mag ID and pricing

[chili17]

Hey guys. I am somewhat ignorant of AK stuff and need some help IDing these mags and pricing. These items are out of Vegassmgs estate. I presume most are chinese and a couple are bulgarian. Again, I presume the drums are Romanian, but want to be sure.
Don't need offers right now. I will post them once I can positively identify them and pricing.
Thanks for the help!!!!

 

[chili17]

more pics

 

[chili17]

more pic

 

[Deerhurst]

AK drums are either Russian or Romy. Can't see the markings well enough. Romy is probably a ~$130 drum. Russian is likely in the $2-250+ range. I've seen Russian up to $500 which I think is insane .

Lot 3 mags I believe are Chinese flat back. At least the one with the spine showing should be.

To me the USA stamping removes value.

Stock could be for a Mac90 or similar. What does the paperwork in the bag say?

 

[brenbuilds]

more pics

The drum mags are Romanian judging by the markings. I would agree with Deerhurst on their price.
The "FSE" mags are from First Son Enterprises; I believe they are long defunct now, but they are just typical aftermarket mags.
The orange follower magazine I am unfamiliar with, but more than likely an American aftermarket mag.
The chrome follower mags looks like Chinese flat backs.

 

[chili17]

Thanks!
I presume the USA floor plates and the mags with the orange followers were done for compliance reasons back in the day

 

[chili17]

I don't see any markings on the drums at all. Any place specific to look?

 

[Deerhurst]

Ah, 922r insanity. Makes sense why the original stuff was swapped out. It's basically a shell and spring then. Probably work fine though.


The drums should have a marking somewhere around/on the loading lever and likely somewhere around the base of the feed tower.


Anything that opens at the back is chinese or Chinese design. KCI, Korean, makes Chinese style drums. They are preferred because they do not need to be stored under spring tension and are much easier to load.

 

[chili17]

Please correct me if I'm wrong. Im guessing all but 2 of mags are chinese. A few of the chinese mags have had parts swapped to make compliance back in the day and the other two are Bulgarian. I guessed the drums are Romanian, but am not up on the nuances.

one drum has an A followed by 3 numbers by the loading lever and the other has a C followed by 3 number in the same location. There might be a circle at the base of tghe feed tower on them, if so it is very faint

 

[Deerhurst]

The drum I have that I'm 99% sure is Russian has a cryllic n looking character followed by a 3 digit SN on the lever and 2 places next to the feed tower. The nut in the center appears to be brass or bronze as the paint is starting to wear off.

I'm not real good with Chinese mags.

I know lots of Romy and Bulgy mags came into the states but those have a spine. Chinese made a variant without a spine.

 

[brenbuilds]

The loading lever on one of the drums appears to say "A-537"; it loos like Latin script. From what I have seen most of the U.S. AK manufacturers followed the Chinese flat back pattern, so no flanged spine on the back of the magazine. Often times Warsaw pact magazines will bear a small letter or number somewhere on the flange, this can be used to determine the country of origin. It's not always present however and that is when things get tricky.

 

[chili17]

Well, this is a conundrum. While I despise gunbroker, maybe its best I just auction them off and let the bidders decide. I dont want to misrepresent anything (oversell or under sell). I just have not paid attention to AK stuff since the 90s and back then nobody cared, LOL

 

[Deerhurst]

There are just so many different origins of AK mags that all appear similar it can be very difficult to ID what exactly each one is.

 

[sniperdoc]

The stock is definitely a MAK-90 stock. I can't help you with the mags or drums, just too many varieties

 

[Bret]

Well, this is a conundrum. While I despise gunbroker, maybe its best I just auction them off and let the bidders decide. I dont want to misrepresent anything (oversell or under sell). I just have not paid attention to AK stuff since the 90s and back then nobody cared, LOL

I agree that GunBroker is your answer in this situation. Provide plenty of detailed pictures, as much description as you know and also mention that you're selling it for the estate of a great guy in the gun community who passed away. You'll find the one person in the country who will pay the most.

 

[root]

Best way to Id any tru chicom drum is it will have a triangle with a number in the middle 56 or 86
The number is the arsenal plant it was stamped out in.
I just had ID a few 556 drums for a buddy but the x39 drums are the ssme stamping.
Ashame the hicom mags got partz swapped guys would have fought over those at a decent price.
I know I have two pre 89 chicom guns correct mags are expensive and kinda hard to get today.

Chili
If you are still going through boxes of stuff put them to the side incase you run across the followers & floor plates. Then they will bring the family much more money.

True chicom arsenal drum stamp.


Taken from the apex web site since my drums are still packed away.

https://www.apexgunparts.com/chinese-norinco-drum-magazine-75rd-steel-new.html

 

[Deerhurst]

Chicom or chicom copy drum will be a rear loader. Rusky and Romy are top loader.

 

[theduke]

Unless it has Kalishnikovs dna is on it its whatever market is.

I got a top loader..think I'd rather have a china rear loader.

Last batch of ak mags I got from Apex was 10 fer a hundred.....this was at least a few presidents ago.....oboingo on rnd 2 I think.

 

[Deerhurst]

The rear loaders are nice due to being able to be fully loaded and under no spring tension.

As a tiny bit of a purist and having a Romy RPK I prefer the top loaders. More "accurate" to what I have.

 

[sweersa]

The Chinese chrome follower mag should also have three witness holes in the spine (instead of the one most surplus AK mags have, to see rounds) They were made by Polytech. They also lack the safety sear relief cut, if memory serves since they were a commercial offering. I suppose it’s possible someone chromed a regular Chinese flat back follower, or swapped one from the mag I described if yours lacks the other features.