Zastava / R4 Magazine Comparison
When I first got my M85PV some years ago I didn't think much of the polymer magazine the firearm shipped with. Some years later I started to really dive into the world of AKs and became curious about the mag and wanted to know more about it. Several years later I come across a video by Forgotten Weapons on the Vektor CR-21 and I noticed it featured a magazine very similar to that which came with my M85PV. Fast Forward 2 years and I finally get my hands on a brand new Galil R4 magazine. I finally got my chance to compare the two, so let's take a look and see.
| Country of Origin | Manufacturer | Caliber | Capacity | Weight | Spring Length | Curve Angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serbia | Zastava? | 5.56 | 30 | 4.29 oz | 10.5 in | 77° |
| South Africa | ? | 5.56 | 35 | 4.19 oz | 10 in | 75.8° |
Comparing the physical attributes of each mag we can see the two mags are very similar. Both of the springs are very close, almost to the point where one could think they came out of the same box. We will take a look at the springs a little lower down.
| Comparison between M85/M21 and Galil R4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| LEFT = M85/M21 | RIGHT = Galil R4 | ||
There are some physical differences between the two magazines. The M85/M21 has a larger feed lip extension, the side plate that sits inside the magwell. This is most likely due to the shape of the Galil receiver vs the standard AKM style receiver of the M85/M21. You might also notice the different curves of the magazine. Interestingly enough the slight extra curve of the R4 mag allows it to hold an extra 5 rounds.
| Comparison between old and new followers | |||
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| M85/M21 | Galil R4 | ||
The followers are without question the same thing. Both legs on the front and rear of the followers measure the same. They clip at the bottom that holds the spring in place is the same, and in the same spot, the little cutout on the follower which is used to make sure its put into the mag in the right direction is the same and in the same spot. They are even interchangeable with each others mag body and spring.
| Comparison between the two springs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| (M85/M21 = LEFT) - (R4 = RIGHT) | |||
The springs are 90% the same as well. The main differences between the two is the M85 is .5 an inch longer. The bottom loop of the spring is slightly different as well, with the M85 looking like it was just cut, and the R4 having a more professional look, so the differences between the two could be coincidental. This is a sample size of one after all.
| Mold Markings on the R4? | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Close up details of what I can only assume are mold markings. Mold 86? | |||
| Backside of both mags | |||
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The backside of each mag is very similar, but not the same. You can see the R4, which is on the left, has a very deep cutout vs the M85 which has a more standard AKM style cutout.
The question I have is, who manufactures these mags? Clearly things like the floor plates and followers are 1:1 the same with the only differences being the bodies themselves and a very small difference in the spring lengths and shape, but even those are incredibly close. The body of the R4 also having a slightly larger arch to it. I'm not sure if Zastava manufactures these for South Africa's Denel Land Systems or another South African company, or is it the other way round? Or could it just be one of the two companies saw one of the mags, thought it would be great in their rifles and decided to clone them with just a slight change to the body and spring. I do not have the answers and it's going to drive me crazy till I know.
If you like this please check out the other magazine comparison articles
