Posted on 07/11/2016 10:34:52 AM PDT by marktwain
There is considerable controversy and confusion about the firearms used in the Dallas sniper attack against police officers. Early in the aftermath, numerous disarmist pundits proclaimed that it was an AR15 rifle, without any substantive verification of any kind. One of them was the gun guy on the Huffington Post. Another was Dallas Mayor (D) Mike Rawlings. From newswest9.com:
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings says the suspect in the sniper slayings of five officers used an AR-15 rifle. Rawlings said thats the type of weapon 25-year-old Micah Johnson used in the attack Thursday night in downtown Dallas. A similar assault weapon was used in the attacks at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people.
Early reports are often wrong. It is common for politically motivated individuals to put out false reports in an attempt to hijack the narrative. A couple of days later, many major news outlets were citing sources that the rifle used was an SKS. Some were from authoritative sources. From nytimes.com:
Its talking not only about how to kill but how to keep from being killed, said Clay Jenkins, Dallas Countys chief executive and director of homeland security and emergency management, who said he had not read the original journal but had reviewed summaries of it. It shows that hes well prepared.
(snip)
Mr. Jenkins said Mr. Johnson had used a semiautomatic SKS rifle and a high-capacity handgun. He drove his vehicle to the demonstration and parked it, Mr. Jenkins said, but was on foot at many points throughout the attack.
Another statement from Chief Executive Officer and Judge Clay Jenkins throws a bit more information into the mix. From sunny1015.com:
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
The hand grip is a US Palm battle grip, the but stock looks like a magpul zhukov and the for end is definitely not a magpul it looks more like the stock from a Saiga IZ 240 AK 74 Rifle. As a matter of fact the Saiga is sooo close but the trigger is too far to the rear.
You are correct on the furniture (stock, US Palm, Zhukov (you can see the cheek riser next to it) but a converted Saiga looks just like a regular AKM or AK74. I converted my Saiga 12 and move the trigger group forward.
Tarted-up SKS.
...assault revolver.
Arsenal imports either from Arsenal AD in Bulgaria or from Saiga.
Almost every AK-74 I’ve seen has the dimple above the magwell.
Trust me - it’s a Saiga.
It’s not a 5.56.
It’s 5.45. Look at the Tapco 5.45 mag here:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1116145922/tapco-intrafuse-magazine-ak-74-545x39mm-russian-polymer
Tapco doesn’t even make 5.56 mags.
FYI. I’ve done this numerous times to Saigas, this is why I’m adamant that it’s a Saiga.
You can convert the trigger group and pistol grip forward to the normal position of any Saiga regardless of caliber. Takes all of 5 minutes.
To convert the front handguard and gas tube is a bit more painstaking and this moron probably didn’t know how to do it. The original FSB needs to be drilled out, removed; the gas tube needs to be replaced with a standard AKM replacement and new handguard retainers need to be installed over the new tube and barrel. After this you can then either drill back the original FSB or replace it with a standard 24mm FSB that the AK-74 uses.
This whole process takes a few hours to get it right. Otherwise you’ll end up with a jerry-rigged cant or worse.
“Tapco doesnt even make 5.56 mags.”
That rifle is probably a 5.45 but I’m 100% sure so I say either for now. We also don’t know if it was the weapon yet.
But Tapco does make 223 and Galil AK magazines. They make everything.
If you look at the rifle pic link in my #72 and then observe the stamp in between the two rivets next to the stock on the pic of the terrorist’s gun.
It may not be the gun that was used, but the rifle in the pic matches a Saiga 5.45.
I also posted a pic of a Tapco 5.45 mag which is the exact same model loaded into that gun in the pic.
Yes, Tapco makes em’ for Galil’s, but a Galil mag won’t fit in a 5.56 AKM, and that weapon is not a Galil.
If you want to see a real 5.56 AKM, Google Polish Beryl, or AK-101 or AK-102. Circle 10 Bulgaria makes waffle pattern AK mags that will fit all three models.
Yeah, I need to familiarize myself with more 5.56 AKs. Ive pretty much ignored them because people complain of issues with that caliber in the AK, almost like the 7.62x39mm AR.
I lost every one of my own in an unfortunate fire at the asbestos factory during a gun show they hosted
Arsenal used to make them. I had a lemon that a local smith had to help me with to get working 100%. It was the 106CR version. Beryl’s should be good to go out of the box.
I build my AKs from flats and kit parts. And Arsenals are too expensive, especially after all the trouble AK Operators Union had with the 107. I just got a M&P 15 Sport II so I dont need another 5.56 rifle. Im not a fan of the caliber in the first place.
I’ve owned Arsenal’s but not anymore.
I LOL at the review AK Operators Union gave on the SLR 107.
Like you, not a fan of the 5.56 either.
I only like Saiga’s.
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