Benefits of a Max-31 and Suomi mags?

[ianian]

I have a Max-11 upper and love it. It’s compact and I can use the mags I already have for the gun. I was wondering, why would someone run a Max-31 and Suomi magazines other than the fact that it allows you to run 72rd drums?

Not bashing the upper because it seems to be popular and likely for a good reason. I’m just curious if there’s any additional benefits I’m not understanding.

Thanks!

 

[chili17]

Drums are fast and easy to load and of course you get 70 plus rounds. For years drums were also sub $20. I love the max31, it is like shooting a FA carbine

 

[Fulliautomatix]

Also, not that there's a whole lot of muzzle rise with 9mm, but the additional length and weight of the drum out front makes it even more steady to shoot and get lead on target.
And of course... you get 72 rounds of fun.

 

[Gaujo]

For the M11/9 if you're just shooting 30s it's probably not worth getting, but the drums really help your times in a competition. For the M11 and M11A1 it's worth it even for 30s as it's the only way to get it down to a controllable rate of fire in 9mm.

 

[Hey...]

If you started shooting with Suomi drums you’d get spoiled.

 

[Deerhurst]

Even without drums, I almost never use a drum on my Max31, it is so much more controllable than OE.

I'll be trying a 3D printed 20 next time I get my M10 out.

 

[Grant435]

Max 31 on a Mac 10 is amazing. Super smooth shooting and extremely controllable since the bolt is not hitting back of receiver. The extra weight and length keeps it shooting flat. Now I’m curious if the 31k is just as nice?

 

[Poacher]

Max 31 on a Mac 10 is amazing. Super smooth shooting and extremely controllable since the bolt is not hitting back of receiver. The extra weight and length keeps it shooting flat. Now I’m curious if the 31k is just as nice?

I never knew the bolt is not hitting the receiver.
My M10 with the 10/31 upper is indeed smooth, but I thought it did hit.

 

[Uncle Billy]

speaking as someone who loves drums, it allows me shoot for a lot longer without having to change mags. I love them so much that I made a drum for my PPS-43 both in 7.62x25 and 9mm by using a PPSh-41 drum and a SUOMI drum. a MP5k drum using a SUOMI drum. and a BETA 5.56 drum to shoot my SLR-106ur AK

 

[Grant435]

I never knew the bolt is not hitting the receiver.
My M10 with the 10/31 upper is indeed smooth, but I thought it did hit.

I actually don’t know for a fact, I just assumed since it was so smooth and the magwell is so far forward. I wouldn’t think a 9mm cartridge would cycle that big bolt that far back to touch receiver. I could be wrong but doesn’t feel like it

 

[Wetworks]

Drums are easier to load
It is easier to control
More reliable in my experience
Chicks dig big drums

 

[nklf]

I prefer to load drums and they are more reliable in my experience. You also have to remember that until a few years ago with the introduction of Z-mags there were not reliable magazines available for the M11/Nine. Now that mags are available and Suomi drums are expensive, there is not as much difference as in the past. If you shoot in matches that limit you to 30 round mags, I would use the Max 11 as reloading through the grip well is more natural to me and a little faster. Without restrictions on round count, I would choose the drums every time.

 

[SecondAmend]

For what little I shoot 9mm in a M11-380 subgun equipped with a MAX31A, MkII 9mm upper; for "extended capacity" shooting I prefer using the Suomi 50 round quad stack, stick (so-called 'coffin') Suomi magazines. Though requiring a loader, the 50 round stick mag has plenty of rounds, and the firearm plus upper package is much easier to maneuver as there is less weak arm "reach around" extension and supported weight than with the Suomi drums (fully loaded drum = approx. 66 oz. vs. fully loaded coffin stick = approx. 32 oz.).

MHO, YMMV, etc. Be well.

 

[Eric]

I have a Max-11 upper and love it. It’s compact and I can use the mags I already have for the gun. I was wondering, why would someone run a Max-31 and Suomi magazines other than the fact that it allows you to run 72rd drums?

There are 2 or 3 reasons why I prefer the MAX-31 over the MAX-11.

First and foremost, as someone above already mentioned, the additional length and weight of the MAX-31 makes it a little steadier and easy to shoot.

Secondly, in the interest of putting less wear and tear on the expensive lower, I prefer to shoot an upper with its own feed ramp. The MAX-11 uses the M-11/9’s original feed ramp which is subject to wear and some deformation. This may not be a big deal to anyone but me, but the MAX-31 has a better designed, more robust feed ramp. See photo below. Note the wear on my original feed ramp, especially at the top.

Thirdly, the drums are often a convenience and its nice to have the option of 72 uninterrupted rounds. Moreover, with Practical Solutions excellent PS/31 Zmag Adapter, you can use your existing Z mags:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeJ0ExkpaFU

I will say that drums are a fairly minor issue for me although I realize that is the major reason the MAX-31 exists. Stick mags probably keep me from wasting ammo at a more rapid rate and they are not that much slower to load. When you factor in the time spent taking the drums apart, winding them and putting them together again, it takes me roughly 2:20 to load a drum with 72 rounds and 2:40 to load 72 rounds into 3 stick mags.

 

[theduke]

Whut mags??

The unobtainable ones?

 

[Eric]

Whut mags??

The unobtainable ones?

I don't have any of the hard to find mags, I use standard Z Mags and the Practical Solutions adapter.

 

[Deerhurst]

Whut mags??

The unobtainable ones?

I run smags, sten mags with tabs and I have a file for printed mags that use Glock 17 mags springs.

 

[Gaujo]

There are 2 or 3 reasons why I prefer the MAX-31 over the MAX-11.

First and foremost, as someone above already mentioned, the additional length and weight of the MAX-31 makes it a little steadier and easy to shoot.

Secondly, in the interest of putting less wear and tear on the expensive lower, I prefer to shoot an upper with its own feed ramp. The MAX-11 uses the M-11/9’s original feed ramp which is subject to wear and some deformation. This may not be a big deal to anyone but me, but the MAX-31 has a better designed, more robust feed ramp. See photo below. Note the wear on my original feed ramp, especially at the top.

Thirdly, the drums are often a convenience and its nice to have the option of 72 uninterrupted rounds. Moreover, with Practical Solutions excellent PS/31 Zmag Adapter, you can use your existing Z mags:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeJ0ExkpaFU

I will say that drums are a fairly minor issue for me although I realize that is the major reason the MAX-31 exists. Stick mags probably keep me from wasting ammo at a more rapid rate and they are not that much slower to load. When you factor in the time spent taking the drums apart, winding them and putting them together again, it takes me roughly 2:20 to load a drum with 72 rounds and 2:40 to load 72 rounds into 3 stick mags.

I forgot about the feed ramp. That lets me shoot blazer brass 147 grain rounds which are flat point at the end. Good value for reliable 147gr is hard to find and these only run on Lage's feed ramp.

 

[root]

When you paid 20 bux a drum it made sense to buy those 1st in large quantity .

I also have sten mags I modded with the tab on the back.

My most expensive investment in mags are the coffins.
I finally bought a Folk package after he said this was the last of the last.

Mainly due to their collectability.
Don't get me wrong I'll use them but they were never my 1st choice or gotta have mags due to price.

Mags are and always were a consumable so the cheaper the better for me so long as they were quality built.
If drums would have been 100+ each i would have never bought the amount i did possibly one or two just as a collectable.

Same reason i don't own any zmags at the time of their release they were the price of 3 drums or 12 sten mags.
I'm talking the zmags that were made for the max-31 with the tab.

One nice thing about the max-31 is you can do a drum solo and literally check your watch pull your phone out of your pocket .
Compare the times against each other put your phone away and still be dumping the same drum.
Its that slow and controllable.

The way inflation is at present just buy what you like, its all expensive now.
Yesterday's surplus is today's collectable.