Bulgarian Circle 10 magazine vs East German Weiger magazine

[Vintovka]

I've been fortunate that my 5.56 WASR-3 is 100% reliable with ProMags, East German Weigers and their Romanian copies and Bulgarian Circle 10 magazines.

I have been using primarily Weiger mags and ProMags but recently decided to experiment with a Circle 10 mag and it was perfect. I like them because they're almost as light as a ProMag and seem to have the durability of a Weiger magazine. I was thinking of trading or selling some Weiger magazines to get more Circle 10 mags. What do you guys think? Good idea?

[krisjon]

You like the Circle 10s for a reason. They're pretty much the gold standard for polymer AK mags.

[MadAngler1]

I've been fortunate that my 5.56 WASR-3 is 100% reliable with ProMags, East German Weigers and their Romanian copies and Bulgarian Circle 10 magazines.

I have been using primarily Weiger mags and ProMags but recently decided to experiment with a Circle 10 mag and it was perfect. I like them because they're almost as light as a ProMag and seem to have the durability of a Weiger magazine. I was thinking of trading or selling some Weiger magazines to get more Circle 10 mags. What do you guys think? Good idea?

The original WASR-3 is a modified, originally single stack version, of the Romanian SAR-3. Both of these guns were designed about the East German Weiger magazine (in it's evil double stack form), the follower of which has a very different geometry from the Bulgarian 5.56 NATO design. The feed ramps on the SAR-3/WASR-3 rifles are of a different angle from the Bulgarian 5.56 NATO variants that Arsenal sells in this country.

If I were you, I would keep the E. German Weiger magazines and buy more when you find them. It will be impossible to try to get replacement springs for them. The Bulgarian Circle 10s are meant for a different AK-101 variant (Bulgarian spec, not Russian spec). You can make Bulgarian polymer 5.56 NATO magazines work in your gun by altering the feeding lips of the magazine, although many don't advise of this.

Here's more info: http://www.novarata.net/Linx310/model.shtml

Out of curiosity, do you own a pre- or post-2004 gun? Whomever worked on your gun, must have modified the feed ramp some how to make it work with the other magazines. I would still lean towards the Weigers though. It has been awhile since I've dove into AKs (> 8 years, since I own a SAR-2), but that's what I know.

[Vintovka]

The original WASR-3 is a modified, originally single stack version, of the Romanian SAR-3. Both of these guns were designed about the East German Weiger magazine (in it's evil double stack form), the follower of which has a very different geometry from the Bulgarian 5.56 NATO design. The feed ramps on the SAR-3/WASR-3 rifles are of a different angle from the Bulgarian 5.56 NATO variants that Arsenal sells in this country.

If I were you, I would keep the E. German Weiger magazines and buy more when you find them. It will be impossible to try to get replacement springs for them. The Bulgarian Circle 10s are meant for a different AK-101 variant (Bulgarian spec, not Russian spec). You can make Bulgarian polymer 5.56 NATO magazines work in your gun by altering the feeding lips of the magazine, although many don't advise of this.

Here's more info: http://www.novarata.net/Linx310/model.shtml

Out of curiosity, do you own a pre- or post-2004 gun? Whomever worked on your gun, must have modified the feed ramp some how to make it work with the other magazines. I would still lean towards the Weigers though. It has been awhile since I've dove into AKs (> 8 years, since I own a SAR-2), but that's what I know.

I own a post-2004 gun. It was made in 2010 according to the front trunion. The feed ramp appears to be factory stock; it doesn't seem like it's been worked on at all beyond installation. I've done no alterations to either the rifle or the mazagines (aside from filing the rear locking tab on the ProMags as they were too large and a slight amount of filing on the outside of some of the Weiger magazines as they were too fat) The Circe 10 magazine required no filing or fitting at all; it actually has the best fit of all of them. Perhaps Century made Cugir Romania change the design to be around the Circle 10 magazines at some point? Would that allow the Weigers to work though, because my buddy's SLR-106FR works with Circle 10s but won't even come close to accepting Weiger magazines in the mag well.

Most people don't believe that it works with all three types of magazines so here are some pictures. I should take a video of firing 90 rounds in rapid succession with the 3 magazines sometime.


http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag155/zyr1900/HPIM0031.jpg


http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag155/zyr1900/HPIM0032.jpg

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag155/zyr1900/HPIM0033.jpg


http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag155/zyr1900/HPIM0034.jpg


http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag155/zyr1900/HPIM0035.jpg

[MadAngler1]

It's been 8 years since I was AK crazy, so I've been out of the loop. Do you have any pictures with the magazine locked up in the receiver? I'm curious how the follower and feeding lips sits relative to the chamber of the barrel. I'm guessing your feed ramp (or bullet guide if you want to call it that instead) is wider to allow for the Bulgarian magazine. I tried going over to the AK forum to see if anyone had some posts on this, and I couldn't find any.

Regardless, I would still buy the East German mags when and where you can find them.

[Vintovka]

Bulgarian Circle 10:

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag155/zyr1900/HPIM0026.jpg

ProMag:

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag155/zyr1900/HPIM0027.jpg

East German Weiger:

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag155/zyr1900/HPIM0028-1.jpg