We’ve long heard AK-47 magazines being referred to as “Banana Magazines” for their long, curved profile. Up until now, though, the magazines were mostly plain and businesslike. Until, that is, US Palm got into the act.
For a number of years now, US Palm has been producing components for the (in)famous AK-47. The AK platform has become wildly popular in America in a stroke of irony. I say irony because this weapon of oppression and evil is now being wielded by millions of Americans who would defend freedom with it.
US Palm’s main products currently are magazines for the AK and pistol grips that come in various colors. Recently, their lineup’s color choices have expanded slightly. More on that in a bit.
US Palm Magazines
US Palm magazines for the AK-47 are of very high quality. The company claims that theirs is the world’s most advanced AK-47 30-round magazine. I believe them because these mags are pretty awesome!
Made from a proprietary Polymer, they are a sealed, one-piece design. The follower is made with a low-friction, self-cleaning polymer that really does glide smoothly. Another great feature is the stainless steel cage latch that US Palm uses, as it adds durability to the magazine. The mag catches are high-stress areas of the magazine, so it only makes sense to strengthen those areas.
One of the other distinguishing features that US Palm utilizes is the waffle and tread design, which provides a more solid purchase on the mag when loading and unloading. As well, the ribs on the front and back of the magazine give further traction for the hands. Aside from the gripping advantage that the waffle design offers, it also adds rigidity and durability.
As far as I can tell, these magazines are damn tough! I will tell you that the waffle pattern really does make these mags easy to grip, whether you’re using gloves or just bare hands.
These mags are robust. Their overall construction is thick, but because of the polymer, they are much lighter than steel AK magazines. The base plate is made from the same high-strength polymer and is impact resistant. A steel mainspring is used and adds to the reliability.
Finally, there’s another aspect that I really like about these mags: they are made in the USA.
Banana Mags!
But wait, there’s more! This particular magazine is a bit different, which readers will have already gathered by looking at the photos here. This Banana Magazine literally looks like…a banana! The yellow and blue gives it away as it resembles the color scheme of some banana stickers.
These magazines with the banana theme are a special edition, so they will not be available forever. My guess is that they won’t last long in the inventory, given their uniqueness and novelty. And when I say “novelty,” I mean the color scheme. Aside from that, they are every bit as functional as US Palm’s regular-colored magazines.
Because this is a special edition, there’s one more little trinket that’s kind of cool, and readers might enjoy: a special nylon patch. It’s a US Palm magazine emerging from a banana peel. An added touch is that the patch is backed with Velcro, so you can stick it right onto your hook and loop areas on your uniform, shooting bag, or patch collection.
Overall
US Palm’s limited edition banana-themed magazine is extremely functional, and it looks cool. They took a quality product and added some splash. The special patch is a neat, little bonus. As this is written, they’re priced at $27.99. If you’re an AK enthusiast, you really do need one of these.
