OK, so with the clickbait title out of the way, we’ve seen how the M1 Garand and the AK-derived Galil ACE fare in mud, but what about the legendarily reliable AK itself? Well, Ian and Karl’s recent round of mud testing continues, and next in line is Mikhail [Read More…]
Gun blogger superstar Eric of the Iraqveteran8888 YouTube channel is happy to once again get behind a rifle going cyclic until failure. This time, Eric’s victim is a Vepr 7.62×39 AK rifle made by Molot and modified by Copper Custom. Those who watch these [Read More…]
If you’ve spent any time at all in military history circles, you will have probably witnessed or been a participant in an argument about what, exactly, an “assault rifle” is, or whether a particular weapon qualifies as one. I, personally, have [Read More…]
To the first-time AK builder, the task in front of him or her can seen daunting, or even impossible. Unlike AR-15s that easily go together virtually like a LEGO set, the Kalashnikov rifle requires a bit more effort – and more expensive tools – to put [Read More…]
It appears that Robski from AK Operators Union has let slip that Magpul will be introducing new 5.45 mags at the upcoming SHOT Show. I am really excited about the prospect of reliable, cheap 5.45 mags. If I am honest the cost of quality AK74 mags is something that has [Read More…]
Via his Facebook page, Larry Vickers shares with us some photos of a prototype upgraded AK-74 rifle, made by Kalashnikov Concern and adopted by the Russian [Read More…]
It takes some real time to create these charts and track down the information, so my hat is off to Diffen.com which has a comprehensive break-down of the specifications of the AK-47 and the AK-74. Diffen is a wiki-type website where people can go create similar [Read More…]
Remember that iPhone in the UK that saved a man from a shotgun blast? Here’s a bunch of different generation iPhones and a Samsung Galaxy vs an AK-74 shooting a steel core round, I’m guessing it has a tad more penetration than birdshot from a shotgun. Guess [Read More…]
Previously, we talked about the fleet yaw problem, and the challenges it presents to infantry rifle ammunition developers, and how those challenges have been met with improved projectile designs. However, what we haven’t seen is real-time video of fleet yaw in [Read More…]
Rob Ski puts the new Magpul AK furniture to the test. The results are thought-provoking: Something I have reiterated a few times in the comments section is a basic aphorism about folding stocks that is borne out by this video: “Durability, lightness, cheapness, [Read More…]
The AK-12 rifle, slated to be adopted by the Russian Army in some capacity late this year, has been delayed in production until 2016. According to Russian news media sources, the rifle will undergo a series of improvements of an unspecified type. From [Read More…]
I’ve written a lot about the AR-15 and M1 Garand rifles, and after a time I will have written nearly as much about the EM-2, M14, and FAL. One rifle, though, hasn’t been the subject of very much of my writing, in part because reliable historical information [Read More…]
The number of accessory mounting options for AK owners continues to grow; UTG has announced new 13″ AK handguards compatible with Vltor’s KeyMod rail/accessory mounting system. From the press release: The Venerable AK47 has seen numerous upgrades and [Read More…]
Taofledermaus, master of unconventional (and some would argue unsafe) ad-hoc gun modifications has taken the Kalashnikov hobby to a new level. A well-made AK with good magazines is one of the most reliable firearms on the planet. It’s certainly no mystery why [Read More…]
I doubt that any of my readers have never seen a film in which a suitably menacing-looking Kalashnikov rifle was used this way: With the sling over the shoulder, stock folded, pointing from the hip: When one comes into ownership of a folding-stocked rifle of this type, [Read More…]
The constant bugbear in Soviet small arms engineers’ sides after 1950 was the poor performance of the AK rifle in fully automatic. The rifle was for decades very inaccurate in fully automatic fire, owing to its vigorous action and relatively (when compared to [Read More…]
Coming on the heels of (and surely related to) news that Kalashnikov Concern has decided to launch the AK-12 on the open market, the Russian Army has announced today that both the AK-12 and the A545 (improved AEK-971 variant) have passed state trials and will be [Read More…]
Russian news media today reports that, one year after Mikhail Kalashnikov’s death, the company that bears his name has officially launched the AK-12 rifle on the open market. Russia Today reports: Концерн «Калашников» планирует в [Read More…]
A non-reciprocating, left-side charging handle for the AK platform is set to go on sale in January. The Ratchet Charging System, or RCS, is a drop in replacement gas tube that incorporates a charging handle with bolt hold open. The RCS has been under development for [Read More…]
Izhmash has designed an airsoft version of AK-74M. The press release seems to indicate that they designed it and will be manufacturing it. Most gun companies just license the name to an Asian manufacturer. The dimensions and weight will be the same as the real AK-74M. [Read More…]
I have read criticisms of Kalashnikov for having made the selector/safety go from safe to full automatic (and then semi) and that he made this decision because of Soviet “pray and spray” doctrine. The truth is that the beauty of the AK-47 selector is that [Read More…]
Can anyone identify the optics used on these AKM rifles carried by Cuban soldiers. I have never see one like it before and my copy of Frank Iannamico’s epic tome on the AK is not at hand. [ Many thanks to m4shooter for emailing me the photo. ]
The BarrelXchange has been converting 7.62x39mm Romanian drum magazines to 5.45x39mm for use in AK-74 compatible rifles. 77-rounds of fun comes at a hefty price: $299+shipping. [ Many thanks to T.G. for emailing me the link. ]
From Army.mil … A member of the Basra Special Weapons and Tactics team demonstrates the proper form to ready a weapon to other members of the SWAT team during a training exercise in Basra Oct. 4. The SWAT Team is working with the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment [Read More…]
… and mall ninjas! Speaking of mall ninjas, both Tam and Sebastian have been discussing them recently. Hat Tip:
Many thanks to Val for emailing me these photos. Lots more photos after the jump … (more…)
The AK47 Talk blog posted a link to an auction on Gun Broker for a rare AK-74 quad stack magazine. It hit $900 but the reserve was not met! Lets hope that the Magpul quad magazine is cheaper 😉 This diagram is apparently from the magazine’s patent …
Last year I reported that Izhmash would launch a new line of AK-style rifles this year. While this new line has not yet materialized, a prototype has been unveiled. It modernizes the AK-74M / AK-100 series by adding rails for optics and other accessories, as well as a [Read More…]
You often hear stories about ancient AK-47 rifles being dug up and fired. In this video the Special Task Force, an elite paramilitary South African police unit, assist Mozambique authorities in locating and destroying an 18 year old weapons cache left over from the [Read More…]
Like Jim, who emailed me these photos, it makes me want to cry to see these magazines abused in this way. I would pay top dollar to buy them by the ton! See more of these photos at English Russia. Thanks to Jim for sending me the link.
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