Croatian Bolt Hold Open Magazines for AK-47
Honestly, I am surprised that General Kalashnikov did not purposefully put in a bolt-hold open mechanism into an AK or its magazines. Recognizing the potential advantages of the system, the Yugoslavians built the functionality into their magazine. Sadly, Yugo magazines are expensive (I consider $25 expensive for an AK magazine) and can be harder to find.
Jerking the Trigger posted up a source for new Croatian magazines which are currently available for $10.95. The Magazines are in VCI (not cosmoline) to prohibit rust. The Croatian magazines are a direct copy of the Yugo design.
For those looking to modify their own. MrGunsnGear has a good video on the functionality of the magazines and the required modifications (Note- He uses Yugos, but they are functionally identical).
One of TFB's resident Jarheads, Nathan now works within the firearms industry. A consecutive Marine rifle and pistol expert, he enjoys local 3-gun, NFA, gunsmithing, MSR's, & high-speed gear. Nathan has traveled to over 30 countries working with US DoD & foreign MoDs.The above post is my opinion and does not reflect the views of any company or organization.
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Actually, I was making my own bolt-hold-open AK mags twenty years ago. I noted "the dimple", dremeled it out and lo and behold the follower can move a quarter inch higher and the bolt catches on the back of the follower. The problem is repeated contact between the bolt and the follower (unless it's properly hardened) will deform the back of the follower after fifty or so uses.
BTW, the Chinese had made a 20-round AK-style magazine for an indigenous Type 68 tanker rifle of theirs some decades ago. It was not manufactured with the dimpled follower stop and it functioned in a similar way. When I bought four of them to try them out (they functioned well in all AK rifles) I was surprised to find the bolts being held back by the follower. A little reverse engineering and I pretty much figured out that it could be done with any Sov-Bloc or standard Chinese 20 or 30 round magazine. It's pretty cool if you don't mind the back of the follower getting banged up and it always surprises AK officionados at the range.
trust me AR shooters dont know their emty untill they try to shoot and they feel no trigger,the bolt staying back after the mag is removed is handy,but having the bho on the last round fired is really the POINT! If you dont realise that,well your still a novice...carry on