AK PMags

Good item to come back on!  Magpul has announced their AK PMAGs.  Their Facebook page has a little more info explaining that they will first have an AK MOE level all plastic magazine to go along with their previously announced AK MOE grip .  However, they are also working on a steel reinforced version for a later release.  Very interesting!  Good to finally see them embracing the AK market, lets hope the AG doesn't get to crazy with the Executive Order powers just given to him to control firearms imports as he sees fit and Magpul's move from Colorado goes smoothly.

K-Var new slab side magazine with metal feed lip reinforcements

Just saw that K-Var now has a metal feed lip reinforced version of the Bulgarian slab side 7.62x39 AK magazine.

Sorry for the slow posting around here lately.  I am working on a few things like reviews of the Mission First Tactical grip and handguard, MD Arms Molot grip, and CNC Warrior Night Brake to name a few.  I'll post them up as soon as i get a chance to get out to the range again, my schedule just has allowed it.

Tapco Smooth Side 7.62x39 magazines at retailers now

I'm starting to see Tapco's new magazine, a smooth side version for those that don't like their aggressive texture but still like their magazines overall.  Definitely has a more traditional look.

So if you like Tapco but not the look of their mags, this might be a good option for you.  If you don't watch out for these magazines since you might have to do a double take to separate them from surplus magazines.  They look more traditional for sure, I just wonder why they went with the more 5.45x39 style front ribs (granted 7.62x39 Polish Radom and rare AK-103 mags have them too).  The floorplate area is still a little bulky as well.  Available colors are orange "bakelite," flat dark earth, and black (it looks like Tapco may have dropped olive drab from there AK products).  MSRP is $15

One thing about there description gets me, "Designed in the spirit of the original Bulgarian steel magazine for use with the AK-47."  LOL, again looks more like a Polish Radom mag.  If anything the AK-103 style is more like the original Russian steel magazine with its lengthwise ribs.  Honestly though, I have given Tapco mags a little more of a chance now. I bought a few for range use in 5.45x39 due to the current shortage and to have for a reference.  I also have a single 7.62x39 one that I got in a package deal.  I do think for a lot of people, they can make sense for cheap range use as surplus mags start to dry up on the retail market, but they still aren't up to the standard of ((10))  <(how the cool AK kids are typing Circle 10 these days) waffles or East German bakelite, my current 5.45x39 magazines.  Also cruising the for sale section of various gun message boards can net you a lot of good surplus mag deals.

MD Arms Double Stack Saiga Shotgun mags at The Firearm Blog

The Firearm Blog has a post about the MD Arms double stack Saiga shotgun magazines.  As pointed out over there double stacking rimmed shotgun rounds is no easy feat.  No word that I've seen on their quad stack rifle magazines.

Jerking the Trigger US Palm AK30 Magazines review

Matt over at Jerking the Trigger has a great review of AK30 magazines.

US Palm Cage Pictures

Armed and Christian's comment on the MD mags made me want to share these

You can see the metal rear lug and the metal cage in the mold holes.

Metal on front lug

More pics of the cage inside the mag.

The line is the approximate location of where the cage stops (no metal feed lip support)

For reference, this K-Var pdf details their metal parts on the Bulgarian Circle 10 waffle mags.

Note the extra metal in the front strap, floorplate area, and lips in the Circle Ten. US Palm's response would be that it just adds weight and their mags are strong enough without it due to their design.

US Palm's lug cage goes all the way around where the Circle Tens don't. It wouldn't surprise me if US Palms were stronger in the lugs than Circle Tens. Of course, the US Palms might be weaker in the lips. I think if there are no defects, the US Palm "floorplate" is stronger, but if you are the type that likes to pull your floorplate, the Circle Tens are the way to go. But for the most part, besides for me being a US Palm fanboy, I think they are equally good in both theory and my experience. "They are both equal and it is purely a personal preference."

I have both and they are both my "first line" magazines depending on which gear setup I use. The Attack Rack has the US Palms, the Hawkepaks Civil Defense Survival Kit Bag has the Circle Tens. Unless it is a 40 rounder or 20 rounder, ComBloc metal are generally kept around as bench warmers.

Now if the MD Arms Quad Stacks are as good as Mike says, the others might become second string. If you guys want a magazine depth chart I can make you one (I must be excited the NFL is coming back with all these roster references).

US Palm AK30 blocked to 10 rounds to be available soon

US Palm has announced 10 round blocked AK30s will be available soon. This is no surprise since they have said they intended to offer this for awhile. But it is still good to see them supporting the shooters that have to deal with California and other locations unfortunate laws. Overall, 10 rounder AK mags have been harder to find, with many of those then being of poor quality Since it is a regular AK30 body blocked to 10 rounds, it still looks like the normal sized AK mag which could be a plus for some shooters. However, the bad news is that they will cost about $5 more since they require different molds.

On the plus side it looks like US Palm will be considering some other colors for mags soon. My vote is still for foliage green, I think it works in the widest variety of environments and works well in my neck of the woods.

Pictures of another AK30 with cracked feedlips

Here at arf.com via m4carbine.net (haven't went over there yet to find this thread)

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=55&t=126305&page=4

Interesting, like to hear the whole story but can't find the original post and it sounds like the guy who put it up at Arf.com didn't know either. I spent part of the week explaining why the AK30 current website copy wasn't false advertising and had a full circumference metal cage in the top of the mag for lugs.

I'm not giving up on the Ak30 yet, but right now I want more info.

EDIT: More info is in that thread now, apparently it was two members with two different mags at a Tactical Response class. Also there is another thread at WarriorTalk. It may just be a squabble to discredit US PALM which is what Gabe Suarez believes. If you care about the drama behind it there is a thread at warriortalk.com that goes lightly into the details. Not being news so to speak, I'm not putting that here. I'm going to continue to keep my AK30s loaded and ready to go.

Quad Stack AK74 magazine Reserve not met on GunBroker

There was a quad stack 60 round AK74 mag that was on Gun Broker last week. It started at $600 and closed at $900 without meeting reserve! I'd agree they are an ultra rare collectors' item and maybe the only one in the United States, but I'm not going to spend $900+ on any one magazine (unless I hit the lottery). I'd also be afraid the the Russians will finally put these into regular production allow more to trickle in from individual collectors, if not even imported by distributors.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=162814104

Overall, the design seems pretty interesting when you look at the patten diagram:

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/1228/82529pj4.jpg

Basically a quad stack until it hits the divider and limits the feed down to double. I wonder though how reliable that is. The fact that it isn't in production in Russia would lead me to believe it isn't.

AK30 versus other tested to failure

This thread has the videos along with some pictures of the AK30, Circle Ten Waffle, and Combloc steel mag caveman destruction test Gabe Suarez did. He feels that the Combloc steel probably wouldn't have fed after test round 2, making it the least rugged (but still very robust, I'd love to see the same test with AR mags)

Basically he still feels that the AK30 is the winner and the picture of a failed feed lip after a claim of drop on a carpeted floor is false and is either somebody lying. Not mentioned, but my thought is alway that it could be a lemon, like even the now AR standard of PMags had bad batches.

http://warriortalk.com/showthread.php?p=898850#post898850

Pictures of a broken lip AK30

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=55&t=126305&sr=0

User claims it fell out of his bag on to carpeted floor. Rob Anderson of US Palm replies in the thread.

Gabe Suarez over at Warrior Talk says he did drop test on concrete to where Combloc metal lips were bent (the only bad AK mag I've ever had was a bent lip 40 rounder). Photographic evidence to follow at One Source Tactical.

My popcorn is out, I'll do a drop test of my own on my carpeted floor.

EDIT: Here's the video replies:

http://www.suarezinternational.com/MVI_2881.avi

http://www.suarezinternational.com/MVI_2882.avi

http://www.suarezinternational.com/MVI_2883.avi

AK30 comparison pictures

Here's some comparison shots between the U.S. Palm Ak30, Circle Ten Waffle, and standard ridge backed Combloc steel mags.

Overall, the AK30s are still my favorite and well worth the around $30 each I paid for them. The springs are strong, the magazine feels up to the AK standard of ruggedness, and they are lighter and better fit/QC than the Circle Tens. BUT I've found two minor gripes.

First Magpuls will come off too easily. Granted they might be a little stretched out from being on my Circle Tens, but overall they don't grip as well. Also the slanted floorplate either gives even less surface area for the Magpul to grip on or requires you to seat the Magpul further up the magazine making the loop smaller. Looks like I'm back to some duct tape, paracord sheath with zip tie inside for my AK30 pulls.

The second even more minor gripe is no witness hole for a full load. I'm so used to looking at that hole when I finish loading a mag, I've gotten lazy in counting how many rounds are in there.

U.S. Palm AK30s are here!!!

My mags are here from One Source Tactical! My initial impression is WOW!!! The feel really solid, grippy in the grooves on the front and back of the mag, and feel lighter than Waffle Circle Tens (but I haven't actually weighed them).

The package list Flat Dark Earth and Bakelite as other color options that apparently will be coming soon! As long as these are as great functioning as Gabe Suarez has reported, they will be the only mags I ever buy again as long as they are available in the capacity and caliber I want.

Also U.S. Palm has an interesting new AK Chest rig coming soon too:

http://sgcusa.com/Field-Gear/c108/p4031/US-PALM-AKAR-AK-Attack-Rack/product_info.html

AK74 magazines from Tapco

Cope's Distributing now has Tapco Ak74 magazines for your 5.45x39 rifles!

http://www.copesdistributing.net/product_info.php?products_id=2271&osCsid=47b7843ba77ad71ab5b482b043ec5b74

The Tapco magazines aren't my favorite, but they could be great range mags and/or good for quick 922r compliance. Long term though I would recommend all your 922r parts be in the gun or only own U.S. made mags and that limits you from a whole world of magazines.

Rob Anderson from U.S. Palm was on Tom Gresham's Gun Talk this weekend

http://guntalk.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=579708 About at the 28 minute mark.

Rob Anderson was on talking about there new AK30 magazine and teasing some new products included body armor and a new AK grip soft launched at SHOT which is getting some Mid-East orders from Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Rob and Tom eluded to the fact that an AK magazine plant blew up "in Russia" (as Tom said) and then Rob claimed the only metal cage magazine in production which would seem to mean Circle Ten isn't making any more of their waffle magazines but they are located in Bulgaria but Tom isn't a big AK guy so he may have had his geography confused.

One other interesting thing from the interview that they don't use front and back reinforcement metal straps like the Circle Tens due to the fixed floorplate.

U.S. Palm Mags shipping this week

U.S. Palm (a division of Tango Down) announced on their twitter page that they will be shipping their delayed mags to Onesourcetactical.com this week! Which hopefully means I will have some in hand some time next week since I pre-ordered there.

Gabe Suarez says these mags will be the best, even better than Bulgarian Circle 10 Waffles which are my current go to mags. Apparently the delay was so they could fix either some production issue.

I'll be sure to post up here what I think!