Taurus PT-22 magazine modification

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I have had a Taurus PT-22 “pocket pistol” for many years.  It has served me well, but I have noticed a certain “quark” that I have finally fixed.

The factory magazine for the PT-22 has a finger grip extension.  For those with smaller hands, I guess this would work well, but, my pinky finger puts pressure on it skewing the alignment ever so slightly.  This sometimes causes misfeeds.  To solve this problem I would drop my pinky finger below the extension relieving the pressure.   I was afraid that if I ever had to use the pistol for its intended purpose, I may be under enough stress to forget this “solution”. 

The picture above depicts the Taurus PT-22 and magazine as it originally came from the factory with the exception of the fine Pearce wrap-around rubber grip.  Notice the grip extension on the bottom of the magazine.  I never did like it.  Now I have solved the problem.

Use an Allen wrench or punch to disassemble the magazine.  I think most of you know how to do this so I will not go into great detail.

Use caution when removing the floor plate from the magazine.  The spring will shoot across the room if you don’t retain it with you finger.  You now have the magazine disassembled enough to make this minor modification.

Take a flat head screwdriver to remove the screw holding the plastic magazine extension to the metal floor plate.  Now separate the floor plate from the magazine extension.  Keep the screw and magazine extension as you may want to put it back the way it was later.

Now reassemble the magazine.  There will be a “dimple” protruding from the bottom of the metal floor plate that is only cosmetic and causes no functioning problems.  Here is the finished project.

The removal of the magazine extension makes the gun more comfortable for me.  The overall size is reduced, a little, which only helps it to be a more effective concealed-carry weapon.

I really enjoy the Taurus PT-22 pistol.  It makes a good “summer” carry gun.  Some think that .22 LR rounds are underpowered.  They are right!  Most pistol ammunition are underpowered.  This pocket rocket is very accurate up to 7-yards.  I can routinely get all nine rounds in a 3-inch group at 7-yards.  And this is handheld and semi-rapid firing.  I feel safe with my little friend!

Polymer Or Steel Revisited

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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?

The 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.

First Target Shooting With The IO AK47-C

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After just "fun" shooting in the woods with the IO AK47-C, it was time to do some target shooting to see how well I can shoot with the rifle. As indicated before, I am not the best target shooter. Many can do better. My target gives me a real world example of what the rifle can do in MY hands.

I installed the UTG rail system and added a vertical grip. I like the handling of a tactical rifle with a vertical grip. I also wanted to give the Tapco polymer magazine a good workout. I am still not convinced about the use of plastic in a rifle magazine.

I went to an Shooters Express. They have an indoor range that allows rifles. You can't use the surplus or "Wolf" ammo. They use steel jackets. You must use the more expensive ammo that you buy at places like Wally World. Basically, if a magnet sticks to it, you can't use it! I had some Winchester "White Box" ammo that was fine for this indoor range.

I modified my pistol target for an AK47 or SKS rifle. Basically, I got the ballistics data from Remington's "Shoot" program and used it to modify a target to let you sight it in at 25-yards and have the bullet be dead on at 50 and 100-yards. I mounted my target and sent it down range to the 25-yard mark. I then loaded 10-rounds in the magazine. Here are the results:

I am happy with the grouping. The gray dot just below the bull's eye is where the bullets should be striking to be dead on at 50 and 100-yards. On an AK47 and SKS rifle, all adjustments for windage and elevation are done on the front sight. The rear sight is adjustable for distance only. It takes a special tool to adjust the front sight. I didn't have one on this day, but I have one on order. I will return to adjust the sights on another day. Until then, this is sufficient. When I do a final adjustment, I will post the results.

Dressing Up The AK47-C

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When I first received my IO AK47-C rifle, I was a little disappointed. The Thermold polymer magazine that came with the rifle was crap. It wouldn't even stay in the magazine well. That being said, it turned out to be a good thing!

You never know what kind of customer service a firearms manufacturer is until you have a problem. IO Inc. came through with flying colors. I called them and explained about the crappy magazine and they rushed me out a brand new METAL magazine. It fit like a glove and really looks great. I guess I am a metal-head when it comes to magazines.

Now that I have decent magazines it's time to turn to the rifle itself. The handguard that came on the AK47-C was functional and nice looking, but it was a bit bulky. I also wanted options for accessories like optics, flashlights, lasers, and vertical handgrips. This means I need rails.

I found a fantastic handguard/rail system for the AK-47. The UTG 478 AK Quad Rail System by Leapers is a very reasonable priced and functional addition to my AK. The installation is simple and can be performed with minimal tools. After installing the UTG 478, I added a vertical handgrip. The UTG vertical handgrip was a good choice. I have some pictures of the rifle after the installation. Here is Warren displaying the rifle:

We took the rifle for a test drive. We loaded up four 30-round magazines and headed to our favorite shooting spot. We used the metal and the Tapco polymer magazine. The Tapco functioned perfectly, but I am still gravitating towards metal magazines. I love the vertical handgrip. It helps me put the sights on target quicker and helps stabilize the muzzle end for more accurate shots. I don't have optics yet, but when I do, I will just mount it on the rail above the gas tube. The new UTG handguard seems very stable.

Paper Or Plastic?

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I'm sure you heard the question when you were buying groceries. "Paper or plastic?" I have had to make a similar decision after getting my new rifle. Instead of "paper or plastic", it was "plastic or steel". My new IO AK-47C came with a Thermold polymer magazine. Yes, it held 30-rounds, but plastic?

I made a similar decision with a recent handgun purchase. I needed a small pistol that fired a 9mm round. All that I was considering had a polymer frame. Glock long ago dismissed the taboo about "plastic" guns when they introduced the Glock 17. I settled on the Kel-Tec PF-9 and have not regretted the decision. The PF-9 has a polymer frame. Like most polymer frame pistols, the PF-9's slide rides on metal rails.

After receiving the IO AK-47C, I experienced problems with the Thermold magazine. It wouldn't stay in the rifle! That is a problem that just can't be ignored. I liked the idea of a lighter weight magazine. I started doing an internet search for a replacement. I found a good deal on a Tapco 30-round AK-47 magazine so I gave it a try.

The Tapco magazine was leaps-and-bounds better than the Thermold. The plastic seemed denser and stronger. The fit was very good. But, still, I noticed some plastic shavings off of the areas where the magazine enters the magazine well. This just made me feel skiddish about "plastic". What to do now?

I thought I would "kick it old school" and try the reliable Eastern block manufacture steel AK-47 magazine. I found a great deal on surplus Romanian magazines. I ordered a couple from AIM for about $11 each. These magazines were stored in heavy grease. The first task was to disassemble them and give them a good cleaning. I degreased them and gave them a good coating of Break Free CLP.

(From left to right: Thermold, Tapco, and Romanian)

I guess you just can't mess with near perfection. The Romanian steel magazines just fit and function perfectly. Now why would anyone want polymer? One word...Weight. The polymer magazines are lighter than steel. Here are the weights of the three magazines I have:

• Thermold 4.7-oz.
• Tapco 7.3-oz.
• Romanian 11.5-oz.

All weights are of the unloaded magazine. The weight of the Tapco over the Thermold confirms my first impressions. The polymer is denser and firmer. I guess if I had to hump 10 magazines around all the time, the weight might be important, but for my sport shooting, it just doesn't matter.

So the question of "polymer or steel?" For magazines, I will choose steel. Sometimes going the old way is the best way!

IO AK-47C: Mixed Results

UPDATE: A complete UPDATED review of the IO AK47-C can be found here. (Click on any image to enlarge)

I went out today to fire my new IO AK-47C. Before going, I cleaned the rifle thoroughly. I don't like firing a weapon with the factory lubricant on it. I pulled out my cleaning kit and Break-Free CLP. Now I can give the rifle a good test.

I loaded-up the 30-round polymer magazine. I have never used polymer magazines before and wondered how well it would perform. I soon found out. After two rounds the magazine dropped from the magazine well. If you are familiar with an AK-47 you know that accidentally actuating the magazine release is almost impossible! I brushed the dirt off and rocked it back into place. The next shot it fell out again! I hope this is not indicative of all polymer magazines. The Thermold AK-47 magazine just doesn't cut it!


Since I only had the magazine that came with the rifle, I had to resort to using an AK-47 in single shot mode. I would hold the bolt open and shove a round into the chamber. The rifle functioned very well. The accuracy was decent and just fun to fire. The rifle worked great. I wish I could say the same for the magazine.

I did two things when I got home. I sent an email to IO Inc. and ordered two 30-round metal magazines. One good thing about AK magazines. They are plentiful and cheap!

After venting to IO inc. about the magazine, I cleaned the rifle. The first thing I noticed was how clean the receiver was. I have fired many semi-automatic rifles including the SKS and have never seen a receiver this clean after a shooting session. This must be because of the locking bolt and gas piston system. Both keeps a great deal of the gases out of the receiver. Take down and cleaning an AK-47 is very simple. To my surprise it was nothing like the SKS that I own. At first glance, you would think that the AK-47 and the SKS are of similar design. No, they are not. The SKS is not a locking bolt system and gets much more dirty in the receiver than the AK-47. I can see why the AK-47 has its reputation for reliability...If they are using metal magazines!

When I get my metal magazines I will go out and try again. I just found a source of inexpensive 7.62 x 39mm ammo. That's great because I was getting real tired of paying $0.75 a round!