AK Mags And Pouches. Post 'Em Up.

[Larry D.]

Continuing the conversation that got started in the auction section. https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=5166.0

Firstchoice had some very nice looking variants that he was kind enough to post.

I have several different types that I've accumulated over the years. I have Germans, Russians, Chicom, Romy, and Bulgy.

The Romy trainers are kinda cool, as are the bakelites. The steel slab sides are nice, too. I have a few polymer mags from Bulgaria, but the vast majority of my mags are good ol' commie steel!

I did recently pick up a Korean "fakelite" poly/plastic mag just for range use. The bakelite look is applied to the exterior of the mag and can be sanded off if desired. I like the look, but the bakes I have are mint, or dang close to it, and I don't want to beat them up.

I also have a wide variety of mag pouches. There are leather, canvas, rubberized cloth, vinyl, and nylon. I think my best ones are the old Soviet Russian with brass hammer and sickle buttons.

Since the prices are out of sight these days, my collecting days have come to a screeching halt.

I would like to get a Molot star in shield 40 round RPK mag. I could be talked into a trade for one of those.

Anyway, whatcha got?

 

[carls sks]

kind of have a few. the Russian Bakelite ones are what i think are the coolest (kind of expensive if you can find them). will have to take some pics of mine. also have the German (which i think might be nicest), Hungary, Romanian, Korean and others. will have to do some pics latter.

[Larry D.]

I forgot about my Hungarian tankers.

[firstchoice]

Okay! Getting in late again this evening, but I like the idea here. I'll have to start with the pics tomorrow but lets do some sharing of pics here for a while! Much of my collection has just been sitting in boxes on shelves for years now. Might as well get 'em out and let the sun shine on 'em again, ever so briefly. I like looking through "my stuff" so this gives me an excuse!

Larry, is there a method to this madness? x39 mags with 2 or 3 photos each? Same with 5.45 and 5.56 AK mags? I don't have that many. But a decent representation. Got some East German bakes still in mag pouches in plastic packaging, both in x39 and 5.45, I believe. Got some Russian bakes, Russian alum. waffles, Polish steel and polymer, Hungarian in 20rd and 30rd steel, Bulgarian steel, polymer "Waffle circle 10", and I think some slab-side polymers. Different colors on the Bulgys. I also have my Chinese Polytech 30rd steel mags with the chrome followers, etc., and the Chinese 30rd flatbacks as they're called. I have the Chinese "stamped" 30rd steel mags. The Chinese Type 63? 20rd mags that can be modified to use on AKM's (but I haven't done so) And a variety of Chinese 5.56 steel mags for use in the Chinese 84S 5.56 AK.

Also, some Yugo BHO mags and Tantal 5.45 mags. Got some Bosnian, some call them Croat, mags. Smattering of a bit of a collection, anyway.
 
The mags are 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40rd. with a variety of 75rd and 100rd drums. Got a few commercial made mags, too.

I've always wanted a few of the Russian slab-side steel 30rd mags. Just haven't run across them at the right time yet. They're heavy but they appeal to me! 

I'll start taking pics tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing pics of you guys' mags too!

I like the idea of including the mag pouches in this thread, too. I don't have much in that dept. but I'll post what I have.

firstchoice

[Larry D.]

No method to my madness.

I'm limited to 7.62 as that's all I have, but feel free to post anything you like. But your post reminded me of a few other variants that are in that big tote.....

I'll have to do a little digging to see if I have more than one steel slab side.....

[Phosphorus32]

Okay, here are most of my unique ones. I think I may have some other Eastern European magazines but they basically look the same as the DDR.

Russian 30 round magazines: aluminum waffle, slab side, fiber reinforced resin from Tula and Izhevsk (commonly known as Bakelite, but they aren't really, since Bakelite is a trademarked fiber reinforced resin process that makes a much harder brittle plastic. Same argument can be applied to Cosmoline in the eastern bloc firearms but I'm being pedantic)




Eastern European: East German 30 round, Yugoslavian 30 round (BHO follower), Hungarian 20 round "tanker" magazine




Chinese 30 (spineless), 5 round, and Factory /36\ 75 round drum






Romanian RPK magazines: Modern production 75 round of the Chinese pattern, 40 round

[Larry D.]

Okay, here are most of my unique ones. I think I may have some other Eastern European magazines but they basically look the same as the DDR.

Russian 30 round magazines: aluminum waffle, slab side, fiber reinforced resin from Tula and Izhevsk (commonly known as Bakelite, but they aren't really, since Bakelite is a trademarked fiber reinforced resin process that makes a much harder brittle plastic. Same argument can be applied to Cosmoline in the eastern bloc firearms but I'm being pedantic)

I generally use the term bakelite - or simply bake - because it's a helluva lot less typing than phenolic resin.

During the ban, I traded 2ea 30 dollar Chicom 75 rounders for a 1911.....
That's a really nice Chicom drum pouch you have there.

Phos, you get bonus points for having an excellent vocabulary. 

[Phosphorus32]

Okay, here are most of my unique ones. I think I may have some other Eastern European magazines but they basically look the same as the DDR.

Russian 30 round magazines: aluminum waffle, slab side, fiber reinforced resin from Tula and Izhevsk (commonly known as Bakelite, but they aren't really, since Bakelite is a trademarked fiber reinforced resin process that makes a much harder brittle plastic. Same argument can be applied to Cosmoline in the eastern bloc firearms but I'm being pedantic)

I generally use the term bakelite - or simply bake - because it's a helluva lot less typing than phenolic resin.

During the ban, I traded 2ea 30 dollar Chicom 75 rounders for a 1911.....
That's a really nice Chicom drum pouch you have there.

Phos, you get bonus points for having an excellent vocabulary.

It's a hazard of my job, upbringing by an electrical engineer and an English major, and my analytical personality, that I get hung up on the correct terminology at times    

I do often sloppily use the trademark word Cosmoline for eastern European or Soviet brown preservative grease, so I don't have any moral highground to stand on   


2 x Chinese 75 rounders for a 1911, that's crazy!  I sure didn't pick my pair up for $30 but I didn't pay current market value either, thankfully.

Most of the AK magazines in my collection have been acquired opportunistically at auctions (like, whoa, that's a big group of magazines with some sleepers that may go cheap) rather than with an intentional organized plan. The Chinese drums I got from Midway (I think) as a result of an email blast, where they had unearthed a few in the warehouse. They were sold out inside of an hour.

[Bacarnal]

Some of mine...



L to R: (2) double circle "E", k4 s8, no Mark's. Mags and pouch rescued from a friends collection when he got in to trouble.  He served in Desert Storm on the Kurdish border and these came from there.


(2) Made in China, Yugoslav, Magpul (works in my "D").  East German pouch.


40 rounder, East German (?) Stamped D2, no marks, Tula phenolic resin reinforced  , Chinese (DS Bringback), Yugo, Hungarian 20 rounder

[Phosphorus32]

Nice collection Bruce! That Iraqi marked Yugoslavian pouch and magazines is fantastic! 

[Bacarnal]

Thanks, Jon.

[Larry D.]

Bruce - Let me know if you EVER decide to let loose of that Iraqi pouch.

I've seen quite a few bring backs. They are usually pretty beat up, poorly made, or just cheap Chicom stuff.

I like the way that one is marked. Does anyone know what is says?  A buddy gave me a brass whistle that has some inscription on it that nobody has been able to decipher.

[Phosphorus32]

I like the way that one is marked. Does anyone know what is says? 

Name of an Iraqi porn site?    Quranic scripture? 

I think this is the Arabic, ض ط ن , ضطن,  but Google Translate returned the translation "lettuce" so not too helpful.

Honestly, I don't know. I know people who can help with Mandarin, Hindi, Korean and Sinhalese, but not Arabic.

[Larry D.]

I think this is the Arabic, ض ط ن , ضطن,  but Google Translate returned the translation "lettuce" so not too helpful.

"Lettuce" surrender before the infidels kill us all?

[Phosphorus32]

I think this is the Arabic, ض ط ن , ضطن,  but Google Translate returned the translation "lettuce" so not too helpful.

"Lettuce" surrender before the infidels kill us all?

  I wish 

[Phosphorus32]

Middle Eastern Chestrigs

Afghanistan: street bazaar made rig using leather. They come in many styles with decorations. I obtained this one from the Silah Report store.










Iranian: rough and rusty. Unique trim and velcro back strap.








Iraqi bringback rig with 3 mags, complete with sand: 2 Chinese flatback mags and a no-marking painted mag that may be Russian. The most recent acquisition.

[Larry D.]

Here's some interesting info about AK mags.

http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/identifying-collecting-the-7-62x39-ak-47akm-magazine/

Sometimes some close ups of the actual spot welds on various places can help ID the mags.

[Phosphorus32]

Here's some interesting info about AK mags.

http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/identifying-collecting-the-7-62x39-ak-47akm-magazine/

Sometimes some close ups of the actual spot welds on various places can help ID the mags.

Yeah, that's a great article I reference often when trying to figure out AK magazines 

The reason I tossed out Russian, in spite of the lack of markings, was the worn black paint and the rearmost inverted rib that went all the way to the top. Nevertheless, a Russian source seems unlikely.

Egypt also used black paint, but it does not have tear drop shaped spot welds on the mag well catch. Perhaps another variation from Egypt.

It seems likely that Iraq didn't make their own mags. Yet, they certainly got a lot of inspiration for firearms from Egypt with the Baghdad (Rasheed copy), and from Yugoslavia for the Iraqi Tabuk AKM, so I don't know if that question about magazine manufacture is 100% answered.

Regardless, as I started to examine this magazine in detail, the really distinctive feature that emerged was the pattern of the horizontal ribs at the bottom. They are asymmetrical with the upper short rib missing from the left side. My limited knowledge is at an end. I'm not sure who made this one.

[Larry D.]

Some more info here -
https://thinlineweapons.com/47magguide/

[Larry D.]

I might have another black vinyl Hungarian pouch for the 20 rounders coming.
My guy said he has a couple he'd let go. He thought there might even be an orange/brown pouch for the 20's. If I get that one, it's mine...ALL MINE!