AK Sponsor
US PALM launches AK30 Magazine (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 10/5/2009 7:23:03 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SGCUSA][Edited]
|
This is a continuation of the thread located at: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=64&t=122383
October 5, 2009 (Scottsdale, AZ) – US Primary Armament & Logistical Manufacturing (US PALM) is proud to announce the introduction of our first product, the AK30 Magazine. The AK30 is 100% made in the USA. This new 30 round magazine fits all AK-47 rifles that use a detachable double-stack magazine. The AK30 is constructed of proprietary aerospace polymers from TangoDown, and its unique features and purpose-built design set itself apart from other polymer magazines. We eliminated the removable floor plate so the magazine became a five-sided box. This unique design helped increase the strength and durability of the AK30, and utilizing the latest polymers makes this one of the most durable magazines on the planet. After molding, we permanently bond the body and end-cap together with molecular level adhesives, so no disassembly is possible or required. The AK30 has a unique low-friction semi-floating follower that is slotted to allow for easy cleaning and hassle-free maintenance. To clean it, dunk the magazine in hot soapy water, rinse, and invert to drain. The AK30 features a premium chromium-silicon spring that is heat treated, stress relieved and moly-coated and is rated for 100,000+ cycles. The AK30 is more than just a pretty face. This magazine was designed with a purpose. A stainless steel cage is molded into the top of the magazine to reinforce the feed lips and locking surfaces. The aggressive ridges on the front and rear allow a positive purchase when seating the AK30 into a rifle. The deep waffle pattern on the magazine's sides assist in rapid extraction from mag pouches. Every surface of the AK30 was given careful consideration to benefit the operator working in the world's harshest conditions. We took input from numerous industry professionals: real world operators, military and police active duty personnel, firearms instructors, manufacturing experts, and polymer industry chemists. We asked questions and when they spoke – we listened. We did our research to ensure the AK30 would be successful from day one. The AK30 will be available by the end of this month in Black, FDE, and Bakelite colors for $29.95. For developments on this and other products visit http://www.us-palm.com/ 
|
|
Originally Posted By briansmithwins:
+1 Am with Brian. My waffles & ridgebacks all have floorplates, have been drop-tested (with the operator as the impetus sometimes) and TEMPERATURE tested. I'd be willing to take a couple of prototypes & test up in my neck of the northwoods here thru February & then return, or buy them & post about them. Not saying a decent US-made AK mag isn't overdue, but have just found that people in the desert making polymer-like things tend to think that 60° F is freezing. Show me; I live up here in this stuff.
Sounds interesting. Get the price down to $10 ea and I'll quit buying commie steel AK mags. Hell, get the price down to $20 a pop and I'll quit hunting Bulgy waffles. BSW 
|
|
We've got a new video of the AK30 mag up. Here's a link: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=2&f=327&t=180029
|
We will begin fulfilling contract purchases with the final product next week. Look for about a three week additional wait for retail availability, as they need to work through the distributor system. We have been inundated with "special" people needing lots of "samples." 
|
|
Originally Posted By Melvin_Johnson:
Any update on availability? We hear ya'! We're all very encouraged by the tremendous response and eagerness of the AK shooters, both here and abroad. Believe me, we want to get these out in your hands as fast as we can.
The bottom line is, we underestimated the initial fervor and have been inundated with unexpected Secret Squirrel and 3-letter-agency requests. These are taking all production units at the moment. US PALM's position is; if war fighters need good gear NOW, we will do everything in our power to service that need. Here's the sit-rep on the product. We have not made any substantial mod's or tweaks, so we're 100% good to go in any production AK. We have had over 18,000 rounds fired through 33 different patterns/configurations of AK's. We are 110% satisfied these are the best AK47 magazines available, period. We are videotaping all the common tests, and yes, that includes the drop test ––both muzzle and butt stock impact, the push-up test, the run it over with my dumb-assed truck test, we even locked a Marine recruit in a dark closet for an hour with nothing but an AK30 mag and an MRE spoon [it survived, but we had to use a metric-shit ton of Pine Fresh to get it cleaned up] and a few more to send chills down the other mag guys necks  We will post the links through all the accepted points of contact like our web site, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, etc.
We also had the pleasure to be involved with a segment on Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre World, where he shoots numerous AK47's with our mags in them. I have no idea when it will air [check our Twitter] but it was cool to have that opportunity. Sorry for the "too cool for school" mosaic faces, but we're in a media black out on those images until the show airs. 
|
|
Not to slam your product but $30 bucks is pretty high considering you can buy bulgarian waffle mags that are steel lined, built like a tank and can be disassembled for cheaper. You can also buy commie steel mags for $9 and they are well built and reliable.
For an untested mag I think $30 is actually rediculous. There are too many US made parts that can be swapped out to have to use a US magazine for 922 compliance. I'm sure design and fabrication wasn't cheap on getting these built but I think a fair price would be no more than $10. Anything over that and people will just stick to the cheaper commie mags. I know I will. |
|
Originally Posted By NightHawk:
Not to slam your product but $30 bucks is pretty high considering you can buy bulgarian waffle mags that are steel lined, built like a tank and can be disassembled for cheaper. You can also buy commie steel mags for $9 and they are well built and reliable. For an untested mag I think $30 is actually rediculous. There are too many US made parts that can be swapped out to have to use a US magazine for 922 compliance. I'm sure design and fabrication wasn't cheap on getting these built but I think a fair price would be no more than $10. Anything over that and people will just stick to the cheaper commie mags. I know I will. This stuff right here will be your biggest obstacle. It will be hard to convince people that your mags are just as goods as––maybe better than––real Commie mags. What makes it worse is that your mags are set to retail for almost 3x the price of a good STEEL mag. If you can get the price down to somewhere in the $18-$22 range, I think you'll have a sure winner. |
|
Originally Posted By briansmithwins:
Sounds interesting. Get the price down to $10 ea and I'll quit buying commie steel AK mags. Hell, get the price down to $20 a pop and I'll quit hunting Bulgy waffles. BSW +1000! Me too |
Getting better 5.56mm, 5.45mm, and 7.62mm at a time...
|
Originally Posted By NightHawk:
Not to slam your product but $30 bucks is pretty high considering you can buy bulgarian waffle mags that are steel lined, built like a tank and can be disassembled for cheaper. You can also buy commie steel mags for $9 and they are well built and reliable. For an untested mag I think $30 is actually rediculous. There are too many US made parts that can be swapped out to have to use a US magazine for 922 compliance. I'm sure design and fabrication wasn't cheap on getting these built but I think a fair price would be no more than $10. Anything over that and people will just stick to the cheaper commie mags. I know I will. I know that the idea of supporting a US company just because they are a US company is a little foreign to people who love commie built guns, but I'm pretty excited about these mags because a US company seems to be putting out a really good product. I'm planning on buying a couple when they become available. Hopefully I'll be buying more than that if they turn out to be as good as they look. The whole issue of not being able to disassemble them is kind of irrelevant to me. I've put plenty of military rifles through a lot of bad conditions and I've hardly ever had a mag issue that really required full disassembly to set it right. Since these things are made of polymer and stainless steel, it shouldn't be a problem to just rinse them out every once in awhile. Frankly I think most mags are built with removable floor plates because it's just easier and cheaper to manufacture them like that. |
|
Originally Posted By bigtexan11764:
If the AK30 turns out to be a quality product, we should support the US manufacturer. The price will likely drop after the company gets the production line rolling. I agree ......to a point. Bringing out a new and improved AK 47 mag in a market dominated by mil-spec mags for 1/2 to as low as 1/3 their asking price...NOT the smartest marketing move. That said.... ...I'll buy ONE anyway to try it. I wave the flag and "Buy American" as much as I can but throwing money AWAY foolsihly is something else again. Send me one of the cool hats...and I may buy TWO!! 
FN in MT |
|
I would expect these to be in the $20-25 range in a year or so, based on other products.
If they get there, I'd buy a couple just to support a U.S. company. If I have a job by then. 
(That's another thing that may hurt this product launch. It couldn't have happened at a worse time in the economy.) Maybe the .gov orders will help them recoup their start-up costs. |
| Initial orders are starting to be filled. We are working VERY HARD on a 10-round version which will be a blocked 30 rounder. Since it IS a sealed design, you will be 100% compliant w/o pop-rivets or tack-welds. They will be marked 30/10 for easy ID. Should be available around SHOT. We'll keep you posted. |
|
Wow, you're reading my mind. Yes these are for CA.
Originally Posted By US-PALM:
Initial orders are starting to be filled. We are working VERY HARD on a 10-round version which will be a blocked 30 rounder. Since it IS a sealed design, you will be 100% compliant w/o pop-rivets or tack-welds. They will be marked 30/10 for easy ID. Should be available around SHOT. We'll keep you posted. |
|
Originally Posted By HarvAK47:
Any pics of the bakelite mags? ..and is there a timetable for those or no estimate currently? Thanx Where are you getting this "bakelite" info? Bakelite is a outdated and cost prohibitive method to make mags nowadays. |
Defender Of The Faith
|
Originally Posted By Hootbro:
Originally Posted By HarvAK47:
Any pics of the bakelite mags? ..and is there a timetable for those or no estimate currently? Thanx Where are you getting this "bakelite" info? Bakelite is a outdated and cost prohibitive method to make mags nowadays. I believe US Palm has stated that they may release mags in a bakelite color, but not using actual bakelite material. |
|
Originally Posted By US-PALM:
Initial orders are starting to be filled. We are working VERY HARD on a 10-round version which will be a blocked 30 rounder. Since it IS a sealed design, you will be 100% compliant w/o pop-rivets or tack-welds. They will be marked 30/10 for easy ID. Should be available around SHOT. We'll keep you posted. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! 
|
- James
"The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments,
because this applies to every person." Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NASB)
"The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments,
because this applies to every person." Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NASB)
|
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
I have been screwed by too many US AK mag makers. You want to sell me one? Saw ONE length wise and show it that so I can actually see the reenforcing stainless steel and then I will be impressed and will buy. Well it has been a MONTH and still no reply from US PALM to my question and request. Would still love to see a cross section showing the STEEL in it BEFORE I BUY! |
|
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
I have been screwed by too many US AK mag makers. You want to sell me one? Saw ONE length wise and show it that so I can actually see the reenforcing stainless steel and then I will be impressed and will buy. Well it has been a MONTH and still no reply from US PALM to my question and request. Would still love to see a cross section showing the STEEL in it BEFORE I BUY! They said the magazine is reinforced with a metal cage in the feedlip area. This can be easily verified with a magnet, and if the're lying, it'll be all over the Internet right after the first batch goes out. If you think they've spent tens of thousands of dollars on CAD design and fabricating an injection mold, and beginning production and marketing of the magazines - only to lie about whether or not is has steel in it, and in doing so, immediately ruin their reputation, their business, and their invested time and money, then you shouldn't buy any. If they destroy a perfectly good magazine because some person on the Internet wants them to, that's their business. Personally, I wouldn't if I were them, as there appears to be enough interest that they already have buyers at hand. |
|
Originally Posted By PoliticalScience:
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
I have been screwed by too many US AK mag makers. You want to sell me one? Saw ONE length wise and show it that so I can actually see the reenforcing stainless steel and then I will be impressed and will buy. Well it has been a MONTH and still no reply from US PALM to my question and request. Would still love to see a cross section showing the STEEL in it BEFORE I BUY! They said the magazine is reinforced with a metal cage in the feedlip area. This can be easily verified with a magnet, and if the're lying, it'll be all over the Internet right after the first batch goes out. If you think they've spent tens of thousands of dollars on CAD design and fabricating an injection mold, and beginning production and marketing of the magazines - only to lie about whether or not is has steel in it, and in doing so, immediately ruin their reputation, their business, and their invested time and money, then you shouldn't buy any. If they destroy a perfectly good magazine because some person on the Internet wants them to, that's their business. Personally, I wouldn't if I were them, as there appears to be enough interest that they already have buyers at hand. LOTS of things are said and typed on the internet and I do not believe most of them. One lousy mag being sawed in half and photographed is cheap advertising if their claims are true. For myself I see too many that are reviewing and defending them that have already been bought! Soviet ammo can pass the magnet test also due to steel cases and I do not doubt that PALM has put some steel in theirs, I just want to see WHERE! You may not like my questions, but for $30 a mag I am going to question as I usually buy mags at 10 or MORE at a time. |
|
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
Originally Posted By PoliticalScience:
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
I have been screwed by too many US AK mag makers. You want to sell me one? Saw ONE length wise and show it that so I can actually see the reenforcing stainless steel and then I will be impressed and will buy. Well it has been a MONTH and still no reply from US PALM to my question and request. Would still love to see a cross section showing the STEEL in it BEFORE I BUY! They said the magazine is reinforced with a metal cage in the feedlip area. This can be easily verified with a magnet, and if the're lying, it'll be all over the Internet right after the first batch goes out. If you think they've spent tens of thousands of dollars on CAD design and fabricating an injection mold, and beginning production and marketing of the magazines - only to lie about whether or not is has steel in it, and in doing so, immediately ruin their reputation, their business, and their invested time and money, then you shouldn't buy any. If they destroy a perfectly good magazine because some person on the Internet wants them to, that's their business. Personally, I wouldn't if I were them, as there appears to be enough interest that they already have buyers at hand. LOTS of things are said and typed on the internet and I do not believe most of them. One lousy mag being sawed in half and photographed is cheap advertising if their claims are true. For myself I see too many that are reviewing and defending them that have already been bought! Soviet ammo can pass the magnet test also due to steel cases and I do not doubt that PALM has put some steel in theirs, I just want to see WHERE! You may not like my questions, but for $30 a mag I am going to question as I usually buy mags at 10 or MORE at a time. If you have doubts that they really have steel in the mags, how can you trust the same people to post a real picture of a mag that's cut in half, and not add steel in before taking the picture or photoshop it? Next time I buy a car, I'm going to ask them to saw the steering wheel in half on a floor model to prove to me that there's really an airbag inside. It's all a big conspiracy, you know. |
|
Regarding your post on AK Forum where you discuss this thread on AR15.com:
One of their 'shills' took offense to my questioning their honesty. I responded to him, ball is in his court. I do not think he or PALM wants to really play or tell/show where their steel reinforcing is.
I am TnHawk-45 there. BTW are there any ADULTS there? Laughing By the way, I'm not one of their "shills". I don't work for US Palm, as a simple glance at my location could have told you (I'm in Texas and they're in Arizona). I also don't know how posters here on AR15.com feel about you asking if there are any "ADULTS" here. |
|
Political Science, the main reason I want to see a cut cross section is exactly where Palm puts their metal. They can either do it or I will bet money KVAR will do it for them to keep them from cutting into their sales.
And the 'adults' comment was spurred by my watching 'Romanian Sniper' on here over the past couple of weeks. Now ask yourself one thing if you were contemplating buying from 10-20 of their mags would you like to know the most you can BEFORE you buy? |
|
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
Political Science, the main reason I want to see a cut cross section is exactly where Palm puts their metal. They can either do it or I will bet money KVAR will do it for them to keep them from cutting into their sales. And the 'adults' comment was spurred by my watching 'Romanian Sniper' on here over the past couple of weeks. Now ask yourself one thing if you were contemplating buying from 10-20 of their mags would you like to know the most you can BEFORE you buy? If you thought one poster on this site was childish, you would've pointed him out. But instead, you asked if there were ANY adults here. As for their mags, I plan to buy them and test them myself. I'd wager that they really do have metal in them, because I have a pretty good idea how much it's costing them to develop and manufacture these, and for them to lie about an easily verifiable feature of the mag would cost them dearly, and they would not get a return on their invested time and money. Besides, just because they have metal in the feedlips does not automatically mean that they will work for me. I will buy them to see for myself or read reviews of other non-biased members here (who are grown adults, despite what you say about them). |
|
The feedlips are NOT the area I am worried about. As to the 'children' you would qualify in my opinion, so that makes TWO! When you get my age most folks qualify as 'children'! BTW you also forgot to mention my commenting on the other site how I thought their ripping off the logo of the Nazi Africa Corps was funny also.
You are perfectly welcome to buy all you want for all I care. I just want to see where the steel is BEFORE I buy any of them. Maybe you can trade in some Pro mags or some CRAPCO mags in on them so you can get a deal as those seem to be the type you prefer. For me I want mags that will stand up to real life and not in some mall where I am playing Ninja! I am tired of trying to educate you so this discussion is finished as far as I am concerned. It accomplished what I wanted it to and that is to expose PALM as being afraid for folks to know how good their supposed 'tacticle cool' mag is. |
|
Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
The feedlips are NOT the area I am worried about. As to the 'children' you would qualify in my opinion, so that makes TWO! When you get my age most folks qualify as 'children'! BTW you also forgot to mention my commenting on the other site how I thought their ripping off the logo of the Nazi Africa Corps was funny also. You are perfectly welcome to buy all you want for all I care. I just want to see where the steel is BEFORE I buy any of them. Maybe you can trade in some Pro mags or some CRAPCO mags in on them so you can get a deal as those seem to be the type you prefer. For me I want mags that will stand up to real life and not in some mall where I am playing Ninja! I am tired of trying to educate you so this discussion is finished as far as I am concerned. It accomplished what I wanted it to and that is to expose PALM as being afraid for folks to know how good their supposed 'tacticle cool' mag is. We got it, so do not buy any! Everybody had heard your rant and nobody seems to care. Most would get that hint. U.S. Palm does not owe you shit and the market will decide whether they have a dud or not. The whole Nazi Africa Corps thing is a childish stunt reference at best and along the lines of a Jesse Ventura cook conspiracy theory. |
Defender Of The Faith
|
Hootbro, obviously you have me confused with someone who gives a damm what you think. At $30 a mag I will NOT be buying any until I find out if the back has steel in it where it locks up into the rifle.
The forums should be about helping each other and NOT about sheilding the 'SPONSERS' and that includes potential sponsers from negative feedback. You may not care if the ordinary members get ripped off. but some of us do. |
|
I am TnHawk-45 there.
BTW are there any ADULTS there? Originally Posted By TnHawk-45:
Hootbro, obviously you have me confused with someone who gives a damm what you think. Yeah, Hootbro's obviously one of those non-ADULTS here on AR15.com that doesn't measure up to your standards. |
|
Political Science you really do not get it. I do NOT care what peoples personal feelings are whether they are an adult or a child. What I care about are cold hard FACTS.
Now my original question remains. Where 'IS' the metal placed in the Palm magazine? Is it just in the feed lips and is it in the magazine catch area also? I honestly did not want to get into a pissing contest, but just wanted some info, but you Political Science took it on like I said something like your Mother works in a Brothel. Whether she does or not is HER buisness and I do not care just like I do not care what your or Hootbro's opinions are of me. |
US PALM launches AK30 Magazine (Page 1 of 3)
AK Sponsor