Modified mags or mag adapter?

[Jericho_223]

i just bought a saiga 223, and will probably be doing a conversion on it, but will likely have to wait until tax time. anyway, i'm trying to decide which is the better way to go to be able to use pre-ban, high cap mags. i should note that i don't really have any machining experience, and i don't think i know anyone who does. so- how labor-intensive is it to modify a high cap mag, weiger for example. or is it simpler to go with something like an ar-15 mag adapter? this seems like an attractive option because of how readily available ar mags are and, while i don't know if he's still around, i've heard that renegadebuck makes a pretty decent adapter. any thoughts or suggestions? thanks in advance!

 

[seanie!]

Using two 30 round SureFire magazines, I put about 3-4,000 rounds through my Saiga .223. I used to swear by them(they really are great mags), but $30/mag wasn't really doing it for me. Then I jumped ship and installed the renegadebuck adapter. I haven't had any problems with mine, except it doesn't seem to like PMags at all. They don't really lock in, so I use USGI mags. With the exception of the initial $75 investment in the adapter, being able to stockpile plenty of mags for cheap is great. As for the install, it took me a few hours with a dremel to fit the adapter. 1,000+ rounds later, I've had no hiccups with it.

I've heard nothing but good things about Weiger mags, and I hear installing a bullet guide isn't nearly as difficult as one would think. It all comes down to what you'd rather do. Is it worth the investment in more expensive 5.56 AK mags? Or is it worth the investment in an AR mag adapter? If you have an AR and are all about one type of magazine for one rifle, I say go that route. If you don't, then I'd probably rather stick with the AK magazines that the rifle is made for.

 

[caribou]

I sand down the sides of the Galil .223 35 rd Orlite mags where they enter the reciver, they rock in with my modifyed mag paddlerelease, my installed feed ramp and a bit off the re-enforcing rivet at the back of the mag well.

Cheapest mags and mods, but they work quite well.

 

[Jericho_223]

thanks for the info! @seanie, you make a great point about mags. i don't own an AR, and only looked at this as an option because AR mags tend to be a bit cheaper, but you make a very convincing argument for sticking to AK mags