Quote:
Originally Posted by WallShadow
So I take it the SKS that had been converted to the AK mag magazine adapter would suffer some or all of the flaws of the AK itself?
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There are two ways to convert the SKS to detachable magazines.
The first is to use the "Duckbill" magazine pioneered in the 1990's by TAPCO and made by several companies today. The "Duckbill Magazine" gets its name from a projecting "flange" located at the nose of the magazine just below the feed lips side of the magazine. This projection is used to hold or "lock" the magazine into a special recess cut into the bottom of the SKS's receiver that holds the SKS's original integral 10 round magazine in place. Converting the SKS to use a "Duckbill Magazine" is extremely easy. You simply disassemble the SKS and take off the integral magazine and reassemble the SKS SANS THE INTEGRAL MAGAZINE. The cutout and the SKS's factory original magazine release (to dump the integral magazine's rounds), located in front of the trigger guard, hold the "Duckbill Magazine" in place. There are NO special parts needed but there are a few issues with using these magazines. The first is that the magazine release (originally intended to only dump the integral mag's ammo) is pretty small. It can be difficult to operate under stress. The second issue is that removing the integral magazine also removes the magazine follower (leaving a hole in the bottom of the receiver). This removes the bolt hold open feature of the SKS and the bolt will close on an empty chamber. The third is that a closed bolt will ride into the top of the magazine cutout below the barrel. This means that a "Duckbill Magazine" CANNOT be loaded into an SKS WHILE THE BOLT IS CLOSED. With no bolt hold open, the shooter MUST hold the bolt BACK (in the open position) while inserting the magazine. Magazines are inserted "duckbill" first and then rocked back until the tab on the back of the magazine is grabbed by the SKS's magazine release tab. This makes the loading of a "Duckbill Magazine" more complex (and much slower) than an AK reload. Ironically, "Duckbilled SKSs" were a VERY COMMON weapon among US Militias (the private ones that formed to oppose the '94 Assault Weapons Ban) because magazines were $20 and an SKS was around $100 to $150 for NEW Chinese production (Norinco).
The normal "combat loading" of a "Duckbill SKS" is to use what is known as The Iraqi Marine Reload for AKs. It involves holding the rifle to your right shoulder by the bolt handle (held by your right hand) while reloading with your left hand. THIS IS A VERY UNSTABLE RELOAD (rifles have been dropped during this reload).
The second method of converting SKS rifles to use AK mags involves a replacement bolt and dropping the integral magazine as well. This method CAN require "fitting" by a gunsmith (AVE: Gunsmithing) to get the new bolt to properly "head-space" in the chamber but doesn't usually involve modifying the actual SKS (so you could convert it back to original specs). This method MAY replace the SKS mag dump release with a proper AK paddle or it may leave the SKS release "as is." The SKS can use stock AK magazines and the bolt hold-open is also removed. The reload is identical to an AK reload. This "conversion" was pioneered by the Chinese and they had several thousand conversions in the 90's. Today, you can buy a "drop-in" conversion kit for the SKS. The cost is around $200 US.
Neither of these conversions can match the speed of a stock SKS reload and there is a danger that magazines being held by the stock SKS "dump release" may disengage and fall out of the rifle under "rough handling" (like in combat). I would make a converted rifle save by rolling ABOVE it's Wear Number on 1D10 when handled roughly, or the magazine dumps from the rifle.
Conventional Conversions:
I guess I should mention that US shooters have two other options for the SKS. They can install an integral 5 round magazine designed just like the original one (and primarily used for hunting) for about $15 US, and an "extended" integral 20 round magazine that can be found for about $30 US. These can both be fed by the original rifle's stripper clips. the 5-round mag is VERY COMMON (for hunting) but the 20-round mag is fairly rare.