Editing AK-47 (section)

=== Magazines ===
[[File:Bakelite AK magazines.jpg|thumb|"Bakelite" rust-colored steel-reinforced 30-round plastic box 7.62×39mm AK magazines. Three magazines have an "arrow in triangle" [[Izhmash]] arsenal mark on the bottom right. The other magazine has a "star" [[Tula Arms Plant|Tula]] arsenal mark on the bottom right]]

The standard magazine capacity is 30 rounds. There are also 10-, 20-, and 40-round box magazines, as well as 75-round [[drum magazine|drum]] magazines.

The AK-47's standard 30-round magazines have a pronounced curve that allows them to smoothly feed ammunition into the chamber. Their heavy steel construction combined with "feed-lips" (the surfaces at the top of the magazine that control the angle at which the cartridge enters the chamber) machined from a single steel billet makes them highly resistant to damage. These magazines are so strong that "Soldiers have been known to use their mags as hammers, and even bottle openers".<ref name="Small Arms Defense Journal" /><ref name="magazine video" /> This contributes to the AK-47 magazine being more reliable but makes it heavier than US and NATO magazines.

The early slab-sided steel AK-47 30-round detachable box magazines had {{convert|1|mm|in|abbr=on}} sheet-metal bodies and weighed {{convert|0.43|kg|lb|abbr=on}} empty.<ref name="Dockery" /> The later steel AKM 30-round magazines had lighter sheet-metal bodies with prominent reinforcing ribs weighing {{convert|0.33|kg|lb|abbr=on}} empty.<ref name="Dockery" /><ref name="scribd2" /> To further reduce weight, a lightweight magazine with an aluminum body with a prominent reinforcing waffle rib pattern weighing {{convert|0.19|kg|lb|abbr=on}} empty was developed for the AKM that proved to be too fragile, and the small issued amount of these magazines were quickly withdrawn from service.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/09/17/guest-post-brief-history-kalashnikov-magazine-part-1-metal-magazines/ |title=A Brief History of the Kalashnikov Magazine Part 1: Metal Magazines |date=17 September 2016 |website=The Firearm Blog |access-date=2020-01-28}}</ref> As a replacement steel-reinforced 30-round plastic 7.62×39mm box magazines were introduced. These [[Rust (color)|rust-colored]] magazines weigh {{convert|0.24|kg|lb|abbr=on}} empty and are often mistakenly identified as being made of [[Bakelite]] (a [[phenolic resin]]), but were fabricated from two parts of AG-S4 molding compound (a [[glass-filled polymer|glass-reinforced]] phenol-[[formaldehyde]] binder impregnated composite), assembled using an [[epoxy resin]] adhesive.<ref name="Kokalis" /><ref name="AG-S4" /><ref name="Kokalis_49" /> Noted for their durability, these magazines did however compromise the rifle's camouflage and lacked the small horizontal reinforcing ribs running down both sides of the magazine body near the front that were added on all later plastic magazine generations.<ref name="Kokalis_49" /> A second-generation steel-reinforced dark-brown (color shades vary from [[maroon]] to [[Plum (color)|plum]] to near [[black]]) 30-round 7.62×39mm magazine was introduced in the early 1980s, fabricated from [[Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene|ABS]] plastic. The third generation steel-reinforced 30-round 7.62×39mm magazine is similar to the second generation, but is darker colored and has a matte non-reflective surface finish. The current issue is a steel-reinforced matte true black non- reflective surface finished 7.62×39mm 30-round magazine, fabricated from ABS plastic weighing {{convert|0.25|kg|lb|abbr=on}} empty.<ref name="izhmash" />

Early steel AK-47 magazines are {{convert|9.75|in|mm|abbr=on}} long; the later ribbed steel AKM and newer plastic 7.62×39mm magazines are about {{convert|1|in|mm|abbr=on}} shorter.<ref name="dtic.mil" /><ref name="tormented" />

The transition from steel to mainly plastic magazines yields a significant weight reduction and allows a soldier to carry more ammunition for the same weight.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" | Rifle
! style="background:#efefef;" | Cartridge
! style="background:#efefef;" | Weight of empty magazine
! style="background:#efefef;" | Weight of loaded magazine
! style="background:#efefef;" | Max. {{convert|10.12|kg|lbs|abbr=on}} ammunition load*
|-
| AK-47 (1949)
| rowspan="3" | [[7.62×39mm]]
| slab-sided steel<br />{{convert|430|g|lb|abbr=on}}
| 30-rounds<br />{{convert|916|g|lbs|abbr=on}}<ref name="Dockery" />
| 11 magazines for 330 rounds<br />{{convert|10.08|kg|lbs|abbr=on}}
|-
| [[AKM]] (1959)
| ribbed stamped-steel<br />{{convert|330|g|lbs|abbr=on}}
| 30-rounds<br />{{convert|819|g|lbs|abbr=on}}<ref name="Dockery" /><ref name="scribd2" />
| 12 magazines for 360 rounds<br />{{convert|9.83|kg|lbs|abbr=on}}
|-
| [[AK-103]] (1994)
| steel-reinforced plastic<br />{{convert|250|g|lbs|abbr=on}}
| 30-rounds<br />{{convert|739|g|lbs|abbr=on}}<ref name="Dockery" /><ref name="scribd2" />
| 13 magazines for 390 rounds<br />{{convert|9.61|kg|lbs|abbr=on}}
|}

All 7.62×39mm AK magazines are backward compatible with older AK variants.

10.12&nbsp;kg (22.3&nbsp;lb) is the maximum amount of ammo that the average soldier can comfortably carry. It also allows for the best comparison of the three most common 7.62×39mm AK magazines.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

Most Yugoslavian and some East German AK magazines were made with cartridge followers that hold the bolt open when empty; however, most AK magazine followers allow the bolt to close when the magazine is empty.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}