.223 Saiga Conversion mag choice.

[imarangemaster 315]

When I had my first 223, I used Orlite Galil mags with a bullet guide. Just took a minor trimming on the front of the Orlites. I never tried the steel Galils, though. Considering I am ordering 8 steel Galil mags for my new .223 this week, though, I guess I will find out!

[into_the_knight 22]

I had one steel galil in the past and it worked fine. It sat low but dinzag's bullet guide worked great with them.

[dmk0210 10]

Bulgarian mags = sexy.

 

I picked mine up at Midwayusa.com for $25 each with my C&R discount.

 

Very nice mags. They look just as good quality as the x39 Bulgies which have served me well for years in my SAR1.

 

I luvs me some waffle mags.

[jimdigriz 580]

I've had all kinds of trouble with getting the Circle 10 mags to fit in my rifle. It's frustrating, because I know that they are the best mags for the Saiga 223. Most people will probably not have near as much trouble, but my particular rifle seems to one of the unlucky few with more fitting issues than usual. Aside from removing the interdiction tab, I've had to file the center bar some to gain clearance, but then the mag still wouldn't lock in. The locking tab was too fat, so I ended up having to mod not only the rifle but also the mag (by filing the tab enough for it to lock).

 

The Galil Orlites fit loosely, but function perfectly. I want to try the steel Galil and Romanian mags next. I like the Orlites, but feel that they are too fragile to be my go-to/SHTF mags.

Edited February 17, 2010 by Jim Digriz

[imarangemaster 315]

PS to my earlier post. I now have 11 Steel Galils and they fit fine and feed fine with the Dinzag bullet guide.

[jimdigriz 580]

PS to my earlier post. I now have 11 Steel Galils and they fit fine and feed fine with the Dinzag bullet guide.

 

Have you tried a 50 rounder?

Edited February 17, 2010 by Jim Digriz

[imarangemaster 315]

Nope, haven't tried a fifty rounder. A bit long for me. That's one reason why I like steel instead of Orlite. Besides being tougher, they are shorter for the same 35 rounds! If I need 50 rounds in the weapon in a single loading, I'm in way over my head!!!!

[jimdigriz 580]

Nope, haven't tried a fifty rounder. A bit long for me. That's one reason why I like steel instead of Orlite.

It's not clear to me from the pics whether the 50 rounders are steel or polymer. Do you know?

 

Besides being tougher, they are shorter for the same 35 rounds!

That's good to know.

 

If I need 50 rounds in the weapon in a single loading, I'm in way over my head!!!!

You never can be too prepared for the zombies.

[imarangemaster 315]

Jim,

 

The 50s are steel, and if I remember right are only slightly longer than Orlite 35s.

 

Did you get my PM about the Rommy folder and handguard?

[protected static 19]

This is all second- and third-hand info, but more people have reported problems getting the 50s to work. IIRC, they were designed for the Galil ARM, and they sit a little lower than the 35-rounders.

[Bad Bob 0]

I tried using 2 steel galil mags in my Saiga and could not get them to work. The bolt would ride over the bullet and catch it about 1/4 inch up, jamming the bullet into the chamber wall. The mags snapped right in but looked like they just sat to low in the rifle. I've heard about adding material to them to make them sit up higher but that sounds like a pain so I'm selling them. And before anyone asks, I do have a bullet guide installed. I guess i will pick up some bulgys after i find time to do the conversion.

I bought two of the steel 12 round Galil mags to use as range mags, and they wouldn't work for me, either - until I filed a little steel off the inside (bottom) of the feed lips. If you look at the things, you realize you could pound nails with the feed lips, they are so dang thick. I filed a little steel off the inside (bottom) to let the cartridges rise just a little higher, and I was good to go. Both feed 100% now. I had to do a relief cut in the back of the mag (just filed a round notch with a chain saw file) to allow the flat file to get in under the feed lips, but neither modification compromised the mags in any way.

 

FWIW, your mileage may vary, etc. But this just reminds me that I meant to pick up a 50 round steel mag at the gun show yesterday (before the Obamanites ban them), and completely forgot. Dang!

 

;>)

[imarangemaster 315]

A change to my earlier post, as I had only checked the first 8mags I got, and assumed that the new three would feed also. Funny thing, the first 8 Galil steel mags I got hand fed fine, but two of the three steel Galils I just got wouldn't feed. The feed lips are not holding the shells square in the top. One was easy to tweak into the right position, but one absolutely defies me. 10/11 is good, I guess. I may contact APEX for an exchange, The front lug was twisted, also. I am thinking about getting some Orlites, too, though. These steel Galils are heavy buggers!

[jimdigriz 580]

I am thinking about getting some Orlites, too, though. These steel Galils are heavy buggers!

 

Would you mind setting an empty one (and a loaded one too, if possible) on a kitchen scale and telling us how many ounces they weigh?

 

I intend to use the Orlites for range mags, since they don't have the reinforced steel lips. They'd also be good when you have a need to tote around more than one mag on your person, since they are very light. For around the house, I'll keep loaded a Circle 10 and maybe a steel Galil mag if I can get it to work. Unfortunately I had to modify my Circle 10 to get it to fit in my gun, but they are great mags.

[imarangemaster 315]

An empty steel Galil is .7 lbs on my postal scale. A loaded one is 1.6 lbs. I think I am going to keep half my steels and get 6 Orlites. That way I have both.

[jimdigriz 580]

An empty steel Galil is .7 lbs on my postal scale. A loaded one is 1.6 lbs. I think I am going to keep half my steels and get 6 Orlites. That way I have both.

 

Thanks.

 

I weigh the empty Orlites at 6 ounces, and loaded at 1 lb and 3 ounces. So the steel mags are about 5 ounces heavier, by your measurement. The loaded Circle 10 comes in at roughly the same as the loaded Orlite, which means you get 5 more cartridges for the same weight with the Orlites, at the expense of the extra steel reinforcements of the Circle 10.

 

I keep my rifle loaded with the one Circle 10 I have, but if I had to "field" with it, the Orlites would be the most efficient.

 

By the way, the rifle looks great with the furniture you sold me. The folding stock is great. What did you end up doing?

[imarangemaster 315]

I've got K-Var plumb on the way. I loved the Rommy folder and Galil HG, but have wanted Plum for a long time. Modifying a lower HG retainer I have. I sold 6 of my 11 Steel Galils to a non-Saiga shooter and will order 6 Orlites.

[Paulry 50]

Hey,

Anyone seen or tried the new Tapco .223 Galil mags? $15.99 retail aint bad and all US made!

 

http://www.tapco.com/products/new/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=246#a

 

I know a photo was posted but Tapco did not have a listing of it. I wonder if these will fit Saiga's with a bullet guide?

 

Can a dealer try it and let us know?

 

Frosty

[GregM1 241]

Imarangemaster, What is the length of the follower in the Galil steel? Is it long enough to mod to a 40 rounder, or does it already have a short one?

[protected static 19]

Imarangemaster, What is the length of the follower in the Galil steel? Is it long enough to mod to a 40 rounder, or does it already have a short one?

Greg: They're about the same height as 'no-tilt' AR15 magazine followers.

[swells08 128]

Hey,

Anyone seen or tried the new Tapco .223 Galil mags? $15.99 retail aint bad and all US made!

 

http://www.tapco.com/products/new/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=246#a

 

I know a photo was posted but Tapco did not have a listing of it. I wonder if these will fit Saiga's with a bullet guide?

 

Can a dealer try it and let us know?

 

Frosty

On hold with Stacy from Tapco says these will be made available mid-March...No specs available yet, said they are made for Galil rifles...if so havent we gotten almost any mag to work by removing intradiction tab?...if it is true I am ready to buy.. that's the info from tapco this morning.

[paprotective 362]

Just waiting for them.. On our site already.

 

This may also knock ProMag for a loop also if they work in Saiga's..

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nailbomb 10,221]

Poll Closed

[russiangunrunner 10]

bulgy 10's.... some of the best mags out there. wouldn't ever even think of using AR mags (pos) or any american made mags unless they're dirt cheap and decent range mags.

[russiangunrunner 10]

trust my life to magpuls, but even they aren't anywhere near as good as bulgy mil-spec ak mags....

[jimdigriz 580]

Between Orlites and transparent Circle 10s, which would you guys prefer? Both are pretty much trouble free in my gun, although I have to modify the clear Circle 10s a bit.

 

I saw a post on another forum where Jim Fuller from Rifle Dynamics said the transparent Circle 10s were brittle. Has anyone here had any breakage issues with them?

[russiangunrunner 10]

the smoke is a better mag, the completely transparent mags from anybody develope spiderweb cracks everywhere after a while. it has something to do with the type of plastic, nobody has yet figured out how to make it as durable as opaque polymer yet, smoke is your best bet on that.

[bigsal 757]

Between Orlites and transparent Circle 10s, which would you guys prefer? Both are pretty much trouble free in my gun, although I have to modify the clear Circle 10s a bit.

 

I saw a post on another forum where Jim Fuller from Rifle Dynamics said the transparent Circle 10s were brittle. Has anyone here had any breakage issues with them?

 

Jim:> The generation 1 clear plastic was prone to hairline cracks and cracked feedlips. The generation 2 magazines are slightly more stable. I own many clear gen 1 223 and clear gen 1 7.62x39 magazines and all of them have a hairline crack or two.

[corbin 621]

I just finished modding 8 black Circle 10 mags for my 223. I followed Dinzag's mag mod PDF. I considered modding the rifle instead of the mags, but opted to just do the mags.

 

 

Corbin

[regal 2]

A lot of times the reliability of a rifle comes done to the mags.

 

I was ded-set on getting a 5.45x39 Saiga but just got an email from AIMS with $200 per 1000 rnds of .223. Really makes the advantage of the 5.45x39 shrink if you don't shoot alot.

 

 

Are these .223 mags/rifles as reliable as the AK-74 Saiga's ?

[jimdigriz 580]

Are these .223 mags/rifles as reliable as the AK-74 Saiga's ?

 

No. .223 is inherently less reliable in feeding and extraction, because of the design of the cartridge. However, with good magazines, and a bit more attention to cleaning than would be necessary for "native" AK calibers, you should be fine.

 

Jim Fuller of Rifle Dynamics says that with a .223 AK, you should pay special attention to cleaning the chamber regularly, to prevent extraction problems.