What do you do when you make great tactical gear and you have a really cool logo? You make a patch!
Jones Tactical definitely makes great gear and they do have a really cool logo that is on full display on this patch. Many manufacturers go with subdued logos on their patches so a full color logo like this one really stands out. It would go great on the excellent Jones Tactical Patch Panel.
Stay tuned for a review of some Jones Tactical gear coming to Jerking the Trigger soon.
Battle Comp is well known for their series of compensators for the AR family of weapons. Many users have asked that they bring the Battle Comp to the AK. Well, AK users need not feel neglected any longer.
Battle Comp released video of their upcoming AKBC compensator for the AK. The video shows some impressive performance. The muzzle rise is nearly completely eliminated. The AK can be seen pushing back against the shooter but the muzzle stays nearly level.
Battle Comp is expecting the AKBC to be ready in about 7 weeks. In the mean time, you can check out their other compensators on their website.
I mentioned the J-Frame Drop in Duty/Carry Kit from Apex Tactical Specialties (ATS) a few weeks ago. ATS made a big splash with the kit at the 2011 NRA Show in Pittsburgh. It is no surprise that people are clamoring for this kit since there are so many who carry Smith & Wesson J-Frame revolvers and the price is very reasonable ($24.95). The kit is now available for purchase.
This kit was specifically designed to reduce the double action trigger pull weight without compromising reliability. This is accomplished by using high quality springs and balancing the weights of all the various springs in the kit. Often, reliability issues happen when springs are mixed and matched. The trigger pull is reduced from the typical 12 pounds to a much more manageable 9 pounds. Impressively, this is accomplished without the need for a gunsmith visit – this is a drop in kit.
I am going to have to pick one of these kits up for my S&W 442.
You can read more about the J-Frame Drop in Duty/Carry Kit on Apex Tactical Specialties’ website.
This is the 7th and final installment of this series on Modernizing the AK. In this post, I’ll discuss stocks and grips. These are parts that you can spend a lot of money on, but do you need to spend a lot of money here to get functional gear?
You typically see 3 basic types of stocks mounted on AKs: fixed stocks, folding stocks, and AR-15 style collapsible stocks. The fixed stocks and some folding stocks can be considered traditional for the AK.
Most AKs that come into the USA have fixed stocks. These are generally made from wood or plastic. The stocks come in a variety of lengths. Some longer stocks are referred to as “NATO length”. These are about 1.25″ longer than what is referred to as “Warsaw length”. I prefer the shorter length because they fit better with my more squared up shooting stance. They also work better with plate carriers. If you shoot with a more bladed shooting stance or have long arms you may prefer a longer stock. The key when choosing a stock (or any piece of gear for that matter) is choosing something that works for you and your style of shooting. Professional training will help you nail these issues down. Fixed stocks are inexpensive and functional.
You would be hard pressed to tell the difference between this Russian sidefolder and a fixed stock.
Folding stocks are fairly common on AKs. While they have a certain cool factor, I can say from experience that you probably won’t use the folding functionality as much as you think. Folding stocks serve only to make the rifle more compact for transport. There are many different types of folding stocks on the market. These can mostly be broken down into 2 different types: side folders and under folders. There is basically only one type of under folder, but there are many types of side folders.
Many folding stocks on the market are junk and those that are not junk cost quite a bit of money. Folders like the Russian triangle side folders, Russian polymer side folders, and under folders require modifications to the receiver that may be a bit beyond your typical do-it-yourselfer. This brings the cost up even higher. Folding stocks from ACE LTD. offer a solid alternative to those who want to install their own stock. The ACE folding stocks can be had in 3 different lengths or with a special folding mechanism that allows the user to mount an AR-15 style collapsible stock.
Folding stocks from ACE LTD. are easily installed and customizable for length.
Collapsible stocks offer what is probably the most useful enhancement of any of the AK stock options. They are adjustable for length of pull which allows you to tailor the length of your stock to fit your gear (like a plate carrier) or your shooting style. They are extremely functional but they are far from traditional if that means anything to you. If you want a stock that both folds and collapses, you can install an ACE LTD. folder mentioned above. The best collapsible stock on the market is probably the AK47/AKM/AKS Stock Adapter from VLTOR. It features QD sling swivel sockets and watertight storage.
The standard AK grips are smaller than many shooters in the USA prefer but they are functional. If you do feel the need to replace your grip, there are more options than ever.
My favorite grip is the Galil style grip that ACE LTD. used to manufacture, but it is no longer available. Two of the most popular grips are relatively new from Hogue and US-PALM. Both do a good job of filling the hand and can provided storage for small items like batteries.
Several people that I know are reporting very good things about the MD Arms Molot Style Grip. It is based on the excellent Molot grip from Russia that is highly sought after and relatively expensive here in the USA. At only $12, the MD Arms version is a great value.
You can spend a lot on grips and stocks without getting that much of a return in terms of functionality. Both of my AKs have folding stocks and if I had it to do over again, I probably would have spent the money on ammo instead of a high end stock. Make sure you have a clear idea of what you will gain from a grip or stock upgrade before you drop the coin.
This is the 6th installment of our series on modernizing the AK. In this installment I will be discussing triggers.
I generally prefer to keep the fire control parts of any fighting rifle as original as possible. The parts that are original to these firearms have generally been engineered for durability and reliability at the expense of a light, crisp trigger pull. However, one thing that I do not permit is trigger slap (which AKs are somewhat notorious for). Trigger slap is what happens when a poorly constructed trigger resets – it literally slaps your trigger finger. After a long course of fire it can become somewhat painful, especially on a cold day.
The Tapco G2 trigger is standard on many AK builds.
There are two ways to address trigger slap: modify the existing fire control parts or purchase aftermarket parts. There are plenty of good tutorials online about modifying your existing parts to reduce or eliminate trigger slap. If you are unwilling or unable to modify these parts yourself, you are left with the aftermarket option.
I have experience with 3 different triggers that are readily available. The first is the Red Star Arms Adjustable AK Trigger System. Once it is adjusted, it offers a surprising clean, crisp, and light trigger pull. That excellent trigger pull comes with a price. It costs more than any of the following options and it has small set screws that are used to adjust it. I prefer trigger groups that don’t have screws that can back out at inopportune times, but this is a very well made option.
The second option is the Tapco G2 Trigger. Many US AK builders are including these on their builds now. In fact many people have them and don’t even know it. I have a Tapco G2 that came installed in a very nice Vector Arns Polish build. It has served well. The G2 triggers seem to have a fairly wide variance in trigger pull weight (which might have more to do with the variance in AK receivers). Some of them are extremely light which isn’t really what I prefer for a fighting rifle. They also lack any sort of trigger feel. You can’t feel the point at which the trigger will break or the reset. It is just a sort of light and long trigger pull that lacks any sort of tactile indication of when the shot will break. It can take some getting used to.
The two-stage trigger that comes standard with the Arsenal SGL-21 is very decent.
The third option is my favorite. K-Var has a 2 stage trigger that they sell that is competitively priced and offers a very decent trigger pull. It isn’t as light as the G2 or the Red Star Arms triggers but it very useable. It feels like a traditional military 2 stage trigger with a light take up in the first stage and then a fairly clean let off in the second stage. It isn’t a match trigger by any stretch of the imagination, but most AKs aren’t match rifles by any stretch of the imagination.
To sum up, I don’t modify the trigger in an AK as an accuracy aid (though it doesn’t hurt), but I do modify the trigger in order to make the rifle more shootable. I do not tolerate trigger slap and you shouldn’t either. Whether you modify your current trigger group or purchase an aftermarket trigger group is up to you. If your AK doesn’t exhibit any trigger slap, then spend the money and time on practice instead of a new trigger.
