Tapco Smoothside Drop Test

[XD45 7,124]

I admit I'm impressed.

 

Edited May 4, 2014 by Darth Saigus

[DLT 1,646]

I told you.

[Tundra1 391]

I've never had any issues with any Tapco products.  It's rugged and cheap.  Never really understood the hate.  

[liberty -r- death 1,445]

Impressive

[Sim_Player 1,939]

Polymer tech has come a long way.

 

Great mags for plinking at the range.

[Ronin38 2,117]

I'd say he's covered the drop-test pretty well! Hard to argue with those results. 

[DLT 1,646]

I love the way the rifle would bounce off the plate. Seems Tapco got the plastic mix just right with those magazines. Even frozen, they would bend but not break.

[Arik 565]

lol. Torture test. I would hope that even Crapco could stand up to a drop from 5 ft. I;d like to see an actual torture test. Untill then Crapco will remain Crapco

[XD45 7,124]

What would you like to see for a "real" test?  Maybe a 20lb sledge?  Blowtorch?  Don't think steel mags would stand up to those either.  Anything can be broken if you're determined.

 

This was a fair test of the locking lugs.

 

I'm happy with my surplus steel mags, and will not buy poly AK mags ever.  Just not interested.  But that doesn't mean I can't be impressed with how far the technology has come.

 

And I did finally start using poly AR mags a couple of years ago, once I was completely confident of their durability.

[Arik 565]

Surplus mags have been proven over and over and over again. I dont see the point in these. To what, save a few dollars.

[DLT 1,646]

I have so much more confidence in steel that I've recently been on a surplus magazine purchase craze. However, I do have a good number of polymer mags as well. Perhaps what we need now is something other than a standard drop test. Drop the rifle on its butt and barrel to see how well the tapco mags take lateral stress.

[liberty -r- death 1,445]

Given enough stress all parts will fail. None of them hold up well to an armored vehicle running over them. I have had steel mags get damaged and fail from dents and twisting of the mag body. Likely steel are less prone to fail, but it can happen. All just depends on the situation. For that reaon I have mags from several sources.

 

Everyone loves the old surplus bakelight mags, but those things are mdae out the same brittle plastic that old Kodak cameras were made from along with about a billion ash trays. I'd rather have a Tapco mag over those myself.

 

Two reasons for me to buy Tapco.

 

1. MADE IN THE USA (supporting an american company is important to me, and they are head and shoulders above promag)

2. Three more 922r compliance parts.

[JoeAK 337]

lol. Torture test. I would hope that even Crapco could stand up to a drop from 5 ft. I;d like to see an actual torture test. Untill then Crapco will remain Crapco

 

So where would that leave magpul?

 

[Arik 565]

Personally I don't really care where that leaves magpul. I like their stuff and have some of their parts on my Colt along with 99% my mags are Pmags. They have been tested and proven.

 

Yes I know everything will fail. That aside I like my battle tested European mags. The extra metal doesn't weight all that much. Send a few Pmags and Tapcos to Syria, if they come out still functioning I'll think about buying some. Until then I can buy $10-$15 European steel mags

 

Another thing is I CANNOT support an American company based just on that. It's my money and I want reliability and functionality regardless of who makes it.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Arik

[liberty -r- death 1,445]

Personally I don't really care where that leaves magpul. I like their stuff and have some of their parts on my Colt along with 99% my mags are Pmags. They have been tested and proven.

 

Yes I know everything will fail. That aside I like my battle tested European mags. The extra metal doesn't weight all that much. Send a few Pmags and Tapcos to Syria, if they come out still functioning I'll think about buying some. Until then I can buy $10-$15 European steel mags

 

Another thing is I CANNOT support an American company based just on that. It's my money and I want reliability and functionality regardless of who makes it.

 

I agree with you Arik - buying something just because it's USA made is not enough reason to purchase an item. But i will give them a try to see for myself how well they work. I would like to add that I have been impressed with Tapco mags and have had no reason to doubt them.

 

We all have our reasons for the things we purchase, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with sticking with surplus mags. We all know with the exception of Korean surplus thery tend to have good mags.

 

Someday the Tapco mags might get battle tested, but I think that depends on the federal administration.

[XD45 7,124]

MAA has these mags for $5.99.  $13.49.   And since they're a sponsor I can direct link to the sale. 

 

http://www.mississippiautoarms.com/ak47-smooth-side-low-drag-30rd-magazine-black-tapco-p-2955.html

Edited July 18, 2014 by Darth Saigus

[Matthew Hopkins 1,065]

OK, lets be realistic here, for you guys that are commenting on the durability of surplus mags in a conflict vs. the TAPCO mags that were made for  the average shooter  that owns a "AKM wannabe", that means all of us here on the board.

 

you're trying to stuff a elephant in a grocery bag with that.    not one of you will never,  and I mean NEVER,   be in any position in your life or your children's  life where you will subject that magazine to the rigors and abuse of a combat zone

 

the most abuse that TAPCO mag will ever see, or for that matter your surplus mag,  in any abusive situation, is if you drop it in your home on carpet or at the range

Edited July 14, 2014 by Matthew Hopkins

[XD45 7,124]

It is very easy to bang the mag when dropping to prone. 

 

The AK platform has a justified reputation for being indestructible.  Surplus mags have set a standard by which it is reasonable to judge all contenders.  Why buy a mag that is known to fail when dropped (as proven by published tests).  If surplus mags cost $50 then it would be different.  But with surplus mags being under $10 why buy junk?

 

I have not been interested in poly AK mags but my interest is piqued enough to buy a few of these at this price.

[jerry52 893]

The problem with some of us old  people dropping to the prone position is we may just stay there

[LuPiN8oR 333]

I've loaded my tapcos with a couple rounds each and have practiced using a mag to reload fast and have flung them a good distance and they've landed hard on my gravel driveway without a single problem. That being said, I've stopped buying tapco mags and stocked up on steel ones. The only mag I've ever had fail was a promag, the locking lug sheared off for no apparent reason.

[PFerris 76]

At $5.99 you can use it and lose it,  who cares.   

[Redrum4u 125]

At $5.99 you can use it and lose it, who cares.

I use them as targets.

[XD45 7,124]

That post is a lot funnier if you say it in a caveman voice.  "Me.  Use.  As.  TARGETS!"

[chevyman097 2,579]

Shit at 5.99 ill buy 10 and tuck them away for the next magazine ban scare then sell them all for 50 each.

Edited July 16, 2014 by Chevyman097

[Sim_Player 1,939]

The same kind of snobbery kept me from buying a Saiga, back when they were >$200.

 

I grabbed 2 of those mags. Thanks for posting.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Sim_Player

[XD45 7,124]

Considering how cheap the mags are I couldn't justify paying shipping for less than 6.

[Sim_Player 1,939]

I have a bunch of of steel 20's but, only 1 30rnd in 7.62x39.

 

At >$10 each (shipping included), I couldn't turn it down.

 

Thanks again.

Edited July 16, 2014 by Sim_Player

[Arik 565]

At $5.99 you can use it and lose it,  who cares.   

 

 

Why would I throw away $5.99? And since no one buys just one mag why would I throw away $50 - $100?

 

Theres a difference between snubbery and buying shit. Why would you spend your hard earned money on something that has show to fail often? To save $3? I dont like throwing away money. I'd rather spend the extra few dollars and buy mags that I know will last. Or save the extra buck or two but buy twice

Edited July 16, 2014 by Arik

[XD45 7,124]

Why would you spend your hard earned money on something that has show to fail often?

 

Well if what you just typed is true then surely you can link us to all those tests where the new mag failed.

 

And since we are talking about the new Tapco mag here, not the old one, please only link to tests of the Tapco smooth side mag.

 

Here is a test done I believe by mancat.  Near the end he drives over the mag. 

 

 

And here is a test where a guy throws a fully loaded mag at a concrete slab 3 times.  It spit out a few rounds and got dinged up but didn't fail.

 

Edited July 16, 2014 by Darth Saigus

[mancat 2,368]

Yeah I did do a video on them, but I think you linked the wrong one. I did throw them loaded numerous times and run over them, no problems. I think the empty run-over test is even harder on the mag, as there's nothing but the follower to keep the mag from collapsing.

 

For sure, they are not going to be as durable as steel mags. However they are probably the toughest US-made AK mag. Some people care about that.

 

Edited July 16, 2014 by mancat