Russian Magazines

[Avtomat Kalashnikova]

Just wondering why they're so expensive. I have one Soviet steel AK 30 round mag, but can't really see a whole lot of difference in them and the East German mags.

I am about to get a Soviet slab sided steel mag just for collectivity sake.

[Hootbro]

Originally posted by Avtomat Kalashnikova:Just wondering why they're so expensive. I have one Soviet steel AK 30 round mag, but can't really see a whole lot of difference in them and the East German mags.

I am about to get a Soviet slab sided steel mag just for collectivity sake.

For function, there really is no difference between the two. It is mainly a collector thing that drives the prices up on these Russian mags. While I am sure that there is millions of mags sitting in Russian wherehouses, they are forbidden to be imported by Mr Clinton from Russia. The ones you see here now are usually sneaks that were boxed up from another countries mags that are allowed to be imported. I received one Russian proof mags mixed with some bulgarians that I bought from Coles last year. The prices on these could drop tomorrow if a whole container load were some how allowed in or they could continue to rise.
I remember FAL mags going for $20-$40 in the 80's because to few were on the surplus market. Then in the 90's, most countries using the FAL switch to other rifles and the market is now flooded with $5 fal mags. So it really comes down to supply and demand thing again. I would not recommend mags as a futures market for a stock portfolio.

Regards,
Don

[STEEL CORE]

Me too, I remember Russian Bakelite 7.62 or slab sides about $15 ea, but for a limited time only in 1994 or 1995..haven't seen any since.

[recon]

I like the slab side mags! They are better made a little heavier but they function even better.

[Avtomat Kalashnikova]

Recon, I assume you are talking about the steel slab mags rather than the bakelite ones, right?

I think those are original issue AK-47 mags which came out in the 40's with the original prototype, but am not real clear on their history.

Supposedly a T52 can run them over and they will still function.

[recon]

Oops! Misread the post. Oh well my next purchase is the Bakelites. :D

[Avtomat Kalashnikova]

How did you misread the post?