Saigas and the bulgarian mags...

[rangerruck]

A discussion was had here recently, and it was mentioned that bulagarian mags, with a modicum of fitting, will work in a saiga, without having to add a bullet bump to the mag. But being at a gunshow recently, I saw there was 3 bulgie mags- steel, mylar flat side, mylar waffleside. So which is it? or is it all 3?
and if you use these bulgie mags, do you still need to add a bullet guide to the saiga itself, or is this no longer necessary?

 

[wally]

Saiga 7.62x39 or .223? It makes a difference!

All the Saigas need a bullet guide unless you get a specific for Saiga mag with the bump like the SureFires.


--wally.

 

[rangerruck]

I am not sure, is there a difference? would one work, and the other not, without adding a bullet bump?

 

[Deus Machina]

.223/5.56 mags won't work in a 7.62x39 rifle, and vice versa.

No milsurp mags will work in a .308 Saiga.

And, yes--Bulgarian mags will still need a feed ramp installed, either as a zap-tack on the mag itself, or installed in the rifle.

Really, it's $30 for a bullet guide kit for a Saiga, and you can then use the $16 milsurp (assuming it's a x39) mags, instead of buying the $30-$40 Saiga-specific mags. You make your money back after just two magazines, and can then use 99% of the AK-pattern magazines out there. It's very much worth it.

And if you're handy with a dremel, I have a bullet guide I could measure up. You can make the guide out of $1 worth of pipe.

 

[rangerruck]

i am about to do a full convert on both my saigas, and currently I use Weiger mags with bullet bumps added to the mags, for them to work. However, there was a thread here a few days ago, that a few dudes mentioned the bulgie mags, would work, if you fitted them a bit, but neither needed a bullet bump added for them to work. I thought it would be nice to get a few, but when i went to the gunshow, it seems as though more than a few companies, make a bulgie mag; so i don't know which to get for the 223 and the 762x39; flat side, waffle side, or steel.

 

[nalioth]

However, there was a thread here a few days ago, that a few dudes mentioned the bulgie mags, would work, if you fitted them a bit, but neither needed a bullet bump added for them to work.

Through the vagaries of production, there will be some lots of rifles and mags where no feed ramp is needed when using Bulgarian 5.56 waffle mags in a Saiga. For utter reliability, a feed ramp should be used.

I thought it would be nice to get a few, but when i went to the gunshow, it seems as though more than a few companies, make a bulgie mag; so i don't know which to get for the 223 and the 762x39; flat side, waffle side, or steel.

No, "a few companies" don't make "bulgie mags" - only Bulgaria does.

Be wary as to what you spend your money on, cuz "Pro-Mag" has fashioned their molds after the actual Bulgarian mags, but unfortunately the appearance is the only thing they copied.

Make sure your Bulgy mags have the "Circle 10" on them.