Recent social media activity has indicated at least one Chinese 7.62x39mm Type 74 for sale through the online gun markets of Baghdad. At a casual first glance the light machine gun appears to be an RPK. But upon closer inspection one will notice the oddly shaped carry [Read More…]
BNTI Arms is a Jacksonville, FL based company that is releasing a dedicated 7.62x39mm AR15 to the public called the AR/AK 7.62 BA Beast Optics Ready Rifle. The company has previously focused on .308 Win and 5.56x45mm NATO rifles in the past and this will be the first [Read More…]
The AK has a problem as a defensive rifle. Rifle projectiles that do not yaw, fragment, or expand tend to produce wounds that are little more severe than those produced by pistol bullets. In 7.62x39mm, this problem is compounded by its relatively low velocity, when [Read More…]
The redheaded stepchild of the SCAR contract was Robinson Arms’ XCR, an interesting design from a small company in Salt Lake City, UT. A rifle that is part AR-15, part FNC, and part noodle, the XCR represents an attractive looking and interesting might-have been, [Read More…]
Kalashnikov USA had two potentially very exciting rifles at SHOT 2017. Unfortunately, the guns that I got to handle were not so great. After this article was published, I met with Kalashnikov USA’s CEO to discuss the issues with these rifles. Please see the update [Read More…]
The AR-15-style combined safety/selector thumb lever has become a hallmark of modern assault rifle and carbine design, proving to be an ergonomic and simple design for fire control management. However, it wasn’t always that way. The AR-15’s selector lever [Read More…]
Back in September, TFB reader Brandon took us through the history and variations of Russian Kalashnikov magazine patterns in a two part article that’s well worth reading if you haven’t already. Having said that, if you don’t have the patience for [Read More…]
Krebs Custom Interchangeable Muzzle System (IMS) for AK rifles is now available through their website at $90. It allows to have 16.25″ barrel length and still be able to attach different muzzle devices without significantly increasing the overall length (except [Read More…]
German gunsmith Herbert Werle – creator of the famous “AK-47” Luger and the .45 ACP Luger Carbine – has created another strange hybrid firearm: A 7.62x25mm Tokarev M1 Carbine. Two videos of Werle testing the rifle are embedded below: In the description of his [Read More…]
Fresh off of the editing and framing masterpiece that is the “Inside the M4 Carbine” video, Larry Vickers does not seem to be resting on the upload button. His latest video features a unicorn AK-74 at least here in the United States. Most US shooters are [Read More…]
The Chiappa AK-9 (or PAK-9) 9mm AK-based pistol is not a new announcement, but at an approximate $425 MSRP, it certainly deserves a strong look. In fact, TFB’s own Miles V. will soon be receiving a test and evaluation unit for an in depth review. One of the [Read More…]
As is common here in the US for our military service rifle, the AR tends to get all the love when it comes to removable optics rails for the “old” style receivers. With easily replaced handguards, various carry handle mounts, and eventually the [Read More…]
NORINCO and Chongqing Jianshe Industry Group have unveiled a brand new modern 5.56mm and 7.62mm rifle platforms. We do not know much about these new guns other than the photos included here, not even the source of these photos which were passed to us anonymously. What [Read More…]
Yesterday, we took a close look at the AK’s operating group, to enumerate the details that make this pattern such a dependable design. Today, we’re going to be looking at some of the other elements of the AK that make it so reliable, but first I want to [Read More…]
Today we know the Kalashnikov family of rifles as one of the most successful and reliable weapon families ever designed. Even as the rifle’s legend has begun to be peeled back, the weapon’s reputation for reliability is still largely unquestioned, and many [Read More…]
A reader of TFB who resides in rebel held Syria recently emailed us saying … You must know that I do not reside in the U.S.; I am in Syria, amidst the sweeping turmoil. And, surprisingly enough, a couple of years past, a multitude of StG’s surfaced up in [Read More…]
The war in Eastern Ukraine has brought international attention to the Ukrainian firearms/defense market and local industry. Companies from Guns & Safety exhibition was attended by many companies from around the world. Most of the exhibitors were focused on getting Army [Read More…]
When the AK-Alfa rifle was announced at Kalashnikov USA’s booth at the 2016 SHOT Show early in the year, it created an enormous buzz. The rifle’s Kalashnikov heritage, sleek looks, and surprise appearance in association with Kalashnikov’s [Read More…]
Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of famous AK family of rifles, was born on November 10, 1919. So in 2019 it will be 100 years since M. Kalashnikov was born. To celebrate the 100th birthday of the ingenious firearms designer, Russian president Vladimir Putin has [Read More…]
It was late September 2016, and I was again invited to visit I.O. Inc. in Palm Bay, Florida for their 3rd annual Writer’s Event. The event showcased I.O. Inc.’s upcoming products and touring their facility. As seen on the title image, one of those new I.O. products [Read More…]
The Vintorez (VSS) integrally suppressed sniper rifle is a system designed on the AK platform ** that fires a unique 9×39 cartridge with deadly accuracy out to 400 meters. Think of the Vintorez as being comparable to an integrally suppressed .300BLK rifle in the [Read More…]
Respected AK manufacturer Arsenal is now offering a factory range program that will allow the Las Vegas based company to get their rifles into more hands than ever before. Specifically targeted at ranges with a rental program, Arsenal has designed the program to work [Read More…]
Comrade, the time has come. Dead Air Armament’s Wolverine PBS-1 AK suppressor is dropping in to distributors across the US. If you remember from our MOD Outfitter’s story a few months ago, the Wolverine is designed to tame both ejection port and gas port [Read More…]
This is a the second part of a guest article from our reader Brandon covering the development of synthetic magazines for the AK-47 and AKM rifles. You can read the first part, on metallic magazines, at this link. Thanks, Brandon! Sometime around 1965-1968 Izhevsk [Read More…]
This is a guest article from our reader Brandon covering the development of metallic magazines for the AK-47 and AKM rifles. Thanks, Brandon! The venerable Kalashnikov rifle is easily one of the most important small arms in history. Love it or hate it, it’s one of the [Read More…]
Our friends at Kalashnikov Concern sent us promotional footage of their new firearms and kindly allowed us to publish it. The RPK-16 is being designed as a potential replacement for the RPK-74 squad support weapon, the VSV-338 is a long range sniper rifle is chambered for .338 Lapua Magnum. The SVK [Read More…]
The Russian small arms firm Kalashnikov Concern has announced several new weapons during the International Military-Technical Forum “ARMY 2016” held by the Russian government in Moscow, the first of which is a new take on a promising 20th Century [Read More…]
A design out of Serbia, from a company named NB International New Arms Technologies, is incorporating a number of features from around the market onto the Kalashnikov platform, in what they call the “Assault Rifle, B 15”. The rifle takes inspiration from [Read More…]
In the category of “if it’s new to me, it must be new to somebody else”, I stumbled across the Pioneer line of “sporterized” VEPR rifles from Molot. I have to be honest, I’ve always liked the look of the VEPR rifles, and even more so [Read More…]
If you have been paying attention to the optics market over the last several years, it isn’t going to be a surprise when I say that variable one power optics are becoming the go-to optic for many competitors as well as military and law enforcement types. [Read More…]
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