Not long ago I scrounged this Chinese shoulder pouch for my AK mags. Unfortunately it’s cut a little too deep. With all five slots filled you can hardly get your fingers in around the magazines. If I ever really wanted it I’d want it in a hurry, and the magazines are kind of hard to get out.
It got annoying after a while. So on the afternoon of this blustery day I decided to fix it while watching an old movie.
When I moved out here I had most of a 300′ spool of 550 cord, one of the most useful substances known to man. That was over 12 years ago and this is what I have left. Turns out it doesn’t degrade in sunlight, so I’ve also been able to re-use quite a lot. Makes great clothesline, top cover support for the chicken yard, all sorts of things.
Won’t be able to re-use this, though. Pieces will be too short.
Cut as many lengths as you need, longer than you think you’ll need. I guarantee if you cut what you think will be the “correct” length, the loops you make will be too small. At least that’s the way it always works for me.
Pull out the insides and discard them.
Tie each cord into a loop with a square knot. You can adjust the size of the loop to fit your preference, cutting off any excess once you have it right. Scorch the ends, and you’re done.
Because of the way the floorplate slides over the magazine body, you can only connect the loop at the front of the magazine. That makes this a lot easier to do with AK mags than with M1A mags, the only other magazines I’ve done this with.
Push back the floorplate until you can get the knot in between the floorplate and the, um, thingy at the bottom of the spring. Yeah, it probably has a specific name at the Kalashnikov factory. What are you, a commie? Shut up.
Slide the floorplate back into place, working the cord between the plate and the mag body. With the insides pulled out of the cord, what’s left will flatten out nicely.
Done!
Problem solved.
Oh. I expected you to modify the pouch. Silly me.
I had a similar problem…I just cut some styrofoam blocks and put them in the bottom of each pocket to act as a spacer.
“Somewhere, a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his own web gear….”
I use a wrap of gorilla tape around the bottom of the magazines to hold the 550 cord on.
Aren’t there “taller” (high-capacity auto-firing assault) magazines?
I admit to zero AK knowledge.
There are but they’re welded-together junk. Just toys, really.
See here.
I was hoping there was a longer “stock” mag, not that abortion.
In fairness I think there are 40-rounders, maybe for RPKs. But I’ve never used one.
Yep. Here ya go . . .
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/promag-ak-47-magazine-762×39-40-round-polymer-black-aka19-708279011023.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=fn&ecList=7&ecCategory=119286
🙂
What Cdr Zero said, I would have put small wood blocks in first to act as spacers. glue them in if necessary.
Yeah, I’d go with the pouch filler/spacers because those 40-rounders are rather heavy and awkward when loaded. Personally, I like 20s.