Question about AK mags

Status
Not open for further replies.
N

ny32182

Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Messages
5,838
Location
Clemson, SC
So, I ordered a VEPR K 7.62x39 w/brake from Robinson Armament today. :)

Unfortunately, it won't be here till mid December, since their shipment just came in and they have yet to do their modifications. :(

Anyhow, I'm gonna start buying mags and ammo in the mean time. Has anyone ever had a problem running Wolf in their VEPR?

Second, are there any bad AK mags on the market? A local shop has some 30 rd mags for 20 bucks each, maybe a little high, but these things look BRAND NEW. They look like any other AK mag to me, but, I don't really know what I'm looking at with AK mags. There don't appear to be any baseplate markings or anything. I know AR's tend to be finnicky with non-USGI mags, and I was wondering if any condition like this exists with the AK.
 
The waffle mags go for around that price, but thats a bit steep for vertical ribbed ones, the most common ones out there. Try www.tapco.com or www.cdnninvestments.com, they both have good prices.

AK mags seem to work more of the time in more rifles than AR mags for some reason, I have never had any problems with any AK mags in my WASR and SAR1.
 
My experience is that an AK will just about feed from a loose pile of ammo from your hand. I bought some Bulgarian mags from Tennessee Guns, inc. in Nashville for $6.95 each. Haven't seen them that cheap since but 8 to 10 is the going rate.

Scott
 
Thanks guys, I figured that was probably the story.

Those mags have been sitting there at $20 each for a good while, and I do a good bit of business there, so maybe I can negotiate something. Guess we'll find out. I'd still prefer not to buy sight unseen if I can help it.
 
You arn't buying the ammo at the local shop are you? Unless you feel a need to give local stores some extra cash, they just cannot compete with online companies like AimSurplus.com among others.
 
I second Kvar. The Bulagrian waffles I ordered were in brand new condition and were 8.83$ each last time I checked. they are very strong and work flawlessy.
 
Unless you feel like doing the guy a favor dont pay more than $10 per mag or approx $100 for1000 rounds of wolf ammo. Those prices leave a fair price for you and a profit for him. Any more than that and he's trying to cheat you (or has AMAZING overhead in his shop).
 
I will chime in also with a positive for K-var. The polymer NEW Bulgarian waffle mags are working flawlessly in my SAR-1. Then again, so do cheapie steel mags. :)
 
Another vote for either CDNN or Tapco. I recently ordered two Hungarian 20 round AK mags (intended for their AMD-65) from Tapco. They were advertised as "used, excellent condition." When I got them I saw that they looked brand spankin' new! For $5.99 each, you can't beat that with a stick.
 
Ah the Vepr--a subject near and dear to my heart. Your Vepr will run with any mag and any ammo you give it. I have owned four Veprs to date (well one was a KTR, so I should say it used to be a Vepr) and they all ran flawlessly with any magazine or ammo I used. They are simply the finest AK available in the US today. Accuracy with my 7.62x39 is better than many .308 battle rifles I have fired. So with my Saiga for that matter. The Russians invented them, guess it only makes sense they would know how to manufacture them right.

As for mag prices, I would not even think about paying more than $10 a mag. You can order them for $8.99 from www.joeken.com. If the mags are advertised as new or in good shape, buy with confidence from any dealer. There is not much that can go wrong with an AK mag. They (like the guns) are built to withstand everything up to and probably including a nuclear blast. The Bulgie waffles are neat as well, but in truth I suspect the metal mags are a better idea for long-term use. I buy waffles just for the looks really, although I have never had a problem with them. When I see how my 10 year old Glock 20 mags look, I start to appreciate the durability of steel. The only bad experience I have ever had with 47 mags were some Hungarian ones I picked up a while back. They make great AKs, but their mags had some fitting issues. Easily fixed mind you with a little filing, but I have since stuck to other countries of origin.

GR

PS: Now that you are getting a Vepr, get yourself a Kobra. It was made for Russian guns and usually is pretty near on the money as soon as you mount it. Minimal adjustment needed compared to when you stick them on Romanian guns. Get a Kobra, dial it in, and prepare to be impressed with the accuracy and lack of recoil you will get. You will find that Vepr handles as fast as lightening!
 
Sounds good, maybe I'll order online since I've got some time to wait anyway. What is the advantage of the plastic waffle mags? Weight savings? I prefer the look of the plastic mag, but I don't want them melting or anything. Then again I've never heard of them having that problem.

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out later today.
 
Now that you are getting a Vepr, get yourself a Kobra. It was made for Russian guns and usually is pretty near on the money as soon as you mount it. Minimal adjustment needed compared to when you stick them on Romanian guns. Get a Kobra, dial it in, and prepare to be impressed with the accuracy and lack of recoil you will get. You will find that Vepr handles as fast as lightening!
Click to expand...

Thats the red dot everyone puts on AKs, right?

A red dot was in fact going to be the very first accessory I was planning, as I'm really not a big fan of the AK iron sights.

If my assumption about the Kobra/AK combo is correct, does it come with all the hardware necessary? I remember reading something about mounts being on the side of AK's rather than the top.

Sorry about my ignorance, I'm still new to AKs as this will be my first. Thanks.
 
Waffles do weigh a bit less, and they lock tighter if you are worried about the rattling that people sometimes complain about due to AK mags moving a bit side-to-side. Beyond that they just look cool in guns with black plastic furniture. I would not worry about them melting. I just suspect that after many years of use they won't wear as well as the steel mags. If you run across old Glock mags you often notice that the plastic is cracking and peeling away from the liner in spots. Of course I have seen mags work fine in that state, and perhaps they used a different plastic.

Yes, the Kobra has everything with it you need. There are several varients based on battery type and some revisions of the design. The weaver mount version won't fit the AK without an extra mount, but the Kobras with the side rail mount built in will fit any AK with the side mount rail on it. All Russian AKs coming into the US now have that rail, as do all Romanians I have seen.

Tantal is the best guy to get Kobras from, but last I heard he was out of stock. You might email him anyway. Here is his web site:

http://tantal.kalashnikov.guns.ru/

Valeri (sp?) at Freedomoptics also has a great selection of stuff and is a really nice fellow based on some email exchanges we have had.

http://www.freedomoptics.com


GR
 
About the only magazine my AKs have had a problem with is the Bakelite Chinese 7.62x39 mag. However, since they often sell for about $60, they're not a major option.

All others have proved solid performers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

N
  • Locked
  • Poll
.308 AK: Saiga or VEPR
Replies
13
Views
5K
JohnKSa
JohnKSa
B
  • Locked
Thinking About An AK
Replies
3
Views
824
natedog
N
B
  • Locked
AK Question
Replies
8
Views
988
10shooter
1
N
  • Locked
Going to have trouble getting a .308 AK...
Replies
12
Views
1K
bogie
B
N
  • Locked
I want a VEPR .308
Replies
7
Views
2K
gun-fucious
G
Back
Top