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Yugo mags in a Saiga


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I have been asked the question a few times about converting the Yugo M85 mags for use in a Saiga. While converting these mags in my opinion in not worth the hassle, they are cheap right now in both 30rd and 10 rd capacities and readily available and are a quality steel magazine.

Just like the Beryls and Bulgarian mags the front of the mags need to have some material removed  to clear the front trunnion. You will need to measure down about 3/16" and either make a mark or mask with a piece of tape. File or grind down until you barely touch the top of the tape and stop . You have noe clearanced for the front trunion ,now you will need to reprofile the area for your bullet guide. You will also need to remove a slight amout of material fro the rear of the mag ,so it with lock in .

Go slow,you can always file a little more, but it is hard to put material back on.    

 

 post-11558-0-94368500-1400883892_thumb.jpgpost-11558-0-02167100-1400883904_thumb.jpgpost-11558-0-89442600-1400883916_thumb.jpg

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  • 4 months later...

Once you got the Yugo mag to fit into the rifle, did the feed lips of the mag contact the lower rails of the rifle (the rails that the bolt travels on, not the rails that the bolt carrier travels on)?

With the mag that comes with the rifle, the mag lips butt up to the rails of the rifle. I mic'd the two mags, and it appeared that the rear catch on Yugo mag is located closer to the top of the mag than it is with the Saiga mag. This could cause the Yugo mag to sit too low in the magwell and not make the feed lips of mag contact the rails of the rifle. (You never know for sure until you get the mag to fit into the rifle.)

For the mag to feed reliably, it is important for the feed lips of the mag to contact the rails of the rifle. The steel Galil mag fits right in with no mods, but the feed lips do not contact the rails and there are reports of stovepipes and other feeding problems. The bolt tends to slide on top of the round rather than picking it off from the base of the round. Using the mic, it appears that the rear catch on the Yugo mag is located closer to the top of the mag like it is with the steel Galil mag.

I tried to fit the Yugo mag in without mods, but it will not fit in the magwell. The back of mag hits the tab sticking forward in the rear of the magwell of the rifle. Grinding the rear of mag does not help. Grinding the tab in the magwell to open magwell might help. (This will put the magwell into military configuration. See Dinzag's article "Saiga .223 Magazine Options") I might try your mod first, but I am leaning towards military configuration.

 

I would really like to make the Yugo mags work, but relocating the rear catch on the mag would not be easy. Hopefully the location of the rear catch is not an issue.

SOURCES
http://www.dinzagarms.com/downloads/223_mag_options.pdf

Edited by tbryanh
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I did the mods to the Yugo mag that you mentioned and got the mag to fit in, but the feed lips of the mag do not butt up against the rails of the rifle. It fits a little better than the steel Galil, but still not good.

 

It appears that the rear catch on the Yugo mag is located too close to the top of the magazine.

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  • 4 weeks later...

 

Yours dimpled or slab side ?

 

Do they touch the rails on your slabside rifle? No,but none of mine do,Weigers,East German converted Bakelites, Beryls.Mine is slabside, and I could use some additional magazines besides the East German Weigers I am using. Your pics imply similar mods as the Weigers.Correct,you also need to file a little bit for clearance for the front of the bullet guide and some on the rear to clear the center support ,I have not modified/ filed my center support,so I had to mod the mag to clear the support.

Where are you getting these magazines?Picked them up at J&G super cheap $3or so for the 10rd mags and $6 or 7 ea for the 30 rd mags.

 

Thanks.

 Hope this helps Jim !

Edited by mikebaker1129
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Yours dimpled or slab side ?

 

Do they touch the rails on your slabside rifle? No,but none of mine do,Weigers,East German converted Bakelites, Beryls.Mine is slabside, and I could use some additional magazines besides the East German Weigers I am using. Your pics imply similar mods as the Weigers.Correct,you also need to file a little bit for clearance for the front of the bullet guide and some on the rear to clear the center support ,I have not modified/ filed my center support,so I had to mod the mag to clear the support.

Where are you getting these magazines?Picked them up at J&G super cheap $3or so for the 10rd mags and $6 or 7 ea for the 30 rd mags.

 

Thanks.

 Hope this helps Jim !

 

 

Wow, what a price. Unfortunately the 30 rounders are no longer available there. I may pick up a couple of 10 rounders to see if they can work in my rifle, and look back from time to time if I notice the 30s available again. Any heads up here if you notice them again would be appreciated. And I will do the same.

 

Thanks.

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Jim if you get a chance could you get a measurement on the width of the two side plates that comprise the feed lips - i.e. the area of the mag that sits at the lower edge of the receiver magwell when fully inserted. Curious how close the mag is to clearing an AK-74 spec magwell. Thanks

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  • 3 weeks later...

I recently modded 10 M85 mags for my saiga .223 and they have been 100% so far. Mine fit like a glove as well with similar mods as the OP.

 

I did some rapid fire with them just to test but i generally take my time when I shoot so they haven't really been "torture tested". 

 

After the first mod the other 9 went really quickly with a dremel. For the price I paid I don't think there is a better mag option for the S223 as long as they continue to function and the prices stay low. Only negative is they are heavy as hell and don't like mag pouches, but overall I'm extremely happy with them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I recently modded 10 M85 mags for my saiga .223 and they have been 100% so far. Mine fit like a glove as well with similar mods as the OP.

 

I did some rapid fire with them just to test but i generally take my time when I shoot so they haven't really been "torture tested". 

 

After the first mod the other 9 went really quickly with a dremel. For the price I paid I don't think there is a better mag option for the S223 as long as they continue to function and the prices stay low. Only negative is they are heavy as hell and don't like mag pouches, but overall I'm extremely happy with them.

I am glad I was able to help ! Great mags for the price .

 

Jim Digriz were you able to locate some ?

J&G does still list the 10 rd mags pretty cheap at $3.99 ea

Edited by mikebaker1129
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  • 2 weeks later...

Jim Digriz were you able to locate some ?

J&G does still list the 10 rd mags pretty cheap at $3.99 ea

 

 

I found them for $17 or so at Bud's Gun Shop. Great mags, really sturdy and well-built. I had high hopes for them but I can tell by examining them and the gun closely that they will not clear the center support bar, even if I were to start dremeling on them. Of course, my rifle is a problem child when it comes to magazines, so other's rifles may not have the same issue. I guess I will continue to rely on my Weigers unless I can ever manage an AR adapter conversion.

Edited by Jim Digriz
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