AK74 Magazines - Page 2

KalashniKEV · #21 03-19-12, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by RepeatDefender

I bought an SGL31 over the weekend. Thanks for the WAC link, I bought a mag package from them. Needed some high quality mags to feed this awesome rifle with.

You paid $40 for a bakelite mag?

RepeatDefender · #22 03-19-12, 17:19

Yes, I did

Scotter260 · #23 03-19-12, 23:37

http://whatacountry.com/ak-74-Russia...zine-plum.aspx

Example of "goods":

Three grades of Russian plums starting at $17.95, no SGL owner should be without a few.

RepeatDefender · #24 03-20-12, 09:55

I'm sure I spent too much on the Bakelite mags, but I wanted them for that "look".

I'll probably pick up another 5-6 more of the Plum mags, as well. Still won't be enough, but it will be a good start.

96 SS · #25 03-20-12, 10:10

Thats a great price for Russian 74's

jpipes · #26 03-20-12, 12:35

Indeed it is, I just bought four more.

anthony1 · #27 03-22-12, 03:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arik

True, but you dont have to keep restocking mags. You can still shoot 1000 rounds even with one mag. Also some of this is due to people panic buying now. I pick up mags at gun shows for $10-$15ea. You can find plenty of good deals as long as youre not looking for RARE or NEW mags.

l'm not looking for rare or new mags. Decnt used surplus is fine with me, and thahs the problem. l cant find them anywhere much cheaper than 25$ after shipping.

Arik · #28 03-22-12, 07:42

Unless you live far away from any major metropolitan area I find that I get about the same deals if I look around locally, if you factor in shipping and handling charges. Very rarely do I find that ordering online actually saves me money.

RepeatDefender · #29 03-22-12, 10:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arik

Unless you live far away from any major metropolitan area I find that I get about the same deals if I look around locally, if you factor in shipping and handling charges. Very rarely do I find that ordering online actually saves me money.

Or if you live somewhere like me, where AR's are just getting popular and AK's are still looked down on as "damn commie guns" by the Fudd's at the ranges.

I have to find all my mag and ammo deals (at least for 5.45) online. Doesn't help that I live in BFE, but I like it out here. Nice and quiet!

Zhurdan · #30 03-22-12, 10:40

I've found good deals over the years, but I don't mind spending ~$40 for brand spanking new bakelites. They'll pretty much last forever... and they're prettier.

RepeatDefender · #31 03-22-12, 11:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zhurdan

I've found good deals over the years, but I don't mind spending ~$40 for brand spanking new bakelites. They'll pretty much last forever... and they're prettier.

Yupp, the What A Country mags I'd ordered came in yesterday. Still sealed in brown paper and plastic wrap, two to a bag, with the Made in Germany stickers still on them. Cleaned the dust off, loaded them up and now they'll serve as my go-to mags for my SGL31

William.45 · #32 03-23-12, 00:53

.........................

Arik · #33 03-23-12, 08:21

I just buy them locally. There is always a shop or two that carries some type of surplus 5.45 mags. Sometimes Russian plum other times circle 10 or 21

Moose-Knuckle · #34 04-04-12, 18:03

FYI, received the K-VAR flyer today and they have Bulgarian Circle 10 mags back in stock. $35 for black, $37 for plum. . .not cheap by any means but at least they have brand new mil-spec polymer '74 mags.

BaronFitz · #35 04-06-12, 10:41

I decided to wait on picking up some of those plum mags from whatacountry until I got back from vacation this week. Mistake. They were out before I got back (probably due in part to this thread.

)

Fortunately, K-var got those new Circle 10s in before I ordered some of the East German bakelites for ~ $40 a pop, so I ordered a few. They're expensive, but I can't find any for sale locally, and my WTB posting on the EE has only yielded bupkus (and then someone posted some for sale, and didn't hit me up despite the WTB posting being about 3 down from the top...it's a free market, do what you want, but seriously? /rant off).

I can't win with the local supply either...I only saw 74 mags for sale when I was looking for 5.56 AK mags and nobody had them. Now the local supply has plenty of 5.56 mags, which I also have plenty of now, and not 5.45 mags. Thus the acceptance of K-Var's retardedly high shipping rates. Now off to delete my WTB post...

Nmate · #36 04-08-12, 06:54

My favorite is the Russian plum magazines. They were made by both Izhmash and Tula, but you're only likely to find Izzy ones for reasonable prices. I can't really say why I like them more than the Bulgarian mags, it's purely subjective.

After that I'd definitely go with Bulgarian. Circle 10/21/25 magazines are all made to the same specification. Generally speaking, surplus Circle 10 magazines are only seen in black. Apparently there was a plum model as well, it's exceedingly rare. K-Var also has new production 10s in OD Green and their plum color (which is quite different from the surplus plum color). 21s are seen most commonly in black, but also in shades of dark red and dark brown. K-Var (Arsenal) also imports 45-round Code 10 magazines in black.

I've also used Bakelite magazines of East German origin and they work well. While they definitely look great, particularly on a rifle with wooden furniture, I'd go with Russian or Bulgarian polymer magazines first. The polymer magazines are more durable, but that isn't to say the Bakelite magazines are weak.

I don't have any experience with Russian Bakelite (at least not in 5.45) and I don't have any experience with Polish polymer magazines or the steel magazines that are available.

More information can be found here. It's not a completely exhaustive list of every 5.45x39.5mm AK magazine ever made, but it's a pretty through breakdown of any that you're likely to see in the United States.

Slater · #37 04-08-12, 13:45

I bought these when Cope's had them for $20 a pop last year. New in-the-wrap Polish Tantal AK-74 mags. Also bought a few of the steel ones in the same condition:

BullittBoy · #38 04-08-12, 17:03

Ha ha I got you guys beat on part of the great cheap mag hunt.

Back in 1998 when I got my first 5.45 Century Arms was selling NEW East German Bakelites (4) in the teardrop pouch WITH stripper clips, and a cleaning kit on the side for $19.95.

The second one I got had the stripper clips hidden inside the pouch but no cleaning kit for $19.95

Then I got 3 black Bulgarian Circle 10 mags for $9.99 each.

I have the 11 mags for the SLR105R and the SGL31 and the 5 rounder Romanian steel and 10 rounder Bulgarian black plastic I found along the way for bench shooting-these mags will outlast me. Communists know how to make mags-I give them that.

Fortier did a test on all AK mags in Shotgun News and the East German Bakelites came out on top in all his testing.

Nmate · #39 04-08-12, 18:25

I have 17 magazines for my SGL31 not counting the 10-round magazine it came with. I'll probably end up with around 30 for it. I enjoy collecting magazines, I just wish AK mags were so expensive. That said, they are built to last.

Moose-Knuckle · #40 04-09-12, 04:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nmate

More information can be found here. It's not a completely exhaustive list of every 5.45x39.5mm AK magazine ever made, but it's a pretty through breakdown of any that you're likely to see in the United States.

Thanks for the link!