Russian SKS Magazine options

[J.Hancock]

If you have the mechanical aptitude, I highly recommend modifying your rifle to accept Type-81 magazines.
They're as cheap as surplus AK mags right now, and it's possible to modify the rifle so that the SKS last-round bolt catch continues to function as intended

That's a nice SKS! Certainly not hical, it's basically modded into a bubba's SKS-D. I'd like to see a blueprint tbh.

 

[WmMcLeod]

Is this by using the hical kit? Or some other way?

No, it's accomplished by the same method that Chinese commercial arsenals made SKS-D's and SKS-M's, just without the jigs and fixtures and end mills.

The Hi-Cal adapter also requires that the magazine well in the receiver be enlarged, but with slightly different geometry. Of course, that allows one to use pistol magazines and can also be accomplished without negating the bolt catch functionality, so if higher legal magazine capacity is primarily attractive to you, that's a better system to pursue.

Myself, I like having robust,reliable, full-featured magazines that are designed for 7.62x39.

 

[Wis3guy]

No, it's accomplished by the same method that Chinese commercial arsenals made SKS-D's and SKS-M's, just without the jigs and fixtures and end mills.

The Hi-Cal adapter also requires that the magazine well in the receiver be enlarged, but with slightly different geometry. Of course, that allows one to use pistol magazines and can also be accomplished without negating the bolt catch functionality, so if higher legal magazine capacity is primarily attractive to you, that's a better system to pursue.

Myself, I like having robust,reliable, full-featured magazines that are designed for 7.62x39.

Sounds awesome! I am mechanically inclined, but very new when it comes to firearms, so figuring this out without a blueprint or steps of some kind is definitely above my abilities at the moment.

 

[EL34/6L6]

I just always modified my Tapco mags to take stripper clips. Never have any issues other than they can sometimes have a tight fit depending on the wood stock.

 

[Buck1950]

I just always modified my Tapco mags to take stripper clips. Never have any issues other than they can sometimes have a tight fit depending on the wood stock.

And the plastic is easy to 'thin', PS- they also needed trimming on the upper mag 'corners', a common issue. And the bolt needs grinding a bit to accept 'closed bolt' re-mag.

 

[Suther]

Ive tried the bauer, promag and tapco all three had feeding issues that the factory mag doesn't i tried them in multiple Russian and Chinese sks's.

converting one to take ar mags always seemed like an interesting idea

My friend's factory mag always had issues, I think the pin job was done poorly?... He has two Tapco mags that function without issues. Seems some people have good luck with 'em, others not so much?

No, it's accomplished by the same method that Chinese commercial arsenals made SKS-D's and SKS-M's, just without the jigs and fixtures and end mills.

The Hi-Cal adapter also requires that the magazine well in the receiver be enlarged, but with slightly different geometry. Of course, that allows one to use pistol magazines and can also be accomplished without negating the bolt catch functionality, so if higher legal magazine capacity is primarily attractive to you, that's a better system to pursue.

Myself, I like having robust,reliable, full-featured magazines that are designed for 7.62x39.

The XCR pistol mags ARE designed for 7.62x39 as far as I am aware?

 

[EL34/6L6]

And the plastic is easy to 'thin', PS- they also needed trimming on the upper mag 'corners', a common issue. And the bolt needs grinding a bit to accept 'closed bolt' re-mag.

I've never understood the unnecessary bolt mod, there's no real practical reason to load the rifle when the bolt is closed. I only ever inserted a mag when the bolt was left open after the last shot.

 

[Suther]

I've never understood the unnecessary bolt mod, there's no real practical reason to load the rifle when the bolt is closed. I only ever inserted a mag when the bolt was left open after the last shot.

Because having to ensure the bolt is locked back just to insert a loaded magazine is a crappy design?

The bolt hold open only works with a magazine inserted, right? So when you start shooting for the day, do you insert an empty mag, lock the bolt back, then switch to a full mag? OR do you stick your hand into the action to play with the little tab that locks the bolt open?

 

[Murray 3-D]

I've never understood the unnecessary bolt mod, there's no real practical reason to load the rifle when the bolt is closed. I only ever inserted a mag when the bolt was left open after the last shot.

Its more about being able to pull the mag out on a closed bolt. That situation comes up all the time.

 

[Buck1950]

Its more about being able to pull the mag out on a closed bolt. That situation comes up all the time.

. . . So you can then cycle out the last chambered round and catch it instead of having to drop the mag while still holding the bolt back too. I always leave my third hand at home ;-(

 

[EL34/6L6]

Because having to ensure the bolt is locked back just to insert a loaded magazine is a crappy design?

The bolt hold open only works with a magazine inserted, right? So when you start shooting for the day, do you insert an empty mag, lock the bolt back, then switch to a full mag? OR do you stick your hand into the action to play with the little tab that locks the bolt open?

Honestly, it's been a while since I ran tapco mags. But I used to run stripper clips too so just inserted an empty mag and pulled the bolt back, loaded it and could then move to preloaded mags after that if I wanted due to the BHO.

Its more about being able to pull the mag out on a closed bolt. That situation comes up all the time.

That was my initial understanding, and can say this almost never comes up when I'm either handling or firing the rifle. If it's loaded that's because it's going to be fired until empty and if it's empty to begin with then I'll just pull and lock the bolt back and then release the mag.

 

[J.Hancock]

I've never understood the unnecessary bolt mod, there's no real practical reason to load the rifle when the bolt is closed. I only ever inserted a mag when the bolt was left open after the last shot.

Well some people would rather carry without a round chambered.