AK 47 drum magazine question

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GetYerShells

New member
I have been searching for some drum magazines for my AK but the cheapest one I have seen so far is about $150.00 for a Romanian 75 round magazine. The Chinese variety seem to be the most sought after and the most expensive as well, costing around $280.00.

My question is what is the difference besides the country of origin of these mags that cause such great differences in price?
 
T

Technosavant

New member
IIRC, there's a difference in how you load them. I wish I could remember how it went, but the Chinese was a bit more user friendly and a bit higher quality.

Hopefully somebody can give specifics (or give accurate info if I'm off).
 
S

Skans

Active member
The Chinese drums, IMHO, are superior. Not only can you load them easily from the back, but you can store your ammo in them, un-sprung. When you're ready to use it, just wind up the spring. I one for an AK and 2 for an AR-15 configuration - they all work flawlessly.
 
I

ISC

Moderator
The Chinese drums are better IMO, but are almost twice as expensive as the Euro drums. I have seen some Bulgarian made drums for sale that work just like the chinese drums. I think they wee made in China, imported into Bulgaria, relabeled and marked up, then imported into the US.

This thread describes how the chinese drums are loaded and shows some pictures. Its the same for the 120 rd AR 15 drum shown there as it is for the 75 and 100 rd AK mags.
http://www.assaultweb.net/Forums/showthread.php?t=63028
 
B

B. Lahey

New member
I've been storing two Romanian 75 drums loaded for about 5 years now. Both have never failed to work when I've taken them out and shot them.

If they fail in the future, I'll let y'all know, but so far the "storing euro drums loaded will kill the spring" hypothesis seems to be just as much a myth as the rumor that storing any mag loaded will kill the spring.
 
B

brian45auto

New member
springs do not die from being compressed, period.
they die from being worked.
there is nothing wrong with storing a mag loaded, be it for one year or fifty.
 
S

Skans

Active member
The spring in a drum is different than a spring in a stick mag. From everything I've read about mag springs being compressed for years, they all dealt with stick magazine springs, like the ones found in 1911 magazines. The spring in a drum is more like a clock spring. I don't know if it can stay compressed for years without any consequences. As far as I know, no one has done such a study. I still prefer the Chinese drums. Easier to load, and why store them compressed when you don't have to.
 
K

KLRANGL

New member
The spring in a drum is more like a clock spring. I don't know if it can stay compressed for years without any consequences.
Click to expand...
The main difference between rotational springs and compression springs are that the main stresses in a rotational spring are bending stresses, while in a compression spring they are torsional stresses.

While the main stresses are different, the main cause of power loss due to compression is the same: creep. Assuming a spring (rotational or compression) is properly designed, it should see little if any creep.

The problem is that springs aren't always properly designed. Space and economic considerations have to be taken into account. There was a thread a while back about airguns loosing power when left compressed that went into this a bit more...
 
B

B. Lahey

New member
As far as I know, no one has done such a study.
Click to expand...

That's why I'm doing it.

If it does mess them up, I don't really care. I bought them back when they were cheap and they are just range-toys, so it would be no great loss and I would have learned something.

But so far they run just fine. No apparent loss of spring pressure and reliability has not changed.
 
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