Every year I come to the one and only Russian civilian firearms exhibition called “Arms & Hunting”. And when I am tired of looking at petty at pitiful booths of tiny Russian gunshops and barely alive small firearms manufacturers I come to the “Molot Arms” booth.

Since “Molot Arms” specializes in modifying surplus military weapons for a civilian market, there is always something to look at – submachineguns, AKs, German WW2 weapons and various machineguns.

Those three weapons were converted to fire blanks only and can be purchased without a license in Russia.

Even in Russia, many people mix up “Molot Firearms” and “Molot Arms”. “Molot Firearms” is a relatively old (founded in 1940) company and is famous for RPK light machineguns and “Vepr” shotguns and rifles.

“Molot Arms” is a small private company that was founded less than 10 years ago and converts surplus military firearms into “hunting carbines” and “decommissioned blank firing firearms”. Their “hunting carbines” product line includes VSS Vintorez and PPSH submachineguns. Their “decommissioned blank firing firearms” product line is even more entertaining – for about $2,500 you can get a 50 Cal. DSHKM machinegun.

Many would ask – can you convert that a “decommissioned blank firing firearm” back into a more conventional one, the one that actually shoots projectiles? To satisfy your curiosity, I can answer – that would be very illegal. And we all know that Russians are world-famous for respecting the laws and would never do anything like that.

This year “Molot Arms” demonstrated that it wants to take another step towards being a major firearms manufacturer and presented a line of “Boomslang” AK rifles, one in 9 mm

9×19 mm “Boomslang” AK pistol caliber carbine (down)

and another one in 308 Win

308 Win “Boomslang” AK rifle

Both rifles feature a railed receiver cover, ambidextrous charging handle and adjustable stock with an M4 buffer tube. “Boomslang” chambered in 308 is using a proprietary “Vepr” receiver.

Many would say – “ok, that is just another rifle we won’t ever see in the US”.  Well, “Molot Arms” unlike other, bigger factories is privately owned and has never been sanctioned. And some say they are entering the international market.

We will see how it goes, but I am certain about one thing – with their surplus product line, they definitely have a lot to offer for the international gun collector community.