New AK-47 Metal Picatinny Rail Forends

[Tacticalweapon]

TDI is making a new Metal Picatinny rail forend for the AK-47.
Expensive though. It's called the X47.

http://www.tdi-arms.com/home.php

Surefire is also making a new one called the M83. Pictures of it are hard to come by. There was one for sale on gunbroker with a picture, but it has sense disappeared. If anyone has, or finds a picture of the M83 please post.I should have made a copy of the photo.

Surefires URL is http://www.surefire.com/

Surefires model is less expensive than TDI's

MTMilitiaman reminded me of two others that I had left out. The Krebs custom forend rail system at www.Krebscustom.com and the B&T quad-rails imported by DSA and made by Brugger & Thomet of Switzerland. Http://www.dsarms.com/ Click on Brugger & Thomet Swiss quality tactical gear. Next click on B&T Rails/mounts. Then scroll down to AK 47 quad rail handguard and click on it for the picture. The SKU number is BT 21428. Very nice but very expensive.



None of these are going to fit on a Vepr except for the Ultimak ACR2. www.ultimak.com/

[MTMilitiaman]

Don't forget the Krebs and the B&T quad-rails.

TDI's looks interesting because it has a rail that extends far enough over the top cover that it looks as though you should be able to mount an ACOG or similar style sight. I think it is unique in this as to my knowledge, if you wanted to go with something other than a scout mounted or side plate mounted reflex or red dot style sight, you had to get a side plate mounted PSO. I have no experience with these so I don't know how fast they are or how well they take to CQB or both eyes open shooting, but my breif experience with an ACOG at a gun counter seems to indicate it could add a whole new level of potential to the a quick little carbine like the Kalashnikov.

Didn't know about the Surefire. I'll have to see if I can't find a pic.

And if you are interested in info on the B&T and the Krebs, I believe DS Arms imports the B&T stuff and Krebs has info on their's.

[Tacticalweapon]

I'm familar with the Krebs model, although I've yet to see someone mount one on their gun in this forum.The TDI is expensive. More expensive than a WASR 10, so I don't think that it will sell well. The TDI like you said does extend back further. It looks like it may go back to the front of the dust cover for a good red dot optic.
I had forgotten about the B&T quad rail. It's good to see all of these accessories for the AK finally coming onto the market. the 94 crime bill sure messed up weapons development for a decade.

[MTMilitiaman]

Yeah I lived almost have of my life under the shadow of that wretched bill. Now I am so relieved to be able to see the sun that the next 4 or 5 rifles on my list would all be classified as "Assault Weapons." In the end I think the bill may have done more to increase the popularity of those particular weapons since it ended but I am still anxious to get my current list taken care of before another one is instated:

JLD PTR-91
Arsenal milled 7.62x39
DS Arms Austrian Para FAL
VEPR II 5.45mm
And then either a Galil build or the civie version of the SIG 550 if that ever comes to past

All of them are going to have folding stocks and all the goodies so that by the time another AWB passes, I can take a picture of them all by a couple cases of ammo and tell Brady she's too late.

Anyways, I agree it is nice to see some high quality accessories take the Kalashnikov into the 21st Century.

[Tacticalweapon]

Originally posted by MTMilitiaman
Yeah I lived almost have of my life under the shadow of that wretched bill. Now I am so relieved to be able to see the sun that the next 4 or 5 rifles on my list would all be classified as "Assault Weapons." In the end I think the bill may have done more to increase the popularity of those particular weapons since it ended but I am still anxious to get my current list taken care of before another one is instated:

JLD PTR-91
Arsenal milled 7.62x39
DS Arms Austrian Para FAL
VEPR II 5.45mm
And then either a Galil build or the civie version of the SIG 550 if that ever comes to past

All of them are going to have folding stocks and all the goodies so that by the time another AWB passes, I can take a picture of them all by a couple cases of ammo and tell Brady she's too late.

Anyways, I agree it is nice to see some high quality accessories take the Kalashnikov into the 21st Century.



I'm also buying everything I can, and I believe that a lot of other people are doing the same thing. The second Amendment freedom that were enjoying now is only going to last for just so long.

[joemerchant24]

Did I miss it, or were the Ultimak front ends not listed.

Pricey, but by all accounts solid as a rock

Ultimak (http://www.ultimak.com)

[Tacticalweapon]

I'm not going to leave America's Best made AK off the list! It's there!

[cynical]

Found a picture of the Surefire rails! There still isn't an offical pic on the Surefire site, but I was able to get this from Gunbroker. It seems that someone managed to get one before they went on the market. Not that I'm implying anything...^<wg

Anyway, they have a strong family resemblance to Surefire's AR rails. They seem to have put a lot of effort into weight reduction, and the AR rails are some of the lightest metal rails on the market.

So the Kreb's and the B&T are heavy-looking four rail kits that wrap over the gas tube. Both look very strong. Ultimak is a three rail lower, with the upper rail being a gas tube replacement. That has to be lighter than the Kreb's or B&T, but I worry about heat affecting anything I put on the top rail.

Surefire looks like a good compromise, especially since I can't find the Kreb's in stock anywhere (DSA has the B&T listed in stock). But will the material removed to lower the weight affect the strength or rigidity of the side rails? I'm sure most folks would use them for a light and/or laser, but I need a strong side rail to put a Kreb's vertical grip on.

Anyone willing to take the chance on Surefire and post the results?

[cynical]

Almost forgot: as a bonus, it's shown on a milled receiver! Good news for those of us who chose to go with a heavier AK because we didn't want the convienience of having all of those after-market accessories to choose from. ^9 Not that I'm bitter or anything.

[Tacticalweapon]

Originally posted by cynical
Found a picture of the Surefire rails! There still isn't an offical pic on the Surefire site, but I was able to get this from Gunbroker. It seems that someone managed to get one before they went on the market. Not that I'm implying anything...^<wg

Anyway, they have a strong family resemblance to Surefire's AR rails. They seem to have put a lot of effort into weight reduction, and the AR rails are some of the lightest metal rails on the market.

So the Kreb's and the B&T are heavy-looking four rail kits that wrap over the gas tube. Both look very strong. Ultimak is a three rail lower, with the upper rail being a gas tube replacement. That has to be lighter than the Kreb's or B&T, but I worry about heat affecting anything I put on the top rail.

Surefire looks like a good compromise, especially since I can't find the Kreb's in stock anywhere (DSA has the B&T listed in stock). But will the material removed to lower the weight affect the strength or rigidity of the side rails? I'm sure most folks would use them for a light and/or laser, but I need a strong side rail to put a Kreb's vertical grip on.

Anyone willing to take the chance on Surefire and post the results?


I like the look of the Brugger & Thomet the best, and it may be the most functional of the rails offered. It looks very strong although at $294.00 It's certainly not inexpensive. It's weight? Hard to tell for sure. I wish that we had some of these rails to inspect. Maybe future gun shows will have some available so that we can check the weight and quality of each model.