Granite Gear recently added their whole line of tactical products to their website. Until recently, they were only viewable in catalog form. Now you can check out all of their innovative products at GraniteGear.com.
Beez Combat Systems AK47 Low Profile Chest Rig
Beez Combat Systems (BCS) has a new AK47 specific chest rig available called the AK47 Low Profile Chest Rig. It features the ability to carry 5 AK47 magazines, a generous 14 column by 4 row field of MOLLE webbing, shock-cord pull-tab retention, and a large internal pouch for carrying various items. The included H-harness helps distribute the weight of 5 AK mags.
I really like the design of this rig. AK mags seem to work better in odd numbers when they are carried across your chest. The closer they are to your center line, the easier it is to deal with the curve and length of the magazine when drawing it from the pouch. I usually find the center 3 magazine pouches are easiest to reach. If I were running this rig, I would use the outer 2 mag pouches to feed the inner 3 when I was rotating ammo.
Steel AK magazines are somewhat heavy and can be very bulky when stacked on top of one another. This rig allows the shooter to carry 5 magazines without the need for stacked magazine pouches. This makes it about as low profile as you will find in an AK specific chest rig.
BCS tells me that they purposely designed this rig with very deep magazine pouches to better support the weight of the magazine. I would prefer a slightly shallower pouch for two reasons. The first is so that more of the magazine is exposed for gripping during reloads and secondly to allow the use of 20 round magazines. BCS is a custom shop, so they assure me that these modifications will be no problem. There are definitely perks to dealing with custom shops like BCS.
Even if the pouches were made shorter, there would still be plenty of room for mounting a blow out kit and some pistol mags. The large MOLLE field on the front of this chest rig should give you plenty of options for mounting additional pouches. Just be sure to resist the temptation to use every last inch of real estate.
It is great to see this kind of well thought out AK specific support gear coming to market as the AK itself continues to adapt and evolve.
UltiMAK ACR2 Multi Rail Forend System for the AK-47
I have been using the UltiMAK M1-B Optics Mount for the AK-47 for years. It is an excellent way to mount on Aimpoint on an AK.
UltiMAK makes more than optics mounts these days. I recently came across their ACR2 Multi Rail Forend System for the AK-47. There are several rail systems available for the AK but what makes the ACR2 unique is that it extends all the way to the muzzle end of the gas block.
This extra length gives you plenty of room to run your support hand out further on the hand guard if that is the way you prefer to shoot. Some shooters feel cramped on the standard length AK hand guard. The extra length will also give you plenty of room to mount a vertical grip without interfering with your magazine changes.
The ACR2 is machined from aluminum that has been hard anodized. It features attachment points made from 4140 steel. The attachment system is so rigid that UltiMAK claims that it will allow a laser aiming device to maintain zero in field conditions.
The ACR2 is available in two configurations that accommodate milled or stamped receivers.
TI-7 Tactical Buttstock
There is a new AR-15 buttstock on the market – the TI-7 from Tactical Intent. It appears to combine features from several successful stocks that are already on the market with a dash of its own unique elements.
The TI-7 has integrated storage compartments for battery storage. These tubes are placed in such a way that they enhance the cheek weld of the user. The adjustment lever is shielded from accidental contact. There are plenty of sling attachment points including a QD sling swivel receptacle.
One of the more interesting features to me, may seem mundane to others. The shoulder pad actually curls down under the toe of the stock. I use the toe of the stock to pivot the rifle up from low ready so this shape looks like it would be very functional.
The TI-7 is available for mil-spec and commercial diameter receiver extensions (buffer tubes). It is available in flat dark earth, foliage green, and black.
CCI .22 Long Rifle AR Tactical
CCI now offers a rimfire load designed specifically for AR-15 .22LR conversions. The new load is called .22 Long Rifle AR Tactical and CCI claims that it is purpose built for reliable function and increased accuracy in .22LR conversions.
It uses a 40 grain copper washed lead round nose bullet. CCI states that the lead round nose bullet was chosen for its feeding reliability from among several bullets that they tested. The copper wash should help keep leading in check for those who don’t run a dedicated conversion. The muzzle velocity is 1200 feet per second which CCI claims helps with accuracy in AR-15 .22LR conversions.
The reports on this ammo are mixed. Some say it is a gimmick while others have reported excellent reliability and accuracy. The copper wash and lead round nose bullet make sense to me, but the 1200 FPS velocity concerns me since some conversions have fairly stiff recoil springs. The only way to know whether it works for you is to try it in your specific firearm. It may be just what you need to squeak out every last bit of functionality from your .22LR conversion. It is nice to see an ammo manufacturer making the effort to support this valuable training tool.
You can find a more detailed PDF spec sheet for the .22 Long Rifle AR Tactical on the CCI website.
If you are interested in other ways to increase the reliability of your .22LR conversion, check out the previously reviewed .22 Thruster from Carlson Comps.