AK Mag Interchangeability

[masonwinston]

so I'm looking at a few different AKs, trying to decide which one will be my first. right now, I'm leaning toward a WASR 10/63 because of price, its history of going "bang" when the trigger is pulled, and overall dependability of the weapon - not that all AKs are known for being dependable or anything.

I am curious about magazine uniformity, though. obviously I can put a romanian mag in the WASR, but how about the mag from a bulgarian SSR-85C, or a hungarian mag?

maybe a better question would be which mags wont work in a WASR? obviously I need to make sure the mag is for an AK47 and not an AK74 or other odd-caliber variant.

thanks for helping a n00b!

[Coils]

obviously I need to make sure the mag is for an AK47 and not an AK74 or other odd-caliber variant.

You answered your own question.
The AK is a pretty much standardized so mags from different countries will work in rifles from different countries.
The main thing is try to stay away from aftermarket mags (Tapco, ProMag ect), though some of these are good mags you can't beat surplus, they are low cost (most of them) and meet military specs so they are also very durable.

[nalioth]

You can use any 5.45x39 magazine in an AK chambered in 5.45x39.

You can use any 7.62x39 magazine in an AK chambered in 7.62x39.

WIth .223 - all bets are off. No magazine standardization agreement exists for this caliber between the Eastern European Kalashnikov producers, and the .223 mags vary wildly in design.

[masonwinston]

cool - thanks guys!

[kernelkrink]

There is one other interchangeability issue, the imported rifles came into the country as a "low capacity sporting rifle" that takes a narrow single stack 10 rd magazine. After import, some were opened up to accept a standard wide double stack AK mag, while some were not.

[masonwinston]

Originally Posted by kernelkrink

There is one other interchangeability issue, the imported rifles came into the country as a "low capacity sporting rifle" that takes a narrow single stack 10 rd magazine. After import, some were opened up to accept a standard wide double stack AK mag, while some were not.

the WASR 10/63M that I'm looking at from J&G comes with a 30rd mag, and I read that the 10/63M rifles were factory made to accept hi-cap mags. I should be good to go, right?

thanks for the heads-up, KK

[Uncle Mike]

I have a bunch of AK's and over 75 mags. Every mag fits every gun except one. My Bulgarian SSR 85 has a slightly longer mag release than my other AK's and it only likes certain mags. I have to fit every new mag and mark it as good, or not good, for the Bulgy. I could shorten the mag release but the mags that do fit (20 or so) have no side play or rocking movement in the gun.
The WASR's, Yugo, Norinco, and IO U.S./Romanian build will take any mag. The fit in them is anywhere from fairly tight to really sloppy but they all function perfectly.

[ACMcom]

Originally Posted by masonwinston

the WASR 10/63M that I'm looking at from J&G comes with a 30rd mag, and I read that the 10/63M rifles were factory made to accept hi-cap mags. I should be good to go, right?

Some WASRs won't accept Bulgarian "waffle" magazines unless you open the back of the magazine well slightly.

[kernelkrink]

Originally Posted by masonwinston

the WASR 10/63M that I'm looking at from J&G comes with a 30rd mag, and I read that the 10/63M rifles were factory made to accept hi-cap mags. I should be good to go, right?

thanks for the heads-up, KK

I believe those were imported as whole rifles, in which case the factory that made them would have had to cut the magwell for the narrow single stack mags, otherwise it would be banned from Import. Century, the importer, cuts the magwell wider once it's here and swaps out enough parts to make it 922(r) compliant. If it states it takes 30s, then it is one of the Century modified rifles and should accept all 7.62 mil spec mags. However, Century is not known for their gunsmithing abilities, so as ACMcom said some might not fit due to an out of spec magwell. Nothing a little Dremel or file work can't fix though. Also, stay away from US made mags. The original issued mags from Communist arsenals are the best, they didn't pay their workers like the US does, and bad quality control got you sent to the Gulag. By the time you make an AK mag in the US that is comparable in price to a used Commie mag you have a flimsy piece of crap.

[ACMcom]

I've had to open two. 15 minutes with a file did the trick.