mike1972 1 Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 (edited) Just like the title says... I was wondering what mags the Saiga AKs will take. Since these guns are so inexpensive (wish the 12s' were) I was thinking about adding one as a SHTF back up gun. To arm others who are gunless & to just basically have a descent AK for range fun & SHTF.... Is it a factory mag only situation, or will any standard AK mags fit? Also, I was wondering about the .223 & .308 as well.... I assume that the only mags you can get for the .223 & .308 would be factory mags only.... Can you use other .223 AK mags? And as far as the .308, the only ones for it are the Saiga made ones specifically for the Saiga .308 correct (as in FAL & M1A mags are sometimes interchangable)??? Sorry guys, I should know this already but Imtrying to answer this real quick for a family member. I showed him the website here & he thinks the S12 is the coolest shotty ever... Then he started asking about price on the Saiga rifles. I told him that they were pretty inexpensive. So he wanted to know if other mags would fit. Neither of us have an AK right now. I have owned a couple but sold them. Right now he & I both only have handguns, but feel the need to add rifles to our battery of guns. Since the Saiga rifles are so inexpensive, it looks like the way to go. i am just worried about compatible mag availability. ****ETA******** Ok, I looked it up & IF Im correct it does take standard AK mags (after the conversion ).... Now to see what I can find out about the .223 & .308 I see that you can convert the .308 to tkae M14/M1A mags..... Can they be made to take FAL mags??? *****ETAA**** Ok, nevermind about the .308 mags lol..... Edited May 2, 2006 by mikw1972 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twouvthree 0 Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Both the 7.62x39 and the .223 versions will take "standard" AK mags after some modification to the rifle(s). (I'm assuming that a bullet guide has already been installed.) For the 7.62x39, I grounded down the magazine release so that the regular AK mags will fit. For the .223, the plastic Galil magazines worked without any mods done to the rifle. For the Bulgarian polymer mags, I had to grind the back of the magazine opening on the receiver. They fit like a glove now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blender 0 Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 (edited) Finally, a topic I actually have some experience with. I picked up a couple extra factory mags off gunbroker.com, plus an (apparently) modified AK mag. The modified AK mag required no modifications to my carbine; however there is a very slight "looseness" to the fit. I've run about only 90 rounds thru it but no FTF so far. Of course, no problems so far with the factory mags either. Steve Madison, WI Edited May 4, 2006 by blender Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AKMaster 0 Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 I've got an EAA converted 7.62x39 Saiga. It takes regular AK mags. It Kicks ass big time. I'm waiting for the green to get an S12!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
O.S.O.K. 0 Posted May 5, 2006 Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 My AK-103 clone from Elite in Dallas takes standard AK mags and they are a good tight fit. It likes the Bulgy waffles the best - fit wise. I actually won this rifle in a gunsnet membership drive - only time I've ever won something this nice! Here is a pic: I also have a Saiga .223 conversion - was done by one of the shops, forget which one - bought this off of another gunsnet member. The mags need to be modified for this but it works great with weigers, bulgies and galil mags - easy mods as shown here (at the end of the tutorial): http://www.cross-conn.com/Saiga_Conversion/Step_1.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lollygagger 1 Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 (edited) Just curious regarding 7.62x39mm AK/Saiga mags... Anybody messed around with a bolt hold MAG? I just tweaked a chinese short mag to do this (it works -follower should do same in a hi-cap body). I don't know if it will hold up under fire...I'm about to find out. I've heard of a Yugo AK mag that does this. And, I've heard of people using a spent case to modify a mag follower to work. I'm trying the raised follower trick. Yes! I know the Siaga (usually) has a manual BHO feature...but it does not stop the bolt slamming home on a empty, unbuffered chamber, after the last round is fired. I sort of think it might be a nice "range mag" feature. Any experience with this here? Lollygagger Edited May 6, 2006 by lollygagger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lollygagger 1 Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 (edited) Just curious regarding 7.62x39mm AK/Saiga mags... Anybody messed around with a bolt hold MAG? I just tweaked a chinese short mag to do this (it works -follower should do same in a hi-cap body). I don't know if it will hold up under fire...I'm about to find out. I've heard of a Yugo AK mag that does this. And, I've heard of people using a spent case to modify a mag follower to work. I'm trying the raised follower trick. Yes! I know the Siaga (usually) has a manual BHO feature...but it does not stop the bolt slamming home on a empty, unbuffered chamber, after the last round is fired. I sort of think it might be a nice "range mag" feature. Any experience with this here? Lollygagger Okay, FWIW (God! I'm replying to my own post. Oh, well.)...the BHO mod on the AK mag works. Used it during firing today. The trick is to raise the follower (a chinese follower type -works best) till it hits the underside of the feed lips -where it will contact the bolt after the last shot. Further, this needs to be done WITHOUT REMOVING THE TWO FOLLOWER STOPS in the top of the mag body (others have tried that and failed to get reliable function). Dremeling the follower ONLY so the stops in the mag allow it to rise as much as possible before contacting is the ticket...you need the stops to keep the bolt from pushing the follower too much forward. I did this with a Lo-cap chinese mag...but, it is the same follower that the chinese Hi-cap has. They can be interchanged. PIC PIC PIC Lollygagger Edited May 7, 2006 by lollygagger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rangerruck 0 Posted May 7, 2006 Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 i like the e. german mags, to me , they are the easiest to convert. A little dremel on the front and back, a screw down through the front catch, and waa laa! your done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike1972 1 Posted May 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 Thanks guys for the replies... Good stuff to know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rangerruck 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 for the 223 and 39's, i like the E. german(i think) mags , that are steel with the big rib down the back. they are inexpensive, and very easy to convert. also the 223's will take the orange mags, and the waffle bulgies, but you may need to change out the followers to Robarms 556 followers. or get some jb weld , and reshape the followers a bit. on the 308, there are some saiga high caps out there that got in, but be prepaired to pay big bucks. otherwise , the only thing you can do right now with the saiga 308 mags, is cut about 1/3 of the bottom of the follower off, remove the bottom vertical floor spikes, and make sure when you cut off the bottom of the follower, that you leave about 1/4 inch long those small verticle guide ribs, on the sides of the follower. this way the follower wont try to "flip" inside the mag as you load it. Even after all this, you will only go from 8 to 10 rounds. you may wanna cut off about 5 or so loops of the springs as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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