Rust repair on AK mags

[wooj61]

Yesterday,I received an order of E. German 30 rnd AK mags and about 5 of them have rust in various places. The rust is locations are the floor plate, sides, and front of the feed lips. I am planning to remove the rust with fine steel wool and bore cleaner. Do you guys think this is a good idea? If not, any suggestions will be appreciated.
Also, after I remove the rust, how should I treat the bare metal? Should I repaint or leave as is? What type of paint?
Thanks in advance for your advice.

[LongDuck]

You might want to take a close look at them first - I recently bought some E-German mags, too, and what looked like rust in the same places you've described was actually a very thick type of grease that had brownish dirt or grime imbedded in the grease. I think I've heard this referred to as 'cosmoline' or 'cosmiline'. In any case, try wiping it off with a dry rag first.

I cleaned mine up by wiping them down very thoroughly, and then inserting them into my MAK90 one at a time and checked internal clearances to the bolt carrier and bolt (I don't want to find out that they're damaged and tear my gun to pieces...). Be sure to rock the mag to left and right while you're looking down the top of the gun with the receiver cover off - this will reveal if the mag feed lips will interfere with bolt travel.

After that, take one round (preferably dummy, with bullet crimped) and put it in the top of the mag. With the cover still off and the weapon pointed in a safe direction (*always*), insert the mag and cycle the bolt to be sure that it picks that round up and chambers it - then do this with 2 rounds in the mag to verify function feeding. Do this to all of your new mags. etter to know now that it won't feed rather than later (!).

After function testing, I just oiled them down with CLP, wiped them clear of the residue, and loaded them up. No beauty contest winners, but functional when you need them! Take care, hope this helps.

[wooj61]

Thanks very much for your advice, LongDuck. I only took a quick look last night, but I will follow your suggestions when I get home tonight.

What's the best way to aquire some dummy rounds? Sorry, I'm new to this, but is this something that can be easily made, or can I buy them?

By the way, a month and a half ago I purchased 8 E. German mags from Classic Arms and put them away in my basement. About a month later, while test fitting them, one of the mags wouldn't go in my gun because the feed lips were slightly bulged. I was able to return that one for a refund. Last weekend I was loading the mags, and one of them has a slight dent on the side, about 3 inches from the top of the mag. This makes that part of the mag too narrow for the follower to pass. Think there's a way to fix this? Maybe tapping a piece of wood in there to spread the wall back out?

I really appreciate your insight on this matter. Take care and best regards.

[zero]

WOOJ61, i bought some of those same mag's from classic, two of them looked new while the other had rust in the same places you described on your's, i just cleaned them and oiled them down, it shouldn't hurt the mag's any. I also have one that had several dent's in it, i used a long wooden rod and put it in the mag and kinda pryed the dent's out, it still function's great and it wouldn't before i took the dent's out.

[wooj61]

Really glad to hear your advice, zero. I was going to toss that mag. Since the dent is on one side, I might slip a wood dowel under the rod to give me some leverage.
Many thanks, take care.

[LongDuck]

My local gunstore has some dummy rounds that are made of a clear red plastic - which is perfect for function testing, plus, they have a spring that is located behind the primer so that you can dry-fire your AK without worry of breaking the firing pin (when dropped on an empty chamber). These are very safe to use and very obvious when in the gun. Take care.

[Zurak-47]

You can use live ammo if you can't find the red plastic stuff as lont as the bolt face has been cleaned. just draw the bolt back and let her fly. if you use imported ammo nothing will happen till you pull the trigger. if you reload WHAT ARE YOU RELOADING FOR! imported costs the same most often less. most would say this is a seftey hazard. they are right. but i've used my guns for more than 5 years and know every quibble they have. i've dry fired the alot and fired them even more and I've never had a problem in over 80,000 rnds.yeah i know that's alot of rounds but i clean my guns alot. even if i have'nt shot them in a while. just take your gun apart for cleaning and toy with it and you will learn all its little secrets.

[heavymetal]

To remove dents from mags, put a piece of flatstock metal in a vise and slide the empty mag body over it and lightly tap on the dent until flush. You may have to bend the flatstock slightly so you don't dent the floorplate guides in the mag body. I have done this to a few mags and it works.