The NY Times has published an interesting article back in 2012 about the tourist shooting ranges in Cambodia. Its well worth reading, but what especially a reader’s attention was the .22 AK AR-15 in leading photo (click though to see the full resolution photo). The rifle’s upper receiver is some variant of an AR-15,  maybe originally an M16. The lower receiver looks hand fabricated. The rifle furniture looks to be taken from a couple of different Type 56 Chinese AK rifles (or some other AK variants … I am frequently criticized by readers for getting my AK identifications wrong).

What is especially bizarre is that the entire AK barrel gas and sight assembly have been moved to this gun. The barrel looks like an original Type 56 barrel, yet it is obviously chambered in .22 LR. Does it have a sub-caliber barrel insert? Or did they bother moving all the barrel bits and pieces, include the folding bayonet pivot and cleaning rod, onto a .22 barrel blank? Or does the .22 slug bounce down the original .30 caliber barrel, giving shotgun-like accuracy?

The magazine used is the same type as, or a clone of, the magazines that Brownells included in their .22 AR-15 conversion kits. I am not sure who was the OEM manufacturer or if that design was sold by anyone else. Note the distinctive zig-zag plastic reinforcing.

I like the inclusion of the original iron sights. Just in case they need to snipe those .22 LR to 800 meters (the Type 56 only went to 800m, not 1000m like the AKM).

Thanks to Jake for the trip.