Archive | May, 2011

In this fifth installment of this series on updating the AK, I will be looking at selector switches. While these may seem insignificant at first, there is actually a significant ergonomic advantage to be gained here.

The SWIFT Lever from Blackjack Buffers is no longer manufactured but it is classic AK gear.

The standard AK selector is a thin lever that rides flat against the receiver. It is moved up for “safe” and down for “fire”. The biggest issue with it is that the user usually can not maintain a firing grip while operating it. One method of operation requires the user to keep their thumb hooked on the grip while their other four fingers sweep the selector downward. Another technique has the user carry the AK with their weapon hand (strong hand) on the magazine and their thumb resting on the selector, the thumb is used to sweep the selector down and then the hand is moved to the grip.

The two above techniques may work and they may be “traditional,” but they are not efficient. I prefer to use an enhanced selector switch that has a small extension on it for use with the index finger on my right hand. This allows me to maintain a firing grip while operating the selector.

It is good practice to run your finger straight against the receiver to avoid accidentally contacting the trigger. These upgraded selector levers allow me to do that and naturally sweep the selector to “fire” in the same motion as I would normally use to move to the trigger. When it is time to “safe” the AK, the same motion in reverse works to move the selector to the “safe” position and get my finger off the trigger.

The best upgraded selector that I have used is the SWIFT Lever by Blackjack Buffers but they are no longer manufactured. It used a relatively long tab with a 90 degree bend and works very well in both directions (up and down). You may be able to find them on the secondary market. Now I use the Kreb’s Custom Enhanced Selector Lever. It is nearly as good as the SWIFT Lever (and that is saying a lot).

The Krebs Enhanced Selector Lever is a worthy upgrade to any AK.

Conclusion

I consider one of these selector levers a must for any AK. The ergonomic and efficiency gains cannot be ignored.

The vast majority of modern combat rifles make use of optics. Improvements in technology have made it possible to have optics that are extremely reliable and durable. In this fourth installment of our discussion about modernizing the AK, we will be taking a look at optics and mounts.

There was a time when mounting an optic on your AK would draw ridicule from hordes of AK traditionalists. Now, savvy shooters have realized that optics, like red dot sights (RDS), actually make their weapon more efficient and effective. Many are surprised to find just how accurate a quality AK can be after they shoot with an optic the first time.

Even an Aimpoint CompM2 can be co-witnessed on an Ultimak M1-B.

Mounts

This is a bit of a golden age for AK accessories. There are several high quality options on the market that allow shooters to mount a tremendous number of quality optics. The mount you choose will likely be dependent on the optic that you choose and the type of rifle that you own.

RS Products is a new manufacturer of AK optic mounts. Their new AKM mount allows AK shooters to mount an Aimpoint (or similar red dot sight) directly over the action. The mount sits low enough that the iron sights can be used through the Aimpoint and it is adjustable from side to side so that it can be centered over the AK. This is a really excellent option. You can also look for other optic mounts from RS Products in the future.

The Dog Leg Scope Rail from Texas Weapon Systems is a very clever optic mounting system. It replaces the standard top cover with a railed top cover that locks into the rear sight and a special cam lock release button. It is a very solid system that sits low enough to provide a proper cheek weld and still allows normal field stripping. It also allows the mounting of a small back up iron sight that really extends the sight radius of the AK. The Dog Leg Scope Rail would be a great choice for mounting a compact variable magnification optic.

The Ultimak M1-B is a tried and true option that has been on the market for several years now. It is my optic mount of choice because it sits low enough to co-witness an Aimpoint and is also a great place to mount a white light. Some users have also used the Ultimak M1-B to mount “scout” style scopes. It is a very durable and relatively light weight mount.

An Ultimak M1-B can serve as an optic mounting platform as well as a place to mount a white light.

Optics

In spite of the AK traditionalists who repeat the same “Keep that crap off my AK!” dogma over and over without critical thought, many shooters are finding that there is a place for optics on an AK. Shooting iron sights requires the shooter to align the target, the front sight, and the rear sight. The shooter must focus on the front sight. An optic like an RDS allows the shooter to align only the target and the optic’s reticle. The shooter can focus on the target. Modern optics promote situational awareness, accuracy, speed, and are durable enough to be relied upon.

I use Aimpoints on my AKs and I highly recommend them. The newest micro Aimpoints add barely any weight to the rifle and greatly enhance the function of the rifle. Quality RDS, like Aimpoints, are extremely durable, reliable, and offer battery life that is measured in years, not hours. Aimpoints and other RDS really shine from 0-200 yards which is an excellent match to the capabilities of the AK. 300 yards hits are also very possible with an AK/Aimpoint combination.

Mounts that place the optic over the receiver like the Dog Leg Scope Rail open up the possibility of using a low power variable magnification optic like the Trijicon TR21 Accupoint or similar. The lowest power setting on this style of optic lets users engage close targets effectively, while the higher magnification settings give the shooter more confidence at extended ranges.

The Ultimak M1-B has plenty of space for an Aimpoint micro and white light.

Conclusion

There is no reason to ignore combat optics unless you are an AK collector. If you are an AK shooter, especially one who trains to use their AK to defend their life, you can gain a tremendous amount of functionality and efficiency by mounting a quality optic. Choose the optic that you want, find a mounting method that is suited to that optic, and then train hard.

Hand guards are like a steering wheel for your gun. They are the interface between your hand and the gun. In this third installment of this series on updating the AK, we will be taking a look at hand guards.

The AK has two hand guards: an upper hand guard that contains the gas tube and a lower hand guard that protects the user from a hot barrel. There are many upper hand guard optic mounts but we will concentrate on those in a later post. For the purposes of this post, we will be discussing hand guards as a weapon control and accessory mounting platform only.

Stippling can greatly increase the functionality of standard polymer hand guards.

Lower Hand Guard

The lower hand guard is much larger than the upper hand guard and represents the majority of your gripping surface. Thankfully, AK users have more choices than ever when choosing a hand guard, but, as with any other firearm accessory, you should be cautious of what you spend your hard earned money on.

If the AK is your primary rifle you may want to consider adding a lower hand guard rail. A railed hand guard will give you more flexibility to mount vital accessories like a white light and sling. You can also consider adding a vertical or hand stop if you are so inclined, but care should be taken that the vertical grip does not interfere with rocking a magazine into the magazine well. Midwest Industries makes a very nice and very reasonably priced rail system for the AK. Ultimak makes an excellent extended rail system that helps shooters who like to run their hand out further than the standard hand guards allow (it also alleviates the issues with running a vertical grip on the AK platform by allowing you to run it out closer to the muzzle).

If the weight and cost of AK rail systems turn you off, there are other options. I choose to run the standard polymer hand guards on my AKs because I don’t want to spend the money for a rail on a weapon system that isn’t my primary. I start with quality plastic hand guards that have a metal heat shield and stipple them for increased grip. I use the increased grip to aggressively pull the AK into my shoulder much like I would with a vertical grip. I use the standard sling mount and mount my white light on the upper hand guard.

An Ultimak M1-B can serve as an optic mounting platform as well as a place to mount a white light.

Upper Hand Guard

The standard upper hand guard’s main role is to shield the user from the heat of the gas tube. Aftermarket railed upper hand guards have additional functionality, like allowing you to mount optics.

I prefer the Ultimak M1-B optic mount for my upper hand guard. It places a micro Aimpoint (or an M2/M3 with a low enough moutn) low enough that it cowitnesses with the iron sights. It is also long enough to offer plenty of space for mounting a light in an offset mount.

I should note that the offset light mount that you use should be made from metal and sit very low on the rail. I wouldn’t trust a plastic mount to handle the heat of the Ultimak, and if it is too thick it will obstruct the view through your Aimpoint. I have found the VLTOR offset scout mount to be excellent. This one from KZ works if you are on a budget, but it sticks out from the rail more than I prefer.

The Vltor Offset Scout Mount is a perfect combo with the Ultimak M1-B.

Conclusion

White lights and slings are a must on any defensive rifle. Choosing the right hand guard set up makes mounting them easy. If you choose your hand guard set up wisely you can improve the way your weapon handles, the speed at which you can drive the AK, the ease of mounting accessories, and it doesn’t have to cost a ton.

This is the second installment of my series on updating the AK. We started with muzzle devices and now we are working our way back to the iron sights.

There are a couple of complaints that most users have with the standard AK sights. The rear sight notch is too narrow and the sight radius (the distance between the sights) is too short. The sight notch is easy to fix but the sight radius issues are a little more difficult.

XS Sights Tritium Front Sight

Front Sights

Many shooters like to use a tritium front sight so that they can see it in low light. I have used the front sight from XS Sights and it is definitely easy to see but, like most AK tritium front sights, it is very thick which makes it more difficult to use at longer distances.

When you are sighting in your AK, you adjust the elevation by turning the front sight. You can orient the standard AK front sight with any of the four sides facing the shooter. Tritium front sights can only be oriented in one direction. This means that you loose quite a bit of precision in your elevation adjustment. This will likely be a non-issue in actual use considering the AK is not an extremely precise weapon to begin with.

Tritium front sights have a clear upside – their ability to be seen in low light. However, they are not without downsides – decreased precision at longer distances and decreased precision in elevation adjustment.

Standard rear sight that has been widened with a small round file

Rear Sights

The cheapest and easiest way to vastly improve the rear sight is to use a small file to open up the notch. Some people open it up as far as 3/16” but I find that about 1/8” is fine for me.

You might also consider purchasing a peep style rear sight. Krebs Custom makes an excellent rear sight that has a peep aperture instead of the typical notch. It retains the ability to use the BDC feature of the standard rear sight. MOJO also makes excellent peep style rear sights. The MicroClick rear sights from MOJO are even adjustable for bullet drop at various ranges.

There are two ways that I know of to increase the sight radius of your AK. The first is to use a quality rail that mounts over the receiver cover like those from Krebs Custom with an integral rear sight or Texas Weapon Systems with the accessory rear sight. These will allow you to use rail mounted rear sight. You can also use the rear sight from Tech Sights. It mounts at the rear of the receiver cover which increases sight radius and places the rear sight very close to your eye.

Krebs Custom rear peep sight

Conclusion

If you plan to use the iron sights on your AK as you primary sighting system, I highly recommend that you do something to improve them. Opening up the standard rear sight with a file is very effective and very inexpensive. Even if you plan on mounting an optic, I suggest that the rear sight notch be opened up so you have an effective back up to your optic.