{"id":411435,"date":"2023-10-19T11:00:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T16:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=411435"},"modified":"2026-01-07T15:01:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T21:01:20","slug":"box-magazines-for-shotguns-comparability-and-compatibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/box-magazines-for-shotguns-comparability-and-compatibility\/","title":{"rendered":"Box Magazines for Shotguns: Comparability and Compatibility"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here at GunMagWarehouse, we get plenty of questions about magazines. Mags are an interesting part of a weapon’s design, and they can get confusing. For example, did you know the SIG P226\/P229 magazines will work in Taurus G3 series pistols? Weird, but true. We’ve been getting lots and lots of questions from our beloved customers regarding the MKA 1919<\/a> and the Saiga 12<\/a>. Specifically, are the magazines interchangeable?<\/p>\n

Both guns use box magazines, and both have a 12-gauge option. Saiga admittedly made a variety of shotguns, including .410 and 20 gauge models. As far as I can tell, the MKA 1919 only comes in 12 gauge. The focus of the question and our answer will be on the 12 gauge models of both. It’s easy to see why the question pops up. Both are semi-auto shotguns, both use box mags, and both have varying capacities up to drums.<\/p>\n

Bottom Line, Are Their Magazines Cross-Compatible?<\/h2>\n

No. Sadly, I have to deliver the bad news. The MKA 1919 and Saiga mags are not interchangeable in any way. There are some major differences between the two magazines that actually tie back to the old AR vs. AK argument. The MKA 1919 is a Turkish shotgun designed to capitalize on the AR-15 design.<\/p>\n

\"MKA
The MKA 1919 magazines also offers a variety of capacity options<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This gun aims to capture the benefits of the AR design, including its ergonomics, which include a dedicated “mag well” with a very easy-to-reach magazine release. The MKA 1919 captured that release and the “mag well” design. This means the MKA 1919 magazines insert into the “mag well” and use a side-mounted magazine catch, just like an AR.<\/p>\n

The Saiga is famously molded after the AK. The MKA 1919 looks and feels like an AR but is functionally different. The Saiga 12 looks and feels like an AK because it is an AK, just scaled up for the mighty 12 gauge. This includes the single-stack magazine design. The AK lacks a prominent “mag well” and uses a rock (back) and lock design, and so does the Saiga 12.<\/p>\n

\"Saiga
The Saiga 12 mags come in a variety of different capacities<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This difference in design makes it impossible to mix your Saiga 12 mags with your MKA 1919. This answers our basic question, but I wanted to expand into the world of box magazines and shotguns and try to track down compatibility between different variants.<\/p>\n

Saiga Mag Compatibility<\/h2>\n

The Saiga mags<\/a> will run in the JTS AK shotguns, which are becoming a bit more popular. The Lynx 12 series can also use Saiga magazines, as can the SDS Imports S12. These are all AK-type shotguns, but Saiga mags have broken out of the AK world. The Black Aces Tactical Pro Series M Shotguns can also take Saiga magazines, and they look like traditional-style shotguns. TriStar also imported a bullpup shotgun that used Saiga mags, but it was more or less an AK-style shotgun with the bullpup treatment.<\/p>\n

\"JTS
The JTS AK shotgun is the latest replacement for the Saiga 12<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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