10/30 AK Mag Mod

[Heatseeker]

Here's a couple of pics of a 30 rd. magazine follower I modified for a non-detachable mag AK build I'm working on.

I located some .040" sheetmetal laying around the shop and shaped it accordingly. I then permanently attached the extension to the follower by TIG welding it in place. I did a function check to ensure proper operation and capacity, then shot some paint on it.

What do you guys think? Will it pass legal muster?

[Ruiner]

You have to make it so the magazine cannot be taken apart. If you just replace the follower, then one can argue that you can simply swap it out with a regular follower and make it into a standard capacity mag.

[domokun]

If it'll pass muster as long you can't jam more than 10 rounds into the magazine no matter how hard you try and you know that the weld job won't ever break and result in the magazine being able to accept more than 10 rounds.

You have to make it so the magazine cannot be taken apart. If you just replace the follower, then one can argue that you can simply swap it out with a regular follower and make it into a standard capacity mag.

That would be a good idea to put a small weld at the bottom of the magazine on the floorplate to make the mod "permanent" to clearly make it a 10/30 magazine. We all know that with the right materials, a small weld can be undone readily if need be.

[nicoroshi]

Looks good although I agree with making the floor plate non-removable.
I did mine with the pop-rivet/ epoxy method. Figured out the location for the pop rivet (stainless rivets for strength) through the side to stop the follower at the height of only holding 10 rounds. Placed pop-rivets at that location in both sides. Epoxied over the top of the rivets, and painted. This also makes the follower non-removable.
Many hundreds of rounds through the 4 I have modified without any issues.

[Heatseeker]

Got it! I'll attach the floor plate with a couple of tacks. I tried like hell to smash an eleventh round in it without success.

I thought about using pop rivets to limit the followers travel, but I thought that the rivets might interfere with the spring operation.

Thanks for the advice.

[nicoroshi]

Got it! I'll attach the floor plate with a couple of tacks. I tried like hell to smash an eleventh round in it without success.

I thought about using pop rivets to limit the followers travel, but I thought that the rivets might interfere with the spring operation.

Thanks for the advice.

I thought that might be an issue as well but the spring actually is a bit smaller than the interior of the magazine, and it seems to clear the rivets just fine. The follower on the other hand is just smaller than the interior of the mag (read tight fit), and the rivets work like a champ stopping it at the proper depth.
Hardest part was finding the proper height to drill the holes.
Mainly because of the curve of the magazine.
Ended up using a dial caliper with depth gauge from the front of the base of the mag to the center of the side of the follower when 10 rounds were inserted.
Then transpose that to the outside.
Need to lower it a mm or two so that the bolt will push down on the rounds to cycle after a full magazine is inserted (otherwise it gets stuck, and you have to drop the mag). Finding the happy medium between enough downward movement on the rounds to cycle with full mag, and not enough to load that 11th round is fun to say the least. The first one I did has more than one hole drilled in one side because of this (oops). Filled it in (extra hole) with JBWeld putty, and sanded before paint, and it's all good.

[Heatseeker]

I hear you on the travel estimate. I tried to calculate the distance of the travel(for a mind exercise..I failed ). I ended up making the block piece extra long, inserting the follower with ten rounds in the mag and then scribed the bottom of the block. I cut it a little long to start and filed to fit.