223 AK mags....what's the story?

[Bayner]

Just noticed this....the norinco mags can indeed be reworked to function in the Polytech .223 rifles with zero issues.

 

[A&S Conversions]

The OAL of the 5.45x39 is 57 mm, 2.24 inches.

The OAL of .223 is 57 mm, 2.26 inches.

I think it would work. S&W uses the same AR lower for both .223 and 5.45.

If I had a .223 AK, I would try it myself, but all my AK's are 7.62x39.

:surfing

For those that are interested, it is not about OAL. It is about the diameter of the shells. The width of the mag is critical to the rounds feeding from a double stack double feed mag. 5.56X45 is smaller in diameter. So putting a different diameter round in a double stack double feed mag will tend to cause feeding problems.

The AR lower has the same dimensions of the magwell. AR mags for 5.56X45, 5.45X39, and for that matter 7.62x39 will all fit in the AR magwell. But each of the mags should be used with the ammo it was designed for. The 5.56X45 mag has deeper grooves for strength. It also keeps the inside of the mag narrower so the double stack fits the rounds to the right geometry. The 5.45X39 and the 7.62x39 has ridges that aren't as deep so the wider rounds will fit in a magazine that will fit in the AR magwell.

Scott

 

[root]

I'd just go with the A.C. unity 556 mags.

Cheap and if you have to mod them her only messing up a 14 dollar mag compared ro a norinco or polytec mag that like the guns are now a bit rare and collectable

 

[Deerhurst]

Is this a large magwell 5.56 AK or a small magwell AK? I've come across at least 2 distinct 5.56 AK mags. Some are what I call a AK47 pattern and some a k74 pattern with the latter being closer in width to the AK74 mags. My saiga is a 47 pattern and AK47 mags will lock I to it but 74 mags flop around.

 

[Bayner]

Yugo mags dont work and they dont even come close in a Poly....I've converted, Bulgy, Chicom, EGerman bakelites hundreds of times and they do indeed work flawlessly. Hope this helps.

 

[Bayner]

You'll know shortly if the AC unity will work...

 

[Bayner]

I just went through the three Poly mags, one extra I bought years ago sold to me and screwed with major league by that owner, now fixed unfortunately he didn't tell me. The three polys went back to KFS for the retrofit of the SLFP bolt, and then to adjust the mags.....never used them since. Just went through them.....must have been a monkey working on them. All the followers were bent the same and really screwy, so check yours. Bent back to normal instead of wavy gravy....and punched the rear stop backing divit on the follower. On the Norincos .223 the stops are on the side of the follower and inside the mag, not the rear. All work and feed flawlessly now. Good grief .....how ridiculous.

 

[Bret]

I bought some of the ACU 5.56x45 magazines. They would not lock in my Polish Beryl, Yugo M95, Yugo M85 and Vepr. Of course they might lock in these rifles with modification, but I'm not going to bother since I already have plenty of the factory magazines to feed them. They did lock right in my Norinco 84S and several Arsenal SLR 106 rifles. Unfortunately, I read that they do not feed correctly in the Norinco 84S. That would have eliminated a significant magazine shortage. Still, if they work in the 106 rifles, I'll be plenty happy.