SOCOM looking for domestic AK manufacturer . . .

[Moose-Knuckle]

Special Operations Command looks to U.S. companies for homemade AK-47s


First reported by the Tampa Bay Times, Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, posted a “sources sought” solicitation for non-standard weapons on a federal contracting site early last month. In April, the command posted a similar notice for non-standard weapon ammunition.


SOCOM’s solicitation includes weapons such as the iconic “AK-47″ rifle, a catchall designator for Kalashnikov-variant rifles designed to fire a certain type of ammunition and often identified by their distinctive curved magazines. Other weapons include the SVD, a unique looking sniper rifle that has likely killed thousands of U.S. troops since it was first introduced in the years leading up to the Vietnam War. Additionally, Russian medium and heavy machine guns as well as 14.5mm aircraft guns are included in the notice.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/06/10/special-operations-command-looks-to-u-s-companies-for-homemade-ak-47s/


I thought this was interesting along with Russia looking a setting up AK manufacturing in Greece.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-06-01/greece-manufacture-kalashnikovs-russia-one-condition

[Averageman]

From the reviews I've seen, someone's going to have to go back to the drawing board before a purely domestic AK can be built that will take on the field trials.

[Eurodriver]

From the reviews I've seen, someone's going to have to go back to the drawing board before a purely domestic AK can be built that will take on the field trials.

:lol: There isn't a domestically made AK that I would be proud to show to my buddies let alone take into combat with SOCOM.

[Digital_Damage]

No one is taking these into combat (in SOCOM anyways), doubt they will see field trials.

These are for training, domestic and foreign. There are a lot of pissed off people over purchased weapons falling into ISIS hands, they want to exert more control over the supply.

[sinister]

Weapons falling into enemy hands is a result of either losing (death, abandonment, or war spoils) or turncoats taking their gear with them.

Doesn't matter if the war materiel is made in the states, Belgium, Japan, Russia, China, or wherever.

The US bought hundreds of millions of dollars of Chinese ordnance to outfit Afghan factions. The distribution of Bloc-produced weapons runs counter to our political aims and the idea of US taxpayer money going to competitor coffers -- especially if the arms producers are also outfitting our enemies.

The SOCOM solicitation was a request for information to see who might be able to domestically-produce Russian-design weapons. An entrepreneur could actually start a US industrial base if his break-even profit point makes sense -- much like the olde days when the only AR maker was Colt (slick side uppers with the goofy split pin). Next thing you know (thirty and forty years downstream) there are a hundred makers of AR lowers -- CNC, cast, billet, etc.

[JoshNC]

A domestically produced quality SVD would be great....if available to civilians.

[Eurodriver]

No one is taking these into combat (in SOCOM anyways), doubt they will see field trials.

These are for training, domestic and foreign.

Whoops. Misread that.

[Averageman]

The SOCOM solicitation was a request for information to see who might be able to domestically-produce Russian-design weapons. An entrepreneur could actually start a US industrial base if his break-even profit point makes sense -- much like the olde days when the only AR maker was Colt (slick side uppers with the goofy split pin). Next thing you know (thirty and forty years downstream) there are a hundred makers of AR lowers -- CNC, cast, billet, etc.
After reading "The Gun", I was kind of left with the feeling that there were parts of the AK, the barrel lining specifically, that we weren't able to copy here in the US.
You could make a "Rubber Gun" copy for training purposes, but if you want something with some reliability and durability on par with the original, it just hasn't been done well, yet.
I would agree that for the most part that is because there has been little available profit in it, but the price point might actually be heading toward one now. If you could get someone interested enough to invest their own money in it, I would guess it could be done. At this point someone in the heavy competition AR market might really want to look in to it.
Why go half way and produce some crap for a likely single run SOCOM contract when if it could be done well, with some minor design changes that would be more optics friendly, it could be a viable market competitor?

[MountainRaven]

Doesn't Vltor already make PKMs?

[KalashniKEV]

A domestically produced quality SVD would be great....if available to civilians.

So far domestic manufacturers haven't been able to make a standard AKM that's worth a damn... plus the competition is so cheap that you can usually pick up a better rifle for less money at no less than 50 retailers online.

What I never understood was, why are they trying to make AKMs?

If I were going to tool up, I'd be looking at making Krinks, Valmets, Galils, Wiegers, SVDs...

At least then the consumer would be like, "Oh, my carrier is peening because it's made from junk, let me go ahead and fix that! At least I got a sweet rifle and it's better than paying $,$$$"

With the domestic AKMs it's like, "Oh, shit... my carrier is peening..."

shouldaboughtaWASR!

BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!

[KalashniKEV]

Doesn't Vltor already make PKMs?

Just receivers.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/receiver2w615x461.jpg

[MountainRaven]

Ah.

Still, seems like that would give them a leg up over most of the competition.

Hopefully, they'll look at producing complete weapon systems for SOCOM and decide that it's worth it and in 5-10 years we can have Vltor SVDs and AKs - which will probably have KeyMod handguards. And that wouldn't be so bad.

(I do agree about domestic production of Galils and Valmets, et al. versus AKMs.)

[TAZ]

I always found it odd that we would supply potential future enemies with weapons that would continue to function after we decided to stop supporting them. Screw that shit. Give them all goofy wildcat weapons that can only go bang as long as we are supplying them ammo, parts and all that stuff. Once US support for a group goes away those weapons need to be nothing more than funny sticks.

[Firefly]

Sort of want SVD. Got to shoot a Tigr SVD. It was 'a'ight'. I didn't feel like Vasili Zaitsev or that one guy from the Oktober Guard but it was okay

I like my SR25 more. If they made one in tge 2500ish or below range with the wood stock, and could hold zero, I'd get one just to have.

[Moose-Knuckle]

The custom guys can make a reliable Kalashnikov but they are coin; Jim Fuller, Mark Krebs, etc.

I wonder why someone like Arsenal hasn't done more to produce a 100% US made AK, Krink, 104's, 105's, etc. Turkey makes roller locks on HK tooling, it's not like Arsenal couldn't get Bulgarian tooling to manufacture barrels and other niche parts.

I've also never understood why a US manufacturer hasn't tooled up and rolled out an AR-18; stamped sheet metal, side folder, STANAG mags, 5.56, etc.

Edit to add, DSA makes a RPD receiver.

[Averageman]

The custom guys can make a reliable Kalashnikov but they are coin; Jim Fuller, Mark Krebs, etc.
I sometimes look at one of the "better" AK boards and the guys building seem to be dropping like flies lately. The seem to be either getting out totally or waaaay backlogged on kit builds. Some have dropped out to finish what is their shop and calling an end to AK building.
If you want a build it is usually from a kit. Yes, there are some few that turn out a good build from a kit, but I don't believe anyone is doing a from the ground up AK that doesn't have some pretty shaky reviews from the guys who know a lot more about them than I ever will.