General Bakelite question

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September 03, 2010, 02:18:35 PM

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[TotallyL337]

Alright, well I noticed that MAG is making airsoft AKM/7.62 bakelite mags, and it started to get me thinking about the orange/red color that they're made in.

So i did a little research (thanks wiki) and learned that bakelite is just a type of plastic (basically). I figured it MUST come in orange for Russians to keep it that color, but I was wrong. Russian mags are colored orange for a reason. For reference, the triangular handguards used on M16a1's were made of bakelite and were NOT blaze orange, but black.

So why are bakelite mags colored orange?

Sorry for the new post, but I couldn't find anything. Feel free to delete or lock after question is answered.

Thanks,
Elliot

[desantnik]

Good question!

I do not know the answer...

[FIDO]

ive asked myself too alot of times why they are orange

[Looney]

So why are bakelite mags colored orange?

Its pretty.

Though I do not have any chemical knowledge of bakelites traits, while I was filing a (pure?) bakelite handguard, the filed bakelite had a 'white' appearance. But, after a few hours, it seemed to oxidize and return to its original orangish.

edit: Different compositions of bakelite probably lead to different colors; for instance, bakelite and fiberglass leads to a very deep brown (think MPi-AK74).

[Mein-Teil]

You could ask the same question about the color of the wood, why orange instead of the dark brown other countries use? I don't think there needs to be a reason, It matches the wood and looks cool.

[TotallyL337]

I highly doubt Russians designed an orange mag because it "looks cool."

[Mein-Teil]

I didn't say they designed it to look cool, I just think it does.
Why would they use orange lacquer on the wood?
Maybe they wanted the magazine to match the wood,
I don't know. I don't think it is a coincedince that the wood it the same color.

[ArtofPain]

This question has it's twin-brother - "Why the Russians use Blue duct tape AK-mags glueing?"
It's simple: Because it's the only type we have! During Soviet era most of military pieces were issued in zillions numbers (we made around 40 mln AKs btw so try to count numbers of mags!) so saving even a small fraction of ruble (Russian currency) was a big deal! At my point of view (I've got a Master in Organic Chemistry), colouring process costs some money so Big Guys at Kremlin decided not to spend extra for this.

[desantnik]

I seem to remember my Comrade who is also a chemist in background saying something similar - that you could make it any colour you like but thats how it comes out if you do nothing

You have to remember this stuff would have been designed probably in the late 60's.

Cheaper and lighter than steel, seemed a good option at the time probably.

I've never seen a broken bakelite mag, I have seen battered steel ones that have enough dents in them to make them useless.

[Mein-Teil]

Makes sense to keep costs down.
I've seen orange bakelite mags painted black, they were said to have been factory painted.

[TotallyL337]

I never realized that the black bakelite mags were painted black. I figured they just were black in color like m16 handguards.

Thanks for the info ArtofPain and desantnik! I appreciate it.

[Mein-Teil]

They aren't, Some collectors in the US got some that were painted. They were told the factory painted a batch. It's believable because they had the factory ink stamps over the paint.

[El_Comrade_MP]

The orange could maybe be used to identify it as 5.45 caliber, I know that's why they put that groove in the stock.

Speaking of bakelite, what kind of paint would one use to paint it. Ordinary store bought paint good?

[kazik]

The orange could maybe be used to identify it as 5.45 caliber, I know that's why they put that groove in the stock.

There are also "orange" 7.62mm bakelite mags, so I would say no.

[El_Comrade_MP]

I was thinking AK74. I take it that the Bakelite is that color and the orange furniture made to match it.