[Ed. Note: If you haven't noticed by now, we at Front Site Post are a bit late to the party when it comes to posting news about the weapon industry. Tere is a reason for this: We do not want to post articles full of speculation, opinion, and empty words. When we want news, we just want the facts, and we think you would, too. So, if we are a little late on a article, it is because we want to get all the correct information before we post anything. Too many other sites involving Guns and dot coms speculate. We at Front Site Post give you our word that we will not speculate and will include our opinion only if it calls for it when it comes to news articles. - Jimm]
Down to business! Izhmash went public with their release of the Ak47-inspired weapon system not too long ago, but little was and still is known about its actual combat effectiveness. Basic information is known about the AK-12 and is listed below:
- Ambidextrous safety and fire selection switches (three rates of fire: single, burst, and auto)
- Re-designed safety selector
- Quad picatinny rails
- Folding- length adjustable stock
- Rifled in 5.45x39mm, 5.56x45mm and 7.62x39mm
- RAS rail gas block feature
- Pistol style rear site
One of the key features of the early AK47 models that stood out from all other carbines and long rifles was it magazine ejection option. The AK style magazine ejection lever was unlike any other ejection option. Being so close to the trigger well, any soldier could drop his magazine and reload another without ever taking his finger away from his trigger. As many of us know, this feature is one of many that the AK was known for. In pictures of the AK-12 the same ejection lever can be seen. Other sites involving Guns and dot coms have speculated that Izhmash was ditching ditching this well respected feature of the AK and moving to a ambidextrous magazine release button. Yet all videos and pictures of the weapon system show other wise. It can be seen that they have however addopted the option to use a magazine release button much like the M16′s family but they have also kept the old style release lever.
Although firearms blogs on the net have called the new rifle “downright ugly” we at Front Site Post know that sometimes ugly works. Further more, we have always been fans of the AK style weapon systems. Currently the Kk-12 is set to be assigned to the military, but you can bet that we will be inquiring about its export status as soon as it is hitting the hands of Russian soldiers.
