AK-47 steel mags won't work - The Firearms Forum

streetbob · 11-11-2012, 11:05 PM

Hey Guys,

I just bought a Century Arms Zastava Pap M70 7.62x39 AK-47 and the 2 mags that I got with the gun would not work. They will go into the mag well and lock into place but after I fire the 1st round it would jam. I tried it about 10 different times with both mags full, with 20 rounds, with 10 rounds, and with 2 rounds with the same end result. Finally after just about giving up on shooting it a man came over to my booth with his AK and asked if I needed any help. I told him what was going on and he offered to try the mags in his rifle, so he did and they worked flawlessly. Then I asked him if I could try his mag and he agreed, filled it up and tried it out with no jams. Then I filled it again and tried it with no jams. I asked if he would trade me both of my mags for his mag and he did. I shot 200 more rounds this afternoon with no jams. The mag he traded me has no markings on it to identify a manufacture so I was wondering if anyone would know why a mag would fit and lock but jam after the 1st round? I would like to get a few more spare mags but don't want to get ones that will not work.

jack404 · 11-11-2012, 11:12 PM

way over tight springs is my guess

streetbob · 11-11-2012, 11:28 PM

But if that was the case Jack wouldn't it had jammed in his gun too? He shot both mags full with no jams.

jack404 · 11-11-2012, 11:35 PM

his gun may have a strong enough spring to shove em out ( his recoil/butt spring may be stronger than yours)

now your rifle shot ok with his mag's

so suggest 1 over fill a mag if you can and leave it a few days then try again see how it goes ( should not close when you manually action it before , so you can compare after )

2 get a couple used mags and try the spring from it

3 soup up your return spring

streetbob · 11-11-2012, 11:46 PM

Well I tried #1 by accident before trading off the mags, 2 days ago when I bought the gun I filled the mags with 30 rounds each and tried to fit a 31st with no luck on both of them and I left them full. I found out today not to fill the mags and let them sit because you will weaken the spring in them. I am going to try and find a few used mags locally and see what I come up with. Also how much would you say a stiffer return spring would set me back?

mogunner · 11-12-2012, 12:00 AM

Keeping magazines loaded will not weaken the spring. Spring steel fatigues through useage, not being kept loaded.

Stay away from the Korean magazines, they are well known for problems. I generally buy European steel mags for my Saiga and have had no problems at all with them. While not a big fan of the polymer ones, the Tapco ones seem to work well, I have a couple of ten round ones to use while hunting that have given me zero problems as well.

ka64 · 11-12-2012, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by streetbob

Well I tried #1 by accident before trading off the mags, 2 days ago when I bought the gun I filled the mags with 30 rounds each and tried to fit a 31st with no luck on both of them and I left them full. I found out today not to fill the mags and let them sit because you will weaken the spring in them. I am going to try and find a few used mags locally and see what I come up with. Also how much would you say a stiffer return spring would set me back?

An AR maybe but not an AK, I have dozens of various rounds capacity from 10 - 40 round AK Mags fully loaded & ready to go and never had a problem.

Buy steel and stay away from the polymer ones.

try these places.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.as...ine&groupid=15

https://www.apexgunparts.com/index.php/cPath/50

soundguy · 11-12-2012, 10:01 AM

yep.. all my ar mags are loaded and inthe black bag..

ka64 · 11-12-2012, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soundguy

yep.. all my ar mags are loaded and inthe black bag..

Ah yes the Black Bag.........

11-11-2012, 11:12 PM	#2
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: AK-47 steel mags won't work way over tight springs is my guess

11-11-2012, 11:28 PM	#3
streetbob V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Gulf Coast, Texas Posts: 214	Re: AK-47 steel mags won't work But if that was the case Jack wouldn't it had jammed in his gun too? He shot both mags full with no jams.

11-11-2012, 11:35 PM	#4
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: AK-47 steel mags won't work his gun may have a strong enough spring to shove em out ( his recoil/butt spring may be stronger than yours) now your rifle shot ok with his mag's so suggest 1 over fill a mag if you can and leave it a few days then try again see how it goes ( should not close when you manually action it before , so you can compare after ) 2 get a couple used mags and try the spring from it 3 soup up your return spring

11-11-2012, 11:46 PM	#5
streetbob V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Gulf Coast, Texas Posts: 214	Re: AK-47 steel mags won't work Well I tried #1 by accident before trading off the mags, 2 days ago when I bought the gun I filled the mags with 30 rounds each and tried to fit a 31st with no luck on both of them and I left them full. I found out today not to fill the mags and let them sit because you will weaken the spring in them. I am going to try and find a few used mags locally and see what I come up with. Also how much would you say a stiffer return spring would set me back?

11-12-2012, 12:00 AM	#6
mogunner Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Eastern Missouri Posts: 1,029	Re: AK-47 steel mags won't work Keeping magazines loaded will not weaken the spring. Spring steel fatigues through useage, not being kept loaded. Stay away from the Korean magazines, they are well known for problems. I generally buy European steel mags for my Saiga and have had no problems at all with them. While not a big fan of the polymer ones, the Tapco ones seem to work well, I have a couple of ten round ones to use while hunting that have given me zero problems as well.

11-11-2012, 11:05 PM	#1
streetbob V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Gulf Coast, Texas Posts: 214	AK-47 steel mags won't work Hey Guys, I just bought a Century Arms Zastava Pap M70 7.62x39 AK-47 and the 2 mags that I got with the gun would not work. They will go into the mag well and lock into place but after I fire the 1st round it would jam. I tried it about 10 different times with both mags full, with 20 rounds, with 10 rounds, and with 2 rounds with the same end result. Finally after just about giving up on shooting it a man came over to my booth with his AK and asked if I needed any help. I told him what was going on and he offered to try the mags in his rifle, so he did and they worked flawlessly. Then I asked him if I could try his mag and he agreed, filled it up and tried it out with no jams. Then I filled it again and tried it with no jams. I asked if he would trade me both of my mags for his mag and he did. I shot 200 more rounds this afternoon with no jams. The mag he traded me has no markings on it to identify a manufacture so I was wondering if anyone would know why a mag would fit and lock but jam after the 1st round? I would like to get a few more spare mags but don't want to get ones that will not work. -->

11-12-2012, 10:01 AM	#8
soundguy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: florida Contributor Posts: 4,463	Re: AK-47 steel mags won't work yep.. all my ar mags are loaded and inthe black bag..