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Slater
10-26-12, 11:59
Decided to buy a couple of these mags for punching paper and general plinking use. The mag on the right is an East German mag (for comparison).

Examining these mags, I can see why they're recommended by a lot of folks for recreational use only. The locking tabs are polymer, as compared to steel on the military example. The body seems comparable to most current polymer mags, but I would imagine the spring isn't up to the same standards. These are available in orange presumably to mimic the color of some of the military versions.

At around half the price of a new Bulgarian 30-rounder they would seem a decent choice for the target shooter, but that's about as far as I would take them.

Anyone have any pro/con experiences with these?



http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss158/5757_photos/001-53.jpg
Moose-Knuckle
10-26-12, 17:50
Funny, I'm actually looking at picking up their new "Bakelite" orange slab side 7.62 mags for range use ONLY as they are NOT GTG.
SPQR476
10-26-12, 21:35
Well...they generally feed. I have a couple that came with rifles. I use them for dry practice and an occasional range session. Just don't bump into anything with the front or rear of the magazine, and watch how hard you go prone. :-)
Arik
10-27-12, 08:29
Why spend extra money on range mags and why have extra equipment thats not really good for anything? Why not just use the mags you already have?

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GNXII
10-27-12, 11:16
Why spend extra money on range mags and why have extra equipment thats not really good for anything? Why not just use the mags you already have?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

I agree with that.. Real deal AK 7.62 mags are all over the place in steel, Bulgy poly mags are pricer but not outrageous. Original AK 5.45 are a little harder to come by in both materials but still generally available. Tapco, Promag of 2000s, to me and alot of others, equal USA mags of the 90's, crapola!!
Obiwan
10-27-12, 14:38
I had a bunch of the east german mags

They never felt as sturdy to me, but they held up well and always functioned

Something I could not say about all my polymer mags
Moose-Knuckle
10-27-12, 15:51
Why?

Simply because I can.

I bought factory circle 10 waffles in BULK back when guys like Chief Thunder were low balling K-VAR and selling them for $8.99 mag. ;)

I still have unopened boxes of factory circle 10 NEW AK-74 mags that I got for under $5.00 a pop. :D
Slater
10-27-12, 17:02
Bulgarian mags are good, and a whole lot better than Tapco stuff. But $70 or so for two mags was a bit out of my range so I opted for the Tapcos. They should serve their intended function OK.
amadeus76
10-28-12, 06:48
Why?

Simply because I can.

I bought factory circle 10 waffles in BULK back when guys like Chief Thunder were low balling K-VAR and selling them for $8.99 mag. ;)

I still have unopened boxes of factory circle 10 NEW AK-74 mags that I got for under $5.00 a pop. :D

Wanna sell some? :p
krisjon
10-28-12, 12:33
The name TAPCO says it all.

The only good thing they make is their G2 AK trigger - otherwise, I stay away from their stuff.
Vintovka
10-28-12, 14:10
Funny, I'm actually looking at picking up their new "Bakelite" orange slab side 7.62 mags for range use ONLY as they are NOT GTG.


I have two of the slab side orange magazines. They're really nice for the money. I've been using Tapco exclusively for about the past 6 months (to reduce wear & tear on my steel magazines) and have had no problems of any kind with them. They get thrown around and dropped and they've all held up so far. I know that a lot of pressure on the locking tabs would cause them to break, but that's meaningless to me since I don't do push ups on my AK.
BringMeTheHorizon
10-28-12, 14:55
Atlantic has Bulgarian circle 10 ak74 magazines in 2 packs for $55. Just picked up 4
ak74auto
10-29-12, 23:29
Well...they generally feed. I have a couple that came with rifles. I use them for dry practice and an occasional range session. Just don't bump into anything with the front or rear of the magazine, and watch how hard you go prone. :-)

Any chance of you doing for AK mags what you've guys have done for AR mags?
Moose-Knuckle
10-30-12, 19:44
Wanna sell some? :p

Nah, I'm good. :cool:



I have two of the slab side orange magazines. They're really nice for the money. I've been using Tapco exclusively for about the past 6 months (to reduce wear & tear on my steel magazines) and have had no problems of any kind with them. They get thrown around and dropped and they've all held up so far. I know that a lot of pressure on the locking tabs would cause them to break, but that's meaningless to me since I don't do push ups on my AK.

Good to know, thanks for the info.


Any chance of you doing for AK mags what you've guys have done for AR mags?

With the price of Easternbloc mags these days I could see it finally be worth a US firms time to create 7.62 and 5.45 mags. US Palms are being found cheaper than Circle 10 waffles. I just don't trust the US Palm mags and the ones I have are for range use only.
SPQR476
10-31-12, 00:25
Any chance of you doing for AK mags what you've guys have done for AR mags?

Well, there's always a chance, I suppose. I will say that the market is finally getting to a point that a US made mag could be done right and still be competitive.
MadAngler1
10-31-12, 15:44
I would only use original East German bakelite, Soviet plum/black or black Bulgarian Circle 10 polymer magazines.
Moose-Knuckle
10-31-12, 17:07
I would only use original East German bakelite, Soviet plum/black or black Bulgarian Circle 10 polymer magazines.

I'm on board with this mind set as well.

However with the price that Eastern bloc mags are up too these days I see how it makes since for guys to buy cheap mags for range use beaters. All mags are disposable any how, too many times guys get bent around the axle on this issue.
amadeus76
11-04-12, 23:37
Well, there's always a chance, I suppose. I will say that the market is finally getting to a point that a US made mag could be done right and still be competitive.

If you do, please don't make them ugly the way US Palm did...
Moose-Knuckle
11-06-12, 16:41
If you do, please don't make them ugly the way US Palm did...

....AND please put steel feed lips in them. :fie:
run n gun
11-06-12, 17:25
Well, there's always a chance, I suppose. I will say that the market is finally getting to a point that a US made mag could be done right and still be competitive.

If you could put one out for $20 or less like AR mags I think it would be gold
windellmc
12-12-12, 22:14
AR mags are supported by the magwell so thin aluminum or polymer is pretty strong. The AK just traps the top of the mag in the receiver and the mag body can put a lot of leverage on the top of the mag. I think it absolutely has to have metal locking tabs. The feed lips probably don't need to be metal but testing would tell that for sure and it may not cost any extra money to build once the cost of metal lugs are put in.
VIP3R 237
08-03-13, 14:24
Sorry for the necropost, but instead of starting a new thread i'll just ask on this one.

I am looking at these Tapco mags for a Tantal i'm picking up, and as much as i'd like the circle 10's or commie surplus, its hard to justify the price when I can get 4 of the Tapcos for the price of one. My rifle is going to be a truck gun, I have some great AR's for SD/HD stuff, I just want a AK.

So for those who have been running these, have you seen any issues?
Moose-Knuckle
08-03-13, 17:29
I would get some of these first, give them a good test on the range as they are not OEM mil-spec mags they are commerical.

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/ak530daeapom.html

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/ak5430blpoma1.html

http://www.copesdistributing.com/bulgarian-545x39-30rd-black-polymer-production-p-7013.html?osCsid=d6snj5682jcerhaqcnhrs32603

http://www.jgsales.com/bulgarian-ak-74-5.45x39-30rd-polymer-magazines,-new.-p-1588.html
SpeedRacer
08-03-13, 18:59
Sorry for the necropost, but instead of starting a new thread i'll just ask on this one.

I am looking at these Tapco mags for a Tantal i'm picking up, and as much as i'd like the circle 10's or commie surplus, its hard to justify the price when I can get 4 of the Tapcos for the price of one. My rifle is going to be a truck gun, I have some great AR's for SD/HD stuff, I just want a AK.

So for those who have been running these, have you seen any issues?

Truck gun = not a range toy = get some decent mags

As previously stated, the Tapco and comparable mags are range fodder at best. Even then I'm not a fan. I'd rather a couple quality mags on hand than a stack of questionable ones.
Caeser25
08-03-13, 20:27
I bought some when I found them for 6.99 for range use. Good enough for that use. I have (10)s and steel should the need ever arise for social use.
VIP3R 237
08-03-13, 21:56
I would get some of these first, give them a good test on the range as they are not OEM mil-spec mags they are commerical.

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/ak530daeapom.html

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/ak5430blpoma1.html

http://www.copesdistributing.com/bulgarian-545x39-30rd-black-polymer-production-p-7013.html?osCsid=d6snj5682jcerhaqcnhrs32603

http://www.jgsales.com/bulgarian-ak-74-5.45x39-30rd-polymer-magazines,-new.-p-1588.html


Truck gun = not a range toy = get some decent mags

As previously stated, the Tapco and comparable mags are range fodder at best. Even then I'm not a fan. I'd rather a couple quality mags on hand than a stack of questionable ones.

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. Picked up a couple of the Bulgarians, but I still might pick up a couple tapco's just for trial use.
dlh2689
08-07-13, 11:38
I have a couple Tapco magazines and I haven't had any issues with them at all. I had two Bulgarian poly mags that broke and my Tapco mags are still going strong.
Moose-Knuckle
08-07-13, 13:06
I had two Bulgarian poly mags that broke and my Tapco mags are still going strong.

Were these ((10)) or ((21)) OEM mags?

There are also "commercial" mags being imported from Bulgaria.
dlh2689
08-07-13, 13:34
Were these ((10)) or ((21)) OEM mags?

There are also "commercial" mags being imported from Bulgaria.

I can't remember which ones they were now. They were clear poly mags from Bulgaria that broke I think after the 12th time I used them. I doubt they were very high quality.
Moose-Knuckle
08-07-13, 13:43
I can't remember which ones they were now. They were clear poly mags from Bulgaria that broke I think after the 12th time I used them. I doubt they were very high quality.

Yeah, the clear mags that have been coming in with a sticker marked "Bulgaria" are not OEM mil-spec, they are commerical crap.