View Full Version : AK Mag prices
Not long ago, you could buy new/like new smooth backs for $10/pop. Then it got stupid, and used are $15-25 - ridge backs. Now, Magpul is about to release $14 decent plastic range mags.
Unless there is an AK mag import ban, I would guess we will see a price drop and more supply.
It was yesterday when people were selling so-so AR mags for $30/pop!
(assuming no incidents).
Tapco AK magazines are back down to $7-$10 a piece. I'm very curious to know what the Magpul non steel-reinforced AK magazines will be able to do that the Tapco ones don't already do for less money other than appeal to legions of fanboys. I'm not saying it's a bad thing that more options will be out there meaning increased availability, I'm just saying that I think people are getting a little bit too excited about the non steel-reinforced ones. That said, I will be buying some of the steel-reinforced ones whenever they come out.
Tapco AK magazine test (http://youtu.be/qfMgrofafdc)
Are the Slab Side Tapcos better than the old style?
Moose-Knuckle
01-10-14, 18:50
I doubt we will ever see them as low as they were even a few years ago. If we see another ban after the next election you can pretty much kiss good-bye any imported boxed ammunition feeding devices. The KCI (S Korean) mags can be had south of $10 but I have no idea as to their quality. When I got into Kalashnikovs thirteen years ago I was picking up Bulgarian Circle 10 mags for $8.99, Circle 21 5.45 mags for $4 . . . both mag types have gone up over the years and are now north of $40! If I were just getting into AKs I would seek out E-Bloc steels of any make in the best condition I could find and squirrel them away. I think these new MOE mags by Magpul are going to be HUGE and at their price point I would acquire as many as you see fit. I intend to pick some up for range/training mags and store my Bulgarians and bakelites for a rainy day.
I've been disappointed with TAPCO products in the past, and it'll be some time and many more tests before I'd be willing to blow 7 bucks on them.
It's not easy to predict how a steady supply of Magpul mags might affect the price of steel mags on the market. It depends on whether consumers consider them a full substitute or merely a supplement to the steel mags they're going to sock away. I don't know if the supply of steel will get much better than it has been.
Ploufedaddy has a decent review of Tapcos - they and the newer US PALMs look GTG for at a minimum range mags. That review was with the old Tapcos - the new Tapcos evidently have even better polymer. For $10.50 delivered (if you look around) that is decent and worth range mags. I likely have enough steel, so abusing these for the range is well worth it. I suspect the Magpuls will be a tad better, so this HAS to have an effect on the surplus market. Is there a WW shortage of AK mags? I doubt it. Again, a year ago it was doom and gloom for all things assault rifle and AR stuff. I think distributors are taking advantage of supply with their bottom tier stuff in stock. Someone is calling overseas like mad. If MP can pull off a serious 'duty' mag for $20 or less, look out.
Are the Slab Side Tapcos better than the old style?
The very early Tapco magazines were similar to ProMag. The current Intrafuse magazines and the Slab Side ones are better than the first ones by at least several orders of magnitude. They're very solid. The Slab Sides are some of the best polymer magazines I've ever had.
I doubt we will ever see them as low as they were even a few years ago. If we see another ban after the next election you can pretty much kiss good-bye any imported boxed ammunition feeding devices. The KCI (S Korean) mags can be had south of $10 but I have no idea as to their quality. When I got into Kalashnikovs thirteen years ago I was picking up Bulgarian Circle 10 mags for $8.99, Circle 21 5.45 mags for $4 . . . both mag types have gone up over the years and are now north of $40! If I were just getting into AKs I would seek out E-Bloc steels of any make in the best condition I could find and squirrel them away. I think these new MOE mags by Magpul are going to be HUGE and at their price point I would acquire as many as you see fit. I intend to pick some up for range/training mags and store my Bulgarians and bakelites for a rainy day.
What do you think, personally about the circle 10 mags? Was thinking about a few to round out the mags stash.
Or, should I just stick with the steels I have and buy more? Any specific type of steel ak mag that performs better than the others?
Moose-Knuckle
01-11-14, 15:32
What do you think, personally about the circle 10 mags? Was thinking about a few to round out the mags stash.
Or, should I just stick with the steels I have and buy more? Any specific type of steel ak mag that performs better than the others?
The Bulgarian factory Circle 10 mags are the gold standard of 7.62x39 AK mags. Right now they are going for twice what an E-Bloc steel mag goes for, one online retailer recently raised their prices to $50. If money is an option I'd stick with steel mags and stack them deep, again you can get two steel mags for the of price one Circle 10 mag.
As for E-Bloc steel mags, they all are G2G. A lot of guys prefer the Chinese "smooth back" but having a ridge on its spine or not has zero bearing on function and reliability.
Here are some mags that I have came across recently:
Surplus Chinese mags in stock $15
http://www.sgammo.com/product/surplus/30-round-ak-47-762x39-military-surplus-magazine-smooth-back-fair-good-condition-sold
New Polish mags in stock $30
https://www.apexgunparts.com/product_info.php/cPath/50/products_id/2597
Surplus Romanian mags in stock $18
http://www.44mag.com/product/romanian_7_62x39_ak_magazine/ak_magazines
New KCI (S Korean) mags in stock $8
http://www.44mag.com/product/1215/ak_magazines
Would the KCI mags, being the cheapest, be viable if ran hard. I'm going to drop serous coin here and just don't have the personal experience to say which is best and value your opinion as a longtime user.
Just wanting to cry once. Thanks for your opinion and time. Some surplus mags(com bloc and Asian)I have not had good luck with.
Moose-Knuckle
01-11-14, 18:01
Would the KCI mags, being the cheapest, be viable if ran hard. I'm going to drop serous coin here and just don't have the personal experience to say which is best and value your opinion as a longtime user.
Just wanting to cry once. Thanks for your opinion and time. Some surplus mags(com bloc and Asian)I have not had good luck with.
I have no personal experiance with the KCI mags, S Korea as far as I know never used Kalashnikovs. Prior to their Daewoos which utilize STANAG NATO mags they used US M1s and M1 Carbines. So these mags are commerical grade not Eastern Bloc surplus (aka mil-spec).
Be sure to check out the Kalashnikov Magazine Primer if you haven't already.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?145613-AK-Mag-prices&highlight=
I have no personal experiance with the KCI mags, S Korea as far as I know never used Kalashnikovs. Prior to their Daewoos which utilize STANAG NATO mags they used US M1s and M1 Carbines. So these mags are commerical grade not Eastern Bloc surplus (aka mil-spec).
Be sure to check out the Kalashnikov Magazine Primer if you haven't already.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?145613-AK-Mag-prices&highlight=
As far as I know S. Korea has always used western arms or there own creations.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
Circle 10's are great and have an awesome reputation from everything I've seen. Steel mags are very hit or miss - the smallest dent in the side will bind the follower, I have had followers that won't fit right, and locking tabs that were a little too big so they were hard to extract. I know they have a good reputation, and my sample size is only 4, but of those 4 only 1 works the way it should. Needless to say, they've left a bad taste in my mouth. This is why I have been very eager for the Magpul mags to drop.
Moose-Knuckle
01-11-14, 19:12
As with AR mags AK mags were designed to be disposable. The problem with that is when you live in a country like ours where we have certain states with bans in place and others with the threat of bans looming over head. The modus operandi for problematic mags has always been to trash them. Of all the surplus steel mags I own I have only had one that had the follower bind due to a dent in the body. That particular mag came in a box from The Sportsman's Guide, around '06 when they were selling BOXES of steel mags from Bosnia for like $2 a mag. Some guys lucked out and got some pretty rare birds with their mix. From time to time you will hear about a "boy scout" mag, these are steel mags that came in that lot with a fleur-de-lis stamped on the sides.
Thanks for the info and time Moose.
I just wish I could have one more crack at $5 East German 5.45 mags from CDNN.
Moose-Knuckle
01-11-14, 23:06
Thanks for the info and time Moose.
Anytime brother, happy hunting!
Steel mags are very hit or miss - the smallest dent in the side will bind the follower, I have had followers that won't fit right, and locking tabs that were a little too big so they were hard to extract..
While I have not had this with metal AK mags. I would say that EVENTUALLY we may see american poly mags overtake them completely. Couple three things: improved design, right amount of steel reinforcement, and american improvement of the polymer (done deal), and metal mags are toast. Maybe this should have already happened,but bring it on. Lightweight and drive an F350 over them and fire away. That's the ticket.
morbidbattlecry
01-12-14, 16:08
I just wish I could have one more crack at $5 East German 5.45 mags from CDNN.
You and me both 5.45 mag prices are ridiculous.
While I have not had this with metal AK mags. I would say that EVENTUALLY we may see american poly mags overtake them completely. Couple three things: improved design, right amount of steel reinforcement, and american improvement of the polymer (done deal), and metal mags are toast. Maybe this should have already happened,but bring it on. Lightweight and drive an F350 over them and fire away. That's the ticket.
I think that overtake them completely is a huge overstatement. The steel Kalashnikov magazines are iconic. As long as people own AKs, people will want those magazines. Don't get me wrong, I own a ton of Tapco magazines for regular use, but there are also times where I want steel mags. For aesthetics if nothing else. They're also nearly indestructible. I don't baby my rifles or my magazines one bit and I've never had a steel magazine give me any trouble. I don't know about you guys, but I'd feel dumb putting a Tapco or Magpul magazine in, say, a Type 3 clone. Or basically any of the pre-ban AKs out there.
Moose-Knuckle
01-13-14, 02:49
I would say that EVENTUALLY we may see american poly mags overtake them completely.
The fact is there are only so many steel surplus E-Bloc mags out there, while they number in the millions the countries that once manufactured them are no longer pumping them out of state factories. Poland, Bulgaria, and other former Soviet satellite nations have joined NATO and thus adopted 5.56x45mm. The Chinese have gone their own route with 5.8x45mm and even the Russians have standardized to 5.45x39mm. To manufacture new steel AK mags in the US would be quit an expensive venture given the cost of materials which would then be passed down to the consumer. Polymer mags are the natural progression of things.
Fine with me. Lighter and likley more durable (in many ways) if made right.
KalashniKEV
01-13-14, 15:13
I have no personal experiance with the KCI mags...
The Korean AK mags are improperly constructed. The weak welds will fail, separating the feed box and opening up the spine.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg314/big74blazer/photobucket-27161-1354561514213.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg314/big74blazer/photobucket-2624-1354561536030.jpg
Fine with me. Lighter and likley more durable (in many ways) if made right.
Let's be real- it would be very, very hard to improve on the durability of the E. Bloc AK mag.
When comparing polymer to aluminum- Yes, a certain level of abuse that is hard enough to dent the aluminum, will not render the polymer mag inoperable.
When comparing polymer to steel- No, any level of abuse that is hard enough to dent the steel will completely destroy any polymer mag.
You are right though... E. Bloc steel is heavy.
Moose-Knuckle
01-14-14, 01:51
The Korean AK mags are improperly constructed. The weak welds will fail, separating the feed box and opening up the spine.
Thanks for the info, I'll be sure not to add any KCIs to my stash.
The Korean AK mags are improperly constructed. The weak welds will fail, separating the feed box and opening up the spine.
They are reversed engineered North Korean AK magazines.
Basically, some South Korean entrepreneurs took some captured North Korean AK magazines, "copied" them and mass produced them for the US consumer market without any means to test them (no access to AK style firearms to test them with).
KalashniKEV
01-14-14, 10:16
They are reversed engineered North Korean AK magazines.
Basically, some South Korean entrepreneurs took some captured North Korean AK magazines, "copied" them and mass produced them for the US consumer market without any means to test them (no access to AK style firearms to test them with).
Interesting... I've never heard that before
(I've also never bought any, and those aren't my pics)
I have used KCI Glock mags that were GTG, KCI M1 Carbine mags that were GTG, and MP5 mags that sucked.
I assumed that they were just targeting anything popular (Glock, AK) or expensive (MP5, M14, M1 Carbine).
When comparing polymer to steel- No, any level of abuse that is hard enough to dent the steel will completely destroy any polymer mag.
This may indeed be true. I have not experienced a euro steel mag with a dent large enough to stop it from feeding. But, polymer springs back well. People in the expert category swear by Circle 10 in a big way so they must be durable enough, and I would venture more durable in some aspects - at least rust. I would also bet that Magpul makes better polymer than anyone in Eastern Europe. I may be in the traumweld, but it seems to me that in some scenarios, with improved US polymers, some scenarios would dent a steel mag into the inop category, while a poly mag would rebound and keep ticking. Maybe plouffedaddy will treat us to a head to head competition.
I really wanted to like US Palms offering, but in the end, a swing and a miss. They missed on the price, and even though they can say they have metal in the catch/latch, I'm not sure their execution is an improvement over none at all, all things considered. If anyone can do a decent all-plastic mag, it's Magpul. I'm sure I'll buy some.
TurretGunner
01-16-14, 08:54
Magpull is going to have to redesign those mags with steel reinforcing lips.
It has been proven time and time again, AK mags need steel in them.
Then again, knowing how magpul works.... they will release it without lips (knowning it is needed), then in a year, upgrade it with steel (and everyone will buy new mags), and then a year later.....put the features in that they orinionaly designed before the first Mag came out of the mold.......This way they stay "relevent" with "new ideas" and sell 3 times the product in the long run.......
KalashniKEV
01-16-14, 09:55
I would also bet that Magpul makes better polymer than anyone in Eastern Europe.
Well in this case, they don't- because in Eastern Europe they drop a steel feed box into the mold and... ta-da!
Polymer mag.
Poland made a non-reinforced mag for a very short time and after it was deemed a failure, they offloaded them on the US commercial market.
Bulgaria makes a non-reinforced mag specifically for the US commercial market.
Because of the nature of the lockup- not getting run over or doing ninjaflips- an AK mag needs reinforcement.
Magpull is going to have to redesign those mags with steel reinforcing lips.
It has been proven time and time again, AK mags need steel in them.
Then again, knowing how magpul works.... they will release it without lips (knowning it is needed), then in a year, upgrade it with steel (and everyone will buy new mags), and then a year later.....put the features in that they orinionaly designed before the first Mag came out of the mold.......This way they stay "relevent" with "new ideas" and sell 3 times the product in the long run.......
They've already stated there would be a "professional" version with steel inserts at a later date.
Well in this case, they don't- because in Eastern Europe they drop a steel feed box into the mold and... ta-da!
The statement stands. They make a better polymer - no doubt. I wasn't talking about the mag.
They will eventually add the steel as they have stated.
In the meantime, it is instructive to watch Ploufedaddy's torture of a Tapco gen 1 (weaker than their current slab side) mag - it stands up to some pretty serious abuse and keeps functioning. Magpul COULD make Circle 10s and Steels OBE. I think they will.
Tapco AK magazines are back down to $7-$10 a piece. I'm very curious to know what the Magpul non steel-reinforced AK magazines will be able to do that the Tapco ones don't already do for less money other than appeal to legions of fanboys. I'm not saying it's a bad thing that more options will be out there meaning increased availability, I'm just saying that I think people are getting a little bit too excited about the non steel-reinforced ones. That said, I will be buying some of the steel-reinforced ones whenever they come out.
Tapco AK magazine test (http://youtu.be/qfMgrofafdc)
Magpul is known to make quality products so their magazines will always sell well, probably overshadowing Tapco AK mags and other non-steel AK mags.
Are the Slab Side Tapcos better than the old style?
In my experience, yes. The slab side (smooth) are easier to use and better on your hands IMO, and it also looks nicer (aesthetic).
My Draco AK can use the slabside Tapco's, but not the ribbed Tapco's.
to me, slabside Tapco>ribbed Tapco.
Although I always use steel surplus on my AK's.
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