North Korean Helical AK Magazines

CrazySanMan · Apr 26, 2017

I just came across this, and thought it was interesting.

North Korean Helical AK Magazines
http://armamentresearch.com/north-korean-helical-ak-magazines/

Several new developments in North Korean armaments can be witnessed amongst the recent flow of propaganda released by Pyongyang after Kim Jong-un’s ascension to power. One such development is what appears to be a new magazine model for the North Korean copy of the AK-74, the Type 88. This new magazine uses a staggered helix design, which allows for a high number of 5.45 x 39 mm cartridges to be carried without the notable increases in size and unwieldiness that characterise many other high capacity magazines.

Magazine specifications
The following specifications are estimated based upon measurements extrapolated from known dimensions, as well as a comparison with existing helical magazines. They represent the author’s ‘best guess’ at present.

Calibre: 5.45 x 39 mm
Capacity: 100 to 150 cartridges
Weight: Approximately 2 kg
Length: Approximately 370 mm
Diameter: Approximately 85 mm

From WaPo:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/04/26/north-koreas-special-operations-forces-are-numerous-mysterious-and-formidable/?utm_term=.6ea49ccabc66
Dozens of Special Operations troops marched in North Korea’s military parade this month, covered from head to toe in green, brown and black camouflage. Carrying variants of the Kalashnikov rifle with high-capacity “helical” magazines, they shouted slogans in support of Kim Jong Un, seemingly delighting the North Korean leader as he watched.

Inigoes · Apr 26, 2017

The magazine looks like it attaches to the bayonet lug on the front, rendering the bayonets useless

ken792 · Apr 26, 2017

It looks to clip onto the accessory lug on the AK-74 too. I guess they kept the accessory lug on their short barreled variants in order to attach it.

Inigoes said:
The magazine looks like it attaches to the bayonet lug on the front, rendering the bayonets useless

AK bayonets won't fit those short barreled AKs anyway. On the AK-74, there are two lugs. The one in the gas block is the accessory lug for grenade launchers and what not. The one on the front sight block is the bayonet lug.

CrazySanMan · Apr 26, 2017

I'm thinking more moving parts inside equals more jams. I wonder how they would perform in sand or mud?

protegeV · Apr 26, 2017

CrazySanMan said:
I'm thinking more moving parts inside equals more jams. I wonder how they would perform in sand or mud?

Best way to find out. Standardized MAC torture test

Engine4 · Apr 26, 2017

Group buy!

CrazySanMan · Apr 26, 2017

Fox News' "expert" botched this one:

Some of the most memorable images to emerge from North Korea’s dramatic parade featured the special operations “commandos” who were carrying what appeared to be AK-47’s with grenade-launching capabilities. There’s just one problem, Pregent said. “Where are the magazines? There's no place for the magazine to go with the mock grenade launcher in the way,” Pregent noted, calling it a “fake capability.”

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/04/26/north-koreas-soldiers-closer-look-militarys-fake-capabilities.html

TinCuda · Apr 26, 2017

I saw those on the news recently. That North Korean leader kid was having a big press party celebrating his grandfather's birthday and a failed missile launch.

They look like copies of the Russian Bizon PP-19. The Russian version uses a pistol cartridge and is probably a copy of the Calico.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PP-19_Bizon

.,

highli99 · Apr 26, 2017

Very interesting!

sailskidrive · Apr 26, 2017

Yawn. I assume Calico is going to sue for patent infringement. ;-)

Looks like it's probably ridiculously front heavy. If it was a good idea the Russians would have moved to this 40 years ago.

smdub · Apr 26, 2017

I still want one.

ken792 · Apr 26, 2017

The time it takes to pull one of those out of a pouch and lock it against the lug can't be quicker than simply reloading with two 30 rounders. I guess it could make sense for it to be the mag carried in the rifle, with reloads being 30 rounders.

Boss94 · Apr 26, 2017

Can you say hot barrel !!! Now if we could only import some !!

-Z/28- · Apr 26, 2017

The fact that the Russians never took this concept beyond a pistol caliber application suggests to me it's not worth the benefit for a rifle cartridge. I have a hard time believing that mag holds a 100rds. The Russian Bizon only holds about 60rds and that's 9mm.

CodeWarrior1241 · Apr 26, 2017

In Russian these are called "Шнековый магазин", after the specialized term for the Archimedes screw/spring concept inside... I recall stuff being written about this over there, claiming that for larger intermediate and rifle calibers this concept was impractical in terms of weight and magazine complexity (cost), only made sense for pistol calibers. Could probably dig that up from their sources if someone was interested.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using Tapatalk

smokey · Apr 26, 2017

I'm going to assume this is wildly impractical and also unreliable until I see any test of a rifle getting through a couple of these without a malfunction. I feel like there's no way these can be more efficient space-wise than just carrying 4 regular mags(if the capacity is legit, which I don't feel like it would be). At the very least, the mount to the barrel would absolutely ruin any accuracy potential of their rifles.

Jimbob2.0 · Apr 26, 2017

TinCuda said:
I saw those on the news recently. That North Korean leader kid (Sum Dum Guy?) was having a big press party celebrating his grandfather's birthday and a failed missile launch.

They look like copies of the Russian Bizon PP-19. The Russian version uses a pistol cartridge and is probably a copy of the Calico.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PP-19_Bizon

.,

Id rather have that.

Boss94 · Apr 26, 2017

We all need a PP 19 !!!! ;-)

Dmacri25 · Apr 26, 2017

1. Those are nice binoculars on their helmets! They certainty don't look like any NVGS I've seen, I could be wrong.

2. Interesting top fold stock. I haven't seen that before.

3. Is that string around the rifle?

Wendigo · Apr 26, 2017

Lol, #3

Looks like they looped a string around to keep mag from falling out. I imagine that mag is pretty heavy, and a slight bump on the mag release would send it groundward. That would not be good for your health in a military parade on whatever super-special day they were having.

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