Build Your Own AK-47: Part 6—At The Range

by
posted on May 26, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
akrange.jpg

Here's how the rifle turned out. I was quite happy with the results: 

For AK fans who prefer the traditional AK look, don't worry. I held on to the wood shoulder stock and handguards so that I can convert this rifle back to Old School mode.

Despite the multitude of safety checks conducted on this AK in the course of its construction, I ran my own set of bench checks in the process of lubricating the rifle and fitting it with an optic. Test magazines included the rugged polymer 30-round FAB Defense AK-47/74 ULTIMAG and the excellent Magpul Gen M3 PMAG 30 AK/AKM models, both of which rocked and locked snuggly into place.

The rifle ran beautifully. It reliably fed, fired and ejected every round of 7.62x39 mm ammunition stuffed into the magazines (brass and steel cases) without any malfunctions. The overall fit and finish was, as expected, excellent. The Tapco AK G2 trigger was smooth, breaking with just 3 lbs. 1 oz. of trigger pull.

Many of the AK-47s floating around the U.S. civilian market have been mass produced at low cost and are often fired with inexpensive surplus ammunition. This has lead some folks to believe that the AK is an inherently less accurate design that can only be counted on to produce 4” or 5" groups at 100 yds. But when an AK pattern rifle is carefully assembled with quality parts and loaded with good ammunition, the accuracy potential really starts to show.

Formal accuracy testing consisted of five, five-shot groups fired at 100 yards from a bench rest using a Leupold V-RX 3-9x40 Fire Dot scope. Double Tap Hunter 150-gr. jacketed soft points turned in a best single group of 1.27" with an average of 1.39". Hornady 123-gr. SST steel-cased ballistic tip rounds were a close second with a best group of 1.30" and an average of 1.53". Red Army Standard Elite 123-gr. full-metal jacket brass-case loads yielded a best single group of 1.62" with an average of 1.77".

Continue Reading "Build Your Own AK":
Build Your Own AK-47: Introduction
Build Your Own AK-47: Part 1--Selecting Components
Build Your Own AK-47: Part 2--Populating the Barrel
Build Your Own AK-47: Part 3--Populating a Factory-Built Receiver
Build Your Own AK-47: Part 4--Bending and Welding a Receiver Flat
Build Your Own AK-47: Part 5--Refinishing and Reassembly
Build Your Own AK-47: Part 6--At the Range
Build Your Own AK-47: Conclusion

Latest

Last Ditch Japanese Type 11 Women
Last Ditch Japanese Type 11 Women

Japanese Last-Ditch Small Arms Of World War II

The crude assortment of fighting tools used by the Japanese during World War II give clues of an unprepared and unmatched last-ditch fight that ultimately lead to Allied victory.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors.

2025 Optic Of The Year: Burris Eliminator 6

Even as new generation after new generation of Burris Eliminator continued to add more advanced technology and functionality, it remained odd-looking—until the launch of this year’s sixth-generation product, which is the first in the line that can mount atop a rifle using standard 34 mm scope rings.

I Have This Old Gun: Star Model B

Of the many Spanish-made firearms to emerge throughout the 19th and 20th century, one of the most recognizable is the Star Model B, largely due to its similarity to the Colt Model 1911.

New For 2025: Kimber Next Generation 1911

For its latest M1911 offering, Kimber Mfg. borrowed design elements from its double-stack 2K11 pistol to create what it calls the Next Generation 1911.

Review: Charter Arms Double Dog

Charter Arms is an American gunmaker that has offered its own versions of compact, double-action revolvers at fair prices for more than 60 years.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.