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By David Crane
defrev (at) gmail (dot) com
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July 11, 2013
Last updated on 7/12/13.
Rick Veal of Parabellum Armament (PA) showed DefenseReview some really cool tactical Kalashnikov AK-47/AKM weapons accessories at SHOT Show 2013. First up is the PA AKARS, or AK Adaptive Rail System, which only adds a few ounces to the weapon system. Veal describes it as a "3-finger hinge-mounted low-profile [lo-pro] optics rail [MIL-STD-1913 “Picatinny”] that will actually maintain it's zero." The AKARS replaces the standard leaf sight with the rail and back-up iron sight (BUIS) that incorporates a notch/groove with "reference mark" that allows the shooter to acquire and engage his target faster than with a leaf sight, but the rail allows the shooter to mount any/all glass combat optics like Aimpoint, EOTech, Trijicon, Leupold, etc. for ultra-fast target acquisition and engagement in combat. The PA AKM carbine DR saw had an Aimpoint Micro T-1 mini red dot sight mounted on it, which is available from both Bravo Company USA and Brownells.
The AKARS with BUIS locks to the recever at the front. The adjustable "Male Mount" at the rear of the top cover (receiver cover) has two steel pins that insert into the rear of the AKARS rail for a solid lockup. The top cover itself locks to the receiver via the rear trunion and button. So, there are three locking points.
Just as interesting and exciting from a combat advantage/speed perspective is the PA MARS (Mechanical Advantage Release System), which is a drop-in thumb-activated magazine release lever, which looks well-designed.
Out front, theres the drop-in PA Ratchet Charging System (RCS) AK Left-Side Folding Charging Handle that integrates a 4140 steel gas tube and front sight/BUIS/gas block, which work together to create a heat sink, and thus offer some additional heat dissipation and protection. The PA RCS is non-reciprocating, and would appear to be the latest-generation Dublin AK Systems AK Ratchet Charging System (AK RCS), since the 2nd-Gen Dublin AK RCS we profiled back in early October 2010 doesn't fold like the PA RCS does. The PA RCS’ gas tube incorporates an HK MP-5 / HK 93/91 locking notch for manually locking it back. Just insert the new mag, slap the handle down, and you're back in the fight.
PA also has a MIL-STD-13 "Picatinny" tactical handguard.
The whole point of all this stuff is to 1) give the tactical operator or civilian tactical shooter the best ergonomics and controls in order to provide the fastest operating speed possible on an Kalashnikov AK-47/AKM weapons platform, and 2) bridge the performance gap between the AKM and AR-15/M16/M4/M4A1 platforms, the latter of which is currently in its technological renaissance and performance zenith thanks to all the weapons component and accessories development that's occured on it since 9/11.
Assuming all the PA AK parts we saw work as advertised, Parabellum Armament would appear to be doing a pretty good job in this respect, and that's great news for AK lovers everywhere. Defense Review must admit while we love our tactical AR's, we also like tricked-out tactical AK's, as well as the 7.62x39mm and 5.45x39mm Russian calibers.
Company Contact Info:
Parabellum Armament Co, LLC.
3142 Broadway, Suite-200
Grove City, Ohio 43123
Phone: 614-593-2525
Email Contact Page: http://www.parabellumarmament.com/pasitev2/contact.htm
Website: http://www.parabellumarmament.com
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