RKBA News: After Orlando, The 80% AR-15 Market Surges

IN THE WAKE of the worst mass shooting in US history, many Americans want to ban civilians from buying the AR-15, that ultra-popular, all-American killing tool. But in basements and garages around the country, another group of Americans is collecting the machines and materials to make those firearms in the privacy of their own homes. And for them, just as much as for gun control advocates, Orlando represents a call to arms.

Senate Democrats reacted to the massacre by filibustering until Republicans agreed to allow a vote on four gun control measures. Every measure failed on Monday night. But even fears of such legislation have lead gun owners to stock up on guns and ammunition after every mass shooting in recent history. And now a newer trend has emerged in the days since Omar Mateen killed 49 people with a handgun and a Sig Sauer MCX rifle: sales are spiking for the equipment and materials used by DIY gunsmiths to make their own, fully-functional, semi-automatic weapons.

Using power tools, chunks of aluminum, and cheap, consumer-grade digital gadgets, those firearm-focused members of the maker movement fabricate homemade weapons like AR-15s and AR-10s that skirt all regulation and would be untraceable in some imagined, future crackdown in which the government were to seize registered weapons. “People are hopping off the mainstream train and accepting an underground dissident mentality when it comes to guns,” says Cody Wilson, the founder of the Austin, Texas-based DIY gun group Defense Distributed. “They’re making the connection: If [an AR-15 ban] is enacted, I can get this machine and make one anyway.”

Since the fall of 2014, Defense Distributed has sold approximately three thousand of the $1,500 devices it calls the Ghost Gunner, a computer-controlled, one-foot cubed milling machine designed to let anyone carve their own aluminum body of an AR-15 at home. Since all other parts of the gun can be bought without any regulation, the result is a lethal weapon that’s free from background checks, waiting periods, serial numbers, or any other government involvement.

Read the Remainder at Wired

Addressing and Breaking the “AK Stigma”

 

I have been shooting and training with AK-47’s and their variants for over fifteen years now. I have seen the platform both grow in civilian popularity and slowly but surely nudge it’s way into the very tight U.S. firearms accessories market that was solely dominated by the AR-15 for two decades. In the old days (Oh No, I am starting to sound like an old fart!) I can remember there were virtually ZERO U.S. vendors of AK kit, so you either had to make your own part or if you were lucky, find a Galil part and use that.

But, as the famous line goes, “That was then and this is now..” and so much has changed as far as better quality and  assortment of AK accessories available. With the virtual explosion of AMERICAN custom shops for both the production of AK rifles and parts and accessories, the AK shooter is finally on level footing, at least parts wise, with the Golden Child of the civilian rifle shooting community, the AR-15.

But, despite being able to find a wide assortment of parts, there is still a “stigma” attached to the AK, and by consequence, a stigma on the people who own and shoot them. AK-47’s and their variants are still largely seen as “The Enemies Gun” or the guns that “Terrorist” use. This is largely due in part to the media coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Whenever you saw a dead terrorist, you typically saw an AK  laying beside him. This is humorous to me because, in reality, I have seen terrorist using everything from AR’s, FAL’s, CETME .308’s and even beat up bolt action Mosin Nagants! It really is silly and adolescent to “associate” a certain weapon with a “certain group of people”;  but this is as much the fault of Hollywood and the movies as it is the media lib-tards and their anti-gun agenda.

The AK is also primarily portrayed as the “Criminals” gun by Law Enforcement. It is typically shown in photographs of gangland shootings and drive-by’s and even in large DEA cartel drug bust. I can recall at least half a dozen times seeing news reports that showed hundreds of bricks of cocaine stacked up 4 feet high and then several AK rifles leaned up against it; as if that was the only weapon found during the bust. The actual reality though, and as was seen in the “Fast and Furious” ATF/DEA debacle, is that there are many other types of weapons (most of which were put into circulation by the ATF themselves) that are used by criminal cartels, such as the much-loved and adored AR-15 and Glock pistol, both of which are the standard long arm and sidearm for a large percentage of Law Enforcement Agencies across the nation.

Actual North Hollywood Bank Robber using Norinco Type 56 AK in shootout with Police, 1997

Val Kilmer in the movie “Heat” from 1995 which influenced the North Hollywood Bank Robbery, using an Colt 733 in shootout with Police

One of the main factors that drives this stigma in my opinion has to do with the perception that the AK series of rifles are “Cheap” and/or are “Foreign made crap” when compared to the AR series of rifles, which is seen as “America’s Gun” and the “Gun our Troops use.” These types of comparisons are asinine in my opinion, because although the AK was designed in a foreign country, a large percentage of AK’s in circulation were built right here in the U.S.!  It is also humorous to think that although the AK is mostly made out of sheet metal, the AR is in large part, made out of plastic. So the argument over which is “cheaper” can and is, hotly debated in online forums. Just like other pointless arguments such as “9mm vs. .45”, “AK vs. AR” has been going on for a LONG time now and is not likely going to lose steam anytime soon. And even if it did, I am sure the “gun forum commandos” out there would find some other pointless topic to flame about. God Forbid these people get out and actually TRAIN rather than sit in front of a computer and play Mr. Know it all, right? Would the world stop spinning?

 

To qualify my point, In a recent article in on RecoilWeb.Com talking about the differences in the US Palm 30 AK Magazine and the Magpul MOE PMAG, the author, Jerod Johnson was quoted  as saying this:

“The PMAG has a much lower retail price at $14.95 which is appealing to the cost-effective shooter that exists traditionally in the AK-47 crowd.”

So, according to Mr. Johnson, people who shoot AK’s and their variants are all “budget shoppers” and by definition, cheap. This by implication, states that we (AK Shooters) are basically the “poor kids” of the gun community; choosing to shoot “poorly made” weapons because we can’t afford anything better? I don’t know about you, but I find that assumption insulting and just wrong on so many levels.

But, before we get too upset, let’s look at the history behind the “WHY” of these false assumptions.

What is lacking in most people’s opinions of the AK series of rifles is the understanding of the Three “Types” of AK Rifle Builds that exist in America today, and how vastly different in quality all of them can be.

Here is a cursory overview of the three types:

1. CAI “Kit” Guns

The worst of the three and not surprisingly, the type of rifle that the average person typically bases their opinion of the AK on.

Most of  these rifles are built “piece meal” (also known as “Frankenstein Built”) by Century Arms International and according to a friend of mine, are built by DRUNK monkeys in a basement somewhere in New Jersey. The cost of these weapons vary, buy typically run around $600. The basic build can go like this: CAI takes an American made receiver and then uses some imported parts to build a 922r compliant weapon. The glitch in kit guns is not so much the quality of the parts, since most of the receivers are American made (Like NoDak Spud, Global Trades, etc.) The bigger issue has more to do with HOW the guns are built, which is typically in an assembly line fashion with little or no attention to detail nor QUALITY CONTROL.  I came to the conclusion a while back that it is basically a roll of the dice when you buy a CAI gun ONLINE simply because you cannot INSPECT the gun before you buy it. The best example of this is the now infamous Romanian WASR. Peruse the archives of any of the AK Forums and you will see time and time again things such as: warped barrels, wrong caliber barrels (mostly in the 5.45 AK-74’s) improperly headspaced barrels,  canted front sight post, ragged cut rails in the receiver, trigger hammers installed backwards, etc. and you get the picture fast! But to be fair, Century Arms has come a long way in the last seven to eight years with their customer service and customer relations and are more willing to fix a problem now than just ignore it as they did a while back during the “WASR Years.”

There are a few exceptions to the CIA Kit Gun rule however, the most notable ones being the Yugo M92 AK Pistol and the Yugo M70AB2 Underfolder series of rifles. Most everybody who owns one of these weapons (including Travis Haley and this author) will tell you, for the most part, they are exceptionally well built AK’s. The reason for this is simple: the majority of the gun is built at the Zastava Plant in Serbia and then imported and made 922r compliant by CAI; no drunk monkeys with wrenches ever touch these guns. For this very reason I am fan of all things Yugoslavian, including their Mausers, SKS’s and Tokarevs!

Arsenal SLR-107-CR

2. Arsenal AK’s

By far the best build and brand of AK you can buy without buying a custom gun. The folks at Arsenal represent everything Modern and Forward Thinking about the AK Platform without changing the heart of the system. The quality of parts you get is awesome and the quality control of the build is even better. These guns start out around a Grand ($1,000) and are worth every penny IMO. Funny thing, with AR Prices being at a seven year low, you can actually buy an AR cheaper now than an Arsenal AK; so does that reverse the “cost” stigma now? Are AR shooters now the “poor kids” on the block? LOL..see how ridiculous all this crap is?

3. Custom Built AK

Take your pick, either from certified master builders like Jim Fuller at Rifle Dynamics or Mark Krebs at Krebs Custom. There are also smaller shops like CNC Warrior and Snake Hound Machine. All these guys can build you the absolute best AK money can buy, just be ready to shell it out and in the end you will have a weapon that can be passed down for generations.

So in closing guys, let’s BREAK this AK Stigma thing and stop wasting valuable training time! When we start getting side tracked by useless banter like this, we need to be reminded that our emphasis should always focus on TRAINING. By Focusing more on the Software (mindset) than the Hardware (Tools) we will ensure our training is realistic and efficient and avoids any “Fantasy Gunfight” scenarios that can get us killed. After all, a criminal who intends to break into your house, rape your wife and murder you while you sleep could care less if you have an AK or an AR or how much you paid for either of them or what modifications you did to them to make them better.

The bottom line Question is this:  HAVE you trained and ARE you training to the best of your ability with the weapon you do have to stop the BAD GUY cold if and when that day ever comes?

Stay Alert, Stay Armed and Stay Dangerous!

 

 

 

 

 

The HCS CO Yugo M92 AK-47 Pistol

The Yugoslavian PAP M92 AK-47 Pistol is one of the better AK pistols to hit the U.S. Market in some time. And similar to the other AK pistol offerings on the market such as the Draco and Mini-Draco,(see my review of the Mini-Draco HERE.) these guns are only IMPORTED and not MANUFACTURED (or ASSEMBLED) by Century Arms Intl. The M92 is 100% produced in the famous Zastava Arms Plant in Serbia; the same plant that produced the M70 line of AK Rifles. The M70AB2 Underfolder is quite possible, and in this shooter’s opinion, one of the BEST KIT AK’s you can buy.

So, where does the AK Pistol fit into the CO’s arsenal? Good Question. Read an old article of mine to find out HERE.

Any AK, in order to be a fighting weapon, is going need a FEW modifications to be useful and more reliable. Now I have been shooting and training with AK’s even before they were cool, and I am well aware of the two schools of thought regarding modifying AK’s: You have the “Modernist” and the “Purist”. The Modernist like to treat the AK like an AR and hang everything they can off the gun besides a tactical toaster. The Purist, on the other hand, keep the gun within it’s design parameters: SIMPLE. The only mods these guys make are very basic and mostly internal..like a better trigger, retainer plate, etc.

I guess, as time has passed, I fall somewhere in between, because like the Purist, I believe to get the most out of any weapon, you have to use it (and more importantly TRAIN WITH IT) the way it was designed, but also, like the modernist, I believe that we live in 2015 and not 1947, and just like the Russian Army is currently doing, the AK platform can be modernized and improved to be more deadly and efficient than Mikhail Kalashnikov ever imagined in 1947.

I will go through what mods I did to the gun, starting with some basic gunsmith work.

• Install Trigger Retainer Plate

Every AK or Saiga Shotgun you own should have this part installed first. Never trust the reliability of your weapon to  the “sheperds hook” (a piece of wire). Replace it with a steel plate. I cannot emphasize this enough. The AK is undoubtedly one of the most reliable weapons in the world, BUT, if there is going to be a failure, typically it is going to be one of two things: your magazine or your trigger group. Simple way to help avoid that: Don’t buy cheap polymer magazines and install a retainer plate on every AK you own! I got mine from CNC Warrior. (Heads up: I have heard some of the other Retaining Plates (like Tapco’s) must be modified to fit the M92, but CNC’s fits like a charm).

• Polish Trigger Shelf

Every AK I have ever owned with either the stock trigger or the Tapco G2 have had gritty trigger resets; this is not so much a “con” of the AK as some say as it is an opportunity for you to learn how to work on your trigger group. As I always have said: If you are gonna train and carry a weapon for self-defense, learn to work and repair them yourself! Notice I said “Polish” not “File”; big difference in those two words! You don’t want to take any material away as you just want to “clean” up the shelf of the hammer.

• Dremel Off spot weld

You are going to want to remove that spot welded thread protector and install a decent flash hider or muzzle brake. This is fairly easy to do with a good dremel too and there are plenty of YouTube vids showing you how if you are not sure. I will give you a few tips: Be Patient! and if the protector wont screw off easily, you have not cut the weld completely. Don’t go torquing on your barrel with vice grips, you can warp your barrel! Also remember, this is a LH thread so it is opposite of the old adage “Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty”. You must turn it clockwise (right) to loosen.

• Clean threads on muzzle

There will be cosmoline on the threads when you remove the thread nut, so be sure and clean this off. Also, after you finish all your internal work, CLEAN the gun spotless, especially around the trigger group. Make sure no small filings or metal chips have fallen inside.

• Install Detent Pin 

Before you install any muzzle device, you are going to want to install a detent pin, otherwise, no matter how tight you screw on that muzzle device, it will eventually back out on you. You can buy these inexpensive kits from several places, I got mine from CNC Warrior, but Rapid Fire Tek also carries them.

• Install Quality Muzzle Brake

Obviously you are not going to leave the threads bare, so invest in a good flash hider or muzzle brake. I purchased two different ones to try: the Eclipse Flash Hider from Manticore Arms and the old school authentic “Krink” Shorty “Booster” Brake from CNC Warrior. As you will see in the Field Test coming up soon, this gun is a fire-breathing Dragon, so taming it on the “business end” is going to be a priority.

• Install Quality Grip

All shooters have their favorite type of grips, and I prefer Hogue soft grips on my AK’s. I have huge meat hooks, so I like a grip that is comfortable and really swells up and fills the hand.

• Install SB-47 Brace

Believe me when I tell you, that this little invention is worth the money for large-caliber pistols like the AK!

• Install RFT’s SB-47 Adjustable Spacer, Locking Plate and QD Swivel

This nifty piece of kit from my friend Bud at Rapid Fire Tek allows you to adjust the length of your brace and at the same time lock the brace down to avoid spinning. A QD swivel attaches  directly, giving you a Rear Sling Mount. I will be doing a stand-alone Gear Review very soon, so stay tuned.

• Install Sling

I chose to go with a 2 point sling versus the one point, only because I have always favored using a 2 point sling most of my adult life. I went with a very simple American Made sling from Amazon for $10 (Mine is Foliage color but they also come in OD Green, Coyote and Black). I know there are better built slings out there, but IMO, a sling should be simple! One note here: Due to the integrated front sling mount on the M92, you will need a sling with a hook-type fastener. If you don’t like metal hooks, another option you might try is the Israeli Sling which I run on my other AK’s.

• Install Manticore Arms Renegade Forearm w/Optic Top Mounting Plate

After looking at either installing an Ultimak top rail, which I run on almost all my AK’s, I got sold on the Renegade because it offered basically what the Ultimak did: Co-Witness capability that is Lightweight with Flexible mounting options for a light. See, although the Renegade is a proprietary system from Manticore, you are not just limited to just using Manticore rails and mounts (like Magpul’s forearms for example).

You can buy the Forearm set with or without the Top Optic Mounting Plate, and Sven at Manticore even offers a simple cover plate for those of you that don’t want to mount an optic. The Renegade gives you 3 basic Optic Mounting Plates: The Burris Fastfire, The Aimpoint Micro or the Primary Arms Micro. I went with the Burris Fastfire, since I run this optic on another AK and have used it in the field extensively and know how tough it is.

The installation is very easy, but be warned though the tolerances are VERY TIGHT in order to make the unit fit solid on the gun. What you can do to make it go on easier is lube up the front part of the forearm that the locking collar goes around; that with some gentle tapping with a rubber mallet should enable it to go in and the locking lever to seat properly. Remember: If the lever will not lock into position, DO NOT try and force it! You also might have to lightly sand where the locking collar attaches to get a good fit. The optic plate itself locks around your gas tube with U brackets, bolts and blue loctite. The only tip I can give you here is DO NOT apply the loctite until you have your optic level and square and where you want it. There is a 5 part YouTube vid by Forever Armed that walks you through a lot of the installations I have discussed here including the Renegade. See that HERE.

• Install Light Mount and Light

Since bad guys like to operate at night, no serious “social” gun should be without a light attached, and the CO M92 has one. As I stated above, the Renegade Forearm allows the attachment of a variety of short Picatinny rails, so I used Magpul’s 3 slot MOE Polymer Rail for a mount. As for the flashlight, Earl at IWC just sent me their new Mini-CQB Weapon Light, an integrated mount+light 375 lumen powerhouse. Be on the lookout for that Gear Review Very soon as well.

• Use Quality Magazines!

I could not leave this all important part of the gun out, even though some people seem to skip it. Always remember this: ANY Semi-Automatic weapon is only going to be as reliable as the magazine feeding it. Now I am not gonna go into a long diatribe on what is and what is not a “quality” AK magazine, but I will say this: As long as European Steel Mags stay around $15, it is really a moot issue as far as I am concerned. Do I use others? Sure. Bulgarian Circle 10’s and Russian Bakelites (when I can find them). I also have a fair collection of US Palm 30’s in various hues (including the new Bakelite) which I have trained with for some time and never had an issue. I have not had a chance to try out the new Magpul PMAG Gen M3’s (not the MOE’s) but have heard semi-favorable reviews. The main thing to remember with any AK polymer mag is if it doesn’t have steel reinforced locking lugs and strong, reinforced feed lips, you can forget them. They may stand up the first few hundred rounds, but in the long stretch they will break down. The AK action is T-Rex brutal, so the mag must match it if you want consistent reliability.

Picture Show

Before

 

After
W/CNC Warrior “Shorty” Booster Brake.

 

Bolt Side

 

Manticore Arms Renegade Forearm w/Burris Fastfire II

 

Manticore Arms Eclipse Flash-Hider and Streamlight Light Mount w/ Fenix Light

 

Streamlight Illuminator Rail Mount

 

Hogue Grip

 

Rapid Fire Tek’s SB Spacer Kit w/QD Sling Swivel

 

Stay Alert, Stay Armed and Stay Dangerous!