East German steel mags - vs. - K-Var waffles...

[GunDog2006]

Ok, so I would like to buy some mags for an AK-47 style weapon...

I have always went straight to the East German ribbed 30rd. mags, and hop-skipped-and-jumped over all others, figuring the E. German mags were dang good for $10 each... I see them at gun shows all the time, and the best price is typically always face-to-face, instead of trying to track them down on the web... (usually prices for goods on the web are cheaper, no over-head all that stuff, but the E. German ones I see on line are more than ten bucks...)

Enter K-Var... and their waffle mags...

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?productid=16135&cat=248&page=1

They are $17.99, and plastic... which is a little lighter in weight... and they claim these have steel reinforced tops...

$8.00 more than my old favorite buddies, the E. Germans...

Anybody got any fact-based reviews on these plastic waffle mags?

They are very similar in design to a Glock pistol mag, and Glock seems to get by with plastic just fine... seems like all of the Glock mags I've ever seen were of a polymer/plastic gunk like these waffle mags K-Var puts out...

I am only considering the K-Var brand mags, and no others right now... (just to keep it simple...)

One plus that I see in the plastic mag is that it isn't going to rust... not sure how impotant that would be on down the road, but I do have at least one of my E. German mags with a dime-sized rust spot...

Looking for any facts from folks who have used both, and can give A/B comparison facts. My first "opinion" of the plastic mag is that "hey, this must be a joke..."... but that is only opinion... I've never owned (except one I got a little while ago) any of the waffle mags, so I don't have concrete info...

I'm looking for facts, test results, reviews, news from field experience, etc...

Thanks

JH
.

[FTW2012]

I'm no fan of plastic mags, the Orlite ones I got for my AR all started to split
Now the Bulgarian ones that came with an AK74 seem to be of better quality
and have been holding up OK, especially since ammo for it is scarce
but any additional mags I get will be metal, they won't crack, ever!
In a bind a metal mag will put a hell of a dent in somone's skull too

[level]

Both work fine in my AK's. One thing I did notice was that the AK-74 mags made for much faster reloads than did the steel mags (just seemed much slicker going into the gun). I don't have the same experience with the poly bulgy mags for the AK-47, they actually binded up more than the steel mags...

[MTS]

I've been using the Bulgarian waffle mags, kept loaded in my "kit". No problems so far with function or otherwise. These are thick durable mags and not fragile in any way. I'd like to have a bunch of them.

One thing I like about them is that they are very quiet and don't rattle at all, even in a loose mag well. May take some tweeking in a WASR, but nothing to amount to anything.

Of the metal mags, I do like the Germans best.

[Charles Lipscomb]

fwiw... i have only held /seen a coulpe of the bularian mags at a gun show a few years back. i liked how light they were. and they looked good. they were 20 bucks each. and while i wanted 1 or 2, i could not justify the purchase as i had (and still have) 20 east german mags an 3 poly tech mags....
got 4 still in the wrap and 16 ''loose''. paid 4 bucks apiece for them jst before the 94 ban...
still would like one of the waffle mags tho...
as to rust, the metal is so thick it would take a lot of years of neglect before they failed, imo...
sorry if i've not helped... if you have the money to spare try a few waffles.....

[SHARPSHOOTER]

The Waffles are much much lighter and if your going to be carrying them . The only ones to consider. I have never had either the steel or synthetic fail me however. both great mags

[gunnut1]

The PLASTIC waffle mags are every bit as good as the steel mags.

You might want to check this out.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=282484

If it won't let you direct link enter these numbers.

WX2-107016 6 pack

WX2-107019 12 pack

Not a bad eal for basically $7.00 each.

I have ordered 2 12 packs and been very satisfied with each. The mags are like new to well used and of different countries of origin. Kind of like playing the AK mag lotto. I have gotten mags fro Eastern Europe and china and egypt and Yugoslavia.

Not a bad deal they are greasy and need to be cleaned up.

[fubar]

Be careful when buying AK waffle mags. Pro-Mag makes a crappy clone. The real Bulgarian waffles are the poo...you know it's original Bulgy if there is a "10" inside a circle molded on lower left side of the mag.

The K-Var mags are genuine Bulgarians.

[GW870]

Who makes and where can I find some good ten round mags for
7.62 and 5.45? Anyone know?

GW

[gunnut1]

Originally posted by fubar
Be careful when buying AK waffle mags. Pro-Mag makes a crappy clone. The real Bulgarian waffles are the poo...you know it's original Bulgy if there is a "10" inside a circle molded on lower left side of the mag.

The K-Var mags are genuine Bulgarians.

One AK mag is pretty much as good as the other AK mag. Never seen one fail reguardless of what country it came out of.

GW870:
10 round mags here:
http://www.k-var.com/shop/home.php?cat=248


Actually the guys on that "other" board have had pretty good reviews on the Promags.

The best deal going right now is the Sportsman Guide. (please no bad mouthing SG. We al know how you feel. I feel the same way but if they have a good deal then why the hell not?) They have a 12 AK mag deal for like $70.00 about $6.50 each. Their choice. I bought two of the12 packs and am VERY pleased with them. The only gripe was the second group had a ton of grease on them. And I don't think it was cosmoline. Yea some of them had finish wear, some were like new and some had a few small dings. I got a variety of mags from Egyptian to Chinese. Some of the guys on the "other" board have gotten the Bosnian "Boy Scout" mags, slab sides and bakelites. All of these mags are 7.62.

Right now K-Var has a pretty good deal on 40 ropund Plum and OD 30 and 40 round Bulgy mags. No Plum 30 rounders though. I bought one of each and I REALLY like them