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

Out Of The Box

My test rifle arrived with the standard accessories consisting of a well written manual, cleaning kit, sling, oil bottle and 5 round magazine. It's no secret that I like "black rifles" and I liked this SA M-7 very much. The protective finish was very well done and was complemented nicely by the tough synthetic furniture. The receiver was beautifully machined both inside and out. The bolt assembly operated smoothly and the trigger was excellent. To be honest, the trigger on this rifle was quite a bit better than on your average Remington 700.

In the hands the rifle felt very good. It shoulders quickly, and the slight beavertail in the forend gives a good purchase to hold onto. Magazines insert easily and the mag release was easily manipulated for a rapid reload. My only negative comment is that the safety lever was on the stiff side. However this is pretty much par for the course with this rifle design. After consultation, the company president promised to modify the safety in accordance with American tastes. Such a response speaks highly of Arsenal Inc.

During testing I evaluated the rifle's accuracy, reliability, controllability, handling characteristics and flash signature. For testing I gathered together a variety of 7.62x39 loads. These included soft point loads from Norma, Barnaul and PMC. We also included a 122 grain FMJBT load from Wolf Performance Ammunition as well as a brand new 154 grain SP load from Wolf. I had a first peek at this new load in September while in Russia. There I was given the opportunity to try it Out on the indoor range at Tula Cartridge Works through both an SKS and an AKM. I came away impressed by its accuracy, especially through the SKS. Although one word of advice if you ever find yourself on that particular range -- their rangemaster really frowns on full auto fire.

Shoot For Group

Accuracy work was done from the bench at 100 and 300 yards. While the sights on the Kalashnikov are fine for their intended function, they are no great aid when trying to shoot tight groups on paper. However the rifle was relatively easy to shoot thanks to its excellent trigger and lack of recoil. Rounds chambered easily, and ejection was vigorous but very consistent with all the empties going in one spot.

Accuracy was good for a member of the AK family in this caliber. Five shot groups ran in the 2 to 4 inch range at 100 yards. Top accuracy honors went to Wolf Performance Ammunition's new 154 grain SP load which averaged consistent 3 inch groups. Posting some plain IPSC targets at 300 yards, we had at them. This is generally considered about the maximum effective range for a 7.62x39 AK but here the SA M-7 did well with all shots easily kept on target. Groups ran in the 9 to 12 inch range, though I believe optics would have helped to reduce group size.

Full Throttle

With the drudgery of accuracy testing out of the way we put the rifle to work the way it was intended -- up close, fast and furious. The rifle excelled in CQB drills.