Z-Michigan
Member
I saw AIM offering these brand new Korean-made (knockoff) 20rd metric FAL magazines last week, and jumped on the deal since I'm not aware of anyone in the world making new FAL magazines right now (I guess DSA tried a year or two ago and had serious problems) and these are priced lower than most used mags on the market:
http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=MRWBFAL
I received my order today and examined two of them for fit and finish. Design and appearance is largely identical to a standard Belgian FNH-made metric FAL magazine, down to the ribbing and everything. Feel and weight is identical too. The follower is parkerized rather than blue (Belgian mags have blued followers, most other countries used parkerizing) but all design features appear to be a perfect copy.
I then tried fit in my FALs, and found the following:
-DSA type I receiver - no go. Mag will not fit with any reasonable amount of force, you would need a hammer (which would be stupid).
-IMBEL type III receiver - both mags fit but very snug.
-Entreprise Arms type III receiver (metric), 2008/09 production: mags fit, one easily, the other a bit snug.
I'm going to infer that the Korean FAL magazines are just slightly oversize in their dimensions. If you have an IMBEL or Entreprise Arms FAL, I think they would be worth a try. If you have a DSA, I would pass.
I have not had a chance to try these out shooting. The follower seems rather stiff but I hope that will loosen up with use, and it doesn't feel significantly different from the FNH-licensed mags I have.
Also, the finish on the mag body is a bit uneven. I think it is a zinc phosphate (form of parkerizing) but the corners and edges are a dark blue/gray while the flats of each side a pale greenish whitish gray. I suspect this is either too little time in solution or perhaps oil contamination from some part of the manufacturing process. I don't think it's any big deal, but they aren't as pretty as like-new licensed production mags.
AIM appears to have sold out the first batch, but all the other Korean knockoff mags keep coming and getting cheaper with new shipments, so I expect these will be popping up again at AIM and some other usual suspects like CDNN and others.
http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=MRWBFAL
I received my order today and examined two of them for fit and finish. Design and appearance is largely identical to a standard Belgian FNH-made metric FAL magazine, down to the ribbing and everything. Feel and weight is identical too. The follower is parkerized rather than blue (Belgian mags have blued followers, most other countries used parkerizing) but all design features appear to be a perfect copy.
I then tried fit in my FALs, and found the following:
-DSA type I receiver - no go. Mag will not fit with any reasonable amount of force, you would need a hammer (which would be stupid).
-IMBEL type III receiver - both mags fit but very snug.
-Entreprise Arms type III receiver (metric), 2008/09 production: mags fit, one easily, the other a bit snug.
I'm going to infer that the Korean FAL magazines are just slightly oversize in their dimensions. If you have an IMBEL or Entreprise Arms FAL, I think they would be worth a try. If you have a DSA, I would pass.
I have not had a chance to try these out shooting. The follower seems rather stiff but I hope that will loosen up with use, and it doesn't feel significantly different from the FNH-licensed mags I have.
Also, the finish on the mag body is a bit uneven. I think it is a zinc phosphate (form of parkerizing) but the corners and edges are a dark blue/gray while the flats of each side a pale greenish whitish gray. I suspect this is either too little time in solution or perhaps oil contamination from some part of the manufacturing process. I don't think it's any big deal, but they aren't as pretty as like-new licensed production mags.
AIM appears to have sold out the first batch, but all the other Korean knockoff mags keep coming and getting cheaper with new shipments, so I expect these will be popping up again at AIM and some other usual suspects like CDNN and others.
