SKS 30 round clip? Does it even work?

[Kase]

I've recently bought an SKS, and would like to buy a 30 round magazine for it. But it seems like anyone I talk to says that they NEVER work. Is there any certain brand that actually isn't junk? Help please!

 

[IndyGunworks]

My personal opinion is that you are wasting your time. unless you are using the sks as a personal protection gun, (which you could have spent you money wiser if thats the case) then its probably a plinker. i think it would take longer to load the 30 round mag then shoot than it would be to just load 5 shoot then reload. I know i am not answer your question on reliability, but i think those 30 rounders are gimiky. save that money for ammo, or save it for an sks that accepts AK mags, not cheap, but THATS a nice gun.

 

[HighStrung]

I've got a 30rd on mine. Bought it so many years ago I honestly can't tell you who manufactured it. Mine does feed without problems, though it's somewhat of a pain in a couple ways. This one is removable, but you have to juggle the bolt, mag release and mag to get it in and out so I usually still feed it with stripper clips. With a 30rd mag you can forget about prone position shooting. I am actually going to be buying a 20 or possibly even a 10 to put back on mine.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Now the 10 round version wouldnt be half bad.

 

[Cat-Herder]

I've recently bought an SKS, and would like to buy a 30 round magazine for it. But it seems like anyone I talk to says that they NEVER work. Is there any certain brand that actually isn't junk? Help please!

i have 4 steel 30 round mags. one works reliably. it only jams towards the last couple of rounds. the stock 10 round mag never-ever-fails to function, and after many attempts at getting the removable ones to work, i reinstalled the 10 rounder and got back to enjoying the rifle.

i've bent, filed, measured, etc...on the others. this gun was simply not designed to work reliably with removable mags. stripper clips are cheap, and with practice, easy to use.
if you want a cheap rifle in 7.62x39 with removable mags, i suggest an AK.

just my

 

[redneck919]

the only magazine i could ever get to work was the tapco mags.ive never had 1 issue with them.

 

[Colt556]

I never had any luck with the 30s. Plus they spoil the balance of the rifle IMO. I have used the metal replacement 20 rounders and they worked fine. They are made to replace the 10rd mags in the gun and don't stick out too much further.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

30 rounders in an SKS just ruin the looks and balance of the gun - if you can get them to work. Never had a failure to feed with my factory fixed 10rd and that is way more important to me than blowing through $8 worth of ammo in 30 seconds. Loads faster with stripper clips too.

 

[gunrott]

Tapco mags are the only ones that I have got to work right with out any problems. I have tried several kinds and they have all failed to work in one way or another.

 

[lance]

tapco 20 round mags are all i use in my sks,s.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I tried 30rd fixed and 30 rd detachable and they never were completely reliable. As others have said, the 10rd fixed magazines on the sks are very reliable and load easily and quickly with stripper clips.

 

[tem375]

imo, they do not work well, and especially not with soft nosed bullet or hollow points because the gun has no feed ramp and the bullets tend to hit the barrel and deform the nose of the bullet, I put the stock ten rounder back in when i still had mine so it was actually reliable.

 

[JeremySS]

I've got a 30rd on mine. Bought it so many years ago I honestly can't tell you who manufactured it. Mine does feed without problems, though it's somewhat of a pain in a couple ways. This one is removable, but you have to juggle the bolt, mag release and mag to get it in and out so I usually still feed it with stripper clips. With a 30rd mag you can forget about prone position shooting. I am actually going to be buying a 20 or possibly even a 10 to put back on mine.

From what I can tell in the pic I have the same polymer 30 round mag and it works perfectly. Just like you though, I have no clue who made it
I agree on the juggling act to load it since you can not insert the mag on a closed bolt.

 

[2cool9031]

I never tried one of those, but I heard bad things about them. So I went with a 20rd fixed magazine and had no problems.

 

[strong_45]

to get the detachable mags in just lock the bolt to the rear with the catch that slides up from beneath the bolt. I have never had a single problem with tapco steel 20 and 30 rnd detachable. I do agree tho, the soft nose bullets do get a little deformed