Avtomat Kalashnikovs (AK) are loved by a few, inspire curiosity in many, and are misunderstood by most of the rest. I had been in the camp of curious and want-to-love-it for a while but courses are oddly rare for a firearm that has been found in just about every military/guerilla conflict over the last fifty years. I registered for Kalashtober to gain instruction and dispel some myths around the system.
The course was held in Pelham NH during a time when the colors of New England foliage were on full display. The outdoor range had a nice atmosphere that rapidly filled with AKs by several manufacturers, in various configurations, and of multiple lengths. There were twelve students but probably twenty AKs, in all.
The class progressed well with the right amount of compare and contrast between AK v. AR, practical exercises, and making use of the full 50 meter range. Newer students gained familiarity, while more experienced shooters reinforced fundamentals. There was a lot of great input from the instructor and teamwork from the experienced folks.
The course was two days and consisted of:
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basic operation and drills
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historical and technical aspects of the AK and it’s variants
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more advanced drills including timed/movement
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shooting a few uncommon/suppressed/NFA rifles
The students included:
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people who are new to AK and had never taken a formal firearms class
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folks that have taken dozens of courses with AR but none with AK
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competitive shooters versed on AR/AK
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industry types that build and/or shoot AK very often (1-3x per week)
A big myth around AK is that they are sloppy and inaccurate which was not true of my experience. It handled nice, it shot well, and the steel and wood construction absorbed recoil nicely without feeling heavy or sluggish. It took some practice to get used to the AK charging handle and magazine reloading, which are different enough from ARs that I fumbled through the first few reps of a few drills. I ran through Tasks/Conditions/Standards, shooting & moving, and the wall drill slowly at first but there was noticeable improvement by the end. With practice, I expect I can accomplish them in respectable times.
As an added bonus, Alex Costa (ANR Design), Lucas Paltry (Sellrain Avtomat Kalashnikov), and Edgar Sherman (Edgar Sherman Design) participated in the class and brought some full-auto, suppressed AKs or some of their latest kydex and nylon products.
In summary, I took this class expecting a great learning experience, hoping to see some familiar faces, and looking forward to making new friends. I accomplished all three and had a great time throughout. There was a lot of information specific to AK but a lot of drills are relevant for AR. Considering how smooth the AK shoots and the cost of 7.62x39mm rounds (about 30% cheaper in bulk than 5.56mm), I can see myself shooting it a lot more.
Instructor: Highly recommend.
Course: Highly recommend.
Full disclosure: my AK experience may have been an outlier because I had a loaner from Lucas at Sellrain Avtomat Kalashnikov. The fit of the parts was excellent, the finish was terrific, and if I summed it up in one word, that word would be “luscious.” It’s worthwhile to note that other people in class had a great time whether their rifle was a custom build, newer commercial, or has been sitting at the back of their safe since the early 1990s.
Follow up: In Nov 2018, I received my own Sellrain AK and it is every bit as smooth and masterfully built as the ones that Lucas keeps in his own collection.
