magazine followers

I bought a 20 rd. detachable mag for my Chinese SKS from Centerfire earlier this year, and last week I got to run my 5th or 6th full mag of ammo through it. After the last round, I saw the bolt was about halfway closed so I thought it had jammed. When I looked, it was actually empty but the plastic follower had broken and lodged in front of the bolt. Does anyone make a detachable mag with a steel follower? I called Centerfire and he said they carry several brands of mags but didn't know if anyone made a steel follower version, and they didn't carry replacement followers so I'll need a whole new mag.

I do not know what type follower is in the SKS plastic mags. Are the followers in the SKS plastic mag removeable as in an AK??..., via the floorplate area or is the mag sealed/welded closed??. If you have a pic of the follower it will make comparison to an AK or other follower much easier.

I bought a 20 rd. detachable mag for my Chinese SKS from Centerfire earlier this year, and last week I got to run my 5th or 6th full mag of ammo through it. After the last round, I saw the bolt was about halfway closed so I thought it had jammed. When I looked, it was actually empty but the plastic follower had broken and lodged in front of the bolt. Does anyone make a detachable mag with a steel follower? I called Centerfire and he said they carry several brands of mags but didn't know if anyone made a steel follower version, and they didn't carry replacement followers so I'll need a whole new mag.

The only 20 round mag that I know of with a steel follower is the Chinese produced 20rd. extended steel mag. Some with the Chinese star, some without. BTW, they are considered a fixed mag as they detach in the same manner as the original 10 round mag. Just pivots open, still attached at the front.

The mag itself is steel, not the Zytel ones. The mag is sealed at the bottom but I can compress the spring a little and slide the old broken follower back in place from the front. I'll try to take a pic later on. I wonder why the factory mag has a nice steel follower, but the aftermarket guys just use plastic?

One thing for sure you will not squeeze a steel AK follower into that mag. There are US made plastic followers that may work and are more flexible. Dunno. May be time to put the original back on and go with stripper clips. They do not crack or break. Just a thought. :wink_smal

The 20 round Tapco I have has a plastic follower and a removable steel base plate. The mag cycled perfect when I shot the new SKS I have it installed in. But that was only 10 rounds. Anxious to see how it holds up to a 300 round day? You have me wondering if Tapco has replacement followers?:uhoh_smal

You have me wondering if Tapco has replacement followers?


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* Lifetime Guarantee

No kidding, they are guaranteed for life. I didn't bother to read the package it came in.

Went to a gun show today and all detachable mags I saw had plastic followers. I found one like I have so I looked at the follower, and I didn't realize how far down into the mag the back of it went. There's no way of getting a replacement in there, I'll need a whole new mag. That is really upsetting, because a $15 or $20 mag got only a few cycles out of it before it broke.