"Ranger plate" style floor plates for AK and SKS

[vermontcnc]

Hello all. It has been a while since I added anything to this section. Fortunately it is because I have been very busy in the shop but every once in a while I have to take time out to work on a cool project for myself. I have been tinkering on a floor plate design for my Tapco brand mags to add a "Ranger" plate similar to the Magpul style. I had a few different ideas and today I decided to make up my first prototype. I was pretty happy overall with the may it came out. The fit is as good as the factory. I do have a few cosmetic changes I want to make but overall I am happy with it.

Since this is not a completed design yet I was hoping to get some feedback from you all before I finalize the blueprints and CNC programs. Please offer up likes and dislikes of the design or idea. I don't mind criticism as long as it's useful.

The material is billet 6061 aluminum. They will eventually be anodized black. They will have an access hole on the bottom for easier removal of the plate. They will be marked USA.

Let me know what you think! Thanks!

[1mlt]

Looks nice. However, wouldn't it be more cost effective if the "hook" section was made as a stand alone item, attached (as in screwed) to the existing floor plate? Less machining and material waste. Just my thoughts.

Marcus

[7.62Hunter]

I don't understand how one would use ranger plates on sks mags. If you're running them out of a vest pouch then you can't have them upside down because of the duckbill.

[vermontcnc]

Marcus,
I think your idea would make it be option friendly so the bottom would be removable but from a manufacturing standpoint the separate parts and extra set ups would make it cost more in labor by the end. I did consider that option and make a few different bottoms for it but I didn't want to complicate it on my end as far as future inventory is concerned. I appreciate your thoughts though. It got me thinking of another idea...

7.62Hunter,
I would agree that from a pouch they would not be too practical for the SKS. I initially made them for my AK and since tapco uses the same floor plate for both the AK and SKS it just happens to fit. I'm sure the clever group of firearms owners could come up with more than one useful method for the SKS platform.

[40below]

I think it's a great idea because it would also fit the Tapco AK47 mags. At the current time I use the
K-VAR floor plates and followers on My non Tapco plastic mags since it's the only place I have found them. Your floor plate would fit most plastic AK mags, giving us another option for a 922R compliant floor plate.

The only change I would like to see is a hole in the bottom of the floor plate for easier take down. They do need a lot of cleaning as crud in the mag will gall the inside and could jam the follower.

40below

[xxxsks]

That is a prety cool floor plate. I would be in for a couple.

 ..................Joe

[1mlt]

That floor plate, coupled with mag adapter and you can carry mags up-side-down in your vest all day. No duckbill to worry about.

Marcus

[7.62Hunter]

That floor plate, coupled with mag adapter and you can carry mags up-side-down in your vest all day. No duckbill to worry about.

Marcus

Another $200 later

[1mlt]

That floor plate, coupled with mag adapter and you can carry mags up-side-down in your vest all day. No duckbill to worry about.

Marcus

Another $200 later

You can get one for 75.00 and mod your own mags.
Marcus

[7.62Hunter]

Don't you have to have a bolt mod done too?

[1mlt]

Don't you have to have a bolt mod done too?

No, it is a nice adder, and you can do that yourself as well.
Marcus

[skizzums]

no, you don't need the bolt mod for bill-less mags, bolt mod is only for putting a mag in with the bolt closed(pointless in my opinion, since the bolt stays open anyway after a finished mag).

[1mlt]

no, you don't need the bolt mod for bill-less mags, bolt mod is only for putting a mag in with the bolt closed(pointless in my opinion, since the bolt stays open anyway after a finished mag).

Very true, it is not required to run DBL. But if you want to remove a not yet empty mag, or clear a jam it is a bit more dicey.
Marcus

[vermontcnc]

I appreciate all of the floor plate related comments guys. I am implementing a few small tweaks to the design and making a small quantity run next week. I am ordering material today so as long as the anodizing turns around quickly I should have some ready by the end of the month. I am not sure on exact pricing yet but I will post here after this first run is complete and I have calculated it all out. Thanks.

[vermontcnc]

Although it seems like it has been forever, I wanted to revive this thread to let anyone that was, or is, interested in these plates that they are actually on the market now. I have field tested them myself as well as two other members on here. They work great and look pretty awesome. Here is a purchase link if anyone is interested:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/179018223/ak-47-magazine-ranger-style-floor-plate?