The Excalibur

Sharps Bros. & Rifle Dynamics' AK-47 Is an Accurate (beyond belief) Warfighter.

- Fred Mastison

There are few weapons on this earth that are impressionable, such as the iconic AK-47. Pull an AK-47 out in a remote place in Sudan, and I guarantee you the Sudanese will already know its model. Take it any where worldwide, and people will know what the "AK-47" stands for.

The AK-47 has maintained a committed following since it was first introduced into service with the Soviet armed forces in 1948. Mikhail Kalashnikov’s design of the AK-47 remains relevant after seven decades as the most widely used battle rifle on Earth because of its durability in harsh conditions, easy use and reproduction.

According to Weaponomics: The Global Market for Assault Rifles, "As of 2004 ... of the estimated 500 million firearms worldwide, approximately 100 million belong to the Kalashnikov family, three-quarters of which are AK-47s.”

The American market for the AK is nothing short of ravenous. Its appeal lies in its ability to run inexpensive ammunition, paired with a unique history.

The AK-47 platform has seen some variants develop. Folding stocks and a variety of hardware and configurations are sprinkled throughout the history of this gun. In fact, the study and classification of these variants have become a major hobby to many serious AK aficionados. It’s so serious that they scour media images of foreign fighters in search of the one "unicorn" gun that rules them all.

So, the question of the day is, What else can be done to the AK-47? Jim Fuller, the Jedi master of AKs at Rifle Dynamics, has brought forth what could be called the "Excalibur" of AKs.

BIRTH OF AN AK