AK47 doesn't lock back on empty mag?

H

Holmes

New member
I am considering getting a Romanian SAR-1, and had an opportunity to go to a gunshow and play with one. I noticed that the action did not lock back on an empty magazine. Is this suppposed to be like this? Are all AK's like this, or is it peculiar to the SAR-1 or the magazines, or something else?

If they do come like this, are there any after-market parts that will lock the bolt back on an empty mag?

Thanks for your help.
 
AK bolts don't lock back after the last round. I don't know of a way to make it happen, either. However, you can gring a "hook" onto the safety lever, and use that to hold the bolt if, say, your range insists that the bolt be open when going downrange. This of course won't work automatically when you're out of ammo...you'd have to set it.
 
It's typical AK. Ak mags lack a tab at the rear of the magazine's follower that would trip a hold open device, so adding one would be difficult. Just try not to run the mag dry if the SHTF.

I wouldn't really consider it much more than an inconvienence. The well respected HK 9x series (with the exception of the MP5-10mm/40S&W) have no last shot hold open device and training takes that into account.

About the only AK-like rifles that have a last shot bolt hold open device is the Czech Vz-58. The Vz looks like an AK, but it is very different internally. It uses a tipping bolt, like the FAL/BAR, a short stroke gas piston, and an offset recoil spring. The mag catch is also offset to the left to clear the magazine's bolt hold open setup.
 
RPB used to sell a Russian military "bolt hold open" device which basically put a hooked piece of sheet steel onto the saftey so you could lock the action open for range use or a quick and dirty cleaning, or to aid in cooling the barrel after heavy firing.

They don't lock back normally.
 
Thanks a lot guys.

Just what I was looking for. I guess I was just surprised I hadn't read about this in all my AK research.

Thanks again.
 
Holmes...here's a trick that works...as long as it's not really dry outside: Load 3 tracers in the mag before the rest of the ammo...when you see a "laser" shooting from your rifle, change mags.
 
the yugoslavia made their ak to open on empty mag but the russian and the clones don't
so doesn't galil or the inch FAL i think the g3 doesn't have one ether u can live with it
first time i hear about the mp5 could e true i'll take your word for it
any SWAT or leo who have had experience with the mp5 your imput whould e useful
 
I own a SAR-1, and it is as good as any other AK that I`ve owned.

If I remember right, the "fix" to the lack of a bolt hold open device, is to hold your charging handle all the way to the rear, and then release the hammer by pulling the trigger, then slowly ease the charging handle forward and it should reach a point to where it "stays open".

After you are ready to close the bolt and fire or just to unlock the bolt, just pull the charging handle all the way to the rear again (which re-cocks the hammer) and let it forward again as normal...

Don`t know if this works on all AK`s, but it works on mine. :D

Just my .02 cents worth, :)

Howard
 
Bolt hold open.

If you want to be able to hold the bolt open, for cooling or safety reasons there is a simple way to do this. You can buy or modify your own by milling out a small slot in the selector lever to hold the bolt. You open the bolt and flip the selector into the safe mode and it holds it back.

The other way to do it, and it would hold the bolt open on the last shot as well, would be to find the same device they use on the PSL (Romanian sniper rifle). It seems that it would work well with the AKs as well. Now if someone like KVar or Progressive were to import these, I would happily modify all of my AKs to use this.
 
Tracer trick

When you see three tracers emerge from your opponent's foxhole, run at him screaming like a banshee, and bayonet him while he's reloading...
 
IIRC, the Com-bloc countries advocated loading a tracer as the second round in your mag, so the next to the last round fired was a tracer. They would pack a few boxes of tracers in with every case of regular ammo.

BTW, the L1A1 (British FN-FAL) also does not have a bolt hold-open device. The British decided that they didn't want open bolts in their soldier's rifles to let sand and other debris into the action. In the case of the AK, I think they just wanted to make it simple as possible.
 
I agrre with Bogie..tracers are bad news... even if you have one round after that is only one round and you could miss, plus they are the pits in night fighting.

One comforting thought in the heat( noise, adreniline, busted eardrums and other lovelies) of combat even with a bold hold device you may not notice any way! Just try and keep track of your ammo expendeture and load your own mags ( if not unload count and reload- this may save your life)...keep the mag tped off and enjoy!
 
Yesh, I meant to say keep your mag topped off.

As an after thought in a reliable action like an AK could or should we drill a hole or two in the mag to observe our progress?????
 
originally posted by GIT_SOME.45
If I remember right, the "fix" to the lack of a bolt hold open device, is to hold your charging handle all the way to the rear, and then release the hammer by pulling the trigger, then slowly ease the charging handle forward and it should reach a point to where it "stays open".
Click to expand...

Works for me too. That's easiest way to keep your AK bolt open during a cease-fire.
 
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