Best Ak47 Magazines?

[Ronald_55]

So what are your guys experience with different brands/types of AK mags? Magpul, surplus, bakelite, Tapco, ProMag? Which gets you the best bang for the buck?

[Jamie Jackson]

I have several Arsenal "Circle 10" polymer AK mags that have run 100% reliably for me... but they have become cost prohibitive (for my wallet anyway). Midway does carry them.

The majority of my AK mags are steel ribbed Romanian 30 and 20 rounders. They are built like tanks and are my personal favorites.

I actually have some cheap Tapco polymer 30 and 20 rd AK mags that serve well for range use. I had to sand the feed lips and sides a bit... but they were cheap.

I've never tried the MagPul, ProMag, nor Korean mags.

But no reason you can't own a box full of various mags. These are the Golden Days for buying what you need.

[Ronald_55]

Thanks. Got any tips on best places to pick them up besides Midway?

[Jamie Jackson]

If you're referring to the Circle 10's, no sir, I don't.

As best I can recall I picked up mine through K-Var a couple of years after the Clinton Era "sunset".

It also looks like most sites list "out of stock" for the RomAk mags. Apparently I'm not of much help on this.

Hopefully Dolomite will chime in with some useful suggestions LOL.

[Smith]

Anything com bloc is typically fine. Poly mags are generally not worth anything. Folks run them but I don't. Circle 10's are great but cost too much just too loose a little weight. There are some Bulgarian poly mags that have steel lined lips and lugs that are equal to circle 10's, cost the same or less than steel mags, but rarely do you know if they are reinforced without having a knowledgeable seller or seeing them in person. I find the steel lined poly's ever now and then and I grab them up. They are usually overruns of military contracts.

 

Steel com-bloc are your best bang for your buck. Avoid Promag, Tapco, or any other domestic made ak mag. Just not worth it when your can get steel mags for the same money. The KCI's are hit and miss.

[Garufa]

If you’re not going into battle the Hungarian 20 round “tanker” mags are the best if you can find them at a reasonable price.  I have several and they are great.

[Symbolic]

I've run Tapco mags, various com bloc mags, Circle 10 mags, and newly-produced Bulgarian steel and polymer mags all flawlessly through my WASR without hiccups. In other words, I think you are good-to-go with almost any mag you find if you are just planning on shooting at a range.

[Smith]

AIM Suplus, Apex Gun Parts, FTF Industries, and Robert RTG usually have pretty decent deals.

[bucnball]

Also my current favorite the Serbian/Yugo BHO (bolt hold open) mags. Got mine @ RK show Chilhowee Park in Knoxville. Am looking for steel lipped poly mags too ! 

[peejman]

I've got one tapco that works fine. I've got a few that I think are Romanian surplus, two of them have no finish left and get kinda rusty, but work fine. I've also got a few brand new Polish mags that also work fine after I filed some of the really thick coating off them so they'd fit. 

[shotgunshooter]

Steel works fine. The only thing I don't like about it is the reenforcement on the mags tends to slow up my reloads because it gets caught up in the magwell unless you're Travis Haley or Chris Bondy. While part of that is a training issue, it does happen. I have not had it occur with a polymer mags. I don't like the Korean mags but I do have three 20 rounders that have held up so far.
My "go to" mags are the Bulgarian Circle 10 and Russian Bakelite preferably the ones with steel feed lips. They are light, reliable, and most importantly look awesome in the gun.
I'm not a big fan of the Magpul Pmag or the Gen 3 mags. Of all the AK malfunctions that weren't training induced, one was with a sling getting caught in the action, two were with Magpul mags, and three with a dented steel mag. I like the Magpul AK mags for training because they are cheap, easy to clean, and I don't mind beat the crap out of them but wouldn't recommend them for serious use. They also have numerous documented issues and I'll post some links down below. This isn't all but just a few of the highlights.

And while I have sadly owned both crapco and promag, do yourself a favor and stay away from them. They are crap and have thin weak feed lips. No sense in wasting money on them when steel mags are so cheap.
Just realize that mags are an expendable commodity. For example, I just killed my first AK mag last weekend after I realized I dented it. I couldn't load it past 28 rounds and it would cause double feeds on the last three rounds in the magazine. So it got the hammer and now will open beer bottles and be my mag block if I need to put an AK in a vise. Hope this helps.

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[Smith]

Btw - I keep a can of Duplicolor DE1634 Low Gloss Black and after I spray clean my commie mags with brake cleaner, I give them a light coat of the Duplicolor. Makes them look new and it holds up really well. The Duplicor matches about as close as anything I've found to the Izmash black and goes with pretty much everything else.

[gjohnsoniv]

1 minute ago, Smith said:

Btw - I keep a can of Duplicolor DE1634 Low Gloss Black and after I spray clean my commie mags with brake cleaner, I give them a light coat of the Duplicolor. Makes them look new and it holds up really well. The Duplicor matches about as close as anything I've found to the Izmash black and goes with pretty much everything else.

I'm going to have to give that a shot, my mags look... Rough...

Might have to try that on a full rifle build I have coming up too.

[Smith]

I'm going to have to give that a shot, my mags look... Rough...
Might have to try that on a full rifle build I have coming up too.

All my AK's, which have been numerous, get a light coat. Mainly for uniformity and a little extra protection. Makes them look clean.

[gjohnsoniv]

4 minutes ago, Smith said:

7 minutes ago, gjohnsoniv said:

I'm going to have to give that a shot, my mags look... Rough...
Might have to try that on a full rifle build I have coming up too.

All my AK's, which have been numerous, get a light coat. Mainly for uniformity and a little extra protection. Makes them look clean.

Sounds like tomorrow will be an auto parts store run.

[jeff43]

Best ones are the surplus 20,30, or 40 round metal mags.NEVER had a problem with any of them through many years of using them.

[Ronald_55]

So guys. Is $65 for 10 new Bulgarian 30 rd mags a good deal to what you are seeing around? I see about $10 at most online stores. Not sure if these are bho or not. 

[shotgunshooter]

Yes. Jump on it. Where are you seeing this? No need to have bho it's just a personal preference.

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[Smith]

Also, if you want BHO mags the Weapontech followers work well. I fitted most of my mags with them and they work great. https://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=XPAAFWTAKF3&name=WEAPONTECH+Enhanced+BHO+AK+Follower+3+Pack&groupid=15

[Ronald_55]

9 hours ago, shotgunshooter said:

Yes. Jump on it. Where are you seeing this? No need to have bho it's just a personal preference.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 

It as on Gunbroker. I just bought it. Lol. Free shipping too. Just one of them though. Most other people were a good bit more. I will watch if he has more, I may buy more. If nothing else at that price, I could trade them locally. 

[gregintenn]

I have amassed a pile of various metal milsurp mags of unknown origin, and have yet to have a problem with any of them. Some are clean, some are rusty and well worn.

[Ronald_55]

12 hours ago, Smith said:

Btw - I keep a can of Duplicolor DE1634 Low Gloss Black and after I spray clean my commie mags with brake cleaner, I give them a light coat of the Duplicolor. Makes them look new and it holds up really well. The Duplicor matches about as close as anything I've found to the Izmash black and goes with pretty much everything else.

Is that the high temp paint? I wondered how it would do on them.

[Smith]

Is that the high temp paint? I wondered how it would do on them.

Yes, it's hi-temp engine enamel 500°.

[peejman]

14 hours ago, Smith said:

14 hours ago, gjohnsoniv said:

I'm going to have to give that a shot, my mags look... Rough...
Might have to try that on a full rifle build I have coming up too.

All my AK's, which have been numerous, get a light coat. Mainly for uniformity and a little extra protection. Makes them look clean.

Make it look clean without actually having to clean it?  Win!  

[gjohnsoniv]

On 12/22/2017 at 10:12 PM, Smith said:

Btw - I keep a can of Duplicolor DE1634 Low Gloss Black and after I spray clean my commie mags with brake cleaner, I give them a light coat of the Duplicolor. Makes them look new and it holds up really well. The Duplicor matches about as close as anything I've found to the Izmash black and goes with pretty much everything else.

Bought some of the DE1635 today, the semi gloss. Man does it make them look pretty.