AK Drum Magazines
Hello all,
Been looking at some 75 round Romanian wind up copies of the Chinese magazines for around $90.
Clearly I'm a little late to the party on these with the prices now of the really good ones. These Romanian's were the least expensive I could find that have the hinged wind up style.
I watched some youtube videos of the different styles to educate myself and then figured some of you are quite up to speed on these.
1. What do you think of the Romanian wind up copies (not top feed) know of any problems?
2. Do you know of a good deal I'm missing.
3. Do these magazines "rattle" a lot when full or partially empty?
4. Any bad experiences?
Thanks for any help. I wish everyone a good weekend also.
Bob
************************************************************
Edit:
Beantownshootah, I agree with your thinking, the only issue with the longer magazines is how close you can hug the dirt if you drop to the ground. I wonder if tilting the rifle was popluar in the case of the long mags.
You know, it just occured to me that with a quad rail set-up you could put a sight on the side if you flipped the rifle 90 drgrees. I'd have to give the butt stock and trigger a little thought. Bob
************************************************************
Edit again:
Its and Beantownshootah,
We are definitely on the same page here. Ejecting is another real problem. The ability to wind the spring was something I liked also.
The biggest problem I see on a regular basis happens on the range when I place (any) rifle on the bench. I will use a sandbag in the rear and a stand in the front to bench mount. Let's take a mini-14 or AR for axample. The 20 round mag is the longest mag I've been able to clear the bench with and I have to use some wood blocks even then with certain rifles. I do have some of small mags that came with the Mini-14, but you are continuously loading them. 20 rounds is tolerable. Clearly this height is the same problem in the prone position with any mag fed rifle I have.
You are right again, the 30's & 40's are cheap, reliable and easy to find. When off the ground or bench, that's what I use now.
I guess I'm trying to find something shorter with more rounds that's practical (practical also implies that they are easy to purchase and I don't have to invent or build it).
Bob
Been looking at some 75 round Romanian wind up copies of the Chinese magazines for around $90.
Clearly I'm a little late to the party on these with the prices now of the really good ones. These Romanian's were the least expensive I could find that have the hinged wind up style.
I watched some youtube videos of the different styles to educate myself and then figured some of you are quite up to speed on these.
1. What do you think of the Romanian wind up copies (not top feed) know of any problems?
2. Do you know of a good deal I'm missing.
3. Do these magazines "rattle" a lot when full or partially empty?
4. Any bad experiences?
Thanks for any help. I wish everyone a good weekend also.
Bob
************************************************************
Edit:
Beantownshootah, I agree with your thinking, the only issue with the longer magazines is how close you can hug the dirt if you drop to the ground. I wonder if tilting the rifle was popluar in the case of the long mags.
You know, it just occured to me that with a quad rail set-up you could put a sight on the side if you flipped the rifle 90 drgrees. I'd have to give the butt stock and trigger a little thought. Bob
************************************************************
Edit again:
Its and Beantownshootah,
We are definitely on the same page here. Ejecting is another real problem. The ability to wind the spring was something I liked also.
The biggest problem I see on a regular basis happens on the range when I place (any) rifle on the bench. I will use a sandbag in the rear and a stand in the front to bench mount. Let's take a mini-14 or AR for axample. The 20 round mag is the longest mag I've been able to clear the bench with and I have to use some wood blocks even then with certain rifles. I do have some of small mags that came with the Mini-14, but you are continuously loading them. 20 rounds is tolerable. Clearly this height is the same problem in the prone position with any mag fed rifle I have.
You are right again, the 30's & 40's are cheap, reliable and easy to find. When off the ground or bench, that's what I use now.
I guess I'm trying to find something shorter with more rounds that's practical (practical also implies that they are easy to purchase and I don't have to invent or build it).
Bob
0
-
I can't speak to the various drum magazines except to say that with 40 round steel AK magazines readily available and fairly cheap, I hardly see the point of the drums.
The drums are super heavy, bulky, expensive, and more complicated to load. They also potentially interfere with some folding stocks. To me, the drums make the most sense if you have a full auto gun. For an individual with a simple rifle I think the downsides outweigh the upsides.
Here's some Korean steel 40-rounders on sale for only $11 each:
http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/index.php/cName/rifle-magazines-ak47-mags
Want 75 rounds? Take two of these and clip them together.
This same outfit has the Romanian 75 round drums for only $90 each, but personally, I'd rather spend that $90 on 4 European 30-rounders and 4 40-rounders. (Or mags and ammo, or mags ammo and a nice case to keep them in, etc).
Edit (right back at you)!
I can see the novelty value of the drums. Buying something purely for "fun" requires no justification. So if that's what you are after, go for it. They could be great if you are bump firing, or using some sort of legal burst-fire type device.
I can see why *maybe* the idea of having a drum under no spring tension then winding it in case of emergency might have appeal, though I don't think this is a real-world advantage.
I just don't believe that ordinary AK mags will wear out from simply being stored loaded. If you're really worried about this, for the cost of one drum, you can afford to buy MANY AK mags, keep some unloaded, then rotate (and/or test) them every few years to allay your (probably unjustified) fears that the springs will wear out.
In terms of pure weight, two loaded 40 round mags actually weigh less than one full 75 round round drum. (See here: http://www.ak-47.us/Ammo_Weights.php ). No advantage there.
I can't speak to reliability, but I just can't imagine the drums are MORE reliable than the 40 rounders (let alone the 30 rounders).
On getting close to the ground, I don't have the dimensions, but a drum vs a 40 round mag might buy you 3-4 inches. Is that enough to justify buying one? If you need maximum lowness, how about some 10 rounders instead, with you just swapping them more frequently?
Firing the gun sideways poses its own issues (ie where are the spent rounds ejecting? What about the dirt cloud your muzzle will be kicking up, etc).
If you need to get dead-prone, ideally you'd have a side-feeding magazine like a Sten, but that's not a Kalashnikov.0 -
drums are ok on the bench and they still get in the way. 20 and 30 round mags are the way to go imo. the 40 & 50 round mags look cumbersome too and seem perfect candidates to have feed/bind problems. 0 -
The drums that are the copy of the Chinese are made in Korea. The Romanian drums are copies of the Russian top loading type. I have used both and each will do the job. Both use a spring to put pressure on the rds but the back loading ones can have the spring not wounded up until you are ready to shoot while the top loaders are under spring tension all the time when loaded. The top loaders are a bit less complicated to load , but if you know how to load the back open type they are faster. Both will rattle to some degree. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by ammo guy
The drums that are the copy of the Chinese are made in Korea. The Romanian drums are copies of the Russian top loading type. I have used both and each will do the job. Both use a spring to put pressure on the rds but the back loading ones can have the spring not wounded up until you are ready to shoot while the top loaders are under spring tension all the time when loaded. The top loaders are a bit less complicated to load , but if you know how to load the back open type they are faster. Both will rattle to some degree.
I thought the same thing and then found this one:
http://www.jgsales.com/product_info.php/products_id/37850 -
What would you possibly do with a drum mag? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by wpage
What would you possibly do with a drum mag?
Uh.....fire the weapon?0 -
Great way to waste a post Wpage. Aplause aplause..
Generally speaking wind up drums are better then top loading drums.. That said, I cant speak for the romanian but I do have chinese korean and bulgarian drums and they work pretty good.
Ammo guy Romania made both types..
I;d tell you to buy one and try it, thats a good price for that type of drum.. Two taped 40 round mags are long for prone shooting without turning the gun sideways, get drums. run 300-400 rounds through it, If your trial drum works buy a couple more.
Drobs I use duct tape.[;)] still alittle rattleing going on from the front end, but overall much quieter.0 -
I have 2 Chinese wind up drums. Something to be said about having 150rds loaded and ready to go with no spring tension.
You wouldn't want to run very far with the drum mags as they do rattle alot. I read years ago about soldiers (maybe mercenaries) cutting a circle out of linoleum to put in the back cover to quiet them down. I don't know if that's possible and never experimented.
I believe www.copesdistributing.net has drums in stock.
For bench shooting I prefer the Hungarian 20rd AK mags sold by
www.aimsurplus.com
Edit:
I haven't played with the top load version. What's nice about the AK drums is they work. They don't need to be hand fitted by a gunsmith like the Thompson drums. They are easy to load (at least the Chinese - Asian versions). In whole they are some what of a gimick. I wouldn't be running around with them.
But for static defense they would be ok. A belt fed would be better though.
There's a range in Illinois called Buffalo Rifle Range. Most everyone in IL calls it The Rock. The range has all the standard courses of fire - Shotgun, Pistol, Slowfire Rifle, and then it has the Pit.
The pit is a quary where safe rapid fire is encouraged. Targets can be set up as long as they are non metallic. Pop cans, tennis balls, plastic santa snowmen, old stereos, etc can set up or thrown out to shoot. If nothing else it's fun to just waste ammo at the huge mud puddles.
I like to save my drums for last when I go there. Its fun after a day of shooting with friends to break out the drums for some rapid fire. Seeing a new shooter's eyes light up when you hand them a 75rd drum, for one of your ak's they are shooting, is priceless.0 -
quote:Originally posted by drobs
I have 2 Chinese wind up drums. Something to be said about having 150rds loaded and ready to go with no spring tension.
You wouldn't want to run very far with the drum mags as they do rattle alot. I read years ago about soldiers (maybe mercenaries) cutting a circle out of linoleum to put in the back cover to quiet them down. I don't know if that's possible and never experimented.
I believe www.copesdistributing.net has drums in stock.
For bench shooting I prefer the Hungarian 20rd AK mags sold by
www.aimsurplus.com
I ordered a drum last nite. Thought I'd give it a try. I was worried about the rattling have to give it a look when it gets here.
The 20 rounders from AIM would be perfect for the bench. AIM will give you a pouch if you buy three. I cleaned up before x-mas and can't find my only 20 round now. I have a 10 but it just doesn't hold enough. Even in my 10-22 (22 LR) the standard ten round mag is just not enough. I may order some more. AIM has been adding to their stock lately. Good to keep an eye on them or get on the email list. I'd like to place an order of a few items to reduce the shipping.
I see now that Copes had the canvas case for their drum mag (at additional cost). I didn't see those with the other place I ordered from (J&G).
I noticed on a video that the top feed versions of the drum are tilted forward and probably don't hang down quite so far. That would be a plus. Not sure whether they would rattle like the others. Then there is the spring problem of not being able to release spring pressure and rewind. That's the big issue.0 -
quote:Originally posted by robert574
4. Any bad experiences?
Not exactly a bad experience but I found I had to practice about 5 mags worth to find exactly how much tension to put on the spring with my Chinese drum. Too much wouldn't feed right at the beginning and too little wouldn't feed at the end. 4 1/2 turns of the key consistently fed all the rounds.0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
10 comments