# What is a "Double Stack" on an AK?



## WoodsLandCamo (Dec 31, 2011)

I went to a sporting goods store this weekend, and the guy behind the desk said that he had AKs at two different costs. One was like in the 300 range and one was in the high 400/500 range. He said something about the 300 range ones "You don't want this because of the double stack is not on there" or something like that. I guess I should have asked him instead of trying to feel like I didn't know anything about guns. lol.

I guess what I'm asking is, I would hate to buy one that I turned around and said "I wish I would had gotten this other one instead".


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

I think single stack and double stack refer to the magazines they will accept.

Single stack means that when you put the rounds into the magazine, they line up one directly on top of the other
Like this in the magazine:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Double stack means they are staggered in the magazine, carrying more in the same size magazine.
LIke this in the magazine:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
(just picture those more tightly compressed)

I'm not sure I have ever seen a "single stack" ak47....but then again I'm not expert on them. I would definitely go with a double stack. And if you are looking at AK's do some research, those $500.00 ones are probably WASR10's and I'm not a fan of them. They can tend to have canted sights, loose magazine wells and other loose tolerances, granted they have been improving them.

You can sometimes find a Chinese made Norinco MAK-90 for about the same price as those wasr 10's, but it comes with an ugly buttstock. It's a better quality though in my opinion. I have a MAK-90 and it's awesome! You can find em on Gunbroker.com 

AKs are really great guns, even if they have a poor reputation, they are extremely robust and easy to operate, but aren't really designed for distance shooting, although a good operator can hit marks 300+yrds out.
Anyways, I've rambled on so I will cease this post, immediately.


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

My diagram did not work. Just look at the magazine for a 1911 vs a glock you will see the 1911 is just one row vertically of rounds, and the glock rounds kind of serpentine through the magazine.


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## WoodsLandCamo (Dec 31, 2011)

Ok, this makes sense. I understand the double/single now. side by side vs lined up. I always wondered why others were comparing a sks to a ak. Same bullet, same punch, different gun though. I've heard that the ak 47 will tolerate a more jungle, muddy setting along with bad range, although the sks has good range and doesn't hold up good in bad conditions like weather.


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

If I had to buy one or the other it'd be the AK, just because I know a guy who shot his over 5000 times and never cleaned it and it never jammed...according to him.


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## fedorthedog (Feb 28, 2012)

AK's take a double stack or staggered stack type mag. The round offset side to side in the mag allowing greater capacity. There are some new AK style rifles that use a single stack mag. The cheap surplus mags are double stack so buying a rifle that takes a single stack will increase your mag costs and they are harder to find.


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## WoodsLandCamo (Dec 31, 2011)

Ok, I just didn't understand why he said "you don't want one of those". Thanks everyone for clearing this up for me.


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