11 Oct 17
“All that is complex is not good. All that is truly good, is simple.”
Kalashnikov
Century Arms RAS47 Kalashnikov Rifle
I’ve had many Kalashnikovs come through my Urban Rifle Classes. They have been manufactured in the (former) Soviet Union, China, America, even Pakistan. With the exception of the ones made in Pakistan, all have run well!
By American standards, some consider Kalashnikov’s creation “rude and crude,” but any competent Operator will instantly appreciate the simplicity in the design, and the genius of the designer. This is the rifle I faced in Vietnam so many years ago, and understandably, I hated it then. In fact, I still bear scars from AK rounds, received during my tour as a Marine Infantry Officer in Vietnam in 1968! Since, like most, I’ve come to appreciate what a superbly-functional machine the AK is!
Kalashnikov was an uneducated tank-mechanic, born with few advantages, but there was a design-genius lurking inside. Like all of us, he was far from perfect, but his indelible contribution to military history is undeniable!
The 7.62×39 rifle cartridge is the best military round ever made! Short and heavily tapered, it was designed from the beginning to run smoothly in automatic machines, and does so better than any other! It is a legitimate 300m round, with exceptional penetration.
I recommend not running steel-case ammunition through your M4, for fear of breaking the extractor. Such concerns are unnecessary with the AK. It’s heavy bolt and large extractor are unlikely to break under any circumstances!
My copy of Century Arms’ American-made RAS47 if a wonderful manifestation of the Kalashnikov Rifle!
It features a bolt-hold-open-notch in the manual safety lever, but is otherwise faithful to the original design. It takes all AK magazines, but I particularly like 30-round Pmags!
I’ve had it for six months, and it runs and runs! Copies are available for under $600.00. Although, in view of recent events and resulting cries from domestic leftists for gun-banning legislation, that may have already changed!
As a car-gun, the RAS47 is hard to beat!
Recommended!
Get your copy while you still can!
/John
