7.62x39 AK magazines - recommendations?

[leadcounsel]

Anyone have and like/don't like the Yugo metal mags with the bolt hold open feature, and would you recommend these for the additional few dollars per mag?

 

[fatcat4620]

Anyone have and like/don't like the Yugo metal mags with the bolt hold open feature, and would you recommend these for the additional few dollars per mag?

I converted one of my chugo mags to bolt hold open and did not like it. Hard to get the mags out as the recoil spring is jamming the bolt against the follower.

On the note of metal mags the Korean mags are regarded to be junk.

 

[T2K]

Someone said above to avoide the "Asian" mags and someone above said to avoid the Korean mags. I cannot personally comment, but I've heard and seen that a lot about the recent commercial production Korean mags. I bet the North Korean mags are solid though!

Note, however, that some of the best AK mags ever are the Chinese ones that were widely imported and seen in the 80's along with the Chinese AK's (Norinco, for example). Banned in 1989 by Bush I's executive order. Those are my two best mags - solid, perfect construction.

You're unlikely to encounter those much on the market these days (I'm not selling mine!) but, "just for the record..."

 

[Inebriated]

I've had some poor experiences with Korean mags.

I like European steel mags better than any other. I am trying some Arsenal polymer mags that are based off Bulgarian mags though, so maybe I'll find myself switching to those.

 

[Girodin]

You're unlikely to encounter those much on the market these days (I'm not selling mine!) but, "just for the record..."

What makes them better than say circle tens?

 

[hq]

I've mainly used DDR surplus mags (very cheap), older finnish steel mags (hard to come by) and 2nd gen finnish composite military mags (made by Sako). All of them have worked fine, these composite mags have a reputation of being virtually indestructible and I agree, last time I was at military rehearsals I was issued a bunch of them made in mid 90's and while they were extremely beat up, they still worked perfectly.

 

[brnmw]

All I know in my own experience is that when they shipped my AK to me it came with a waffle plastic mag that was not worth the plastic it was made with. So I purchased a couple of "Tapco" mags to see if they were any better and they were not. I for the record would not use them if my "Life" were at stake too many feeding/jamming issues. I have to say when I took it to the gun range it kept jamming and this guy came up next to me and said "I guess the AK rep is really a crock huh?" Kind of embarrassing really!

Ever since I switched to the metal mags I think I have had mabye one jam that I can remember.

 

[curtix]

Tapco - 8 - 9 $ each. 0 problems.
A lot depends on your particular receiver. I have a milled out WASR 10 and the Steel mag that came with it is VERY loose (typical of the WASR 10s) but my TAPCO fits like a glove.

 

[JustinJ]

I don't really get the ranking of AK mags as good or bad, with a few minor exceptions. All the European mags i own have worked flawlessly. Some arrived in better shape but all are tough and reliable.

 

[sansone]

Tapco - 8 - 9 $ each. 0 problems.
A lot depends on your particular receiver. I have a milled out WASR 10 and the Steel mag that came with it is VERY loose (typical of the WASR 10s) but my TAPCO fits like a glove.

my experience also

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

I converted one of my chugo mags to bolt hold open and did not like it. Hard to get the mags out as the recoil spring is jamming the bolt against the follower.

Try an original BHO mag, they come out like a breeze.