Recently, I acquired from Brownells a Mako mechanical recoil-reducing stock for comparison with the hydraulic ITT version. Now I am looking for suggestions on what kind of rifle to make with it. One option would be to apply it to 7.62×39 or even .308 version for maximum recoil reduction. The other is to put it on a 5.45 or .223 to take recoil from minimal to non-existent — but I am not sure just how effective the mechanism would be at at reducing already slight kick. Also, while 5.45×39 is relatively inexpensive, it’s the only cartridge of the four that I do not stock. I am also not up to date on what is available these days in terms of parts and magazines. Suggestions?
I know that AK already has minimal kick, but this way it can be even easier to handle for lightweight shooters over long training courses.
I’m not an AK guy but adding a caliber to your battery doesn’t make sense to me since you already have 223, 7.62×39 & 308 rifles on hand.
I don’t remember what all you have on hand for rifles but it might make sense to build a 7.62×39 with it as another lower recoil trainer for newer and/or smaller framed shooters.
Steelheart
I would talk with Jim Fuller at Rifle Dynamics. Las Vegas. There is no more respected builder of top-tiew AK rifles than Jim.
http://www.rifledynamics.com
Well it’s clearly made for a standard, stamped receiver. 7.62 x 39 doesn’t kick much, that it true, but it has significant recoil compared to a .223, so the “running and gunning” drills are easier to do quickly with the .223. Just for my own purposes, I’d try it with a regular AKM and see what it can do for the 7,62 x 39.
If you had a hankerin’ for a light .308 for more butt-kicking authority, then it should go on a converted, supressed, Saiga .308 carbine. But there you are limited in your magazine choices.
For the regular AKM-74s, there are plenty of parts and magazines. Just take a look over at K-Var for one example. For some reason though, the recoil reduction on a .223 of 5.45 isn’t as interesting, but others will of course have a different opinion. That “miniscule to non existet” idea has its merrits.
And it would be a good idea to check with J. Fuller. Mostly though, it comes down to what you want. There is no right or wrong choice here.
Is a .22 AK trainer plausible? I don’t pay that much attention to AKs to know if it’s reasonable like it is in the AR world. I guess in a pinch a Ciener conversion in a 7.62×39…
(I personally get the aesthetic willies over an M4/AR-style stock on an AK pattern rifle, but willingly acknowledge that function beats form any day.
That said I wish they made one that “looked like an AK”.)
IZHMASH JHC makes a .22 AKM, however it is no imported into the USA, Romania makes a .22 AKM and those are available in the US.
I’d use the recoil reducing stock on a Saiga 12 or 20…
Nothing personal, but IMO M4 style stocks just look wrong on AKs.
Since this is a Mako / FAB Defense stock, maybe you should build a Galil (or at least something that looks like one) :)))
I really like my AKs without plastic, but if I were to use that I would put it on a basic 7.62×39 rifle. A .308 would probably still be unpleasant for new shooters even with it, and a 5.45 doesn’t really need it.
For newbies, you could also pick up a Romanian .22 AK trainer – they were made for the military and some came into the US under the designation WASR-22. Centerfire has them in kit form right now, and they will build on a standard receiver, IIRC.
I’m almost entirely in line with Lyle on this question.
The recoil of the 5.56/.223 and the 5.45 aren’t enough, for me, to even regard as having any.
I could see building an SBR, maybe, but I’m not certain that was the route you were looking for, with the attendant paperwork involved, however, one in .223 might make that stock suddenly worth it.
I would think that would be right at home on a Saiga 12, you would certainly be able to tell if the recoil reduction is working after say 20 rounds of 12 gauge slugs…
7.62×39 thats the round meant for the ak and thats what you should use
I’d like to know how well it works on a Saiga 12.
I have a Saiga .308 I’d love to try that on, and maybe another thing if you could get it to run would be on a VEPR in 7.62X54R. Put that on one of the 16 or 20 inch models and hmmmm.
TJ