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CONVERTING HK-91 MAGS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY IN VALMET M-76: POSSIBLE ???

879 views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  DUMFOUNDED 
#1 ·
BOUGHT FIRST VALMET LATE 70'S, AN M-71, AND LIKED IT. REALLY!! LIKE M76 AND PICKED UP A COUPLE IN LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT MISSED THE BOAT ADDING SOME EXTRA MAGS. JUST SAW ONE SINGLE RIVET
M71 MAG FOR $500. NOT A THREE RIVET M76 MAG BUT SINCE IT WILL WORK IN M76, HATE TO ADMIT IT, BUT MAY BUY. NEVER WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IT ! IT GETS WORSE. I HAVE AN M76 IN .308. LATELY, HAVEN'T SEEN
FACTORY .308 ( SO FLIMSY COMPARED TO .223 MAGS ) FOR ANY PRICE. I SEE REFERENCES TO CONVERTING .308 HK91 STEEL MAGS TO FUNCTION ( CORRECTLY ??) IN M76 FOR SEVERAL YEARS. CAN'T SEEM TO FIND ANY DEFINITIVE INFORMATION ON THIS. NOW, I DON'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIND ANY REAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. CAN ANYONE WITH FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE ENLIGHTEN ME ?
WHY ON EARTH DOSN'T A MANUFACTURER ALREADY UP TO SPEED ENGINEERING PLASTIC MAGS, TOOL UP, AND PRODUCE SOME .308 AND .223 M76 MAGS ?? SEEMS TO ME LIKE DEMAND WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT.
I WOULD SNAP UP 30 MAGS IN EACH CALIBER IN A HOT MINUTE MYSELF, AS WOULD THE MAJORITY OF FRUSTRATED VALMET OWNERS.
 
#2 ·
I remember back in the time some people have been trying to do that... I believe (Tony Rumora?) said it will not function properly because it is too flimsy- ammo just jumps out if all 20rds loaded. For Valmet 76 in 308 is lot easier to adapt Galil 308 mags- some needs just very minor fitting, others need no modification at all.
 
#3 ·
I remember back in the time some people have been trying to do that... I believe (Tony Rumora?) said it will not function properly because it is too flimsy- ammo just jumps out if all 20rds loaded. For Valmet 76 in 308 is lot easier to adapt Galil 308 mags- some needs just very minor fitting, others need no modification at all.
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Thanks for your reply bfg762. I remain dumbfounded. I have owned several Valmets for many years, starting with M-71 very early 80's, and in the mid 2000's several M-76's, 5.56 and .308. It's almost an understatement to say MAGS have always been the problem. For M76, 5.56, original Valmet mags. one rivet or three, $500, converted Wieger or circle10 mags ( work well) but $500 AS WELL! Every factory 5.56,I see,I buy regardless $500 price.It's the price we have to pay if we want own, arguably, the finest AK variant. Factory mags for M76, .308 is an even sadder story. The Valmet factory .308 mags are the flimsiest! !!!! I can't remember when I last even saw one for sale. I've read, with little or no supporting info, that HK93/91 .308 mags can be converted to work in M76. I have HK93, steel mags,and they are built like a tank, but have not seen anything conclusive concerning converting the HK93 mags. Would like to nail this down once and for all. Now we all know Galil 5.56 attempted use for 5.56 M76 equals serious risk to your health and your Valmet's health. Not sure if I've ever seen suggestion Galil .308 mags could be successfully adapted to .308 M76. Is the feed angle issue not a problem, not the same as with Galil 5.56 mags ?? Thanks again for yhe suggestion and I will pursue this thread. Hope to find some definitive info on the nebulous HK93 possible conversion a well. Suspect if this was a viable option the Valmet community would be " All over it" as HK93 mags not real scarce. Not getting my hopes up on this option!!
If all else fails, I do have 4 NEW M78 mags ( I do not own an M78), I believe if you can get the reinforcing plates at top milled off ( only spot welded on, I believe) , they work fine in .308 M76. I hate to do this. If I can find a collector with some "Extra" NEW or very near new, 20 rd M76, factory mags, flimsy though they are, who really needs/wants NEW m78 mags; perhaps a trade can be arranged.
Glad to be a new member of Forum, and look forward to all I can learn, and or maybe share.
 
#4 ·
What really dumbfounds me is that no aftermarket magazine manufacturer, especially ones with technical know how, and set up to manufacture polymer waffle type mags, has not been motivated to make an aftermarket Valmet magazine. I realize the economy of scale to recoup R & D cost sure not going to be the same as , say 5,56 or
7.62x51 Pmags; but hard for me to believe demand and response from all Valmet owners would not be huge! And besides that, I would be REAL happy to pay $100 plus,for proven reliable aftermarket Valmet mag. When you've spent $300, $400 & and now $500 per mag, IF one surfaces; I'd be grinning like a mule with a mouth full of barbed wire to pat only $100 of so for a good aftermarket mag. Do potential aftermarket manufacturers think Valmet owners will balk at paying enough to make it profitable, after Design R&D, and tooling. If so I think they are absolutely wrong! Heck, even $150 per mag, to be able to run my Valmets, seems like a no brainer at this point.
 
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