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May 20, 2012, 17:27
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#1 |
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Registered
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FALaholic #: 65757 Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sacramento, Kalifornia
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"Junk" Korean 20-round Mags
Just got back from a gun show, vendors had plenty of 20-round FAL mags but when asked the source I got the usual shoulder shrug and a "I dunno". Is there a quick way to ID the Korean mags?
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May 20, 2012, 17:39
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#2 |
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FALaholic #: 50534 Join Date: Nov 2009
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The ones I have seen, the mag catch cut is not ground out like the Steyr Austrian mags, but is bent in.
Check here for reviews and pics of said mags... http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showt...postid=2959976 Last edited by Tgeorgi2002; May 20, 2012 at 17:51. |
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May 20, 2012, 18:48
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#3 |
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FALaholic #: 32261 Join Date: Oct 2007
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All of the Korean mags can be made to work, mine do. Also they are all marked ".308/FAL" on the lower front. See photo.
 The problem I found was that the tab on the back of the mag where the mag latch snaps into place was too long. The problem was solved by carefully trimming the bottom edge of the tab until the mag would snap into place. 
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God bless the American people and keep your powder dry. "Cry "havoc," let slip the dogs of war." Marc Anthony, Shakespear's Julius Caesar "Ignorance can be cured, but stupid is forever and often fatal." Unknown Last edited by johnny.308; May 21, 2012 at 09:20. |
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May 20, 2012, 22:12
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#4 | |
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Quote:
They are not all marked in the same place. Mine have the markings in different places. Some of them are marked on the front, some are marked on the spine and some are marked on the body. The markings are very light. I made mine work by taking them apart, pressing in on the follower ear and removing the grease they put on them. The parking is pretty heavy so I took the parking off of the ears. I also spent a little time just inserting the mags and removing then to wear down the parking on the nose. You will have to smack them pretty hard to get them to seat. They now work. I also put a very,very light coat on oil on the inside of the mag body. By stating very lite coat I mean put the oil on the interior of the mag body and then remove all but the thin coating. The oil should not fun and it should look a little shiny. Too much oil is not a good thing. Good luck and YMMV.
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May 20, 2012, 22:15
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#5 | |
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Old Fart
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May 20, 2012, 23:26
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#6 | |
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Quote:
I bought 10 when they first came out for $15 ea. All of mine are marked in the same location, so I was unaware that the marks appear in different locations.
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God bless the American people and keep your powder dry. "Cry "havoc," let slip the dogs of war." Marc Anthony, Shakespear's Julius Caesar "Ignorance can be cured, but stupid is forever and often fatal." Unknown |
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May 21, 2012, 13:44
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#7 |
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I hadn't been keeping tack of the origin of my mags. I checked two that I had set aside because of problems, and both are Korean. I have two other Koreans I haven't tried, and one that I think works. For now I'll stick to Austrian mags, although at least it sounds like the Koreans are fixable.
I had been looking at gun shows for mags that showed signs of use or had a different finish than the Korean heavy parkerizing, but it's good to know there are better methods for identification. |
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May 21, 2012, 23:06
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#8 |
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FALaholic #: 65860 Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Bourbon, MO
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I bought 2 of the Korean mags from CDNN about 2 mos. ago and haven't had any FTF with them. The only thing I did when I got them was clean the preservative off the outside. I expect new to work right out of the gate. They are a bit of a PITA to load though since the follower wants to tip (nose dive). I probably need to take them apart and clean up rough spots. For $12.99 + s&h not a bad deal IMHO.
Paul P.S. Mine have 3 witness holes in the spine. Last edited by Pbford; May 21, 2012 at 23:11. Reason: added the post script |
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May 21, 2012, 23:46
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#9 |
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Arrogant Bastard
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I've had 100% failure with every Korean mag I've tried.
at least I thought they were Korean. light zinc phos, StG-type witness marks, and stamped rear catch instead of soldered/folded. the mag in the pic above with the arrow does not look Korean to me - unless there are multiple manufacturers. The angled clearance on that one one below the catch appears machined, not stamped.
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T. Mark Graham Master Gunsmith Arizona Response Systems, LLC |
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May 22, 2012, 09:37
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#10 | |
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God bless the American people and keep your powder dry. "Cry "havoc," let slip the dogs of war." Marc Anthony, Shakespear's Julius Caesar "Ignorance can be cured, but stupid is forever and often fatal." Unknown |
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May 22, 2012, 21:06
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#11 |
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FALaholic #: 65801 Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Cheboygan, MI
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I just picked up some of these Korean mags at a local gun show, not realizing they were Korean. Mine seem to lock into the magwell good but are pretty tight, should loosen up with some use I would imagine. I plan on trying them out tomorrow for actual function. Wish I would have seen this thread before the gun show, paid $20 each thinking they were NOS surplus mags. I should have inspected them better than I had. Live and learn I guess.
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May 22, 2012, 21:17
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#12 |
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FALaholic #: 19911 Join Date: Apr 2006
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Do Not, under ANY circumstances, put more than 18 rnds in those mags ...
just sayin' ... 
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... ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ ... _____________________________________________ "Remember man as you pass by, as you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you shall be. Prepare for death and follow me." _____________________________________________ one of the proud "unwashed" ... |
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May 23, 2012, 03:40
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#13 | |
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Quote:
 Sorry, I just couldn't resist. Paul |
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May 23, 2012, 19:12
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#14 |
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FALaholic #: 19911 Join Date: Apr 2006
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hell ... there's plenty of surplus mags around guys ... don't knowingly buy those Korean junk things ... watch the Market Place and GB ...
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... ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ ... _____________________________________________ "Remember man as you pass by, as you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you shall be. Prepare for death and follow me." _____________________________________________ one of the proud "unwashed" ... |
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May 23, 2012, 19:17
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#15 |
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Curio & Relic
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Ones I bought, hell didn't matter how many rds you loaded......could not even get them in the mag well.....much less lock it in place.
gobbler |
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