AK-47 Buyers Guide

The online version of the book by Robert Kay

Short discourse on cheek weld

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In this chapter we will examine a host of buttstocks, so I thought it important to first discuss the concept of cheek weld.

Cheek weld is fundamentally the position your head is on the rifle when lining up the sights for a shot.

An ideal cheek weld is the single spot or location you return to every time you position your cheek on the buttstock. In order to become a consistent shooter, you’ll want to replicate this action. A proper cheek weld will ensure that you get on your target quickly and accurately.

The correct cheek weld will by definition be comfortable. It has to feel right and it won’t be the same for every shooter.

Your cheek weld will depend on your anatomy as well as the shape of the buttstock, its length, and all the other elements that go into ergonomics.

Some buttstocks will simply feel more comfortable than others.

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Getting a comfortable cheek weld is essential to an accurate shot. (Courtesy AKOU)

Like Cinderella trying on her slippers, it is incumbent upon you to evaluate a number of stocks to determine which one will work best for you. You’ll also want to make sure that if you’re planning to buy a folding, triangle-type stock, you test it out before you acquire it.

Another advantage of a proper cheek weld is the capacity to quickly recover from recoil. If you’re shooting a gun with some kick, you’ll want to be “anchored,” albeit ergonomically, to the rifle, so as to be rapidly back on target.

The key is that you find the gear that’s comfortable and allows you to use the sights on your gun. This can sometimes be a tricky proposition with an AK, especially when using optics.

Using optics with a side mount can change the geometry because the device will usually be mounted higher than iron sights. Thus, in order to use the optic, you may have to reposition your cheek weld.

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A low-mounted optic, as demonstrated by this instructor, should not appreciably change your cheek weld. (Courtesy AKOU)

This is not something that you necessarily want to do in a radical manner.

In other words, you want the stock to rest on your cheek—not your chin. Putting your chin on the gun is at the minimum uncomfortable or, in the worst case, a painful experience, if the recoil whacks you in an unforgiving manner.

If using the optic necessitates moving your cheek weld to an uncomfortable positon, the solution might be to find a buttstock that will have an adjustable cheek rest that can be elevated. These will allow you to see through the optic without changing your basic position.

Upgrading iron sights

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Once you get more familiar with your rifle, you may want to change out your rear sight. A rear sight upgrade can be an inexpensive way to tighten up your groups and improve target acquisition.

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From left to right: A peep sight from Red Star Arms, the U-Notch from Circle 10AK and an improved “notch sight” from Rifle Dynamics. (Robert Kay)

You owe it to yourself to check out an aperture sight (also known as a peep sight) which you may find to be an improvement on the classic AK rear sight.

Why? Of course everyone has different preferences, but for many, an aperture has more intuitive feel.

Even with decent eyesight it’s not possible to clearly focus on both sights and the target. Since the rear sight will tend to be somewhat unclear, in my experience you can more readily place the post in the center of a ring than in the center of a notch. The brain naturally understands centering an object within an aperture. Another advantage with the peep sight is that some shooters will find it easier to aim with both eyes open compared to the stock sight.

If you’re shooting offhand and need quick target acquisition an aperture can be advantageous. There are several iterations you can purchase from either Red Star Arms, Krebs Custom, Arsenal and, Circle 10 AK.

 

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An aperture or “peep” sight may feel intuitively more comfortable. Model pictured above is from Krebs Custom. (Robert Kay)

The Red Star Arms version, called the “Combat Sight,” is actually manufactured by a company called Mojo Sights. It’s fully screw-adjustable for elevation and windage and sells for $49.95 on the Red Star Arms website.

The other version is the Krebs Custom AK Aperture Sight. Coated with a black oxide finish, it differs from the Mojo product because the elevation is adjusted by using the original rear sight’s elevation slide. Price is $64.99. I’ve used both and like them equally.

Luke Williams, founder of Circle 10 AK, has designed an intriguing new hybrid called the U-Notch Peep Sight which works wonderfully. (Robert Kay)

A third option is the new U-Notch “hybrid” rear sight from Circle 10 AK. It combines features of the classic notched sight and the peep sight. You use this by aligning the circles on the front and rear sights and placing the post in a six o’clock position on your target. I had a chance to try this system out a few times at the range prior to publication of this book and am totally hooked. Target acquisition is fast and it’s an intuitively comfortable to use. For $52, I think it’s a great investment. There are also such as dust covers and rail systems with apertures mounted much closer to your eyes than the traditional rear notch sight. The companies that manufacture these systems are Krebs Custom, Texas Weapons Systems and a company called Tech-SIGHTS. The prices for these products range from around $100 to $300.

Keeping it Traditional

If you’re a traditionalist, you can go with an improved version the original sight. There are several companies that have products I would recommend. Krebs Custom and Jim Fuller’s Rifle Dynamics both make a variation on the traditional AK sight.

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This RPK-style sight (which comes stock on a VEPR) allows you to tweak elevation and windage on the slide. (Robert Kay)

Essentially, they have modified the original by rounding the edges of the rear sight and widening the notch. The result: both products offer clearer, cleaner sight pictures by making the eye naturally align with the sight notch. The Krebs product is priced at $39.95 and utilizes the original elevation slide. The Krebs Fast Acquisition Rear Sight also has rounded edges but uses the rifle’s original elevation slide. It’s priced at $39.95.

The Rifle Dynamics unit comes with its own elevation slide and is priced at $90.

If you’re going to spend most of your time shooting off a bench, the traditional sight will serve you well.

Another variation to the traditional sight, sold by Arsenal, is the RPK style rear sight (which is standard on the VEPR). It allows for both elevation and windage adjustments on the slide. I’ve used it on my own VEPR and can say from personal experience how convenient it is to have both adjustments available in the same place. Price is $85.

If you’re going to shoot in low light situations Meprolight, an Israeli concern, offers “Tru-Dot Night Sights” for AK-47 rifles. It resembles an ordinary AK rear sight but there’s a tritium dot on both the notches and the sight post as you’d find on some handguns. Justin McMillion of JMAC Customs, which manufactures aftermarket AK parts, is a big fan of this product. He said that the sights help him shooting in low light and are even are easier on the eyes during normal daylight hours. The other advantage is that you can adjust windage on the rear sight using a small screwdriver. His only complaint was that it was necessary to lock down the front post as it wasn’t as tight as he would have preferred. Price is $109 on Amazon.

Circle 10 AK sells a number of sights, including their own U-Notch Peep Sight for $51.95. This is the invention of Circle 10 AK founder Luke Williams and it has already received attention from government agencies.

K-var also has a variety of front and rear AK sights to choose from.

Choosing an AK optics mount

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If you’re going to invest in an optic and don’t have a rail or handguard system that will allow you to place it on your rifle, you’re going to need a separate AK optics mount. These clamp onto a bracket located on the left-hand side of the receiver — assuming your AK has a bracket; most, but not all, do. There are a number of mounts on the market ranging from not-so-great stuff imported from China to well-made products from Russia or the U.S.

The engineering challenge for these devices has been to build something that will work with all — or at least a great majority — of the AK variants. This is a tall order.

You won’t go wrong with the SM-13 from Arsenal. It’s solid and costs $130.

As I outlined earlier, there are inevitable discrepancies in the specifications among manufacturers when it comes to positioning of the rail, thickness of the receiver, and so on. Thus, obtaining a one-mount-fits-all solution is impossible. The lesson is that before you purchase an optic, be certain that the item you acquire will operate correctly with the mount and model of your AK.

There are some decent scope mounts out there. One I’ve tested is the SM-13 from Arsenal. It’s a rock-steady unit that is slung low — close to the dust cover. It will work with the VEPR, Saiga and Arsenal. The only thing it won’t do is allow you to co-witness. The ability to co-witness (see below) is not a must-have, but is certainly desirable.

RS Regulate Mounting System

The system favored by all the professionals I’ve interviewed is manufactured by a company called RS Regulate. It permits you to mount your optic very low (close to the barrel) while centering it over the rifle’s bore.

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The RS Regulate scope mount is a modular affair that clamps onto a standard AK side mount. It is well-made and accommodates a number of optics. (Robert Kay)

RS Regulate has developed a mounting technology that accommodates some of the more popular optics brands and will generally, depending on the optic, allow you to co-witness. It’s modular so that you can pick and choose an adapter designed for a specific optic. One of their newest products is designed to work with a Yugo.

The RS Regulate products are a bit more expensive than the competition, but work the best.

Online Resources

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Online AK Forums

Although there’s no one “Kalashnikov AK-47 Central” website, there are a number of excellent online resources to find reviews of guns, gear and comradeship with fellow travelers.

A great way to keep on top of new innovations or learn about existing “stuff” in great depth is by joining either The AK Files Forums or the AK Forum.net. Or both. Like any forum they have discussion groups on various variants, ammo, optics and other gear. If you want to get insights on your particular brand of rifle, this is the place to go. If you want to delve into esoterica about milled receivers, reloading, slant brakes or RPKs, hanging out at these forums will certainly educate you.

Bloggers who regularly cover the AK Space

On Facebook the AK Operators Union, Local 47-74 otherwise known as “AKOU” is all AK, all the time. It was founded by Rob Ski who produces product reviews, videos, training exercises, thoughtful commentary and rants on everything AK. He’s famous for dropping rifles and other gear until they literally break. Unlike many so-called “Operators” he was actually trained with an AK as part of his military service in Poland. Many of his FB members are from Eastern Europe including Russia, Poland, and Serbia. Rob acts as a bridge between the East and West. In addition to his commentary, he runs an online store which sells gear that he has personally vetted. He also has Website, a Twitter feed and a YouTube Channel.

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Tim Harmsen, aka “Mac”, is the host of the Military Arms Channel, Full30 and Military Arms Channel Facebook page. Affable and extremely knowledgeable, he covers the gamut when it comes to firearms but has a special place in his heart for the AK platform. He’s also an entrepreneur who sells a variety of first class firearms at his Copper Custom store which is both an online and bricks and mortar affair.

AK47ChatterBox.COM is actually a Facebook page run by Mike Vican. Mike has a sort of 30,000 foot view of the AK space and he republishes reviews from AKOU, Mrgunsngear and other Internet sources. His page is also strictly AK and just perusing it will give you a great feel for what’s out there in the way of rifles and accessories.

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Mrgunsngear has done numerous video reviews of AK-centric products. (Courtesy Mrgunsngear)

Mrgunsngear is also popular Internet gun guru who has a strong affinity for the AK. A graduate of the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Center, Mike has done stints in the USAF as well as the Army. He’s not connected to any kind of business venture that conflicts with his video blogging. If he finds flaws in a product he’s reviewing, he’ll tell you without worrying about offending the manufacturer. We respect him greatly for that. He has produced over 600 videos to date.

Larry Vickers a highly decorated Special Ops veteran, offers classes around the country under the aegis of his company, Vickers Tactical. Considered the dean of tactical training, he’s also a big fan of the AK platform. A firearms historian and gunsmith his video, Inside the AK 74, has received over a 1.2 million visitors on YouTube and counting.

Graham Baates, a contributor to this book, owes his respect of the AK platform to his combat experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. After a decade of specializing in small arms and Eastern European studies for the US Army, Graham currently works as a consultant and has a popular YouTube channel with a number videos on the AK platform as well as other subjects.

Informational Websites

There aren’t too many of these. A company called Ultimak, which designs AK rails, has a terrific User Resources page with background info on electronic sights, FAQs and basic instructions on removing and replacing an AK stock. Cheaper than Dirt, the online store, has a blog style Buyer’s Guide to the AK Family of Rifles that’s quite good, albeit dated. Likewise, AR15.com has a comprehensive AK Buyers Guide with a gallery that illustrates a number of variants.

Where to Buy Guns and Accessories

Naturally every vendor of AK “stuff” has a Facebook page and a website. I prefer the FB pages simply because they are updated regularly.

Here are some places to go where you’ll get quality products:

>>AK Builder.com is a one stop shop for the hobbyist. You can purchase parts, parts kits and all manner of tools.

>>Apex Gun Parts sells AK kits and a plethora of parts.

>>Atlantic Firearms is the largest volume seller of AK rifles in the nation. They have

>>Aim Surplus has a nice selection of AKs–both foreign and domestic.

>>Brownells has a tremendous selection of AK parts. They also have an excellent tech support lineup that can be extremely helpful.

>>Carolina Shooters Supply has a wide variety of AK rails, handguards and the like.

>>Circle 10 AK sells exclusively AK parts such as muzzle brakes and handguards as well as rifles.

>>Childers Guns specializes in AK parts, particularly high-end, affordably priced receivers and makes a first class retaining plate.

>>CNC Warrior, Bonesteel Arms and StormWerkz all sell adapters that allow you to place AR style stocks on AKs.

>>Copper Custom, owned by Internet celeb Tim Harmsen sells high quality AKs, among other guns.

>>Definitive Arms builds a variety of semi-custom AKs that are highly regarded.

>>K-VAR.com sells a plethora of imported and domestic AK parts. It distributes Arsenal rifles and has a very knowledgeable sales staff.

>>Krebs Custom builds high end semi-custom AK rifles and a number of parts designed in house such as KeyMod rails, gun sights, and safety selectors.

>>M-13 Industries, out of Las Vegas does custom builds and has an excellent selection of AK barrels, magazines, tools, muzzle devices and the like.

>>Magpul, a rather large name in the AR 15 space, also sells AK-centric parts such as magazines, stocks, handguards and other furniture.

>>Midwest Industries manufactures a variety of good quality AK parts at reasonable prices.

>>Red Star Arms has a number of specialty parts such as high quality triggers, disconnector springs, sights and retainers.

>>Rifle Dynamics is well known for their top flight semi-custom guns and manufactures their own proprietary parts such as an M4 adapter and a custom rear sight. They also offer build-your-own AK classes at their Las Vegas shop. I’ve heard great things about the classes, which usually fill up way ahead of time.

>>RS Regulate sells state-of-the-art AK optics mounts that will fit most variants.

>>Tapco, primarily a manufacturer of AR gear, also sells AK parts such as magazines, triggers and grips.

>>Ultimak sells lightweight rails, mounting systems and optics that fit just about every AK variant.>

>>SGM Tactical has a variety of items specifically for the VEPR. This includes rails, stocks, handguards and muzzle brakes.

>>Vltor sells mostly AR parts but has a few high end AK items such as a stock adapter.

>>R&R Targets specializes in custom parts for Saiga Shotguns and AKs. This includes a souped-up Tapco G2 trigger, an AK to AR style stock adapter, a custom safety, handguards and other items.

>>Echo Nine Three sells slings, sling adapters, furniture and other AK items. They have really nice art on their FB page.

>>In Hawaii you’ll want to get in touch with Brian Takaba over at X-Ring Security who knows his way around AKs.

Online Sales Sites

>>Gunbroker.com is the biggest and baddest auction site of all. They sell both guns and gun parts.

>>Armslist.com has guns for sale by owners and dealers at a fixed price. They divvy up their site state by state.

>>Gunsamerica.com also has a wide variety of firearms for sale by owners and dealers.

>>Auctionarms.com is a site where my colleagues and I have purchased a number of items through the years with good experiences.

>>GunsSafeTips.com has a wealth of information on gun storage to keep your collection safe and sound.

Advanced Training

If you want to get proficient on your rifle a good step to take, says Graham Baates a contributor to this book, is to take an advanced carbine course. These are available at facilities such as Front Sight in Nevada, Thunder Ranch in Oregon, and Bill Rogers Shooting School in Georgia. There are a host of lesser known schools that are perfectly suitable.

The caveat is that if you’re interested in a particular school, first ascertain if there’s an instructor at the school who is familiar with the AK platform before you plunk down your fee. Advanced students might consider courses from the AK Operators Union, Vickers Tactical or Haley Strategic. There are undoubtedly other good courses out there for AK-centric individuals.

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AK Books

THE GUN is a Pulitzer Prize winning book by NY Times reporter and former marine, CJ Chivers. The book is a social history of the AK-47 (which he has called a “stubbornly mediocre arm”) that examines the origins and proliferation of automatic arms, and their influence on war.

He chronicles the development of the AK in detail. For example, Chivers reports that contrary to popular belief the AK was not the sole brainchild of Mikhail Kalashnikov. Rather it was a rifle designed, Soviet style, by committee. If you’re going to read one book on the history of this rifle, this is it.

(CJ Chivers’ blog is also well worth visiting and has some graphic photos of the kind of mayhem that an AK can wreak.)

the-grim

AK-47 the Grim Reaper by Frank Iannamico is considered by many as the definitive collector’s book on the AK platform. With 1100 plus pages, it covers the complete series of the AK rifles country by country, and is illustrated with photos that examine the most minute details. This entails photos of that identify individual rifles by manufacturer, year and serial number, markings, etc.

assault-rifles

The World’s Assault Rifles by Gary Paul Johnston and Thomas B. Nelson is a 1200 page tome with nearly 2,000 illustrations that exhaustively covers every facet of the assault rifle, country by country. Take-down, theory of operation, and history of development are examined for all weapons. AK enthusiasts will note that the first chapter looks at the evolution of rifle ammunition with special attention to the genesis of the Russian 7.62x39mm AK-47 round.

Brian Conrad of Krebs Custom suggests that those interested in the AK should try to obtain Masami Tokoi’s masterpiece, AK-47 & Kalashnikov Variations, which is out of print.