Made in America: author Fortier respects a good Kalashnikov rifle, and the man behind its design. We learn a little about both in this report

Guns Magazine, July, 2002 by David M. Fortier, Emily K. Fortier

Six years after the end of the Great War the factory was once again moved, this time for strategic reasons, to Kazanlak as the State Military Factory. As the years went by the factory grew and expanded to become a vital part of the nation's economy. From 1956-58 the Russians set up and licensed the factory to produce the AK-47 Avtomat. By 1982, 1 million of these rifles had been produced. Today, the company is a vast enterprise that specializes in small arms, artillery systems, ammunition, hard alloy tools, machine building, and much more.

The Right Stuff

The rifles of the U.S. firm Arsenal Inc. are produced with the benefit of the Bulgarian Arsenal Co. Ltd's 43 years of experience. Each rifle starts life as a heavy steel receiver forging. This raw forging then undergoes some 150 machining operations on CNC equipment to become a finished receiver. Each receiver is then heat treated using the same exact system the Bulgarians have long used for their military rifles. The same Rockwell hardness is achieved and each unit is X-rayed to check for imperfections.

To this new receiver is mated a chrome lined, cold hammer-forged barrel produced with technology from Steyr. At the end of the barrel an effective muzzle brake from the SLR-95 is mounted. Inside the receiver, the rifle's fire control parts all start life as forgings, not castings. They are then precisely CNC machined to exact tolerances. The locking lugs on the bolts are even matched to the locking shoulders of the receiver.

The furniture is a modern black synthetic. The buttstock is 1.25 inches longer than the standard military buttstock. This added length will endear it to most Americans. The forend is based upon the current Russian, rather than Bulgarian, pattern and incorporates a steel heat shield. The pistol grip features a metal insert.

Sights consist of a sliding tangent rear graduated out to 800 meters. A protected post front sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation when zeroing. Finish is a matte black powder coat over parkerizing. Caliber is the tried and true 7.62x39 M43 cartridge that's respected around the world.

Deserving Of A Close Look

Interest perked, I contacted the folks at Arsenal Inc. about receiving one of their rifles for review. They were kind enough not only to send me a rifle, but also a receiver forging and forged fire control parts to examine. The bare receiver forging is impressive, especially to anyone who works metal for a living. Most of it simply ends up as scrap on the floor. I had a nationally known gunsmith examine the fire control parts. His comment on them was simply, "beautiful."

Arsenal Inc. is very vocal of the fact that their rifles are produced exactly in accordance to military specifications. Each part is precisely checked with original Bulgarian gauges throughout the assembly process. They even go so far as to hand file the elevation graduations in the rear sight block. They are very proud of their product and after testing it I can see why. It's a very well made rifle.