If you shoot AK’s you know Arsenal by name and reputation and you know the quality of their products the second you pick one up. Arsenal Bulgaria celebrated 140 years of business and Arsenal Inc. celebrated 20 years of importing and manufacturing Arsenal products in the US. With so much history and a product that has overwhelmingly earned the respect of the AK community, it should be no surprise that as I started looking for a new short barrel AK rifle my first stop was Arsenal. As I checked out their SBR selection, there is no question I was impressed with their lineup. Three of the SBR models quickly became my focus: the SLR-104UR SBR, SLR-107UR SBR and SAM7SFK SBR.
Arsenal’s SLR-104UR SBR is chambered in 5.45×39.5mm and features a chrome lined hammer forged barrel measuring 8.5 inches in length. This stamped receiver, short gas system with a front sight / gas block combination and left-side folding black polymer buttstock is a whole lot of fun in a pretty little package. Add to the fact that this thing has Arsenal’s PR-03 Picatinny quad rail handguard system and I start thinking I need one and need to nickname it the Harley Quinn.
Harley’s slightly larger but equally beautiful sister (sometimes you want a little more bang for your buck) can be found in the Arsenal SLR-107UR SBR chambered in 7.62x39mm. It features the same chrome lined hammer forged barrel and short gas system with front sight / gas block combination but comes with the very effective Bulgarian 4-piece flash hider. Round that out with the accessory rail system and this gun will clearly make for many fun weekends.
However, the model that really caught my eye was the SAM7SFK SBR which is chambered in 7.62x39mm. Included in this feature-rich milled and forged receiver SBR is a chrome lined hammer forged 8.5-inch barrel, short gas system with front sight / gas block combination and a removable cone flash hider. That’s right AK fan’s this is a “Krink”. With its right-side folding tubular buttstock, ambidextrous safety, peep rear sight and scope rail, I think I am a tank commander in love.
Unfortunately, I am not a patient person and having found what I am convinced needs to be my next purchase I want it and I want it now – to heck with the NFA. Well, it just so happened that Arsenal had a solution for me – the SAM7SFK-80. This allowed me to take home my Arsenal Krink without the need for a Tax Stamp! It features the NEW Gambit – which is a barrel extension featuring an aggressive profile which serves as a flash hider/muzzle brake. The Gambit is chrome lined and made of hardened steel. After shooting the rifle (yep that’s right I have already shot it because I got to take it home immediately as it is no longer an NFA item) I can tell you that it truly enhances your shooting experience by providing reduced recoil and muzzle rise. I am glad I found this unique gun that I am confident will be a constant with me on the range and a collectible in my gun safe.
I purchased the SAM7SFK-80R with Arsenal’s PR-03 Picatinny quad rail handguard system from K-Var.com and with the help of their friendly and knowledgeable sales team I was able to select a Riton Micro Dot optic that worked amazingly well. If you need anything or have any questions, without a doubt you can trust the guys at K-Var for a good recommendation.
What do you think? Have you ever wanted to own an SBR but never wanted to deal with the hassle? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Since the extension has to be permanently attached, why not just go with a longer barrel and a shorter brake? That’s the way I look at it.
On the SAM7SFK-80, is the Gambit removable?
On the SAM7SFK-80, is the Gambit removeable?
Congrats, you’ve found a gun with the size, weight, and handling of a rifle with the bad ballistics of a SBR.
The only purpose I can imagine for this is to take it home immediately, engrave it, do an eFile Form 1, and have a SBR in as little as 3 weeks.