Sunday Gun Accessory Review: Catch 22

I was online a couple weeks back and decided to try out one of the aftermarket hi-cap detachable mags that are becoming available now that the piece of warm-fuzzy empty gesture legislation, the Assault Weapons Ban, has sunsetted.

I chose this one. I only wanted the 20 round mag as I like to use a bi-pod at times and the 30 rounders are just to long for that. If I can’t hit what I’m aiming at in 20 rounds, I should have watched out for what I got myself into.

For background info, my particular SKS is an original Norinco, imported in 1988, with a machined receiver and a screw type barrel. I bought it used a few years back because it was in good shape and the first two digits in its five digit serial number are zeros. It is one of the most accurate SKS’s I have every shot and has never misfed.

But back to the mag:

It arrives in the mail and I take it out of the bag and the first thing I notice is that the follower is made of polymer. Bad sign. I had thought that the entire mag was made of steel. The SKS mechanicals can be punishing because they can take a punishing. The rest of the mag looked sturdy enough though, so I set it aside until Saturday and made a mental note to always keep an eye on the follower’s condition and maybe keep my eye out for some spares.

Now, to get these mags to fit, you need to shave away a portion of the magwell in the stock so that the new mag can pass through. This is because the finger hook on the front of the mage is wider than the fixed mag box. I used a sanding barrel my dremel on low speed and made quick work of it. The mag slipped easily in and out of the well in the stock with ease. But there was a problem.

You see, the bottom of the SKS bolt has a groove on either side of it that locks into the feed lips of the magazine and the center portion of the bolt dips low into the mag when grabbing the next round.

Basically, the SKS bolt needs to be open so that you can lock the detachable magazine in place or detach it from the gun when empty. Shouldn’t be too much of a problem right? The bolt should be locked back by the last shot from the previous magazine.

Nope.

In the advert linked above is a disclaimer: “Will not hold open bolt when last round is fired.” I read that before I ordered it and was willing to live with it since I count my shots anyway.

So now I have a mag that needs an open bolt to lock into place or detach and a bolt hold latch that won’t take commands from the magazine. That and even with the mag locked in I can’t load it via stripper clips. It basically takes two hands to lock or unlock the magazine; the left one actuating the mag release/pulling on the mag then hunting for the next mag and inserting it while the other is holding the bolt back.

Actually, that is not true. Because you have to roll the bottom of the magazine forward, it is very difficult to hit the mag release with the left hand, although it can be done, so you really have to get a good grip on the bolt handle with your right thumb and hold it back with that while using the long middle finger to hit the mag release.

If I wanted a rifle I had to make a contorted Vulcan nerve pinch to perform a basic function like changing a mag, I’d have just bought something designed by the French.

And unless you want to do so as well on your SKS, I’d suggest you hunt down a kit that’ll let your SKS use AK mags or stick with your 10rnd box mag and practice hitting what you aim at and quick stripper clip reloads because these mags are unpractical.

I am currently debating reforming the feed lips to see if I can just have them angle into the bolt channel without locking into the groove and still make them work. I have also found some of the polymer mags at a different source and am counting my pennies to see if I can afford to try them out.

Updates when I figure it all out.

I’m off to the range.