The SKS rifle is one that is very powerful and accurate, especially with old-school rifle enthusiasts. The majority of weapon systems, if not all, are prone to customization in the right hands. The SKS rifle is no exception to this.
It is without a doubt that there is an emerging aftermarket for the SKS rifle, and increase in versatility in its use. That means there are so many different magazine options that are readily available for the SKS rifle.
With all that aftermarket upgrades that are easily available now, you should definitely consider upgrading your SKS rifle to make it more effective and power packed. That will be the leading focus of this article – specifically on the SKS magazine and its upgrades.
Look into conventional stripper clips and magazines, and compare them with the SKS ones.
Magazines | Name | Editor’s Comment | Rating | Get The Best Deal |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pro Mag SKS Magazine Polymer 7.62x39mm (5 Rounds) | Most Recommended Option 1. Usable in States with restrictive laws | 10/10 | SHOP NOW | |
KCI USA SKS Magazine 7.62×39 (75 rounds) | Premium Option 1. Huge 75 round capacity | 9.5/10 | SHOP NOW | |
Tapco Weapons Accessories SKS Magazine (20 rounds) | 1. Lightweight Polymer Construction 2. Locks firmly and doesn’t wobble 3. Great value | 7.0/10 | SHOP NOW |
The Criteria: How Do I Identify SKS Magazines That Work The Best?
Choosing a magazine that is good for your SKS rifle will take some time and a bit of knowledge on how to differentiate a great one from one that is not. You may need to know some of the key features and characteristics so that you can make a quick and well-informed decision on which magazine works best for you.
Here are some of the criteria you should keep your eyes out on.
Pricing
Pricing is one of the most common factors for you to look out for when choosing just about any products. And choosing an SKS magazine is no exception to that. The price tag is something that is considered as one of the common factors.
However, try not to let it be the only deciding factor as to why you should purchase it. You will need to be able to invest in the best quality and performance you can afford. Tha means not settling for a magazine that is cheap and flimsy. Be sure to consider your budget and find a magazine that is best for your budget.
Materials
The material is the other important factor you should take into consideration beside the price point. The best materials you can get in a magazine are polymer and some other metals like steel.
You will definitely want something that is tough and can hit hard and solid pavement without having it getting damaged or breaking apart. There will be times where you will need to quickly switch out your magazines. That way the old ones will fall to the ground while you quickly load a new one. You can always retrieve them later and reuse them as long as they are not broken or busted.
Reliability
If you can fit a magazine within a magazine well, and go through the whole thing without any kind of jamming or malfunctioning time after time. Then you will know the magazine is one that is pretty reliable.
It is quite important that you pay close attention to any customer feedbacks while you are searching for magazines everywhere. If the consistent message implies that there are no mal-functions (and similar), then there is a solid chance that it may work the same for you.
Why Are Aftermarket SKS Magazines the Best?
If you are a gun owner who possesses an original, nun-customized SKS rifle, it will come with a built-in internal box magazine with a capacity of 10 rounds. The SKS was invented at a time when the rifle industry was still relying on semi-automatic and single shotguns.
As the rifle technology currently advancing, there are a lot of types of accessories available. One of them is the magazine. The SKS rifle features an internal box magazine that has to be loaded either using a stripper clip or by hand – round by round.
Loading an SKS rifle is a somewhat time-consuming process compared to using a magazine. Magazines for the SKS are available in several round capacity variants – 5, 10, 20, 30, 35, 50, and even 50 round capacities. This enhances your overall shooting experience and prevents you from loading rounds every now and then.
On top of that, using magazines for your SKS rifle enhances your ammunition carrying and managing capabilities. If you are using your SKS rifles for competitions, then the 10 round capacity and stripper clip loading mechanism are definitely not going to help much.
If you need to know – a good SKS magazine must be durable, quick to load, easy to attach, and efficient with cycling rounds.
The Best SKS Magazines That Work in 2022 : Reviewed
Now that we are done discussing about the criteria section, let’s have a look at some of the best SKS magazines. As you go through each magazines, make sure to note down the features and characteristics of each one so you can find one that is the best for your SKS rifle.
Find yourself one that may match your ideal description of the magazine you are looking for. You are bound to find one that is close enough. We have sorted through some of the better SKS magazines based on its features, ease of use, efficiency, and price. All that out of some of the best magazines on the market currently.
1. Pro Mag SKS Magazine Polymer 7.62x39mm (5 Rounds)
The majority of new users are quite happy with these rounds when they bought it, considering how some of the features that came with it. It is one of the most affordable option for gun owners who are on a budget.
They also mentioned how the quality was pretty top-notched, with one user saying how he was able to use this for the main purpose of hunting. He believed mostly that 5 rounds are good enough for him. However, he has extras just in case he wanted to spend time at the range for a few hours.
The reason why it stands out to a lot of gun owners is because even with 5 rounds at anyone’s disposal, it is pretty damn useful for those who loves to hunt or just fire off rounds at the range.
That may not be enough for some people. If that is the case, then you can either buy extras or look for another magazine. However, if you think that 5 shots per magazine is something you prefer over the most, then by all means you can use this magazine for all your shooting needs.
The Pro Mag SKS magazine features polymer construction and a 5 round capacity. The magazine is made for people who are living in the States where 5+ round capacity magazines have been banned. It also can be easily installed in your SKS rifle without making modifications to the original stocks.
This magazine will be a great option for SKS rifle hunters and casual target shooters everywhere. It may not be as useful for people who are competitive shooter who needs more rounds in once magazine.
It may also be a good match for those who are beginner users of an SKS rifle too. Plus if you want to up the ante on your capacity, you will have plenty of magazines at your disposal.
The bottom line is that if you want a magazine that is affordable and will have a reasonable capacity for its users, then you will want to consider this Pro Mag SKS Polymer Magazine. You will probably end up using extras or making a step up in the future. Or you may want to stick with these for the long run if you like it well enough.
Regardless of what you are looking for, these magazines are pretty reliable and fun to use for any applications. This Pro Mag SKS magazine has a limited 5 round capacity, which is even less than the original ammo holding capacity of the SKS rifle.
To say the least, this magazine is useful for gun owners who live in American States with laws restricting magazine capacities to less than 10 rounds. The price point is quite decent and will not hurt your pocket.
2. KCI USA SJS 7.62x39mm (75 Rounds)
A lot of the new gun users who are competitive shooters or casual target shooters will need a whole lot of rounds to work with for their casual shooting sessions. Aside from the huge amount of rounds they it can take up, the magazine is pretty solid and durable with thanks to the polymer material of the magazine.
One of the users said that he was able to load this with the help of a speed-loader and was able to blast through approximately 1000 rounds without a single malfunction to report. So far to date, he has been quite impressed with this magazine.
The reason why it stands out to a lot of gun users is because this magazine carries 75 rounds. It isn’t a typo error or a mistake. It really has a 75 rounds capacity. That is probably a lot more ammo than you know what to do with.
However, you should fret less. This magazine may be the best possible option for those who likes to shoot bullets at targets in a casual or competitive setting. Therefore, if you are looking for a magazine that can give you a lot of rounds to work with at the range, or while you are in the middle of an intense competition, then this magazine will definitely be the go-to choice for you.
The KCI magazine is a custom-made option for SKS enthusiast who likes to shoot an SKS like a machine gun. The magazine can be opened using 2 latches provided at the rear without fighting the spring tension.
It can be stored for quite a long time with 0 tension on the spring. This magazine has been made using stamped steel and has the capacity of 75 rounds. The drum magazine is manufactured in South Korea, if you need to know.
If you are someone who needs a large-capacity magazine for target shooting or competition shooting, then this magazine will be great for someone with such needs. You can try it out for hunting purposes, but they may make it feel like it’s out of place.
However, none of us on here will judge you if you do. But if you have plenty of rounds at your disposal and want something that is reliable with every shot you fire, then this magazine will be what you are looking for.
The bottom line is that the KCI USA SKS 75 round magazine is a competitive or a casual gun user’s best friend. With so many rounds on your hand, you certainly will want a magazine that can handle a steady lot of them.
This may just be the magazine that is large enough to hold all of them together before you are able to fire them off. Sure enough, 75 rounds may seem like it’s a lot. But rest assured, they are a whole lot of fun to fire off.
The KCI magazine offers you a huge 75 round capacity so you can shoot for longer durations without needing to reload. It can be loaded quickly by opening the rear cover, reducing load time too. It also can be loaded quickly by opening the rear cover, reducing load times. But the magazine is only useful for shooting down the range.
People do use it for hunting, defence, or competitions, but it does not seem very practical. It has been priced to fit almost everyone’s budget.
3. Tapco Weapons Accessories SKS Magazine 7.62x39mm (20 Rounds)
This is another magazine that a lot of new users are quite satisfied with. They are quick to point out the durability of the magazine. They also mentioned that the polymer material makes it impossible to damage when it hits the hard ground surface.
What is even better is that the clip remains reliable and jam-free for them even up through 1000 yards. One of the users said that he uses his SKS rifles for target shooting and has yet to come across a disappointing magazine.
Coming in at 20 rounds, this magazine gives you a lot of great fire power. Hence, if you shoot targets or go hunting, then you will know that you will have plenty of shots to work with. The magazine itself is easy to slide into the magazine will and will not jam on you when you need to switch it out to a new one.
To put it simply, it will not waste your time when you are in a dire situation where timing is not your friend or on your side. If you want durability and reliability, this clip will be the go-to choice for you. The Tapco Weapons polymer magazine for the SKS rifle is an effective upgrade to a rifle. The 20 round capacity of the magazine is optimum for most gun owners.
If you wish to use this magazine, all you need to do is to simply have to remove the rifle’s internal magazine and hinged floor plates. And you are good to go!
Several rifles with wooden stocks may require alterations to the Magwell. The anti-tilt follower ensures proper feeding of rounds, whereas the steel base plate is an addition to the durability of the rifle.
The horizontal ribbing on the exterior provides a firm gripping surface for the shooter. At the same time, the company offers a lifetime warranty over this product. It counts as 3 parts for compliance with US Code Title 18 Section 922(r) part-source requirements. The magazine is also available in a 10 round variant if you need to know.
This will stand out as a great magazine for any gun owners who wants the best in durability and reliability. That means, if you want something that is hard-core and impervious to any damage while providing jam-free shooting, then you will certainly want to give this magazine a try.
You will not be disappointed with the overall ability of this magazine if you choose to get it for your own SKS rifles.
The bottom line is that the Tapco Weapons Accessories SKS 20 rounds magazine will definitely be the go-to choice for those who wants the best quality magazines in the business. Since they are so easy to load, they are also easy to empty out thanks to its ability to not jam on you at any given time.
The Tapco 20 rounds magazine for the SKS is a lightweight and easy to install magazine upgrade for your SKS rifles. The magazine is quite renowned on the market and is available at an exceptional price point when compared to its counterparts.
At the same time, the 20 round capacity is quite balanced, which provides you with ample ammunition to shoot. Meanwhile, it does not add much to the weight of your SKS rifle.
Our Verdict
Generally the SKS rifle has a very limited holding capacity of 10 rounds, which is also time consuming for a lot of gun owners to load. Stripper clips are quite slow to use and handle as compared to magazines. Using magazines offers greater ammunition capacity and quick reloading of the SKS rifle.
A good SKS rifle magazine must be lightweight, durable, and should fit snug with the SKS rifle. On top of that, make sure to check with your local state laws (if you are residing in the USA) before upgrading your SKS magazine).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is The Best SKS Magazine?
The best SKS magazine goes to Pro Mag SKS Magazine Polymer 7.62x39mm (5 Rounds) because of its affordability, incredibly lightweight and does not require any form of modifications to your stock. Plus, this SKS mag is excellent for gun owners which live in regions that have more gun restriction laws which usually capped at 10 rounds or lesser. Furthermore, this SKS mag is reliable, durable and suitable for avid SKS rifle owners.
Which Fits Better Between The SKS Stripper Clips and Detachable Magazines?
Many gun owners think that detachable magazines are better. Stripper clips have their own advantages over magazines, but compare the 2 is like comparing an axe with a chainsaw.
A stripper clip is a curved piece of metal that has a margined groove to hold 5 or 10 rounds at once. TO load the rifle, you will have to fit the end of the clip into the grove of the loading port and push down the rounds within the internal magazine with the push of your thumb.
It does sound very easy, doesn’t it? It’s definitely quick and easy for a seasoned and well trained WW2 soldier who has loaded several hundreds of rounds using stripper clips in his lifetime. However, when compared with load times of magazines, it’s quite low.
The average time for changing a magazine is 3-4 seconds. On the other hand, the average time for loading rounds using a stripper clip can be anywhere between 7 to 8 seconds or more. On top of it, the loading slot is harder to find for the stripper clip, as compared to the wide magwell for the magazine.
Apart from all of these, the stripper clips are also prone to losing rounds while carrying or loading. They may fall out of your pockets or when you try to load them into the SKS rifles.
All these stated particulars are in no way made to undermine the stripper clips. Stripper clips are lightweight, very economical, and a cheap option when compared to magazines. You can also carry a lot of these clips at once without adding much weight to your gears.
But on the other hand, the agility, holding capacity, and ease of use with magazines overshadows the qualities of stripper clips. Feeding ammunition to your SKS rifles under a stressful situation is far easier when using a magazine, as compared to the stripper clips.
Additionally, you can also injure your fingers or get them fatigued while trying to use clips. Stripper clips are surely not for people who are suffering from arthritis also.
Hello there, it’s Michael here. A gun lover since young, served the country for the last 20 years. I started the blog to share my experience and gun-related knowledge accumulated throughout the years. Hopefully, you will find something useful over here or just have fun! You can learn more about me here.