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If you read my earlier posting about the choice of magazines, you know I am very apprehensive about polymer magazines. I need to revise my opinion as I have tested, on multiple occasions, the Tapco polymer 30-round AK47 magazine.
I recently purchased an IO Inc. AK47-C rifle. It came with a Thermold 30-round polymer magazine. The magazine looked and felt cheap. After inserting and removing it several times, I noticed that there was a lot of plastic being knocked off. Well, maybe this is like the marks on steel magazines after much use.
The first time I took the AK47-C out for a shooting session, I only had one magazine for the rifle, but, I had a Tapco polymer magazine on order and it would arrive in a few days. I quickly found that my initial impressions of the Thermold magazine were right. The Thermold magazine would not even stay in the rifle. After the second shot, the magazine dropped from the magazine well. Thinking it a fluke, I dusted it off and reinserted it into the rifle. Again, it hit the ground. I was reduced to using my new AK47-C like a single shot rifle. I was happy with the rifle, but not the magazine.
IO Inc. was very good about resolving the problem. They instantly shipped a metal magazine to me. After all...You only know how good customer service is by how they resolve problems. Good job, IO Inc. But, I had another polymer magazine coming. Would it be as bad as the Thermold?
T
he Tapco magazine arrived. I quickly noticed two things. It looked better built and the plastic was denser and stiffer. Maybe this one would do the job. The Tapco magazine was a perfect fit for the rifle. It fit as good or better than the Romanian steel magazines. Also, the Tapco magazine had an anti-tilt follower just like the surplus metal magazines. The Thermold's follower would tilt if you press it with your finger. This was a cheap design. The Tapco magazine had several horizontal ridges on the body. This serves two functions. It gives strength to the polymer magazine and it gives a good grip surface for those who use the magazine as a pseudo-vertical grip. The truth will be found under fire...So to speak!
I took the Tapco and the metal magazines out to my shooting range. All performed flawlessly. The Tapco held its own against Romanian steel. I was impressed. I used the Tapco magazine on another indoor shooting session at Shooters Express. Again, the Tapco was flawless. I think Tapco got it right!
As with anything, there are good points and bad ones. The Tapco polymer magazine for the AK47 is no different. The Tapco polymer is ~4-oz. lighter than its metal counterparts. It may not sound like much, but if you are carrying 4 magazines, that is a full pound! The Tapco magazines also are date stamped. This may come in handy if there is ban of certain magazines. Usually bans have "grandfather" clauses that let you have them if purchased before the ban. The Tapco magazines also come with a lifetime warranty. Hopefully, it isn't needed, but it is there if you do. This magazine also has the horizontal ridges that help you grip it if you use it as a vertical grip. I have found that those ridges are also a bad thing! If you load your magazines in a pouch, they are harder to remove that the metal magazines with vertical ridges. This slows you down if you need to remove them quickly. This is the only negative thing I can see about the Tapco magazine.
I liked the Tapco magazine so well that I ordered another one. If you want to get one, try AIM. They have the Tapco magazines for $17 including shipping! AIM also has the Romanian surplus metal 30-round magazines. They also had a 75-round drum for the AK47, but, it appears to be sold out now. I have purchased several things from AIM and they seem to be a very good dealer for gun parts.
I recently purchased an IO Inc. AK47-C rifle. It came with a Thermold 30-round polymer magazine. The magazine looked and felt cheap. After inserting and removing it several times, I noticed that there was a lot of plastic being knocked off. Well, maybe this is like the marks on steel magazines after much use.
The first time I took the AK47-C out for a shooting session, I only had one magazine for the rifle, but, I had a Tapco polymer magazine on order and it would arrive in a few days. I quickly found that my initial impressions of the Thermold magazine were right. The Thermold magazine would not even stay in the rifle. After the second shot, the magazine dropped from the magazine well. Thinking it a fluke, I dusted it off and reinserted it into the rifle. Again, it hit the ground. I was reduced to using my new AK47-C like a single shot rifle. I was happy with the rifle, but not the magazine.IO Inc. was very good about resolving the problem. They instantly shipped a metal magazine to me. After all...You only know how good customer service is by how they resolve problems. Good job, IO Inc. But, I had another polymer magazine coming. Would it be as bad as the Thermold?
T
he Tapco magazine arrived. I quickly noticed two things. It looked better built and the plastic was denser and stiffer. Maybe this one would do the job. The Tapco magazine was a perfect fit for the rifle. It fit as good or better than the Romanian steel magazines. Also, the Tapco magazine had an anti-tilt follower just like the surplus metal magazines. The Thermold's follower would tilt if you press it with your finger. This was a cheap design. The Tapco magazine had several horizontal ridges on the body. This serves two functions. It gives strength to the polymer magazine and it gives a good grip surface for those who use the magazine as a pseudo-vertical grip. The truth will be found under fire...So to speak!I took the Tapco and the metal magazines out to my shooting range. All performed flawlessly. The Tapco held its own against Romanian steel. I was impressed. I used the Tapco magazine on another indoor shooting session at Shooters Express. Again, the Tapco was flawless. I think Tapco got it right!
As with anything, there are good points and bad ones. The Tapco polymer magazine for the AK47 is no different. The Tapco polymer is ~4-oz. lighter than its metal counterparts. It may not sound like much, but if you are carrying 4 magazines, that is a full pound! The Tapco magazines also are date stamped. This may come in handy if there is ban of certain magazines. Usually bans have "grandfather" clauses that let you have them if purchased before the ban. The Tapco magazines also come with a lifetime warranty. Hopefully, it isn't needed, but it is there if you do. This magazine also has the horizontal ridges that help you grip it if you use it as a vertical grip. I have found that those ridges are also a bad thing! If you load your magazines in a pouch, they are harder to remove that the metal magazines with vertical ridges. This slows you down if you need to remove them quickly. This is the only negative thing I can see about the Tapco magazine.
I liked the Tapco magazine so well that I ordered another one. If you want to get one, try AIM. They have the Tapco magazines for $17 including shipping! AIM also has the Romanian surplus metal 30-round magazines. They also had a 75-round drum for the AK47, but, it appears to be sold out now. I have purchased several things from AIM and they seem to be a very good dealer for gun parts.
