use them for...

Range mags - the Tapcos are fine and good shooters. They don't have metal reinforcements, so the locking lugs (front and rear) are the weak points.

Magpul made their latest generation AK mags with the Steel Reinforcements (like the Bulgarian Circle 10s) due to that weakness in serious use.

For Serious Doo-Doo - I'd want only WARSAW PACT Steel mags. Indestructible!! The Polish mags I've all purchased are good to go for come whatever. (test fit each and every one in your AK (s) to make sure. They are tight and right in all my guns with no wobble or bobble. They will last a lifetime

BIGGER_HAMMER

View Quote

I have always considered my Tapco mags as inferior range mags. But, I have had to rethink that lately.
Story:
2013, my nephew was visiting and as usual. Taking time to hit the range with uncle's AK. I loaded up some Tapco mags for him and off he went. His mother called during that time and said she just got called into work and had to leave right away. Four hour trip home. So I called him and him and Grandpa came back and he left to pick up his mother and head on home. Well, he left a fully loaded Tapco magazine in his car. He found it when he got home. I told him to hang on to it and to bring it back next he came to visit.
Well numerous visits with no mag until last summer. He finally gave me the magazine back. Still loaded with 30 rounds. Three and a half years loaded with 30 rounds! I still have that magazine loaded with those rounds and it past 4 years still loaded this past Christmas Holiday. I did unload it last week to count the rounds and immediately reloaded it.
I am Truly impressed. This is the original with ribs and not the new slab side mags. I did load a Tapco slab side and put it away to be checked every couple of months to see how it holds up. But the original mag is still loaded and no feed lips cracking or bending that I can see.
Just something to think about, and of course, YMMV.

BikerScout
Sunny AZ

Posted: 2/4/2018 1:45:42 PM EDT

[#35]

Quote History

Quoted:

Buy a gallon of WD40 and drop them in. Dissolves it away.

OP,
I just bought some Zastava Yugo BHO mags from gun mag warehouse for $9. They are nice and brand new and built on the same machines that built all the Yugo military mags, so I have heard. Much better than the Croatian.

View Quote

I think these are the ones Apex has for about $10 right now. Thinking hard about picking up a bunch.

Posted: 2/6/2018 6:10:06 AM EDT

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:

I think these are the ones Apex has for about $10 right now. Thinking hard about picking up a bunch.

View Quote

yup, buy 5 or more and get them for $8.99 each. I have 31 of them. All rock solid and WAY better than the Croats (some minor fitment may be required

Posted: 2/19/2018 11:04:04 PM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:
yup, buy 5 or more and get them for $8.99 each. I have 31 of them. All rock solid and WAY better than the Croats (some minor fitment may be required

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

I think these are the ones Apex has for about $10 right now. Thinking hard about picking up a bunch.

yup, buy 5 or more and get them for $8.99 each. I have 31 of them. All rock solid and WAY better than the Croats (some minor fitment may be required

I got 10 of them. They appear to be very well made in terms of fit and finish. Lock up nicely in my Saigas and Romanians. Looking forward to a range session to see how they run.

Posted: 2/23/2018 3:31:47 PM EDT

[#38]

Quote History

Quoted:
I tried to like the Yugo BHO mags from AIM Surplus. They are well made and at a great price but the cosmoline they come packed in is a PITA to clean off and time consuming, at least for me. My favorite steel mags as of now are the blued finish Polish Radom mags I got from AKOU. These look to be brand new, not repainted or re-furbed. Yeah, they cost more than the Yugos but are worth it to me.

View Quote

I bought some of the Yugo BHO back in 2011. I took them into the brewery I worked at, and cleaned them up with caustic, and 180 degree water. It did a good job on the cosmoline. I wish I could get my hands on more of them.

Posted: 3/2/2018 12:00:15 AM EDT

[#39]

Any mags a guy should stay away from?
I mean like really bad ones

Posted: 3/2/2018 10:43:56 AM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:
Any mags a guy should stay away from?
I mean like really bad ones

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Tapco, most everything that's metal is good to go, when you get into the plastic/polymer you might start running into fitment problems

Posted: 3/2/2018 11:44:28 AM EDT

[#41]

I swear you can use a steel AK mag as a hammer

after you bash it a lot it may be able to be used a sickle too

Posted: 3/3/2018 2:29:18 AM EDT

[#42]

Quote History

Quoted:
Any mags a guy should stay away from?
I mean like really bad ones

View Quote

Disagree, Tapco gets a bad rap, but for cheap mags ($5 a pop) tapcos just WORK. And their half the price of magpul MOE's and I feel a better mag. Honestly, I've had more fitment issues with steel surplus mags than I've EVER had with tapco mags

and for steel. there's PLENTY to stay away from

KCI Korean
Promag steel
Croatian maple leaf steel mags

and a few others

Posted: 5/7/2018 9:34:23 PM EDT

[#43]

Apex Gun Parts has Zastava AK-47 magazines back in stock for $10.99/magazine when ordering 5 or more. I plan to order 25. Will we see $8.99/magazine again like three months ago? You know what they say, $50 is $50. Thanks.

Posted: 5/8/2018 12:20:57 PM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:
I swear you can use a steel AK mag as a hammer

after you bash it a lot it may be able to be used a sickle too

View Quote

Try a Russian slabside, won't matter how much you bash it, it will still work, guarantee ya.

Posted: 5/8/2018 12:42:09 PM EDT

[#45]

Polish or Romanian are best value.
I've found Hungarians rust prone.
I've been buying rommy 40s from apex for 6 months every payday almost

Posted: 5/9/2018 4:21:51 PM EDT

[#46]

heavy steel commie mags

Posted: 5/29/2018 5:01:43 PM EDT

[#47]

'heavy duty steel mags'

for those of us who don't speak combloc what mag is this referring to?

Posted: 6/4/2018 12:48:40 PM EDT

[#48]

Quote History

Quoted:
'heavy duty steel mags'

for those of us who don't speak combloc what mag is this referring to?

View Quote

My question as well.

My first AK is inbound to my FFL this week. Looking for mags I see Hungarian, Polish, East German, Serbian, Croatian and maybe a few other countries of origin. When folks are advising "combloc steel", is any combloc country GTG, or are some considered better than others.

Posted: 6/4/2018 2:17:04 PM EDT

[#49]

Quote History

Quoted:

My question as well.

My first AK is inbound to my FFL this week. Looking for mags I see Hungarian, Polish, East German, Serbian, Croatian and maybe a few other countries of origin. When folks are advising "combloc steel", is any combloc country GTG, or are some considered better than others.

View Quote

I would stay away from the Croatian due to some reported fitment issues. Others are GTG.

Posted: 6/13/2018 8:28:20 AM EDT

[#50]

Quote History

Quoted:
My question as well.

My first AK is inbound to my FFL this week. Looking for mags I see Hungarian, Polish, East German, Serbian, Croatian and maybe a few other countries of origin. When folks are advising "combloc steel", is any combloc country GTG, or are some considered better than others.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
'heavy duty steel mags'

for those of us who don't speak combloc what mag is this referring to?

My question as well.

My first AK is inbound to my FFL this week. Looking for mags I see Hungarian, Polish, East German, Serbian, Croatian and maybe a few other countries of origin. When folks are advising "combloc steel", is any combloc country GTG, or are some considered better than others.

I think any Polish, surplus Yugo, Hungarian, Romanian, Russian, and East German are excellent, even if in worn condition. There’s plenty of online tutorials about removing rust, repainting/rebluing, etc. Nothing is true my perfect but, these mags will probably last a lifetime with normal to heavy use. They’re also fairly cheap. Take a little time and search the Internet. Right now, Arms of America has combloc mags in stock for less than $20 per mag.

Regarding the hated Tapcos...I picked a few of the slabside style several years ago (5-6) because they were on sale for $7 or so and have used them regularly. Are they great? Nope. But, I’ve never really had an issue with them either. If you’re not doing a torture test and want some cheap range mags, they’re going to be just fine. As are the Gen1/MOE Magpuls (the non metal reinforced ones). The one mag I consistently see people have issues with, both in person and online, are the ProMags.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What AK47 magazines should I be buying right now? (Page 1 of 2)

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