Tabla de contenidos para September/October 2018 en Recoil

When it comes to automotive niches that are still essentially virgin territory, did you ever notice that your favorite 4x4s still aren’t being offered as electric vehicles? With the Chevy ZH2 we showed you in Issue 32, the reason certainly isn’t because existing technology can’t support a truck’s power requirements. So what gives? Why aren’t major automakers cranking out full-size, completely electric, honest-to-goodness trucks? Robert Bollinger wondered the same thing. “I think they’re afraid it won’t make them money,” Bollinger says. “It’s so expensive to make electric, and major automakers are still playing with hybrids and smaller battery packs. All that’s great because it moves toward electric, but with full-on electric I think they’re worried about the money involved and range anxiety. They have billions of dollars from their other…

In this issue of RECOIL, we celebrate the AK, in all its splendor and variations. What better way to honor it than by building a 7.62x39mm AR. And not one that takes weird unreliable mags shaped like the letter J, but one that happily feeds from the original banana mag. Billet Rifle Systems offers a receiver set tailor made for this build. The lower receiver has a yawning AK magwell, a stainless steel cross pin, and a paddle mag release to accept rock-n-lock mags like an AK-inspired AR truly should. The upper sports a sweet non-reciprocating side charging handle, on the left side where proper-handed shooters expect it to be. BRS sells entire rifles too, but we wanted to roll our own AK tribute, so we used their upper, lower,…

Get half a dozen dudes around a campfire, throw in a little whiskey and a few cigars for seasoning, and sooner or later a “best of” debate will emerge. No matter the subject — be it music, movies, calibers, or women — there’ll be few staunch holdouts, defiantly clinging to their opinions while a larger consensus emerges. This is a good thing, part of the long human tradition of civilized discourse among peers. In the case of AKs, some will claim the Bulgarians can’t be beat, while others point to the Finns, with their long tradition of raising their driving finger to the east. The subject of this article could justifiably be considered the ne plus ultra in terms of the evolution of the AK, at least in its milled…

The AK market is beginning to feel the effects of a phenomenon that’s all but business as usual for AR shoppers. With the repeated waves of panic buys, and our legislative branch firmly controlled by a party that’s supposedly looking out for our Second Amendment rights, many people have already purchased the rifles they need or want. In response, manufacturers have been striving to come up with new and unique variations of a base rifle so prolific that demand for it has slowed significantly. For all its benefits, the Kalashnikov platform lacks a degree of modularity that’s trademark of America’s black rifle. Modifications to the AK sometimes require additional effort and TLC. The resulting artisan industry of AK builders has produced some intensely refined versions of Russia’s chief export. D&L…

Both the Hungarian AMD-65 and Russian AK-203 shown on pages 126 and 128, along with many other historically significant AK variants, are featured in Vickers Guide: Kalashnikov (Volume 1). Authored by Larry Vickers, James Rupley, Ian McCollum, and Rob Stott, the first in this new series focuses on the 7.62x39mm variants of the AK family of rifles, not just from the Soviet Union, but across the globe. The collectible 11x13-inch coffee table book will be available in a Standard Edition ($95), Signature Edition ($125), and Limited Edition Premium Version ($200) signed with a personal message, limited to 250 copies. www.VickersGuide.com…

Russia. The word can stir emotions in every American. Russians are the guys who are on the other side of the line. For us Cold War kids, images of The Day After and Red Dawn instantly come to mind. When I “shot down” a helicopter at the Joint Readiness Training Center, it felt like Robert the Wolverine taking on Russian Hinds. As culture and history moved forward, the unofficial movie of the Afghan National Army, Rambo III, had Green Beret John Rambo and the Mujahedeen fighting Russians. Moving farther forward, the Russians morphed into masters of espionage or ruthless lords of the underworld. James Bond and John Wick movies cement these notions. We all know reality is far different than what Hollywood and college faculties present. Ignoring the current sycophantic…

1911 AND REVOLVER Artist: Gabe Gunning Flesh Mechanics Monaca, PA Jonathan Bazylak: I got these because I’m a die-hard firearms fan and appreciate the classics. VINTAGE REVOLVER Artist: Alexis Rivera Black Heart Tattoo Collective Harker Heights, TX Harley Marks: I absolutely love firearms; they’re my true passion and I’m an instructor. HECKLER & KOCH Artist: Hiram Casas Club Tattoo Las Vegas, NV Tiffany Alberson: My HK, the first gun I ever owned and the one that ultimately changed the way I feel about the importance of everyday carrying as well as training for self-protection. Without getting too personal, this gun changed my life. It may also be the sexiest handgun ever created (in my humble, personal opinion). Got a gun tattoo you’d like to share? Please send some well-lit, high…

Last issue we focused on pricey Damascus blades. Like a gold-digger, they’re strong, sexy, and wallet-busters. So, in this edition of Unusual Suspects we’re swinging to the other extreme: budget blades. Owning an inexpensive folding knife is just prudent. After all, it’s painful to have a $300 model damaged, lost, or stolen. And thanks to advancing technology and great designs, some economical knives don’t trail too far behind the premium knives. What qualifies as a “budget blade?” Everyone’s definition is gonna be different, but most can agree that 50 bucks for a knife is doable; that’s equivalent to a dinner for two at a good restaurant. We chose this price maximum because it’s the intersection where functional design, solid materials, decent construction, and affordability all meet. The drawback is that…

The year was 1999; RECOIL wasn’t even a glimmer in Iain’s eye, having only been in the United States for a few months. Soon, the developed world would come crashing down, as computers across the globe would cause rolling blackouts due to a simple date error: Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we’re talking about Y2K. OK, we know this article isn’t carved onto a cave wall, and that nothing much of substance happened at the turn of the millennium sans a few unplanned pregnancies. However, this article is a little bit about that, because that was also the last calendar year the SKS could be considered a pragmatic or practical choice for offensive use (in the United States at least; sorry, Canada). Though there are variations and models from nearly a…

What constitutes a “real” AK rifle? With variants available the world over from Asia to Africa and back again, the permutations of patterns, measurements, and tolerances are about as diverse as you can get. But a small shop in Phoenix, Arizona, is getting back to the basics. Petronov Armament is in the process of gearing up production for a line of AKs that may silence many an internet purist. Several years ago, we were sitting at Petronov headquarters, discussing another project, when we spied a set of blueprints on a desk that appeared to be written entirely in Cyrillic. While we weren’t able to get any more information at the time, the story behind those prints — and the products they’re giving birth to — are finally seeing the light…

Hungary was part of the Warsaw Pact until 1991, and in a world full of similar-looking AK variants, the Hungarian AMD-65 definitely stands out. It not only features the distinctively Hungarian-shaped pistol grip, it has two of them, plus a unique side-folding stock, sheetmetal front handguard, short barrel, and massive muzzle brake. The AMD-65 stems from mechanized troops’ difficulty carrying and using the full-length AKM-63. Vehicle crews, airborne troops, helicopter crews, and infantry in armored personnel carriers found the length of the standard rifle inconvenient. Designed by Károly Zala, the first prototypes were made in 1965, with serial production starting in 1967. The AMD-65 featured a 12.6-inch barrel and an austere side-folding stock. A large muzzle brake helped with recoil generated by the lightened rifle, though its blast and concussion…

When browsing “EDC” or “pocket dump” on our favorite forum or social media channel of choice, we see a lot of cool gear. Pistols, holsters, knives, watches, challenge coins, flashlights, and sunglasses all run aplenty on these look-at-me photo threads. Even combs, travel razors, beard oil, and “tactical wallets” all wind up getting meticulously laid out among the supposed daily carry of internet enthusiasts everywhere. But one item that continues to make fewer appearances than it should is a well-thought-out carry med kit. They’re typically not flashy, expensive, or an inherent source of bragging rights. Medical gear is, in our opinion, one of the things that separates those who are carrying to be prepared and those who are carrying to start conversation. But the particular sundries required to tend the…

Want to silence an AK? You have an uphill battle. Back in Issue 26, we covered a pair of dedicated AK silencers — one from Gemtech and another from Dead Air. Since that time, a handful of other purpose-built Kalashnikov suppressors have been released, but what if you don’t want to buy a silencer specifically for an AK? That’s what this article is for. Chances are, if someone only owns one silencer, it’s either for 22LR or for 7.62N — this piece is for those who fall into the latter category. A 7.62N silencer as a “do all” is a very common first NFA purchase. The rationale behind a 7.62N can is pretty simple: companies typically advertise them as being good for 5.56 and other smaller calibers as well. But…

The stereotype of perpetual warfare in Afghanistan has plagued the country since December of 1979, when the Soviet 40th Army came pouring across the Amu Daryua. This kicked off an era of foreign-sponsored insurgency, a resulting civil war that devastated the once great city of Kabul, Taliban rule, and, currently, the second decade of a heavily U.S.-backed presence. However, this “perpetual warfare” hasn’t always been the case in Afghan history; in fact it’s a tragically unique spell of continued violence throughout the modern era. But to fight a war — or any kind of armed conflict — arms must be acquired. We examine three of the primary small arms markets within the capital city of Kabul. We explore what’s available, in what quantities, and for how many good American dollars.…

The Soviet Union was responsible for the most iconic and ubiquitous rifle in the world, introducing the Avtomat Kalashnikova in the late 1940s. While the Soviet Union is no more, in Russia, the Kalashnikov Concern carries on the legacy of its namesake. Earlier this year, Larry Vickers and I traveled to Russia to finish photography for our newest book release in the Vickers Guide series. Our goal was to see not only current small arms offerings in Russia but also to document historic Kalashnikov-type rifles dating back to just after the Second World War. This juxtaposition of old and new would be a theme throughout our entire time in Russia. Maxim Popenker greeted us when we arrived in Moscow. A native of St. Petersburg (“Peter” to the locals), Maxim created…

The AK-200 series was developed as an interim solution between the classic AK-100 series and the new AK-12 and AK-15. The AK-203 is essentially an updated AK-103, itself a 7.62x39mm rifle incorporating several AK-74 features such as its iconic — and very effective — muzzle device and 90-degree gas block. The AK-203 features a traditional AK-style rear sight configuration with an AKS-74U “Krink” style pivoting top cover. This design was specifically incorporated for customers wanting to retain a conventional AK iron-sight picture. At the rear of the top cover is an SVD-inspired pivoting lever. Rotating it counterclockwise allows the top cover to pivot up for access to the receiver internals. Upon reassembly, it also performs a camming function to lock the top cover into a repeatable and secure position, retaining…

There’s no simple way to portray Robert Young Pelton’s career and his contributions to the world. He’s most famous for his book and television series, The World’s Most Dangerous Places. But before, during, and since its distribution, the guy’s been, done, and seen more than any fictional character we can think of. Born to a broken home in the slums of Edmonton, Ontario, Canada, he used to play in traffic and taunt ruffian gangsters by the waterfront while frustrating the nuns at his elementary school, ultimately getting kicked out of school in the second grade. He ended up at St. Johns boy school in Ontario, an institution that would later become infamous for its methods of shaping hard-case boys when a dozen students died on a wilderness canoeing trip. Contrast…