How to Load the Chi-Com Drums (Chinese drums)
Article taken from J Freeman's How to Load an AK Drum

The 7.62x39mm drums for AK type rifles were made in 75rd and 100rd versions. The only difference between them besides capacity is the 100rd drum is larger in diameter. Both have the same controls,are loaded and function the same way. A 75rd drum is used in all pics but the 100rd drum is loaded exactly the same way. The first thing is to open the latches on either side of the feed tower and open the cover on the back of the drum. The whole "trick" to get them to function 100% is to have the follower in the correct position before loading any cartridges into the drum. In the pic below the point of the knife is pointing to the follower.

At this point press the button in the center of the drum. This releases the spring pressure so make sure all your fingers are clear of the cartridge (this is the part that surrounds the spring release button that has all the cutouts in it for the ammo).

back to top

******WARNING******

The cartridge will spin around very fast and cut the crap out of any part of your fingers it hits. Been there done this and the cartridge of the first drum I bought has some slight stains/pitting in a couple of spots from my bloody index finger.

Once the spring pressure has been released hold the spring release button down and spin the cartridge clockwise till it stops. It should be in this position just like in the pic below.

The drum is now ready for loading. Insert the ammo nose down into all the slots and holes in the cartridge. Below is a pic of a partly loaded drum note that the top slots will not hold 6 rds like all the others. Single rds are put into the holes on the outer edge of the cartridge.

Once all the slots and holes have been filled with ammo the drum is ready to go just close the lid,lock the latches. The loaded drum can be stored loaded with no pressure on the spring. To use the drum just wind the key on the back of the drum 4 or 5 turns,and the drum is ready to be inserted into your rifle and fired.

back to top

At this point you are saying to yourself Hey,Whoa bogus instructions man! I counted the number of rds in the drum and it is not 75. Well you are right it is not,but to get 75 rds into the drum you need to insert them into the feed tower one at a time or wind the drum up. Then release the spring pressure and carefully rotate the cartridge clockwise and fill up the empty holes with ammo. Watch the ammo in the feed tower as it will fall back into the drum hanging up the cartridge if you are not careful. But.... the feed tower has a spring on the inside of it that when the drum is loaded with 75rds is compressed. The whole idea of the Chinese drum being better for long term storage than the Russian ones is that it can be stored loaded without any spring being compressed i.e. no stress on the parts. So I fill up my drums with only as much ammo as the cartridge will hold and not 75rds so as not to stress the spring in the feed tower.

As far as maintenance and cleaning goes I have fired my 9-75rd and 3-100rd drums at least 5 times each and some 10+ times without cleaning except one. I dropped it in the dirt with it open. So I used a can of brake parts cleaner to hose it out and a pump spray bottle of CLP to re lube the inside. All my drums have been 100% reliable.

RETURN TO ARTICLES TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE