AR & Related Rifles and Pistols

A Heavy Target AR With A 26″ 5.56x45mm White Oak Upper, Geissele Trigger and Vortex HS-T 6-24×50 Scope

White Oak Armory 5.56 AR with Vortex scope on firewood

This is a purpose-built target rifle.  I like my precision rifles to be very heavy as the weight helps absorb my tremor.  Granted I still have to control my breathing and pretty much meditate to get to the right point to pull the trigger but the weight really helps.  The rig as shown without ammo weighs 13.7 pounds.  Now let’s get into the details of the components used in this rifle.

In this case, the upper was the most important item I focused on first.  This is a 26″ White Oak Armory (WOA) complete upper and these folks are known for building accurate rifles.  White Oak Armament is in Carlock, IL, and owned by John Holliger.  John has a ton of experience with competition shooting starting in 1980 finishing 15 times in the Presidents 100, earning the Distinguised Rifleman Badge, 2000 CMP Pershing Trophy winner and more.  Needless to say, he knows his way around a competition firearm.  John founded White Oak Precision in 2000 and then While Oak Armament after that as he noticed that custom gunsmiths and picky shooters (me) needed a reliable source of high end AR parts.   What I think is especially remarkable is that his prices are very fair especially given the quality of what he delivers.

From their website they note “Receivers are all forged and mil spec or higher quality, and have the baked-on, anti-friction coating on the inside for long life. Bolts are held to proper tolerances for correct headspacing. Bolt carriers have M-16 style shrouded firing pins for reliable function and added weight. Handguards are top quality compression molded and fiberglass reinforced, not the cheap injection molded plastic. Our NM floating handguard assembly is our own design using heavy walled tubing, a solid welded end cap, and a sling swivel. Many parts are custom manufactured to our specifications. And of course everything is 100% made in the USA!“

What I decided on was one of their 26″ varmint upper.  Now at 26″, it’s pretty much overkill but is nice and heavy weighing in at 7.88 pounds all by itself.  While WOA does offer fluting, I did not opt for it as I wanted the weight.  By the way, fluting increases surface area for cooling and reduces weight but it is not something magical.  The unfluted barrel is stiffer.  I am going to try and word this very carefully – a fluted barrel is stiffer than another barrel of the same final weight due to the thicker walls.  In other words, take a thin barrel that weighs X pounds and a fluted barrel that weighs the same X pounds, it will be stiffer because it has the thicker walls around the fluting but it is not as stiff as a the original unfluted barrel.  Now this matters if you are shooting a lot and the barrel is warming up such as lots of target or varmint shooting at prairie dogs.  So, stiffer and heavier is the route I will always take.  If you told me I would have to carry a rifle around a lot then my answer would change 🙂

The barrel itself is a 26″ stainless match grade unit with an 11 degree crown to protect the muzzle and their own “WOA Varmint Chamber” to allow the use of either .223 or 5.56 ammo.  The twist rate is 1:8. I like to shoot heavier bullets to buck the wind and 1:8 will stabilize bullets from 75-80 grain quite well.  I have both Black Hills match ammo as well as just got some IMI RazorCore specifically for this rifle.

Last point, this complete upper – including the matching BCG and charging handle – was only $645 + S&H.  That, my friends, is quite a deal.  [Click here if you want to see what other complete uppers they have for sale.]

The lower is an Anderson.  They are my goto lower receiver as they are mil-spec and work just fine.  I’ve never had an out-of-spec problem with them actually.

It has Yankee Hill Machine (YHM) oversize pivot and takedown pins.  I just like the extra leverage when I have to open or remove the upper.

The buttstock is a Magpul PRS II.  I always like these stocks as I can get my length of pull and cheekweld exactly the way I want.  Under the stock is a rifle length tube with a normal spring and an H2 buffer.

The grip is an Ergo Tactical Deluxe with palm shelf.  I like the rubber overmold they do and appreciate the palm rest on a target rifle.

I’m proud of the trigger – it’s a Geisselle (pronounced like “GuysLee”) Super Semi-Automatic Enhanced (SSA-E) and feels fantastic.  The first stage is 2.3 pounds, the second is 1.2 pounds, which totals 3.5 pounds.  It’s not adjustable but that’s no big deal to me.  For now on, if I build a target rifle, this is the trigger I will use.  Wow.

The Vortex is a bright, clear and rugged Vortex HS-T 6-24×50 scope with a MOA reticle.  Normally I would go with MRAD but Vortex was sold out at the time so I went with MOA.  I’m firing from known distances so it’s not a big deal for me.  The offset scope mount is also from Vortex and gives me a better distance from my eye to the optic.  I used to go with generic rings and mounts but am pretty much just using Vortex now unless I need something specialized such as an RS!Regulate mount for an AK.  Lastly, those are Vortex’s new Defender Scope caps and they are way better than their old ones.  They stay on well and are rugged.

With the big scope, I have a BVM Mod 3 charging handle sticking out.  It really pays off with big optics.

So, this rifle is a lot of fun.  I just fired off 20-30 rounds to break it in and need to get back to the range with some match ammo I have from Black Hills and IMI’s RazorCore ammo to see what it can do.

AK rifle with MI rails and custom Galil grip

AR-15 target rifle with Vortex scope and 26" barrel

AR-15 rifle with Vortex scope, Geissele trigger, and adjustable stock

Close-up of a rifle barrel muzzle, showing rifling

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AR & Related Rifles and Pistols

A 16″ Palmetto State Armory/PSA 5.56x45mm Tactical AR Build

ARs are a fun, quick build and because they are modular you can take them in a ton of custom directions.  When you build an AR, you need to first ask yourself “what am I going to use this for?” and then plan your components accordingly.  In this case, I wanted a 16″ carbine that was relatively light, chambered in 5.56 and had an optic for short to medium ranges.  In some ways you could say my plan was to build a tactical style rifle.

So, let me explain the components used and why I selected them:

  • At the heart of the AR is the receiver and I tend to use Anderson.  They are Mil-Spec, inexpensive and well finished.  In short, I’ve never had a problem with them and I don’t know anyone else who has either.
  • I like PSA’s lower build kits as a starting point for all the internals.  Sometimes I have left overs depending on what all I upgrade but even their based build kits is solid.
  • The fire control group (FCG) is PSA’s enhanced set meaning the trigger and hammer are Nickel Boron (NiB) coated for lubricity and ease of cleaning.  In general, PSA already has some of the best feeling triggers out there in terms of the Mil-Spec out-of-the-box AR triggers.  The Enhanced set feels a tad slicker but still falls in the 5.5-6.5# pull range.
  • The grip is a Magpul MOE.
  • The butt stock is a Magpul STR.  I like the Magpul stocks that clamp in place – they are rock solid.  The STR can do this and has a great angled top for a solid cheekweld.
  • It has a Spikes H2 buffer to soften the operation up a bit.
  • I like Yankee Hill Machine’s (YHM’s) oversize pivot and takedown pins and get them from Brownells.
  • The selector lever is PSA’s ambidextrous model.  To be honest, I’m going to stop getting the ambidextrous selectors – the capability sounds great in theory but what I find is that I am so used to the traditional selector lever that I rarely use the operating-side lever.
  • The slide release lever is a GIANT Wilson.  I bought it sight unseen via Brownells and had no idea it was going to be this big.  On the plus side, it sure is easy to find and operate.  On the con side, it is big and kind of fugly if you ask me.  My go to release lever these days are the Strike Industries models.  By the way, if you use the Wilson, be sure to apply Loc-Tite to the set screw that locks the paddle in place or it will loosen up.
  • The upper is a 16″ Palmetto State Armory with a 5.56 M4 profile barrel with a 1:7 twist hidden under their cool slim Keymod handguard.  Honestly, I think PSA makes great uppers.  They are running a budget operation and you may have to wait to hear from their customer service department but I have never actually had an upper from them have a problem.  They’ve missed a part in parts kits before but always moved fast to ship me a replacement part.  By the way, PSA also soures some really barrels, that is one of the big reasons I use their uppers.
  • The bolt carrier group is a Nickel Boron (NiB) coated assembly from Fail Zero.  Boy are they slick.  In general NiB BCGs are cool – you can feel they slide easily without a gritty feeling and clean easily.  With Fail Zero you are buying experience – they know BCGs and they pioneered the very slick polished NiB process they call “EXO Nickel Boron”.  I’ve not had the coating flake on me and it is slick.
  • The charging handle is VLTOR/BCM Mod.3 with the large handle.  I like the oversized handle both for working around optics and it is really easy to find and operate.  This is my preferred charging handle and has never let me down.  Beware of the cheap import ambidextrous knock off handles.  You will get what you pay for.  Stick with name brand.
  • For magazines, I like MagPul.
  • The optic is a Vortex Crossfire II 1-4×24.  In general, Vortex scopes are excellent and they have a no-nonsense “if it breaks we will fix it” warranty that you can’t beat.
  • The offset scope mount is a generic unit sold by TMS.  It’s my third TMS but I now just use Vortex mounts.
  • The offset backup sights are something I do now on my rifles with optics.  If you have any kind of optics failure you rotate the rifle 45 degrees and use the iron sights.  They look awkward but the transition is actually very smooth and fluid.  If you haven’t tried this, I’d recommend giving them a whirl.  These are surprisingly inexpensive ADE brand sights and they’ve held up just fine.  This is my third set from them via Amazon.
  • The light is a test unit.  The light itself is a LiteXpress X-FIRE1 LED unit that is sold on Amazon.  The mount is from them also and is the only part I am not too keen on as it flexes.  They do have a new model now so I am not sure how the mount is.  The light itself has held up just fine.

Here are some photos for you of the rifle:

Close-up of a black AK Galil grip on a Romy G rifle with MI rails.
Close-up of a black AK Galil grip on a Romy G rifle with MI rails.
Close-up of a black AK Galil grip on a Romy G rifle with MI rails.
Close-up of a black AK Galil grip on a Romy G rifle with MI rails.
Close-up of a black AK Galil grip on a Romy G rifle with MI rails.
Close-up of a black AK Galil grip on a Romy G rifle with MI rails.
Close-up of a black AK Galil grip on a Romy G rifle with MI rails.
Close-up of a black AK Galil grip on a Romy G rifle with MI rails.
AK rifle with MI rails and custom Galil grip
AK rifle with MI rails and custom Galil grip
AK rifle with MI rails and custom Galil grip
AK rifle with MI rails and custom Galil grip
Palmetto State Armory (PSA) has an incredible selection of AR-15 kits to meet a wide range of requirements. Click here to go to their main AR-15 kit page.

Summary

You can build an AR-15 in an amazing number of different ways. There are so many options out there. Helping you get started, PSA has a huge variety of kits you can select from. They’ve always worked great for me.

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Air & C02 Rifles and Pistols

Installing a Hawke Vantage II 4-12×50 AO Scope on a Hatsan Gladius Long Rifle

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AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip, part of a tricked-out Romy G build

When I bought my Gladius a few months back from Airgun Depot, it came as a package deal with a Hawke Vantage IR 4-12×50 AO Mil-Dot illuminated scope with a 1″ tube [Model 14252].

I had heard some good reports about Hawke so I figured I would give the scope a chance.  It is bright, clear and decent eye relief (3.5″).  The controls all turn easily and I really prefer adjustable objective scopes (AO) for air rifles.  It lets me focus and get a range estimate of the target.  Most of my shooting is at 10 yards but I do stretch out further at times.Black AK47 rifle with AK Galil grip and MI rails on wooden surface Black AK47 rifle with AK Galil grip and MI rails on wooden surface Black AK47 rifle with AK Galil grip and MI rails on wooden surface Black AK47 rifle with AK Galil grip and MI rails on wooden surface

Oddly enough, the Gladius does not have a standard Picatinny rail on top but rather some unique interpretation Hatsan came up with that allows the use of either Picatinny 22mm rings or 11mm dovetail rings.  It looks odd but it works.  Personally, I just wish they did a standard Picatinny rail on top vs. both but that’s just me.

Black AK47 rifle with AK Galil grip and MI rails on wooden surface

First off, I looked at lots of photos of the Gladius and other bullpups and was rather surprised how high guys mounted the scope.  An air rifle is still beholden to the laws of physics and trajectories.  A scope mount should be as low as possible for two reasons:  First and foremost, it causes less parallax.  Just think about it this way, the higher the right triangle from your eye to the muzzle, the steeper the angle and the greater the change over a given distance.  Second, a lower scope tends to enable a more consistent cheek weld getting the shooter to be more accurate.  If you line up differently behind the scope each time, your point of impact will differ.  Consistent cheek weld and alignment behind the scope matter.

So, rather than use the high 11 mm Beeman rings that Airgun Depot sent me, I used a pair of low profile UTG RQ2W1104 LE Grade rings.  I have used many UTG rings over the years and find them to work fine in non-precision situations.  If I am doing a target rifle, I’ll use true precision machined rings from companies such as Vortex.  In this case, UTG would work just fine and I used their quick release rings which are nice when you want to get the scope off the rifle in a hurry.  What is important is that they need to be snug,  Tighten the adjustment screws so you get a nice solid lock up.

Now you may be wondering why I am using low profile rings with a 50mm scope and its because of the big scope mount riser that Hatsan put on the rifle.  It’s just fine for the front objective to extend down lower than the rings because of the riser and the rear eye piece clears just fine.  This is what lets the scope get closer to the center line of the barrel.

AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip, part of a tricked-out Romy G build
AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip, part of a tricked-out Romy G build

With this set up the center of the scope is 2-1/4-3/8″ from the center of the bore.

Black AK47 rifle with AK Galil grip and MI rails on wooden surface

I spent the extra money on the Gladius thinking I would need to adjust the cheekpiece but I actually get a real nice cheekweld with this set up.  I have almost 250 pellets through the rifle and everything is working fine.  The scope and rings are holding zero no problem and I have adjusted the AO and power knob countless times.  On some scopes this would be the kiss of death but the Hawke has handled all the adjustments just fine.

The rifle cylinder you see has a regulated cylinder at 130 bar and is getting sub 1/2″ groups at 10 yards with 18.13 grain JSB Jumbo Diabolo Heavy Exact pellets and handles pests no problem.

Normally I would use a Vortex scope but I am quite pleased with the Hawke Vantage II.

Note, I didn’t list the sizes on the Butler Scope caps.  The front is too lose and I need to find something better as it wants to come off vs. flipping open right now.  That will be a future post.

2/22/2018 Update:  The scope and rings are holding up great.  I have no complaints at all.  The Gladius is an excellent rifle and this combo of rifle, rings and scope have really proven themselves to me.  I have not had any problems at all with the scope holding zero.

One year later review – click here.  I am still very happy with the combo!!

5/24/2019 Update – still rock solid.  The scope has held zero this whole time and I use the rifle Gladius quite a bit for pest control – at least several times per week.  I’d say I have well past 1,000 rounds through the rifle now.

2/21/2020 Update – No problems

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Tools

Swiss+Tech ST50022 6-in-1 and ST53100 19-1 Micro Pocket Multitools are Handy for Travel

For my job, I wind up travelling and I can’t tell you how many times I have had luggage parts come loose or need to fix a zipper.  The beauty of these Swiss+Tech tools is that they are tiny and light.  They will never win a brute strength contest but when you need a simple screw driver or a small strong set of pliers/tweezers, or wire cutter these things kick butt.  I think it is rather unfair when people compare them to full sized tools – they were never designed for that.  Look at the pivot pin – it’s a tubular rivet!

I’ve had both tools for years.  I just bought this new set off Amazon to put in luggage.  The 6-in-1 goes in my carry on bag and then 19-1 goes in my check-in.  If you just want to buy one, get the 6-in-1.  That can get just about any small job done and are cheap off Amazon.

By the way, you can fix a ton of problems when travelling with the 6-in-1, a roll of electrical tape and a few zip ties of varying lengths.  For example, if a zipper pull comes off, insert a small zip tie, run 4-6 layers of electrical tape around it and then cut off the excess zip tie.  Done.

Another plus is that they are so cheap you don’t feel bad if they get lost.  I gave my wife one as a stocking stuffer and that went over like a lead brick – don’t do that 🙂

So, can you fix a car with these? No.  Fix stuff better than fingers alone when travelling?  Absolutely.

Tricked out Romy G AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip

Tricked out Romy G AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip

Tricked out Romy G AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip

Tricked out Romy G AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip

Tricked out Romy G AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip

Tricked out Romy G AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip

Tricked out Romy G AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip

AK rifle with MI rails and Galil grip, part of a tricked-out Romy G build

7/20/19 Update:  I can’t tell you how many times these little things have bailed me out on trips.  When I lose one, I buy a new one – in other words they are worth it to me.  Also, I’ve not had one fail.  I’ve yanked up stuck zippers, tightened screws on luggage. cut small wires, etc.

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Tools

The Gerber Suspension Multi Tool [22-01471] is Pretty Nice!

Guys, I like multi tools when I travel or go camping.  I have torn up a boat load of cheap imported ones and a Stanley just by trying to use the pliers to grab on to something really tight.  I have never had a problem with a Gerber or Leatherman tool – let me say that up front.

At any rate, I wanted to find something compact and with locking blades.  I have a Gerber multi tool that I have used a ton since 1998 and my only issue is the lack of a lock on the blade.  You don’t really think about the lock until the first time you are really yanking on something to cut it and that blade starts to close!  It’s been my goto tool for years and is showing its age.

At any rate, I did some digging around and decided on the Gerber Suspension.  All the tools I worried about have a positive locking system and the handles fit your hand pretty well.  It has 4.6/5 stars with 1,493 reviews on Amazon.  That is a pretty darned good score!  I get the warm fuzzies when I see scores like that and the unit was only $23.49 shipped with Amazon Prime.

Here are features and my thoughts

  • Needle-nose Pliers – Important
  • Wire Cutter/Stripper – Important
  • Straight Blade – Important
  • Serrated Blade – Maybe – they work great on rope
  • Phillips Screwdriver – Important
  • Large and Medium Flathead Screwdrivers – Important
  • Scissors – I have no idea if I will ever really use this but it is an interesting design and seems solid
  • Bottle Opener –  Important – this is an Emergency Beer Access Tool
  • Can Opener – Important – I can’t tell you how many cans I have opened over the years thanks to the can opener in my old Gerber]
  • Saw – not that important
  • Awl – not that important
  • Lanyard Ring – not that important

Open, it is 6.5″ long and closed it is 4″ long plus it has a little belt / storage pouch.

Here are photos of mine:

AK rifle with adjustable stock and sling on wooden surface AK rifle with adjustable stock and sling on wooden surface AK rifle with adjustable stock and sling on wooden surface AK rifle with adjustable stock and sling on wooden surface AK rifle with adjustable stock and sling on wooden surface AK rifle with adjustable stock and sling on wooden surface AK rifle with adjustable stock and sling on wooden surface AK rifle with adjustable stock and sling on wooden surface

So far, everything seems solid.  I tested the locking mechanisms and they work.  I took a steel rod and grabbed on with the pliers as hard as I could and nothing bent.  I’ve had tools in the past where if I did that the handles would crumple.  Literally, I put a bar in a vise, grab hold with the pliers and then try and turn the bar which is pretty much impossible.  The Suspension held up just fine.

I’m going to be using this more over the summer and we’ll see how it holds up.

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AK & Related Rifles

The Custom Yugo M72 Carbine and Vepr FM-AK47-21 Meet

Okay, I had them both out to shoot photos so I had to take some side by side photos.  In case you want to read the blog posts about each rifle, click here for the Yugo M72 Carbine or here for the Vepr FM-AK47-21.

Customized Romanian AK rifle with Midwest Industries rails and Galil grip

Customized Romanian AK rifle with Midwest Industries rails and Galil grip

Customized Romanian AK rifle with Midwest Industries rails and Galil grip

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AK & Related Rifles

Custom Built Yugo M72B1 Carbine By Two Rivers Arms

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I have always liked Yugo AK rifles.  One of my favorites is the M72B1 RPK.  It’s a big rifle and really overkill for me with the long barrel and bipod.  For quite some time I wanted to either build or buy a carbine length RPK.  I was talking to Tim at Two Rivers Arms one day and he said he could absolutely make one and custom fabricate a side rail to boot.  That was just what I wanted so I sent him my parts and then waited my turn in the build line as those guys are so busy.  After a few months Tim called and said it was ready and he shipped it to my FFL, Scott Igert at Modern Antique Firearms in the Fall of 2015.

Seriously, this rifle shoots like a dream but I didn’t get a chance to take some decent photos until now.  The most telling difference is that this is a 16″ cut down Green Mountain barrel vs. the normal 21.3″.  It has a 1:9.5″ twist and not chrome lined – I’m going to keep it clean and will not be burning through tons of mag dumps so I wasn’t really worried about the chrome.

Here’s a run down of the parts:

Glamour Shots 🙂

Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine with Vortex scope and drum magazine
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine by Two Rivers Arms with drum magazine and scope
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine by Two Rivers Arms with Vortex optic
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine by Two Rivers Arms with drum magazine and Vortex scope
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine by Two Rivers Arms with drum magazine and Vortex scope.
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine by Two Rivers Arms with drum magazine and scope
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine by Two Rivers Arms with drum magazine and scope
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine with Vortex scope and drum magazine
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine with Vortex scope and AK303 rail
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine from Two Rivers Arms with drum magazine and Vortex scope.
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine with drum magazine and Vortex scope
Custom Yugo M72B1 carbine with Vortex scope by Two Rivers Arms
Customized Romanian AK rifle with Midwest Industries rails and Galil grip
Customized Romanian AK rifle with Midwest Industries rails and Galil grip

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AK & Related Rifles

Finally got a Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm Side Folder – The FM-AK47-21

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Well, the when I heard the Treasury Department blocked further importation of Veprs, I jumped and bought the FM-AK47-21 that FIME imported.  I’ve owned a number of Molot Veprs over the years so I knew I would be getting a quality rifle.  I’d not bought one earlier because I didn’t see the need to rush – then the Treasury blocked them and that caused me to pull the trigger.  So, I rushed and ordered one from Classic Firearms and had it delivered to my FFL, Scott Igert of Modern Antique Firearms.  Here’s what showed up:

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder rifle FM-AK47-21 on wooden planks

John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip

John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip
John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip

John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip

John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip

John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip

John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip

John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip

It’s one solid rifle.  As usual, Molot did a great job – fitment is excellent, heavy 1.5mm RPK receiver, heavy barrel, RPK recoil spring guide rod, pretty good trigger and cool folding stock.  Things I don’t like – the folder hinge is going to make installing an optic rail interesting, the grip is way too small for my hands (Gee, I know a guy who makes grips that will fit).  I’m also not a huge fan of the ribbed RPK handguard.  I get that it would help with insulation on a full-auto RPK but I find the ribs annoying.  I may make a polymer version of the Russian wood originals – it’s something I’ll need to think about.

It shipped with a tiny 5 round magazine but at least it is a double stack.  I’ll replace it with normal AK mags.  I bought a bunch of rock solid Romanian steel mags years ago and that’s my go-to magazine for reliability and looks.  I used a Romy for the photos in this post.

So, I decided to go ahead and make some changes right up front.  I wanted a good muzzle brake so I reached out to Justin McMillion at JMac Customs.  We talked about my desire for a good brake and he recommended his RRD-4C which comes with the required 14mm x 1mm left hand thread.  He shipped fast and the quality of the machining and finish are excellent.  I like the way the porting is done.  With the top opened up, the gasses will vent up pushing the barrel down.

John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip

John's WASR rifle with a Romy Brown STK grip

Vepr 7.62x39mm muzzle brake for FM-AK47-21 rifle

Black muzzle brake with H logo for Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm rifle

To install it, I pushed the spring loaded detent to release the muzzle nut and then turned it clock wise for removal – AKs are reverse threaded so you do the opposite to remove or install them.  I then threaded the RRD-4C on and was done in just a few minutes.

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder with muzzle brake

Close-up of the muzzle brake and front sight on a Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm rifle.
Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder rifle muzzle brake

 

Next, I cast, drilled and finished a black Molot Generation II grip for the rifle.  I thought about using a Bulgarian ARM-9 but decided a Russian designed grip made more sense on a Russian gun – or at least it made sense to me.  I may yet go to the ARM-9 but the Molot Gen II feels pretty good.  To install it, I then removed the dust cover (you will need to hold the grip nut in place later), took out the recoil spring assembly, unscrewed the original grip and removed it.  I then held the grip nut in place with one hand and installed the Molot Gen II using one of my heavy duty grip screws (they have a bigger head and are an alloy hardened to 12.9) to secure the grip.

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder FM-AK47-21 rifle close-up

So here is the rifle at this point.  I’ll decide about the optics later.  I may well go with a RS!Regulate mount and Vortex Strike Eagle but that is a project for a later date.

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder AK-47 rifle

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder rifle on a wooden background

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder rifle on logs

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder rifle on a pile of logs

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder rifle, model FM-AK47-21, on logs

Close-up of Vepr 7.62x39mm markings: Molot-Oruzhie, Russia, FIME Group, USA

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder AK rifle on a stone bench

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder rifle on a stone bench

Russian Vepr 7.62x39mm side folder AK rifle on a stone bench

 

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