S5snake 41 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 I recently picked up a 223 calibered Saiga with plans of installing an AR to AK mag adapter. Owning a couple of AR's and Saiga's in every caliber I've decided to leave it as an AK and not a hybrid. After extensive reading/researching magazines for the 223 it seems the Polish Beryl magazines are preferred and work well with a little finessing. Now if only I could find a source for them, does anyone know where these magazines could be purchased and are there different variations for these magazines? I understand there are several other magazine options available but again from what I've read the Polish mags seem desirable. This seems to be the downside to the 223, (and the cost of the ammo) there doesn't appear to be any standardization between the various magazines in this caliber. If the cost of purchasing the mags is expensive it may be worthwhile to make the one time purchase of the mag adapter and just use my current supply of AR magazines. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
canoecanoe 63 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 (edited) There has been an abundance of back and forth regarding the wisdom of installing an AR mag adaptor. I have chosen to not add an adaptor. I use Weigers, Polish Beryls and SGM mags modified to work with a bullet guide. Bulgarian circle ten wafle mags also work well. To answer your question on where to find the beryls, I am not aware of anyone that has them is stock. Maybe others can advise you on who may have them in stock. I do know that they come up for sale fairly often on some market place forums. If you want to PM me, I will let you know which ones I am speaking of. Edited September 8, 2013 by canoecanoe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Robert RTG Gun Parts is the place to go.. Keep tabs on his site because he gets frequent shipments. Unfortunately the prices have gone up about $5 on each. They also come up on Gunbroker and others, usually for about the same price. IMO if you just want to get a bunch of mags and don't care if they're all-plastic, Tapco Galil or Promag AK223 are the cheapest mags that will work in a Saiga with a bullet button. Otherwise, go with the SGM mags, or take the time to find some C10 or Beryl mags to get mags with a steel insert. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
schultze13 354 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 (edited) I bought 10 of the green translusent mags off of GB from a guy in Warsaw Poland in 7 days they were at my door. he is a good guy and can be trusted. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=364433423 Also the down fall of the green is there is no metal in the mag body it is all polymer if you get the black mags I know they have metal locking lugs but I am unsure if the feed lips have metal I have not bought any of the black 223 mags yet. Edited September 8, 2013 by SCHULTZE Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 (edited) All of the steel-reinforced Polish mags have steel only in the front locking lug, and a steel rib in the front that goes half the total length of the mag body. No reinforcement in the rear lug or the feed lips, but these places apparently don't need it as badly. Keep in mind that the clear ones are known to crack. The material used gets brittle with age - this is why Poland now makes them either in a smoke color, or the newer green-bluish ones. Supposedly the green Polish mags are new design for military use and if so, must have passed Polish testing successfully even without the reinforcements. This came from some unknown sources who have supposedly seen them in use by Polish ISAF guys. Who really knows though - they could just be commercial mags, and someone is spreading rumors about them. I do have some of the Polish plastic 7.62x39 mags, and even without reinforcements they are tough as shit and well made for an all-plastic mag. They are not really "plastic" but are instead made from some sort of fiberglass resin identical to the black Polish Beryl and 5.45x39 mags. Edited September 8, 2013 by mancat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
S5snake 41 Posted September 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Thanks for all the replys, I really appreciate all of your input. I bought 10 of the green translusent mags off of GB from a guy in Warsaw Poland in 7 days they were at my door. he is a good guy and can be trusted. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=364433423 Also the down fall of the green is there is no metal in the mag body it is all polymer if you get the black mags I know they have metal locking lugs but I am unsure if the feed lips have metal I have not bought any of the black 223 mags yet. I saw this same auction but I was hesitant due to the sellers location. Perhaps I'll wing it and purchase some of the black mags and see what happens. Thanks again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
liberty -r- death 1,445 Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Thanks for all the replys, I really appreciate all of your input. I bought 10 of the green translusent mags off of GB from a guy in Warsaw Poland in 7 days they were at my door. he is a good guy and can be trusted. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=364433423 Also the down fall of the green is there is no metal in the mag body it is all polymer if you get the black mags I know they have metal locking lugs but I am unsure if the feed lips have metal I have not bought any of the black 223 mags yet. I saw this same auction but I was hesitant due to the sellers location. Perhaps I'll wing it and purchase some of the black mags and see what happens. Thanks again. I have bought from. He's agood seller. Took about two weeks to send my money order and get my mags. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
S5snake 41 Posted September 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Thanks for all the replys, I really appreciate all of your input. I bought 10 of the green translusent mags off of GB from a guy in Warsaw Poland in 7 days they were at my door. he is a good guy and can be trusted. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=364433423 Also the down fall of the green is there is no metal in the mag body it is all polymer if you get the black mags I know they have metal locking lugs but I am unsure if the feed lips have metal I have not bought any of the black 223 mags yet. I saw this same auction but I was hesitant due to the sellers location. Perhaps I'll wing it and purchase some of the black mags and see what happens. Thanks again. I have bought from. He's agood seller. Took about two weeks to send my money order and get my mags. That makes me feel more confident about ordering from him. Do you by chance know the difference between the black mags and the greenish colored mags he is selling? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 The black mags have steel reinforcements. The green ones don't. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
S5snake 41 Posted September 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 I see, is there a preferred one over the other? It would seem the steel reinforced ones would be more desirable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 (edited) From what I see, you will get charged MORE for the green mags without reinforcements if you don't shop around. The guy on Gunbroker wants $30 per plastic mag. When Robert RTG gets his in, they cost less and ALL have reinforcements. The only catch is that they are surplus mags - though he offers "new" clear mags, I'm pretty sure they're the older clear ones with steel, not the green ones. I don't know of anywhere else to get the green ones. You could buy them from Royal Tiger Imports/IO Inc a while back, when they were importing the Archer, but I think they were still a ripoff. I really wish some places like AIM and J&G would get some of these mags in stock. Edited September 10, 2013 by mancat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
S5snake 41 Posted September 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Thanks mancat for this information. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 FWIW I just was browsing around Youtube and found some Polish military videos of the green non-reinforced mags in use. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QjR03fXNg0 So apparently the Polish military thinks the all-plastic mags are GTG. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jaba1017 71 Posted September 11, 2013 Report Share Posted September 11, 2013 The clear plastic Beryl mags crack at the feed lips with use. Yes they are steel reinforced. Don't know about green ones. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
S5snake 41 Posted September 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2013 I'm going to pick up several of the black ones for the color alone. Now lets see how long they will take to make it here. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShiftyPL 0 Posted June 8, 2014 Report Share Posted June 8, 2014 I have got few spare black and green translucent mags. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mikebaker1129 19 Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 I have both the green and the black Beryl mags, I prefer the black over the green. The clear mags do infact crack ,I sold all of my clear ones during the scare,as they were developing cracks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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