AK Mags

[Marcus in the Darkus]

I subscribe to the FS email lit, which I think is a neat feature. Today I got one and it included this:

We bought what we think are the last of the pre-1994 30 rd. magazine for WASR-10 rifles.

$19.95 each

Now I like Carl, I've been to his shop and I've bought stuff from him, but this kind of bugs me. After the sales volume they and other Mass gun dealers have had over the last few months, do they really need to drive additional sales in this manner? The way I read it, the message is meant to stir up concern that there aren't going to be any more pre-ban AK mags so we should all rush over there and hoard what's left at twice the going rate for an AK mag.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I think he was selling new in the wrapper, pre-bans wasn't he?

If so, that supply is indeed not endless!

Used ones will be around forever, at least until banned/confiscated/import-prohibited.

I think there may be some semantics in play here that can be interpreted two different ways.

 

[Marcus in the Darkus]

I don't know what he's selling. I'm pretty sure we've discussed AK magazines on this forumand, if I recall correctly, nobody is really positive how to verify when any particular AK mag was manufactured. Reading the FS email text, does FS think these mags are pre-ban or do they think they're the last of the pre-bans? If the latter, I'd like to know how Carl can ascertain the date of manufacture. I think that would be helpful for all of us in Mass. Perhaps the AK mag question requires another thread, Len, as I don't want to derail this one. Thanks.

 

[dreppucci007]

Moved this here.

We bought what we think are the last of the pre-1994 30 rd. magazine for WASR-10 rifles.

$19.95 each

As for reading it...

We bought what we think are the last

He didn't say they did, he said they are unsure, but have a feeling.

of the pre-1994 30rd magazines

Preban...And yes, Carl sells them brand new.

 

[LORD of WAR]

as far as preban vs postban on these mags go

i bought the supposed last of his preban AK and AR mags before this new shipment came in...thereare no date codes anywhere on them so i dont know how you could verify if they are preban or not...cuz if no date code means preban then i saw a bunch of new ones not to long ago for half this price with no date code and ill go get those and pretend theyre preban too

 

[drgrant]

As far as AK mags go, it's pretty much impossible to
tell, and I believe this would go for the state, too. (What are they going to
do, call up the dozen or so eastern bloc factories that make the things, then
ask "ivan" for samples from different years or something? Whoever runs the
factories will probably scoff at the request and say something like... "Silly
american... do you have any idea... how many magazines we have
made for these rifles, over the past 50 or so years?"

I know there are differing designs between different countries but thats
about it. I can make an educated guess as to where a given mag was
made due to assembly/welding methods, but even that has a high likelyhood
of being incorrect. There are some oddballs like the plastic bulgie waffle
mags, and the old Valmet mags, but those are exceptions rather than the
rule. And FWIW, I've never seen a "marked" AK mag, either with a
date stamp or LEO markings, ever. My guess is that because the vast
majority of AK mags arent US made, that they didn't bother to comply
with the dumb marking requirement during the ban.

Also, there is no such thing as a shortage of these mags... never has
been. (doesnt mean that it wont happen in the future, though. ) The
price they were selling during the ban didn't change all that much. ( I
remember seeing AK mags for like $20 or less -during- the ban from
certain gun show vendors).


-Mike

 

[firtree]

As an aside, does anyone know if the plastic waffles were ever made pre-ban?

 

[Lxpony]

As an aside, does anyone know if the plastic waffles were ever made pre-ban?

nevermind, I dont want in incriminate myself