Realistic Military-Style AK Variants by ASD Firearms LLC.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

O.k, here’s the second installment highlighting the excellent "AK Mania" issue of SAR(Small Arms Review), Nov., 2002. By the way, this is a really great AK issue for all those Kalashnikov lovers out there. In this DefRev installment, we’re going to discuss ASD Firearms LLC’s authentic-looking AK variants, both full-auto and semi-auto only. The SAR story we’ll be discussing this time was written by Dan Shea, SAR’s editor-in-chief. In the piece, Shea describes…
ASD’s various offerings, all authentic-looking, military-style rifles, carbines, and subcarbines. Specifically, one Chinese AKM, two AKS-74U-style "Krinkov" minis, and an AK-100 Series-style AK-74K will be discussed.

The Chinese AKM was built on a B-West stamped receiver and given a flat black "Gunkote" protective finish. There are two finishes with this name that DefRev knows of, and we’re not really sure if they are the same product or not. One is called "Gunkote, and is supplied by Brownell’s. The other is called Gun-Kote, and is made by KG Industries, Inc.. Caliber of this rifle is 7.62x39mm. The article did not make it clear whether or not the rifle is semi-auto or full-auto. The AKM looks just like a pre-ban configuration Chinese AKM with fixed wooden stock.

The AK-74K, which Mr. Shea refers to as an AKS74K, is definitely full-auto and chambered for the 5.45x39mm round. For this rifle, ASD Firearms used an Ohio Ordnance Works stamped sheet metal receiver. According to Shea, this model is ASD’s newest offering. The gun is essentially an AK-100 Series AK-74 with a barrel that’s been shortened to 12". This particular rifle featured a "Cobra" ECS-8-02 red dot collimator sight mounted to the lower receiver using the standard Kalashnikov side-rail mounting system. The AKS74K also sports a standard AK-74-style muzzle brake.

Next is the 5.45x39mm AKS-74U, also built on an Ohio Ordnance Works stamped receiver. This, too, is a machine gun, and looks like a really sweet little piece. It also appears that a bunch of the parts for this Krinkov were supplied by K-VAR Corp., which is probably the single best source of AK parts for both Krinkovs and standard AK variants in the United States. It looks like ASD used a K-VAR Corp. Krinkov parts kit, along with a Bulgarian Krinkov 4 piece flash suppressor that looks kinda’ cool. The AKS-74U has an authentic skeletonized folding stock, of course.

The last offering, also an AKS-74U "Krinkov" style gun, is semi-auto only and registered as a "Short Barrelled Rifle". This Krinkov, or "Krink", has been built on a B-West receiver, and has been fitted with a TL Guns PBS-5 suppressor. This gun was finished with a semi-flat Gunkote that Shea says is made special for ASD by Gunkote Corp. God only knows what company this is, as DefRev could not locate their website, or find their phone number anywhere. Finally, this Krinkov has been fitted with a ECS-8-01 Cobra red dot collimator sight that can apparently be bought through ASD(we assume they carry the ECS-8-02 as well). According to Shea, the Izhevsk plant says that the newer sight mount has been strengthened and the reticle controls have been mounted on the right as a result of experience gained by Russian Special Operations forces fighting in Chechnya.

So, there you have it: four extremely cool AK variants by ASD Firearms LLC. A little taste of "AK heaven", if you will. Stay tuned for several more installments from the "AK Mania" SAR issue. We, DefRev, are doing this because we know there are a lot of AK lovers that are either members or lurkers on our site, and maybe don’t get "Small Arms Review" in their area. So, in this particular case, we’re bringin’ SAR to you. For the rest of you who do get SAR, this series is hopefully a convenient web-based source of information and links for you to all the players in the SAR articles. Either way, stay tuned. There’s more to come.

Realistic Military-Style AK Variants by ASD Firearms LLC. by

About David Crane

David Crane started publishing online in 2001. Since that time, governments, military organizations, Special Operators (i.e. professional trigger pullers), agencies, and civilian tactical shooters the world over have come to depend on Defense Review as the authoritative source of news and information on "the latest and greatest" in the field of military defense and tactical technology and hardware, including tactical firearms, ammunition, equipment, gear, and training.

Check Also

SIG SAUER XM250/M250 6.8x51mm Belt-Fed Light Machine Gun (LMG): How Good is It, Really? Well, Garand Thumb Certainly Likes It!

By David Crane david (at) defensereview (dot) com Photo(s) Credit(s): Garand Thumb July 17, 2022 …