The Firearm Blog

The American Tactical Imports / German Sport Guns Kalashnikov has finally arrived. The Kalashnikov, endorsed by General Kalashnikov himself, is a AK-47 patterned rifle chambered in .22 Long Rifle.

An American model holding a German made copy of the iconic Soviet rifle … oh the irony

Two models are available, synthetic or wood, with either with 10 or 24 round magazine. They have an overall length of 34.5″ (an inch longer than the original wood stocked Russian AK-47) and a barrel length of 16.5″. Click to expand the photos:

Synthetic model.


Wooden model 24 round magazine.


Wooden model 10 round magazine.

It was rumored that the wooden stock would be wood-looking plastic, but it is real, and looks really nice. The gas system is defiantly fake, it is a blowback operated rifle that requires high velocity .22 ammunition to cycle. You can see in the above photo that the 10 round magazine has the same AK-like size as the 24 round magazine, which is a nice touch. It appears to be compatible with the AK side mount for optics.

The MSRP is $549 for the synthetic model and $569 for the wood. I think this will be very popular rifle.

Suppressor maker Gemtech will be selling a customized GSG-5 SD rifle that is suppressed. The GSG-5 SD is a .22 rifle patterned after the MP5SD, but the suppressor on it is fake.

The Gemtech GSD-5 is permanently suppressed (you cannot remove the suppressor) and is available in either a 16″ barrel configuration or in a SBR config. The price for the 16″ model will be $1195.

SBR model

16″ barrel model

This video shows it off:

Hat Tip: 7trees @ ar-15.com

American Tactical Imports will be selling the GSG-5 rifle in an SD configuration. The SD is patterned after the MP5-SD, a suppressed variant of the MP5. The main difference between the SD and the standard GSG-5 lies in the bigger stouter fore grip which is patterned after the MP5-SD integral suppressor and a fake over-barrel suppressor. It will be available in April/May as a complete rifle and later in the year as a conversion kit.

What is really cool is how the gun came into existence. Chris from ATI told me that last year after the original GSG-5 was introduced they noticed many people on the ar15.com GSG forum voiding their warranty to achieve the SD look. Late last year they flew to the GSG HQ in Germany to discuss these modifications. They worked out a plan.

This is a fantastic example of a company listening to it’s customers. I wish more gun companies would do this.

MP5SD3. Photo from Wikipedia.

From Chris @ American Tactical Imports:

I can say that it feels just like holding an actual 1911, will come with a 10 round magazine and will be of fine German engineering. We have an expected MSRP of $369.00 on it but that is subject to change once we receive final importation clearance and see all the manufacturing costs. Check back with us later in the year on tat.

More about the pistol here.

GSG, our favorite German manufacturer of 22-caliber-firearms-pattered-after-other-firearms-and-endoresed-by-Kalashnikov-himself, have developed a .22 1911 pistol.

Click to expand.

American Tactical Imports will be importing the GSG 1911. Like the GSG AK and the GSG MP5 this pistol will probably not be a 1911 .22 conversion but a new design build specifically for the .22 LR cartridge.

I have emailed ATI asking about specs, availability and pricing. Hopefully they will take the time to get back to me.

UPDATE: coctailer took some photos at shot:

Thanks to Fred for the link.

UPDATE:

From Chris at ATI:

I can say that it feels just like holding an actual 1911, will come with a 10 round magazine and will be of fine German engineering. We have an expected MSRP of $369.00 on it but that is subject to change once we receive final importation clearence and see all the manufacturing costs. Check back with us later in the year on tat.

A while back I reported that GSG (German Sport Guns), makers of the GSG-5, announced an endorsement by General Kalashnikov and that they would name a rifle after him. It looks like the GSG .22 “Kalashnikov” is now in production.

Click to expand

Impact Guns says it features a 16.5″ barrel and 15 round magazine and has it listed for $529.99. It is not clear when it will ship.

These ATI ads have been floating around the internet. The girl looks like a stock image and rifle is not the actual .22 Kalashnikov.

General Kalashnikov at GSG holding a GSG-5

It looks like Kalashnikov is finally making some money from the firearms industry!

GSG, makers of the GSG-5 .22 MP5 clone, are naming a sporting rifle after General Kalashnikov.

From GSG (translated using google translator from German)

The sports and leisure with the calibre weapon “(Point) 22 LR” is currently in an advanced stage of development and will soon market gain.

The design and the technical features of the new weapon was the engineer from Russia after thorough inspection its approval.

From Die Zeit (again translated from google):

The inventor Mikhail Kalashnikov weapons with his new business partners from the firm GSG Sauerländer

I will never again cooperate with a company that also manufactures weapons of war,” proclaims chosen the man who practically a synonym for mass shooting and killing has developed.

Apparently he also lends his name to knives and umbrellas!

Hat Tip: treelogger