74 and 47 mags - Which ones and where?

[Krazyolman]

Which mags should I look for for my 47 and 74?
Where to find them?
New to the AK market and have no idea what is out there currently.
Looking for 5 or 10 of each.

 

[MPA guy]

I don't have a 74, so I can't really help you there. Most seem to prefer the Belgian makes.

As for the 47, I'm OK with any of the Euro surplus metal mags. Although I admit to having several Promags (gasp) I wouldn't consider them anything besides a range mag.

If you're looking for a magazine that will hold the bolt open on the last round for the 47, the high backed chinese mags (followers) work great

 

[cooks128]

AIM Surplus....AK74 commbloc surplus for 19.95 and commbloc ak47 for 10.95 unless you wanna buy 50+ for 9.95


When it comes to AKs look for good ole cheap steel commbloc mags, if you want poly go with Bulgarian waffle mags but they are pricey. some say new promag and tapco are good....but I'll stick with surplus.


http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Surplus_Comm_Bloc_30rd_AK74_545x39_Mags.html

 

[Bu2]

There are lots of places to choose from. Most of it depends on what you want though. Aim surplus has 47 mags for around 10 dollars- these are steel surplus. IMO spending a few extra dollars and getting mags with the hold open built in are worth it. Most of these are yugo mags and like MPA stated they have a different follower. I would also check Centerfire systems as they have both style mags in stock and that would save you a couple bucks on shipping. Hopefully someone can chime in with info on the new Korean mags that are floating around out there. I've heard mixed reviews but with 40 rounders for 26 dollars and drums for 129 I'd give them a thought. The drum mags might be worth buying just for the investment. From personal experience I bought my drums when they were 50 dollars a piece and wish I would have got several more. The price is only going to go up on stuff like that. MPA said this also but I would caution against going with promag- not saying they make a bad product but with original mil spec mags at cheap prices it just makes sense to stay with standard issues pieces. Good luck and let us know what you choose to go with!

 

[Cope's Dist.]

pm sent

 

[southpaw]

As far as the -74s go, anything as long as it is milspec 30 or 45 rounder.

If you want steel, only the Romanians & Poles made steel ak74 magazines. Sometimes Romanian magazines are a bit on the wide side. But they are heavy and built like tanks. 30rd only

The E Germans, Russians & Bulgarians made the bakelite mags, they are steel lined and a bit lighter, certainly look the nicest imho. 30 and 45 rd mags

Just about every nation makes polymer, of all manner of colors, new milspec and old surplus, with steel interior. They are the lightest, 30 and 45 rd mags. Some have that waffle pattern.

Personally I like the steel ones the best. Worse comes to worse you could beat someone to death with it! :spank

I think that covers it, stay away from ANYTHING US made in terms of AK magazines... (much the same way you wouldn't want to trust a foreign AR-15 mag, usually the people who build the gun make the best accessories for it).

 

[greguw]

I prefer the Russian plum mags ... what ever you buy keep your eyes open for the counter fit mags out there ... most will have a big white name tag saying bulgarian , russian , hungarian ... there knock off's from china and are total crap .

 

[holdfastgreg]

$7.95 per ak47 mag at I.O Inc. I recently snagged a bunch of these beauties from them - all work exceptionally well.

http://ioinc.us/mm5/merchant.mvc?

 

[dtom29]

Copes....you won't go wrong dealing with them.....

 

[D Boone]

I recently picked up 5 from centerfire that were advertised as used Euro, but they came as new Korean? I was upset and called, but they acted like it was no big deal and I should be happy they upgraded me to these? They are not the same quality as the Euro mags, and come with a little pre-rust. There is some funny grey phosphate finish on them that doesn't look like a finish at all. Don't think I will buy anything from them again. I have not tested these at all.

Anyway Holdfastgreg, is that what you got from IO? It looks like it from their site picture.

 

[nfafan]

Chinese and Yugo and Hungarian AK47 mags are also steel. Steel Valmet mags are different and are probably worth a fortune.

CHICOMs tend to have chrome or blued followers and "flat backs", while Yugos have the follower with the bolt-hold-open "stem" that sticks up when the last round is fired from the mag. Both mags work fine in any "AK".
Hunky 20rd mags from their AMD days are everywhere and folks like their handy size and great build quality.

Buyer beware on the 40rd mags; I've seen them work in one gun and not another, and heavily used ones can have internal spring and feed issues. YMMV.

Otherwise, as others said, any steel mag is probably OK.

TAPCO's new poly 7.62 mags look to be fine and have recvd good press, although I have yet to try mine.
AFAIK, Cent has been including them in recent guns, while some new guns seem rely on them to add US-parts count for 922. Beware of that; you don't want to have to count on always having mags with US parts just to be legal.