#Ak47

It’s hard to capture the essence of the East vs. West small arms rivalry, the AK vs. M16, but Beach Ballistics’ still life is great for a Photo Of The Day. Most of TFB’s readers were probably not born then, but in the humid jungles of Vietnam, two rifles faced off in silence, symbols of ideologies clashing half a world away. On one side, the Soviet-born AK-47: rugged, simple, and unyielding. On the other, the American M16: lightweight, precise, and high-tech. The AK didn’t mind the mud or the rain; it fired with a vengeance through sand, snow, and time. The M16, elegant and fast, demanded care but rewarded it with accuracy and range.

Looking for the best AR-15 alternatives in 2024? From the rugged AK-47 to the high-tech Sig MCX, we cover five incredible rifles that rival the AR-15's dominance. The AR-15 may be a solid choice for many, but each of these platforms brings unique strengths and quirks, giving Gene Stoner's classic design a serious run for its money. Join us as we explore the CZ Bren, Steyr AUG, Ruger Mini-14, and more to find out why they deserve a spot in your collection. Whether it’s reliability, modularity, or sheer fun on the range, these top 5 alternatives offer something for everyone.

Georgia-based firearms manufacturer 21st Tec is proud to introduce their new rifle that combines the 7.62×29 cartridge with the DPMS/LR308 AR10 platform – the TEC47 rifle. The TEC47 uses some unique parts to allow the rifle to feed from common AK mags, and cycle reliably with the 7.62x39mm cartridge. These rifles are in current production and will be selling for a suggested MSRP of $1,399 beginning on September 29th of this year.

Barwarus and Frontier Armory had a few interesting upgrades for AK-pattern guns at their SHOT Show 2023 booth.

Fans of exotic AK builds, rejoice!  BarWarus USA is bringing a Zenitco clone handguard and top rail to the US market. It is made in Turkey, so it can still be imported legally (unlike most/all Russian products).

Midwest Industries recently released a new AK Light & Laser Mount for AKM pattern rifles that attaches to the barrel. The new AK Light & Laser mount features two 1913 Picatinny rails, one on each side, with 2.1 inches of space for mounting, well, lights and lasers. The mount also has a cutout to allow for the cleaning rod to remain in place under the barrel. Midwest Industries’ specs can be found below.

Despite the launching of many 7 PRC rifles and loadings at the end of October, Hornady quietly launched an updated lineup of their Sub-X bullets, as well as their subsonic 7.62×39 loading using said Sub-X bullets. The Sub-X bullets utilize the familiar red-nosed expansion tip, but these tips have been enlarged to enhance the bullet’s expansion at much lower velocities. For the moment, it appears that the 255-grain 7.62×39 projectiles only come as part of their factory-loaded subsonic cartridge series, while the rest of the Sub-X lineup are available as just the projectiles. Hornady previously listed the 190 grain .308 caliber bullets under the Sub-X line, though they’ve now also listed .357, .452, .458, and one more .308 caliber offering.

It’s been a hot minute since Chinese AKs were imported into the US. Back in the mid to late 80s, you could purchase multiple configurations of these rifles including models featuring side folding stocks, underfolders, milled receivers, stamped, and spiker models like this one that PSA has finally released to the public. These of course came from a few different government factories going by Norinco, Polytech, and before them Clayco.

No matter where you go or what you do, there’s always someone out there trying to swipe your hard-earned money. We, firearms enthusiasts, are no different from anyone else in this regard. In fact, it seems lately criminals are trying even harder, using the current situation to trick us into thinking we’re getting a deal on a much-wanted firearm. Recently, I found a Kalashnikov USA fraud alert waiting for me and since I know not all of you sign up for their mailing list, I’m going to share it with everyone to get the word out.

Dear reader, your rifle is one of the millions. It is designed to be easy to manufacture, operate, and maintain. And it is battle proven through decades of conflicts in all types of terrain and climates. Your AK47 has everything you need to be victorious! Everything except for a way to attach that new capitalist M-LOK weaponlight and VFG. Not to worry, the new Clawgear AK47 Slick handguards have you covered.

AK-specific maintenance tools aren’t all that common. Usually to prop your Kalashnikov upright in a vice one has to sacrifice a magazine or put the receiver itself inside the jaws. With the rising popularity of the AK, Midwest Industries has released their AK Receiver Maintenance Block to provide some much-needed help to this growing community. This maintenance block can not only hold your AK upright while you do things like installing fire control groups, replacing furniture, cleaning the rifle/pistol, field stripping and reassembling, but also has a spot that acts as a bench block and secures your bolt at the same time. This of course beats holding the bolt still with the side of your hand while you hold a punch and try to keep everything steady on a universal bench block.

I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy, and honestly, I’ve never been one for flashy firearms. My go-to colors are black and tan. But when my inbox had the announcement from Atlantic Firearms about this 24K Gold AK, I couldn’t help but drool a tiny bit. Is it gaudy? Yes. Tacky even? Oh my, absolutely! But something about how well the finish job on this gun came out makes me just want to hold it for a little while and pretend I didn’t just have to decide between beef or chicken ramen this week.

Outside of a handful of popular options, finding affordable, reliable, and durable AK47 magazines can be a difficult task. That is why XTech Tactical is excited to announce the release of its Generation 2 MAG47 line of AK47 composite magazines. The MAG47 Gen 2 will be available in three different varieties including a California-compliant one and all three new variants will include improvements to both their construction and reliability factors.

Some of us aren’t fortunate enough to live in a state that allows for things like threaded barrels, standard capacity magazines, or even pistol grips. Before some of you inevitably chime in with “jUsT MOvE“, please understand that moving to a whole new state is a lot more involved than leaving your parent’s basement. You’ll find out one day I’m sure. I’m getting off-topic. Living in states like California does make enjoying our hobby more difficult, but not impossible. And Zastava Arms USA is there for you with their California Compliant M70.

WBP Rogow of Poland has finally decided to import the Jack 5.56 rifle from their already well-regarded lineup of Kalashnikovs. This classic AKM style rifle is sure to help skirt any imported ammo shortages by being chambered in the already plentiful (though not the currently cheapest) caliber available here in the US – 5.56x45mm or .223 Remington.