The AK has come a long way in the US market since I first started shooting at least in terms of perception and aftermarket support. It used to be perceived as a battle rifle for bubbas who didn’t want to spend on something better and there was no use developing high-end accessories for $200 rifles – the bubbas wouldn’t buy them. Now the AK is seeing a resurgence in popularity and a golden age of development that is dragging the Kalash into the future.
As more and more people find out that the old stamped steel workhorse is capable of more performance than they have been told over the years, they are understandably looking to find the limits. That can only mean one thing. It’s time for an AK-centric practical shooting competition. Enter the Red Oktober Kalashnikov Championship.
The Red Oktober Kalashnikov Championship is a shooting competition that will be held on October 29-30 at the Southern Utah Practical Shooting Range in St. George, Utah. It will have a class system like any other practical rifle competition and the rifles employed will be limited to Kalashnikovs and some other combloc weapons.The match will be held over two days on a half-day schedule and will have room for up to 200 shooters. It will consist of 10 courses of fire (2 at night, 8 daylight) spread over the two days with a round count of 350.
The rules are already being hashed out. Karl Kasarda, of InRange TV and various other practical rifle events in the southwest, and Jim Fuller, of Rifle Dynamics, have provided input on the rules and structure of the event. With Karl’s experience hosting practical firearms competition and Jim’s guru-level AK knowledge, this is shaping up to be a great event.
If you want to learn more about the event, you can check out their website and Facebook page.
