C39v2 – the American AK for SHTF

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 12/18/2017 | T Whitlock

[w1n1]

The Century Arms C39v2 is a 100-percent American-made AK rifle that offers a load of premium features for a modest price.
As most gun enthusiasts know, the standard AK platform is known for its simple operation and takedown process for cleaning, as well as its exceptional reliability.

Here are some fine points:

• Shooting for quick target acquisition – doing single, double and triple taps with magazine change is a breeze.
• Installed increase paddle mag release. It will help you do magazine change quickly with this ambidextrious paddle.
• Dirt torture testing, where the C39V2 was tossed into the dirt with the bolt closed and open and fired with no problems.
• The 7.62x39mm ammo has some oomph when compared to the .223 round. This obviously has more stopping power at close range and long ranges.

Read the rest of the full written and video review of the C39V2 American AK here.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I think I’ll stick with my Bulgarian AK 74. :-)

[Delta 21]

MAK-90 with evil black plastic stock and accessories.

Whats the difference?

[Lurker]

I got a pair of WASR rifles for $325 a piece IIRC. Did need the swap out the triggers with Tapcos but other than that they’re right out of the box.

L

[old-ager]

s h t f - what? alternate universe. 5.56 AR, now that is every man’s rifle.

[TXnMA]

My gripe with the AK format is the clumsiness/difficulty of adding optics — like a “red dot” type...

[MrEdd]

Meh.

HK91 for survival.

[Azeem]

No, it’s not. The C39 and RAS47 are crap AKs like IO. The Century Arms casting and heat treating can’t be trusted. Look up AK Operators Union to see what happens to these rifles with actual use. The bolt and front trunnion shred metal.

Just buy a WASR. A Yugo NPAP is good but parts from other AKMs might not fit.

[This_Dude]

I can personally vouch for the C39v2. While the v1 was subpar, this newer gen model is a survivor. Excess of 11,000 rounds with only one hiccup, and found that to be a cracked feed lip on a crappy, old mag. No metal deformation like we see in RAS’s, about trice as accurate as a WASR, and these factory muzzle brake are awesome. I fireball every now and again, but they perform WAY better than a slant brake. We vised mine down and tested the accuracy and it wasn’t quite an inch and a quarter group at 110 meters and your finish doesn’t just fall off like with an Arsenal. One of mine came with a side rail, and the other didn’t, so you gotta look at that if you wanna run an optic

[This_Dude]

I follow AKOU. Rob Ski endorses the V2 version of the C39. You’re talking about the garbage RAS, which nobody should ever buy.

[Azeem]

Rob absolutely does not endorse the C39v2. It’s only 3000 rounds into the 5000 test. The bolt and trunnion are beat all to hell as he showed in the video from Oct. That scraping is exactly the same problem from the RAS47. None of my former combloc AKM, AK74 rifles I built look anything like that with much higher round counts.

[This_Dude]

Really? The AKOU video I saw was 5000 rounds fired and it was holding together. Mine has over twice that and all I got is wear shine.

[Azeem]

Really? The AKOU video I saw was 5000 rounds fired and it was holding together. Mine has over twice that and all I got is wear shine.

I think you're remembering the DDI AK that Rob tested. It survived the 5000 rounds but not without issues. The last C39v2 video was the 3000 rounds update in October before Rob did a month rotation in the Army during November. He mentioned last on Facebook that Paul and he would get together this week for the next update.

If you want to see all the videos on the C39v2 from AKOU, try this - http://www.akoperatorsunionlocal4774.com/tag/c39v2/

[This_Dude]

There was another guy whose name escapes me who did a year long review at 10,000 rounds out of a C39, and though his seemed less rigorous then AKOU, it was still together. I’m quite certain it was a 5000 round C39. Mine is totally shiny inside with very little finish simply because I shoot a high volume, and I gotta keep it oiled to keep rust from forming. Outside, I just see light surface damage that’s my fault. I knocked it over and bumped it off a shooting table, etc. And since we started discussing this, I actually DID find a small chip gone out of the front of the camming channel where the bolt lug impacts, but it’s about half the size of a pencil lead and I didn’t even realize it was there until now. The main thing I look for is cracks on the bolt face and things like that, but I don’t have anything like that going on

[This_Dude]

m.youtube.com/watch?v=PFqsa_9qmE4

With all due respect, you’re tripping. Ski loves it.

Also, not sure how to post clickable links, so sorry in advance for having to copy and paste

[Azeem]

You do know that's the V1 (in 2014) and not the 5000 round test? Watch the actual C39V2 5000 rounds test from 10/2017 from 3:30

C39V2 3000rds Later! I'm Not DEAD!!!

You see the deformation on the bolt and trunnion? That's exactly why the RAS47 is blowing up. It causes headspacing issues because metal from the locking lug and metal from the right side of the trunnion are deforming and shaving off more metal.

I've built a dozen of my own AKs and helped build dozens of others kits from former Combloc countries. I have never seen that kind of deformation on any kit. And those have much higher round counts from full-auto rifles. Century may have fixed the issue, but we have no idea which guns are good and which are going to destroy themselves.

If you want a Century milled rifle, get the Polish 1960.