How to Modernize Your AK

Here comes another important tip from the Personal Defense Network. I'm here with Rob Anderson, the director of US PALM. And you may not be familiar with that name, but you probably are familiar with the name of Scottsdale Gun Club. Now I've been working with Scottsdale Gun Club since it was in development back when I was still down in Valhalla and now you've formed another company called US PALM, which stands for US Primary Armament and Logistical Manufacturing. And that's a sister company under a holding company I understand?.

Correct. What are we gonna talk about today? What does US PALM do? Us PALM does the new business development as well as new product development not only for Scottsdale gun club, but also for the general public and the Police and Military. So what we're going to specifically talk about today is our AK Modernization Package.

It's a phased approach of bringing the AK up into the new century through ergonomics but also through adapting common problems of the AK and adapting it into the modern battlefield things such as co- witnessing the front sight, better sling system small little vertical grips for controlling a rapid fire up close, a better grip. Okay, so this is actually a pretty high end stock AK as they go. That's a nice one. I would say that's yeah, it's not custom but it's probably one of the better ones you can get straight from manufacturing. Okay.

And we're gonna make it a lot better. What's great about the AK of course, a lot of people like it for its reliability. A lot of it like it for its weight. A lot of people like it for the caliber and the ammunition that you're actually going to use out of it, as opposed to something like the M4 its main competitor where you're gonna use a 223 this of course has a 762 by 39 bullet. There's a lot of different reasons why people might choose this firearm, but you're really giving up a lot compared to a modern M4, when you first start out of the box.

Absolutely. I'm sure your perception will change once we get going. Okay. So we're gonna take a look at the US PALM Modernization Package. The first thing that we might look at and this is something that I actually do have experience with, because we've looked at these before, is your magazine.

Tell me a little bit about the magazine. It's probably the easiest part to replace from the stock AK. Absolutely magazine, highly reliable design. What we did is we did a stat sampling of about 40 different AK magazines. We have a brand new exterior surface which would be the ergonomic portion of it.

We designed specific magazine carriers for it. So when you pull them out we have the tractor tread in the front and the rear which aids in grasping the magazine. When you're actually running the gun with cold muddy or bloody hands, we have the waffle pattern on the side that helps you get a good traction and seeding the mag and locking it in. We have a stainless steel locking lug cage. We've beefed up the polymer and the inner walls of the magazine to preclude any kind of strikes that would bend or break or render the magazine unreliable through feed lip damage as well as we're the only people that clip the front end.

And if you ever run an AK with the old Chinese magazines, you get all those Chinese tetanus cuts on there that no longer is the case. So what we're dealing with here is a very easy, simple upgrade. 'Course, you've got the carrier also. Now I understand you also have a version of this you're getting ready to come out with that's even an upgrade from this carrier Correct. There'll be two versions one for the M4 platform which will also be multipurpose into M21s with the M14s.

So you'll be able to run three weights as well as M4 magazines. And then another version of this we'll have molle the four magazines and both the new versions will come or be available with a level 3a soft armor. Okay. So we've got a way to carry our mags. We've got an upgrade from the mags and that's the first thing that we can actually do.

As an upgrade to this stock AK is replace the standard magazines or any of the Chinese magazines and metal magazines might have with this upgraded, very ergonomic polymer replacement magazine from US PALM. Great. What's the next thing that you're gonna recommend someone do? We haven't even used tools yet, No haven't. we haven't replaced any parts Where are we going to go next?

So, I think just going along the ergonomic and environmentally more friendly avenue would be replacing into pistol grip. Okay. And that's really gonna change the fulcrum when you hang out of the rifle. So if you grab this as is the natural tendency is for this to rock away from your hand and you're constantly fighting the muzzle heavy feel of this rifle. Okay.

So the next thing that we would definitely do would be to recommend our grip which has a higher back strap hump to it. And it actually drives your hand up and into the rifle and it gives you more leverage holding it. Okay. And that's probably not that complicated of a process Extremely easy. and I know you have some tools, why don't we go ahead and knock that out.

Okay. All right, cool. Actually hold that. Its important to remember that you're going to actually have to go in from the inside and hold the block that is the base of the grip screw up against that grip. It's going to be one of the trickier parts of installing any grip replacement, not just this one of course.

Is that a water resistance type storage area? Correct. There you go. Yeah, Really makes a big difference. Really.

Sets it down in there that big palm swell just makes it a lot nicer, easier to hold on to. And again, if you were having to shoot one handed move one handed, even in a one-handed ready position. So it's a lot more consistent than a normal flat kind of stick rick. Yeah, absolutely. It definitely helps if you have to do any one-handed manipulation or if you have to switch up and use the other side.

Sure, and if anybody's ever run an AK. Of course you realize you have to have that gun high in order to manipulate even the magazine release Absolutely. or your mag changes. a little different than the M4. You have a lot more pressure on the wrist than on the hand.

that grip's going to make a big difference. Yeah. Now, another problem that's always presented itself with the AK is running the safety, but you have a solution for that too. Actually we do. While we partnered with another company we improved their product just a little bit by changing a couple of angles in the method of installation, it's a drop-in selector switch or a safety switch.

It's extremely easy to do, out with the old, in with the new. And we're done. We're done. We have to actually put it all back together Sure. In order to actually feel it but it is right there exactly where you need it.

I'm looking forward to feel that. It actually feels like this shell sticks out a little further than some of the other ones I've, I've played with the past. It does All right. Well, that'll be great. That gets more leverage.

Easier to run that safety without having to worry about coming actually off this great grip that we've got now. Absolutely. Okay, excellent. Where are we gonna go next? Next, probably the next biggest thing you can do to this is to get some form of mini red dot sight on it.

Okay. The solution that we have we partnered with Midwest Industries, we dropped the bed of their standard cover down to accommodate a lower one-third coat in this with optics such as the aim point T1s and the Trijicon RMRs. Okay. Now, is that gonna obviously go right with the rail system? It does.

So the rail actually replaces the lower hand guard this interfaces with the top, along with the optic on it. Okay. Let's go ahead and get that on there. Right on. Now having this rail system on here is gonna allow us to mount a white light and now laser aiming device maybe both, whatever it is else we need to Mount on there.

And also there's a bottom rail here. So we can even go with some kind of vertical fore- grip which I know we're going to get to eventually. Exactly. So it forms the platform for the front end ergonomic package. So it's fairly straightforward to install.

Basically what we're gonna do is install barrel clamp along the front, and then the top just replace it with that. So that completes the sore and lower hand guard while you do this slip this back in it interfaces with the lock, you're good to go. Next up, we'll be installing the optic onto the specific top cover for the whichever optic. You chose the vortex spark. Good choice.

Now, this sits very low down into this. that's actually gonna be co- witnessed then on the iron sites? Actually, with the vortex. It's about a lower one third. Okay.

With the T1 it's almost a perfect co- witness as well as the RMR. So it's not specific to just one optic. It's going to be whatever someone wants to use based on their personal preference, or maybe even their price range?. Correct. We have six different top covers That's just stock gas tube taken out of the normal top cover Correct Taps should push right in this locks a little stiff.

Then, as you said, we'd be locked, hiding this down. If we actually had a permanent intention of leaving this together this way. Correct. So, really we've come a long way as far as red dots go. Also a lot of people even 10 years ago were saying, well, red dots, nice, it's an option, It's this, it's that I don't know very many people at all who are still left saying that a red dot isn't the way to go.

There are enough that can be had that are affordable. They're certainly reliable. And there's some where the batteries literally will last for years even if the optic is left on. And it's definitely the way to go as the primary optic for any defensive use. Even if it's just a home defense use.

There you go. Excellent. So now we've got a rail we've got our optic, we've got a situation where I can still use these iron sights. And of course I had the optic if I need it. And I've got a much more comfortable grip I've got a safety that I can also operate very, very easily very impressed that there, I mean that's a big difference between what the stock would be, Absolutely and I can reach it with my hand on the grip.

The one thing though that I know you could fix for me is the fact that I'm now holding onto a bunch of really sharp edges. We managed to get rid of one of the sharp edges on the magazines. What are we going to do to cover those up? Next thing is to build our brand new product, the binary rail panels which are the two- piece picatinny rail panel. It consists of a inner insert, which is a soft pliable rubber with an outer harder polymer shell.

So the nice thing about these is that they actually have, if you look at most rail panels they have one or maybe two lots on them. Right. These actually have four. So these aren't going to go anywhere. Got it.

So these aren't just gonna pop up Yap and the cool thing about these, you slide them on you index them to where you want them. And then these just slip in and start one side then work the other side down. There you go. Great. And of course that shorter one still leaves rail exposed.

If we wanted to mount something, actually right there Correct. we could move this all the way back, of course keep it out of the way Yeah, and keep it right up- front. And then if I wanted to cover everything up then all I'm going to do is simply slide this one on. And then if I want to do go ahead and throw on that cover, be good to go. Absolutely Or of course, leave it exposed and be able to put actually some kind of a white light optic, whatever I wanted to put on there.

I could also do any kind of amount where I wanted to raise it up and do an L Mount. If I want to do anything else Absolutely this is absolutely as versatile as it gets. What everybody's used to with the M4 'course is being able to put everything and everything on the front. Yep. You might like it lean and streamlined.

You might want to put everything in the kitchen sink on here. And of course these rail covers don't need to be used. Now this device is something again it's something you guys put out in it, you know? No, actually this is TangoDowns, their brand new one. It doesn't have a quick release for those old locking tabs Right it'll just rip off your fingernails.

These are actually pretty neat. These go on. There's not very often situations where you have to quickly remove your vertical fore grip. Right. So that is a stubby and that's what you recommend.

So you went out and you found the perfect solution as all the other- Absolutely the Perfect solution. Part of our overall package is partnering with people that are already have worthy products out there. The length of this with our magazine, it indexes perfectly and you rock it in. Great. Well, I'll let you put that on there.

And this is another one at the top end, obviously this one is also going to be that flat, darker type canned color that a lot of people like. Now this one is gonna be lower mounted than the vortex? Correct? In the vortex, that's insight technologies version of a mini red dot, or they call it the mini red dot site. And that would be more akin to like an RMR.

Got it. Okay. So now we've got the vertical fore grip and that's not going to get in the way as I come up and actually insert the front of the magazine into the magwell rock it back. If this were longer, obviously it would get in the way. Exactly So that's one of the important reasons that you're going to use a stubby on the AK platform.

You definitely don't wanna find out during your actual first critical incident rapid reload that your vertical foregrip is either too far back or too long. And is going to get in the way of that magazine removal or more importantly, that magazine insertion where it's more likely to get in the way. Now, the last thing that this is missing is this guy. And I know you guys have a solution help get that on here even though we've got a rail that seems to be occluding our ability to mount the front of that strap? Absolutely.

So this is a CSMGears, new combat sling. It's pretty slick. The nice thing about it is it's part a throw over carry sling, but it also has a loop with a more sticky material inside for precision shots after 75 or a hundred yards, pretty neat little system. So what we have is a little cable - attached front sling loop. Then of course you'd adjust it to your length.

Sure. All right. So, in not too much time and really without too many tools or too much fuss, we went from a stock, you know 1960s era for all practical purposes, AK type system, We added first an ergonomic grip. Of course, we started with magazines. We went and made sure that we had reliable magazines that we were going to be able to use in a combative environment.

We set ourselves up with a system for carrying those magazines that we can have in the closet right next to our home defense gun or in the trunk. If we were to carry this around with us or in any other situation, of course we'd be wearing it. If we knew that we might be using something like this to defend ourselves even the military security or law enforcement environment. We then went ahead and put on this safety which can be run without needing to change my grip which was always a problem with the AK. We went ahead and put on a rail system that also allowed us to put a low - mounted sight so that we can still use our iron sights either in the lower third or co- witnessed in some models.

When we talk about other sites and you said you had how many different types of tops? Six different tops Six different top ends for the different type of optics that you may choose to use to put a stubby vertical foregrip on there. A lot of people like that for controlling during rapid fire we mounted it in a place that wasn't gonna get in the way when we were reloading. And of course, we still have these grip panels that we were able to put on to cover up the sharp edges where we weren't actually gonna mount a laser or a white light. And of course, we put a situation on here where we're able to mount a good, solid sling.

Of course, we're gonna want a sling on any kind of combative defensive rifle. This particular one allows us to do some precision shooting as you pointed out, but having a good mount on the front, it's easy to get to. Of course it's gonna to be an important part of that and we probably wouldn't want this material rubbing up against the edges of the metal anyway. Exactly So this cable, this polymer up here is really a good option there. Well, it really didn't take that much time.

I appreciate you. Everything you guys are doing with US PALM and then taking the time to show me how easy it is to take a gun right out of the sixties and bring it up to 2011, ready to go as a good modern self-defense or combative carbine. Thanks a lot, Rob. Thanks Rob. Be sure to check out the Personal Defense Network for more important tips, just like that one.