Is it 1945, or 2015?

I’ve been asking myself that question since SHOT Show’s Industry Day at the Range, where some of the rifle-related products generating the most buzz were the AGL Defense AK trigger, the Galil ACE carbine and pistol (chambered in 7.62×39 and using AK magazines), and the CMMG Mk47 “Mutant,” a hybrid of AK and AR technologies that also ran standard 7.62×39 ammunition AK magazines.

via Bearing ArmsThe Year Of The AK – Bearing Arms.

Two things I want to add to Bob’s article: 1) There is a huge AK fandom in the land of Milk and Honey.  But since they were yucky looking AKs they did not make the cut with the cool kids that take shiny pics for magazines.  We did not have a lot of toys to play with, but some paid attention to us even if they were ridiculed by the AR Crowd (TAPCO comes to mind) as cheap. Hell the whole system was cheap… and reliable! To this date the AR reliability controversy is alive and well whole AK owners are reminded to clean their rifles after every presidential election.

2) Between the ATF changing the regulations for import of the AK part kits to the final prohibition of importing AKs from Russia by this administration, the only thing it did was to create a vacuum which it never fails to be fed by local talent. Lo and behold, the law of unintended consequences works again.

I expect soon mass-produced and cheap steel case 7.62 x 39 produced in the US, or at least cases that are boxer primer compatible.