Taking an AK magazine apart is pretty straightforward and is typically the same for all types of AK mags.
We found a YouTube tutorial on how to disassemble and maintain any AK-47 or AKM magazine and also remove the built-in bullet limiter- for those that live in the not-so-free States of American’t.
We’ll be illustrating the disassembly of several popular AKM magazines that are in common use, but this tutorial is applicable to most AK-47 magazines since most can be opened in a similar fashion while sharing a lot of the same features and parts.
Keep reading to discover how to disassemble and maintain any AK-47 or AKM magazine quickly and safely.
A Few Words On The Importance of Proper AK Magazine Maintenance
The AK-47 is a highly reliable firearm, but even the most durable weapons require maintenance to function at their best.
The magazine is an essential component of the AK-47, and proper cleaning and maintenance can ensure its reliability and longevity.
Neglecting to clean and maintain your AK-47 magazine can lead to malfunctions, misfires, and even failure to feed, putting you and those around you in danger.
There are several products available for cleaning and maintaining your AK-47 magazine. One of the most important products is a cleaning solvent, which can help break down and remove any buildup of dirt, debris, and residue that can accumulate in the magazine over time.
A high-quality lubricant is also essential for keeping your magazine functioning smoothly. It can help reduce friction and wear, preventing damage and prolonging the life of the magazine.
A cleaning brush can be used to scrub away any debris that the solvent fails to remove, and a microfiber cloth can be used to wipe away excess lubricant and ensure a clean, dry surface.
To maintain your AK-47 magazine, it is important to follow a regular cleaning schedule, especially after each use. This can help prevent any buildup of dirt, debris, or residue that can affect the magazine’s performance.
It is also important to store your magazine in a dry, clean location, away from any moisture or other contaminants that can cause damage over time.
Regular maintenance and proper storage of your AK-47 magazine can help ensure that it will function properly when you need it most.
How To Disassemble & Maintain Any AK-47 or AKM Magazine
The video above shows how to take the spring out of a Russian Bakelite magazine that has a bullet-limiting wire installed to comply with states that have restrictive gun laws.
If you live in one of the free states, this limiter will not be installed and what you’ll find is just a long spring attached to the follower with no-tilt guide walls made out of a plastic polymer or sheet steel.
Most AK-47, AKM, and AK-74 magazines will have a baseplate made out of metal or plastic and will have a central spring-loaded button that needs to be depressed so you can slide the baseplate off.
Careful attention must be paid when sliding the base plate off, making sure to keep at least two fingers on the metal base under the base plate to prevent the spring from shooting out of the magazine and flying across the room.
Once the baseplate is fully removed, allow the spring to slowly decompress while holding it securely with your hand.
Once decompressed fully, you can carefully pull the spring outward to guide the follower down and out of the magazine.
How to Clean Your AK Magazine
A lot of surplus mags like the ones that sometimes come with NOS military mag pouches as a kit are preserved in a thick coating of Cosmoline so after disassembly, you must clean all that gunk out of the mag or any other dust, grit, or dirt that is often found inside used mags.
Check to see if there is any grime, gunk, or grease on the spring, follower, and inside the magazine, and clean those areas using a polymer-friendly cleaning solution or anti-corrosive solvent for steel magazines.
For cleaning cosmoline out of all-metal AK magazines, you can use mineral spirits, Simple Green, brake cleaner, WD40, or just good old-fashing soap and hot water. When using stronger solvents, make sure to do so in a well-ventilated area.
Do not apply Simple Green to aluminum AK magazines! Aluminum AK magazines aren’t very common, but Korean manufacturer KCI makes an aluminum mag and Russia made a brief run of aluminum waffle magazines in the 1950s.
For cleaning the gunk out of polymer AK magazines, any plastic-friendly solution should do the trick, just be sure to read the label!
Metal or polymer AK magazines should remain dry on the inside. Lubricating the inside usually attracts all of the stuff you’re trying to keep out of your magazines.
You can apply a dry, spray-on lubricant directly on the spring that will help prevent corrosion and ensure smooth feeding.
If you have steel mags that don’t have a coat of paint, you can lightly oil the outside of the mag to help prevent any rust from forming.
How Long Should You Leave an AK Magazine Loaded?
Many people worry about keeping magazines fully loaded for long periods of time. If you purchased a bunch of older military surplus magazines, you should take them apart, clean them, and measure the spring to see if it’s still within specifications.
With AK magazines, you’re generally dealing with springs in excess of 19 inches. The standard mil-spec springs come in at 20 inches or longer depending on the manufacturer.
If your springs are measuring anywhere within the 19-22″ standard, you’re going to be just fine and should worry too much about keeping them fully loaded.
With longer, high-quality springs, this is less of a concern since there is usually more than enough spring tension to feed rounds even after months or years of fully loaded storage.
With the shorter 14″ AK springs in those oddball Tapco magazines, we would probably recommend against keeping them loaded or at the very least keeping them partially loaded.
Actually, we recommend tossing those trashy mags out and buying better magazines!
All magazines are disposable to some extent and have an average life expectancy that depends on how much you use them and how much hard use they receive.
Fortunately, if the shell of the magazine holds up, the internals can be replaced with new springs and followers to give the magazine a new lease on life.
Sometimes the internals can outlast the shell, especially on polymer mags without metal reinforcements. One tip for prolonging the life of the spring is to leave a few rounds out instead of filling it to maximum capacity.
That about does it for this article comrades! Let us know in the comment section below what products and methods you use to maintain your AK magazines.
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Hey Joe,
I recently bought a bunch of steel surplus AK mags from Romania and Poland. Most of them are in good condition but a few have rust on the inside of the mag with some pitting. I’m wondering if you have any idea on a solution to fully clean the rust off the inside of these mags since the rust isn’t really in a good spot to hit with a brush. Is there any way to fully clean the rust off these mags without harming the finish?
Vaporust is the best stuff I’ve found that’s organic and only attacks the rust. Just soak it in that for a few hours or a day if it’s really bad and all the rust will be dissolved but the finish should not be affected at all. You can reuse the solution over and over too. You can by it by the jug at harbor freight or Home Depot I think.