AK mag question...

[Kaylee]

well, thanks to a very generous gift from a friend of some 7.62x39 (THANK YOU!) I went to load up the half a dozen AK mags I got with that SAR a while back. All but one were okay, but one is confusing me..

rounds 1-29 load just fine, but if I put a 30th round in, it's like something gets caught inside and all the spring pressure disappears. The top round or two will just fall right out.

Is this a common problem with AK mags? Is there a fix? In the meantime I'm just keeping it empty as a "playing around with the rifle/dry firing" mag. But I thought I'd see if there was something to do for it.

thanks!

-K


(frickity-frackity guldurned newfangled semi-autos. I'd fogotten what it was like to have the box of ammo run out before the mag was full. )

 

[Jim K]

Sounds like the follower is jamming on something toward the bottom of the magazine. Maybe the side of the magazine is dented. I suggest disassembling the magazine and just try to work the follower up and down. You will probably be able to see what is jamming it. (FWIW, my Chinese mags take the full 30 rounds, so it is not a problem with AK mags in general.

Jim

 

[ny32182]

What kind of mag is it?

Now you've got me wanting to load up the 5 new Bulgarian waffles I got in the mail a while back but have never used...

 

[SteelyDan]

I agree with Jim. The only other thing I can suggest, not because I necessarily think it will help but because I can't think of anything else, is to make sure the spring is installed or aligned the same as in the "good" mags.

 

[shoobe01]

Download (28-only) and call it good?

Anyway, I have seen this in other magazines also. Usually the more radically curved ones (MWG-90 drum, AR-18 40-rounders, etc.). It /seems/ to be the spring binding. Springs inherently kink in the mag tube as they are compressed (my spring expert friend /assures/ me of this). Imagine that a kink ends up with a high point towards the inside of the curve, if high enough it can significantly grab the sheet metal and if its rough enough, bind and cause this loss of follower force.

I was able to get to this point with the MWG drum, because its very clear, so I can see what was up. Silicone spray alleviated it; but how long does a mag stay that clean. Note I do not own it anymore.

The worst case thing I've had is if you get this condition, and suddenly it lets go. Several rounds (or 20!) can fly out all of a sudden. I've also seen this happen to myself and others while firing. A multi-feed stoppage and when the mag hits the deck half the rounds fly out before the followe catches.

Some lube should help get around it, but go get new springs and try that. I like spring replacement for almost any issue. Especially if the device is of unknown or old origin, replacing the springs is a good step.

 

[Chipperman]

Mark it with a red painted "X" and throw it in the back of the closet. It's not worth mucking around with a faulty AK mag, when they can be had for 8 Bucks.

 

[lee n. field]

One magazine loads 29, won't load the 30th? I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[jobu07]

Eh, just buy a 40 rounder. My sar-1 came with that and a 10 rounder. Besides, you'll enjoy putting two boxes of wolf into the mag instead of 1 1/2. You know you want to shoot the extra 10 without reloading

 

[goon]

I would take it apart to see if it is an easy fix.
If not, mark it and use as a range mag with only 29 rounds.
No big deal...

 

[Tamara]

Burr on the inside of the mag.

That'll be $18.95, please.