Yeah mine is a WASR 10/63 as well.

It sounds like there might be some manufacturing tolerance in the rifle at play.  I'll look into revising the block to see if we can't absorb it in the available follower travel without slipping into #16 territory.

Saiga converts work wonderful, typical scratches but feeds and loads fine with 15 in.

Saiga converts work wonderful, typical scratches but feeds and loads fine with 15 in.

Thank you for the data point!

There should be 0.085" of play between loading #15 and where the follower hits the block which is supposed to be enough room to seat a full mag and charge the rifle. I just grabbed three random mags and tested them in a CAI NPAP. All three had a scratched first round but charged. If you want, I can swap your mags out for ones that have been tested?

I'd appreciate that, but unsure if it will work. Been looking into it...

 

WASRs are converted from single stacked rifles, and opened up to accept standard magazines. That, in itself, isn't an issue. The wider tab on the single stack bolt carrier likely is. Since the WASRs didn't feed from both sides, just the center, it didn't need to worry about pushing a round on either side down to load.

 

 

 

I'm supposed to go up to a friends house in Pennsylvania the end of the week, and can bring the rifle to see if standard AK magazines have the same issue (obviously with his 30 rounders). Doubt it, since there wasn't a worry about fitting in a 31st round in the Soviet Union.

 

jermz1987, does your bolt carrier look like mine? Don't know if Century ever modified them, or if there was bigger differences in specs on the original guns.

 

I'm going to look into it more. Don't know if swapping out the carrier will change headspace, but that could be the way to deal with it. MidwestPX, if you can take anymore off the spacer without making a 16 rounder, let me know. I'll add in any info I get on this, in case any other WASR owners are in the same boat.

 

Before I joined here, I had pinned magazines from RifleGear, which one had a similar issue as I have (couldn't load with 15 rounds, but could with 14). Had to send it back for a shave and a haircut, so figured it might have been something similar. DAMN AK is more picky than my AR!

Typically, the AK's looser tolerances relative to the AR are heralded as a benefit but this is one of those exceptions. I expect some lessons to be learned and will do my best to minimize customer pain. This is why prior to releasing them, they were sent to multiple shops and fitted and tested with as many AKs as possible. That's how we learned about the IO guns and having to fit the mags to the rifle by inserting and extracting the mags.

 

If I'm understanding correctly, your carrier is flat on the underside which wouldn't affect a single stack mag? If carriers are modified for double stack mags, my guess is a little material is shaved off to create a subtle point similar to an AR carrier.

 

Any additional info you can provide would be much appreciated.

 

We'll start testing the modified blocks later this week to see if we can reliably make these changes without running afoul of #16.

im taking some pics now. will upload me in a sec

OK so I tried full 15 rounds with some wolf ammo, before I used snap caps, and I think mine has the same issue. Will not pull back on a closed bolt with 15 rounds. Anything lower then the 15 rounds works fine. 

 

 

Mags fitted with the revised design block are going out today to you WASR guys to see if that'll fix the problem.  If so and they pass our testing phase, they'll get incorporated into all AK mags going forward.

Just got done at the range in Pennsylvania... same issue with fully loaded Bulgarian 30 rounders. 29 worked fine.

 

I tried a 75 round drum (don't know the country, but those ones with the flip back), and it worked good with 75 rounds. When we loaded, could have got 76 in, but didn't want to put more in a magazine that I didn't own. Don't like breaking other people's stuff.

 

Hopefully waiting on the test magazine, but unsure if it will work. I've been looking for similar problems from other WASR owners, but didn't find any yet. I don't want to mess with the carrier, nor do I really want to change it out, but if it doesn't work, it might come down to it.

Just got done at the range in Pennsylvania... same issue with fully loaded Bulgarian 30 rounders. 29 worked fine.

 

I tried a 75 round drum (don't know the country, but those ones with the flip back), and it worked good with 75 rounds. When we loaded, could have got 76 in, but didn't want to put more in a magazine that I didn't own. Don't like breaking other people's stuff.

 

Hopefully waiting on the test magazine, but unsure if it will work. I've been looking for similar problems from other WASR owners, but didn't find any yet. I don't want to mess with the carrier, nor do I really want to change it out, but if it doesn't work, it might come down to it.

Interesting...not quite what I was expecting as I figured the 30rd mag would have enough internal clearance.

Waiting to pick up the Centurion 39 classic ak47 style milled receiver with chrome lined barrel all usa made by Century. Any idea if the mags will work with this rifle?

Waiting to pick up the Centurion 39 classic ak47 style milled receiver with chrome lined barrel all usa made by Century. Any idea if the mags will work with this rifle?

 

The only two rifles I've heard of having issues are WASRs converted from a single stack design and IO rifles needing the magazine fitted to the magwell.  You may want to visit a local dealer to see if they have one available to test with your rifle and purchase locally.  Howell Gun Works, Luciano's Sport Shop, and Shore Shot Pistol Range should have received their shipments by now.

Got the new magazine... works 100% fully loaded.

 

Thanks, MidwestPX, for redesigning it. I PMed you about it.

I'm going to have to get me one for my saiga now.

Gonna need a bunch of these

So I received my second magazine today, and it feeds from a closed bolt when fully loaded with 15 rounds. Awesome!

Sweet, fixed the WASR issue

Damn it I wanna buy an AK just so I can get these mags..!!  

Ty, you have any "NJ compliant" variants available?

Damn it I wanna buy an AK just so I can get these mags..!!  

Ty, you have any "NJ compliant" variants available?

I do not but I believe a couple fellow forum vendors do (JT and OMG).  If they don't, there's also Howell Gun Works, Lucianos Sport Shop, and Shore Shot Pistol Range.  Howell primarily sells IOs, Lucianos mostly M+Ms, and Shore Shot does Arsenals.  All three also have our mags for sale.

Just ordered one and an ar15 15/20 for my dad. Can't wait to get them and run so.e rounds through them!

This makes me want to buy an AK lol

Just had another 500 host mags come in today.  All dealer backorders have been filled so these should stay in stock now.

This makes me want to buy an AK lol

Might as well

Got my mags. Love it. Fits great. Much better then my 10rnd tapco mags. My dad loves his 15/20 at mag as well. Will def be ordering more soon!

Got my mags. Love it. Fits great. Much better then my 10rnd tapco mags. My dad loves his 15/20 at mag as well. Will def be ordering more soon!

If I may ask, what model and make is your AK?  If you don't want to post publicly, you can PM It to me.

I have a saiga 7.62x39 converted by Atlantic firearms

 

I have a saiga 7.62x39 converted by Atlantic firearms

 

Nice blaster!  I've heard from a bunch of Saiga owners now so I'm pretty comfortable with Saiga's being GTG.

I'm trying to go this weekend and put some rounds through it. I will def let you know if I have any issues. I don't see why I would though

Just a note about Saiga riles. If anyone is having a tightness issue shaving a bit more off the mag release may help. People that convert their own may only shave enough to fit the full sizes mags, while still keeping the Saiga mags tight. I shaved mine down once I had a magazine and basically tested and shaved at the same time. Just an idea for folks that may have issues with having rack your AK like a russian farmer.

 

P.S. I have 5 more on the way :-P Bring my total up to 6 with plans to purchase another 6-7.