
Check out these great aluminum AK handguards to turn your Kalashnikov rifle into a more tactical firearm.
Although the plastic hand guards with Picatinny rails would work fine on just about any AK rifle, the thing to remember is that plastic, like any material, is subject to fatigue and stress when under load. It will break, crack, melt, chip, or disintegrate at much less stress and load parameters than metal, including aluminum.
The reason the original Russian polyamide hand guards could take more abuse is simply because they were steel-reinforced. For AK shooters who would like a more rigid mounting option that still involves the hand guards, there are several products made out of aluminum that offer just that.
Because the lack of elasticity in metal is simply the nature of the beast, almost all metal or aluminum AK hand guards require a mechanical mounting on the gun. They have to be securely bolted in place for a rigid installation because the upper part of the set that replaces the original AK upper hand guard is usually affixed to the lower hand guard with bolts. And since the lower hand guard is bolted to the gun, the aluminum hand guard system, as a general rule, offers a far better platform for mounting optical sights on the upper rail.
I have already highlighted several aluminum hand guard options in the “Mounts” section of this book, but I wanted to describe them in detail so that the reader gets a better idea how to install them and how they fit the AK rifle.
The first handguard I would like to cover is Midwest Industries’ AK47/AK74 Universal Hand guards in Quadrail. I have been using this rail and its variations for years now. It is a solid piece of equipment that once installed, will last for a long, long time.
The lower portion is rigidly attached to the barrel of the rifle and the upper part bolted to the lower. The beauty of the Midwest Industries AK hand guard system is that shooters can choose an optic specific upper instead of the 1913 rail. There are several variations to accommodate the most popular optical or collimator sights and their copies. There are several variations of the original Quadrail hand guards now that the company released over the years. All had to do with different ways to install the “mission specific” 1913 rails instead of the integrated quad rail, thus reducing the weight and size of the hand guards.
There is an SS model that smaller two-inch rail sections can be attached to using screws. The SS model was followed by the more advanced KeyMod hand guard, and later an M-LOK version.
I have tested all of these and they are good-to-go no matter which one is chosen. They all attach the same way and accept the same top covers that are interchangeable. The Midwest Industries AK47/AK74 Universal hand guards do not require any irreversible modification to the gun and can be removed and replaced at will. The AK front sling ring stays untouched. However, most of the Midwest Industries AK hand guards come with built-in QD sling attachment.
The Midwest Industries’ AK47/AK74 Universal Hand guards offer pretty good flexibility for mounting accessories on an AK. However, their longer AK47/AK74 Extended Hand guards offer even more.
Unlike the Universal hand guards the extended ones do require the permanent modification to the AK’s lower hand guard retainer. Again, it has to do with the front sling attachment that must be removed. I said it before and I will say it again: the benefits far outweigh the small mod to remove a redundant part. Apart from the standard quad rail configuration, the extended hand guards come in SS and KeyMod versions.
In addition, Midwest Industries offers several variations of their AK hand guards to fit just about any AK rifle model that is available on the market today. Having had a chance to work with these I would consider them to be second-to-none and among the absolute best AK accessories.
As I’ve mentioned before, Krebs Custom offers two types of their own AK hand guards. The Krebs Quad-Rail Fore-End for standard AK rifles is similar to aluminum hand guards with integrated Picatinny rails from other manufacturers, but with one exception: Krebs Custom has come up with a very solid attachment to the gun that does not involve the barrel.
The Krebs Quad-Rail hand guard is a very good option for an AK rifle. However, for those who don’t like the “cheese grater” effect of the quad rail hand guard, Krebs Custom has released their latest AK-U.F.M. AK hand guards. These are perhaps one of the best aluminum AK aftermarket hand guards available today. The AK-U.F.M. hand guards install on the rifle similarly to the Quad-Rail and sits solidly on the rifle. The accessory rails attaches to the hand guards with the KeyMod mounting system on the side and the bottom.
The top part of the hand guard, however, has a four-inch integrated 1913 rail. The new AK-U.F.M. AK hand guards from Krebs have rounded corners and feel just right in the shooter’s hand. The smooth and slick form makes even an ancient AK rifle look like a modern fighting carbine. The hand guards’ KeyMod system offers a necessary flexibility for mounting mission-specific accessories. The Krebs Custom’s AK-U.F.M. hand guards are definitely one of the best aluminum AK hand guard solutions available on the market today.
The last option for an aftermarket AL aluminum hand guard replacement comes from Troy Industries with their AK47 Bottom Short Rail. Troy’s rail is a one-piece replacement for a lower hand guard and works with either the AK’s original upper hand guard or an aftermarket replacement.
I have already described Troy Industries’ AK47 Top Rail as a replacement for the AK’s gas tube in the “Mounts” section of this book. Together, the top and bottom rails make a complete and very flexible hand guard mounting solution for any AK.
The Troy AK47 Bottom Rail is made entirely from aluminum. It is long enough so when installed on the gun it goes from the front of the receiver all the way forward past the gas block covering it. With the added length, this hand guard not only provide an adequate space to mount any combination of tactical implements, but it also gives the shooter more gripping surface, which AKs usually lack to begin with.
The hand guard itself is rounded in its cross section, mimicking (to the point) the longer rounded AR hand guards. The shape and length of it is conducive to improved handling of the rifle, resulting from a better grip. The necessary rail-mounting holes are provided along the entire length of the hand guard. This allows any number of rail sections in different sizes to be installed if the need arises. Although this is a longer hand guard it does not require any permanent modifications to the rifle. It installs in minutes in place of the AK original lower hand guard using the same retention system. It comes with an Allen key wrench to tighten the tension on the hand guard retaining bracket. No other tools are necessary.
There are other options that come from small and large manufacturers of AK accessories. The ones I have described above are the ones I have personal experience with. Whichever option is selected, the shooter must make sure that practicality is driving his or her decision on what accessory to use on the AK rifle.
Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from the Gun Digest Shooter’s Guide to AKs.


Loading and Firing
To place the magazine into the rifle, the system is very different than what American shooters are accustomed. The AK mag must by inserted by first placing the front lip inside the receiver and rocking it back so that it locks into place. This can provide a loose or tight fit, depending on the make of the rifle and magazines.
To load a round, make sure that the safety is in the down/off position. When the safety is in the up/on position, it blocks both the trigger and bolt handle. The right-side charging handle protrudes for easy manipulation. Pull it all the way back and release it to load the rifle. As the charging handle is attached to the bolt, it can be used as a forward assist as well. Since it is attached to the gas tube, it will reciprocate when the rifle is fired, so left-handed shooters should beware.
If you are not immediately going to fire the rifle, the safety should be engaged. The right-side safety is a simple latch that you push up to engage, down to fire. There is no bolt hold open device, and the bolt will not remain open on an empty magazine (unless you are using one of those Yugoslavian mags).
The rear sight can be adjusted for elevation using a slide mechanism. The front sight can be adjusted for elevation as well. Actually, the front sight can be adjusted for windage, too, but this requires a special tool, and it should have been at least bore-sighted at the factory, so adjustment should not be needed.
The trigger fires the gun. You squeeze it.
The way you outfit your reloading bench is as personal as the way you reload your ammunition; there’s no true right or wrong answer, so long as it works for you. Invariably, you’re going to need the basic tools to get the ammunition made properly, but there are some newer tools that will definitely make the reloader’s life easier. We’ll take a look at some great options so you can make a better, more informed decision when investing your hard-earned money.




Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s famous “Big Stick Diplomacy” has sculpted much of America’s political and cultural ideologies over the years. The expression, “Speak softly and carry a big stick—you’ll go far,” may have even earned Roosevelt a Nobel Peace prize for his soft-spoken negotiation tactics to end the Russo-Japanese war in 1905. However, there are times when speaking softly isn’t an option and the big stick needs to do the negotiating.


Like a Wrecking Ball
Range Tested, Writer Approved








The Meopta name is one that may be slightly less familiar to U.S. shooters than some of the domestic and other international optics manufacturers, but the company, which has facilities in both the Czech Republic and here in the states, produces some excellent quality glass. While much of its product line is geared toward hunters, in recent years, Meopta has also been making a concerted effort to meet the needs of tactical shooters as well.
The new Meopta MeoTac 3-12×50 RD offers the shooter great flexibility, providing 55 MOA of windage adjustment and 100 MOA of elevation adjustment. Click adjustments are in 1/3 MOA increments via the scope’s precision, tactical-style turrets. The turrets are large, easy to grip, and each click is easily distinguishable. They also feature a zero-stop function for quickly returning to an established zero.
Meopta MeoTac 3-12×50 RD
Since its introduction back in the late ’50s, Colt’s Gold Cup pistol has been known as one of the finest-shooting semi-autos available to competitive shooters. In the competitive realm, it has traditionally enjoyed a great reputation, combining an excellent match barrel with a crisp, wide target trigger.
Along with a group of other gun writers and members of the media, I was able to shoot the new Gold Cup this fall – a few months before it officially launched – and I was certainly impressed with the gun’s accuracy. The trigger is smooth and breaks cleanly, and I had no trouble hitting the steel the folks at Colt had set up downrange.
A few other nice features on this new Gold Cup include an integrated magwell and 25 LPI checkering on the front and backstrap. The blue G10 grips are also checkered and incorporate a scallop, and the gun has an upswept beavertail grip safety. The integrated magwell encourages fast and smooth reloads, while the checkering on the straps and on the grips themselves improves control without unnecessarily digging into the hands. The upswept beavertail helps keep the pistol low in the hand, also for increased control.
The new Gold Cup Trophy is available in either .45 ACP or 9mm. In the .45, capacity is 8+1 rounds, and the 9mm version adds an extra round.





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