75 round AK drum

Does anyone have or know of problems with 75 round AK drums? Lots of people have said they dont work very well. Are they any good brands for them, or do most of them work? Also I read where somone refered to an AK as an AKM. What's the M stand for?

One of my friends used to own an SKS that he modified to accept ak 30 round mags, he had a 75 round drum for it as well, we probably put easily 1000 rounds through it and besides a couple regular jams with the gun (Not the drum) He never had a problem with it. I have no idea who made it, it was generic I believe.

As far as the akm, it's just the designation of one of the newer ak's.

Kalashnikov variants include:

AK-47 1948–51, 7.62 × 39 mm — The very earliest models with the Type 1 stamped sheet metal receiver are now very rare.
AK-47 1952, 7.62 × 39 mm — Has a milled receiver and wooden buttstock and handguard. Barrel and chamber are chrome plated to resist corrosion. Rifle weight is 4.2 kg.
AKS-47 — Featured a downward-folding metal stock similar to that of the German MP40, for use in the restricted space in the BMP infantry combat vehicle.
RPK, 7.62 × 39 mm — Squad automatic rifle version with longer barrel and bipod.
AKM, 7.62 × 39 mm — A simplified, lighter version of the AK-47; Type 4 receiver is made from stamped and riveted sheet metal (see schematic above). A slanted muzzle device was added to counter climb in automatic fire. Rifle weight is 3.61 kg, due to the lighter receiver.
AKMS, 7.62 × 39 mm — Folding-stock version of the AKM intended for airborne troops. Stock may be either side- or under-folding
AKMSU, 7.62 × 39 mm — Folding-stock and shortened version of the AKM intended for airborne troops. Stock is under-folding and barrel is 35cm long
AK-74 series, 5.45 × 39 mm — See main article for details.
AK-101 series
AK-103 series
AK-107/108 series
In 1978, the Soviet Union began replacing their AK-47 and AKM rifles with a newer design, the AK-74. This new rifle and cartridge had only started being exported to eastern European nations when the Soviet Union collapsed, drastically slowing production of this and all other small arms.

LINK

Google is a wonderful thing.

-DT

Hey, does anyone know what "bumpfire" means?

I believe bumpfire is a term used to describe the action of allowing recoil from firing to 'bump' the rifle off a stiff shoulder and back into your waiting trigger finger, thus enabling a sort of automatic firing action.

As Derek mentioned, Google is a wonderful thing...

(On an unrelated note, what the Hell does anybody need with 75 round magazines? Is there a lot of brush on your property that you want to clear? The number of the vermin in the rhubarb patch is approaching 'legion' proportions?)

if any one has seen the documentary on the north Hollywood shoot out you would know that those gunmen used AK-47's and drum mags. They packed about 4000 rounds into the back of a car and simply stood outside a bank, surrounded by 300 police officers armed only with barretas (spelling?). They wore full body armor and resembled riot police gone overboard as they were in penetrable by any pistol fire.

On topic, why would you need a 75 round drum mag on a SKS? I thought they were semi auto anyway or am I wrong?

Also I think they would use them as a light support weapon on an AK-47/74 possibly with a fore grip or bipod. it seems a logical idea to use that configuration instead of lugging heavy LMG's around.

So are there any "good brands" for these drums. Or at least ones you should stay away from?

Funny_pom
the 75 drum-mag was originally intended to be used with heavy barreled RPK LMGs (basically an AK with heavy barrel and bipod), but as the mags are interchangeable with normal AKs the mags have since been used with all AK variants.

So are there any "good brands" for these drums. Or at least ones you should stay away from?

Does anyone know?

Originally posted by northwolf
Funny_pom
the 75 drum-mag was originally intended to be used with heavy barreled RPK LMGs (basically an AK with heavy barrel and bipod), but as the mags are interchangeable with normal AKs the mags have since been used with all AK variants.

thats kinda what i was getting at, RPK's instead of such LMG's as PKM's and other large, belt fed machineguns.

and no in dont know of any brands of magazine, i thought there would simply be a AK brand but thats jut me being ignorant i guess. i suggest Google. search 'what is the best 75 round drum magazine' of something like that and you should hopefull get a post in a forum more dedicated to firearms.

good hunting

Wow! I just found out that you load the drum, hit somthing on the inside of it, close it, fire 20 rounds and stop, crank a key, fire 20 rounds and repeat. Is that how ALL the drums work? If so, then they seem very "non-tactical".

The original AK-47 had a milled receiver, in simple terms the recever was cut from a solid steel billet.. The AKM has a stamped receiver - Ivan the machinist gets a big piece of flat steel, sticks it in a press and hits the button. The first one is strong but expensive and slow to manufacture, the second is the exact opposite but still works just fine - almost all AKs out there have stamped receivers now, even Arsenal AKs have switched to stamped - pity.

Bump firing is generally done from the hip, never seen it done from the shoulder. It goes something like this - hook thumb in loop of jeans belt holder, put trigger finger on trigger, fire, allow counter force to recoil to push the gun back into trigger finger. If you get it right, simulated full auto is very easy to achieve.

So do you have to crank a key for all the AK drums to fire? Fire 20 rounds and crank, repeat untill the drum is empty? Is that how all the drum are?

All Ak drums i've seen (mostly made in USSR) fire the entire 75rnds in a single burst (providing that you have a full auto weapon ofcourse) So i assume that drum is some cheap copy.

Originally posted by Full_Auto77
So are there any "good brands" for these drums. Or at least ones you should stay away from?

Does anyone know?

If i remember correctly, I think the European made drum are the ones that is harder to load and can cause blisters while loading.... might have to double check that

[edit on 18-10-2006 by IspyU]

Very prone to stoppages, and if fired off in one go can make the weapon too hot to hold.

By the sounds of it, it can also numb the lower arms due to vibration from full auto fire

If you were to fire an automatic weapon using this then fire in short burst other wise you'll have better luck shooting a passing bird.
The hip firing technique seems practical in reducing the effect of recoil and bump but can you effectively aim at your target. Especially in a vertical axis.

I'm waiting for Beta C-Mag to come out with a drum mag for my M14.. just got to love those double drums... they already have one for AK's double drums

Originally posted by Full_Auto77
So do you have to crank a key for all the AK drums to fire? Fire 20 rounds and crank, repeat untill the drum is empty? Is that how all the drum are?

The ones I have seen are primed by turning a clockwork key against a return spring, but they should empty the drum on one "winding". Better than loading against the spring in many ways.

The one my friend had took a few turns of the key to "wind the coil" but fired all 75 rounds without turning it again.

-DT

AKM=Modernized Automatic Kalishnikov

An AKM is the stamped receiver version of the russian AK-47. AK-74 are all stamped reciever so they keep the same designation.

Romanian drums are great, but the bullets inside make an awfull racket if you are running or climbing. most of the negativity you've heard probably come from it being an AK mag. People LOVE to trash talk AKs and the 7.62x39m43 cartridge. I guess because so many US soldier have been killed by them.

An interesting side note. The AK-74 and AK-100 series have a quad stack magazine that holds 60rnds and is easier to carry/operate than a drum. However, drums can be loaded indefinatly without concern of damaged springs.