CAV-15

     The CAV-15 is an unusual sort of M4/M16 clone; the lower receiver, stock, and pistol grip are made of one piece of composite material, specifically Nylon 6 filled with glass fiber.  The handguards are made of the same material.  This material is very strong and totally resistant to corrosion.  It can also be molded in virtually any color and even to a specific shape if the user is willing to pay, allowing for cheekpieces, individual hand shapes and sizes, etc.  The manufacturer, Cavalry Arms, offers a lifetime guarantee on the lower receiver and handguards that they will not break.  The company makes the composite components in several different colors: black, green, tan, and even yellow, blue, and pink.  The usual M16/M4 carrying handle is eschewed in favor of a flat top with a MIL-STD-1913 rail.  Four models are available: the Commando, a military carbine not available to civilians; the Trooper, a civilianized Commando; the Scout, a semiautomatic carbine with a longer barrel; and the Rifleman, a full-sized rifle.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Century Arms C39

     Notes: At the time of its introduction at the SHOT Show in 2014, the C39 was the first AK produced entirely in the US.  (It is actually made by a “well-known” firearms manufacturer, but that is all I have been able to find out.)  Century Arms, a weapons importer and reseller, makes the C39, which is advertised as being “completely US-Made;” Century Arms contracts with an unnamed factory in Vermont.  They did this because under US Law import restrictions on foreign AK parts kits began to tighten, and American manufacturers picked up the slack.  For the most part, the C39 follows the AKM lines, but has some differences, such as a laminated dark ash stock and lower handguard, polymer upper handguard, and a polymer ergonomic pistol grip.  (Magpul stocks and lower handguards are also available to replace the wooden units.) The barrel is 16.5 inches, tipped with a three-slot muzzle brake.  The rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation.  The trigger pack is by TAPCO, and is lighter than an AKM’s pull weight and gunsmith-adjustable for pull weight and pull length.  The magazines are American-made, but duplicate the original AKM magazines; the C39 can also take polymer magazines and most original AKM magazines. The C39 has a gray polymer side-mounted ATI AK-47 Strikeforce scope mount. (This goes well with the metal’s color.)  The C39 proves to be as tough as the original AKM.  The C39v2 is essentially a modernized C39, with a 16.5-inch chrome/moly 4150 steel barrel tipped by a muzzle brake, treated with nitride.  The receiver is 4140 ordnance steel, also nitride. The trigger group is a RAK-1 Enhanced Trigger Group, which is single stage but has a relatively light pull weight.  The magazine release is made T-shaped, with the top of the T protruding on either side of the forward trigger guard; many test shooters have apparently requested this, being easier to actuate.  Sights are standard AK sights, and there are attachments for a side mount for sights.  This is a Century Arms proprietary mount that can be used with eastern and western sights.  The furniture is beech, except for the ergonomic polymer pistol grip.  Finish for the metalwork is black.

     The C39v2 is an SBR, which means that additional paperwork and taxes are required in the US and several other countries for ownership. The barrels for the C39v2 include 10.6 and 12.4 inches.  The barrel is of chrome/moly 4150 steel, treated with nitride for corrosion resistance and better heat dispersion.  The barrel is tipped with a birdcage-type flash suppressor, which can be removed by anyone with armorer skill and replaced with other muzzle devices. The receiver is 4140 ordnance-quality steel, also nitride-treated.  The trigger group is a RAK-1 Enhanced Trigger Group, which is single stage but has a relatively light pull weight.  The magazine release is made T-shaped, with the top of the T protruding on either side of the forward trigger guard; many test shooters have apparently requested this, being easier to actuate.  Sights are standard AK sights, and there are attachments for a side mount for sights.  This is a Century Arms proprietary mount that can be used with eastern and western sights. Most of the furniture is standard AR-15-type furniture, but modified specifically for an AK.  This includes a Magpul MOE AK pistol grip, MOE AK handguard, and a Zhukov-5 side-folding stock.  The stock is in line with the axis of the barrel.  Unfortunately, with the stock folded, the safety bar and the trigger are a bit difficult to manipulate, so fire with the stock open is best.  Muzzle blast can be described as…one writer called it “howitzer-like,” and recommended full ear muffs, especially the sound cancellation type.  He recommends that the extra money and paperwork to mount a suppressor. Muzzle blast likewise can be blinding, especially when dark.  As this rifle has easy-to-see military and police uses, I have included automatic fire stats for a “what-if.”

     The C39v2 is unusual for a modern assault rifle in that it comes with no Picatinny or Weaver rails.

     The C39v2 MOE is sometimes called the “Magpul MOE,” or the “C39 Tactical” due to the large amount of accouterments used on this version of the C39v2 that are made by Magpul, including the handguards, the trigger pack, the folding, skeletonized stock (with a recoil pad), the pistol grip, and the magazines sold with the rifle.  The Chrome/Moly 4150 steel barrel is 16.5 inches, tipped with a muzzle brake; a flash suppressor was not used, nor bayonet lugs, as the MOE was designed to be California-legal. (Special 10-round magazines were also sold with the rifles sent to California.)  It was equipped with the first AK side rail that has a “return to zero” capability.  The metalwork is nitrided, though the receiver is milled 4140 ordnance steel.  The magazine release is enlarged and shaped like a T. Though the MOE uses much Magpul furniture, all of it may be removed and replaced with other parts if desired.  The bolt carrier is heat-treated to increase strength.

Century Arms N-PAP

     Notes: The N-PAP is basically a copy of the Yugoslavian M70 assault rifle, with just enough American parts to skirt by US arms regulations. One of these US parts is the receiver – it is heavy and based on that of the RPK instead of the M70.  The N-PAP has a bolt hold-open feature after the last shot, and a bolt catch. It has an American-made chromed bolt and bolt carrier. The trigger group is the superb TAPCO Intrafuse AK G2 group. Though it has no rails, it can mount AKM and SVD side sight mounts. (The N-PAP comes with a rail that is neither AK or SVD, but can accommodate optics for both.) Unlike most such rifles, the furniture is teak instead of beech, with a synthetic pistol grip; the finish is blued.  The stock has a raised comb, making use with a sight easier, and has three cooling slots instead of most AK-based rifles two.  Note that the 16.33-inch barrel is not chrome-lined; this is like most AKs.  The barrel is also tipped with a muzzle brake.

     Owners recommend gloves to switch the stiff selector lever – it bites!  All of the controls need breaking in on a new N-PAP – one shooter described them as “stiff as Hugh Heffner with a mouthful of little blue pills.” Aftermarket parts the N-PAP will accept is also very limited. Early N-PAPs were designed at the time of the Brady Gun Bill, and would take only single-stack ten-round magazines.  This was rectified in later production, but if you have one of these older N-PAPs, they will take only the special 10-round magazines.

Century Arms RAS47

     Notes: The RAS47 series is a 100% American-made version of the AKM, built using the AKM design but using US manufacturing methods and materiel standards.  The base member of the series, the RAS47 (Red Army Standard) is essentially a copy of the AKM, with a receiver stamped out of 16-gauge 4140 steel; the metalwork has a black nitride finish.  The selector lever is positioned further back than on an AKM, a position that offers the shooter more leverage; this is important since the lever has been made easy to actuate with the shooting hand.  On the left side is a 10.16-centimeter optics rail, which is supplied with the rifle. Parts have higher tolerances than on the AKM, and do not rattle or shift during movement or shooting.  The bolt carrier, front trunnion, and gas block are cast instead of being machined.  The trigger group is a Century Arms design, the RAK-1 Enhanced Trigger Group, which has a lighter pull weight than most assault rifles and is slightly adjustable.  Though it is not a two-stage trigger, shooters can be fooled, as the takeup is short and the trigger pull weight is light.  The trigger guard is sheet steel, along with a T-shaped magazine release.  The RAS47 includes a bolt hold-open device, something absent from most eastern AKs and civilianized AKs. The 16.5-inch chrome/moly 4150 steel and finished in Green Mountain black nitride. It is tipped with an AKMstyle muzzle device, which is threaded under the device and replaceable with a muzzle brake or flash suppressor.  Sights are standard AKMtype iron sights.  Unlike the beech stocks of the AKM, the RAS47 uses a solid blond maple stock and handguards, with the butt having a ribbed non-slip rubber end. The pistol grip is an ergonomic polymer grip.  The RAS47 is compatible with other AK-type add-ons if the owner wants to switch things out.  The RAS47 can take AK/RPK magazines, polymer magazines, aftermarket magazines of varying capacities, and light alloy or aluminum magazines of various sorts; it is not picky about magazines. In fact, the magazines supplied with the RAS47 from Century Arms are Magpul polymer PMAG AK MOE 30-round magazines.

     The RAS47 MOE, also known as the RAS47 Magpul and RAS47 Magpul MOE, is essentially a RAS47 with Magpul MOE polymer furniture, including a skeletonized right folding stock with a recoil pad on the butt.  To match the metalwork, the polymer furniture is molded in black.  The RAS47 Zhukov is essentially the same, but wears a different Magpul Zhukov-S furniture package; the handguards are longer, almost to the gas block, and the right-folding stock is a paddle-type stock shape.  The grip is not ergonomic.  It is a bit heavier than the MOE, but fires on the same firing table.

     The RAS47 SBR is essentially the same, but it has a short 10.6-inch barrel tipped with a birdcage-type flash suppressor.  Since it has obvious police and military uses, auto fire stats have been included below; the SBR is for sale only to police and military concerns.

Century Arms WASR-10

     Notes: The WASR-10 (Wassenaar Arrangement Semiautomatic Rifle) is not to be confused with the Egyptian Wasr rifle, though both are AK-derived rifles.  WASR-10s are sourced using parts kits from Romania at the Cugir Arms Factory, and largely assembled in the US by Century Arms.  The WASR-10 is based on the Romanian AKM63 and AKM75 rifles, suitably modified to civilianize them and make them difficult to make back into an automatic assault rifle.

     The receivers are Romanian, but lack the dimple above the magazine well (used to center the magazine), as this centering device now consists of internally welded spacer plates.  This allows for a number of makes and models of magazines to be used instead of just the standard steel AK/RPK-type magazines.  The arrangements of the rivets on the receiver and the rear trunnions are also different, allowing the use of many makes of left-side sight rails and receiver-mounted MIL-STD-1913 and Weaver rails, as well as conventional scope rails.  The rear trunnion layout allows for a number of stocks to be mounted, though the standard stock is a wooden AKMtype beech stock.

     At first, Century Arms used a Romanian-made trigger group; this was not a standard AKM63/75 group, as those groups were made for automatic fire.  The Romanian trigger group tended to cause trigger slap, where the bolt slammed backward into the trigger assembly and caused significant pain to the shooter’s trigger finger.  They have since been replaced with the TAPCO Intrafuse AK G2 group, which is of much better quality and designed to eliminate the trigger slap problem.  Some early WASR-10s also exhibited canted front sight/gas block combinations, making zeroing nearly impossible.  This has since been corrected by greater product quality control.  In both cases, shooters were able to return their rifles to Century Arms for replacement of the trigger group and/or front sight/gas block.  The barrel is 16.125 inches, tipped by an AKM63/75-type muzzle device.  The barrel is of Chrome/Moly steel with a chromed bore and metalwork is treated with black Manganese Phosphate.

     Furniture as sold by Century Arms is standard AKM63 beech furniture, though many parts kits have been made over the years to give the WASR-10 synthetic furniture, folding stocks, different sight rails and other Picatinny rails, etc.  None of these are present on the Century Arms-sold rifle.

     The GP WASR-10 is a WASR-10 designed to cater to the Brady Gun Bill of the early 1990s, and can accept only a magazine that, though it looks like 30-round magazine, accepts only 10 rounds. It also often had a thumbhole stock, often put on by gun dealers to comply with local gun laws.  After 1994 with the sunset of the Brady Gun Bill, these rifles morphed into the standard WASR-10 in manufacturing.  GP WASR-10 can accept normal AK/RPK magazines, if the machined-in burrs are cut and sanded down; a Dremel tool is ideal for this.  For game purposes, the GP WASR-10 is the same as the WASR-10.

     The WASR-22 is chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge.  Their magazines look like 20-round magazines, but accept only 10 rounds, and they are meant to be used as trainers or for older teens.  There are reports of jams caused by an expended shell casing lodging in the receiver cover and blocking the action.  Replacing the top cover with a military receiver cover will usually fix this problem, and these covers are available from Century Arms.  Externally, except for the magazine, they look identical to the WASR-10.

     The WASR-2 is as the WASR-10, but chambered for the 5.45mm round.  It does not have the normal AK-74-type muzzle brake or any sort of muzzle device, nor is there room in front of the standard front sight/gas block to add one. 

     The WASR-3 is chambered for 5.56mm, and comes in the same configuration as the WASR-2.  The WASR-3 has known problems with failure to feed; the WASR-3 appears to be highly particular about what magazines it will feed from.  It will reliably feed from Romanian magazines, but not Russian magazines.  Robinson magazines with the follower switched with one from the AK-100 series works very well.  Bulgarian Circle magazines as well as Polish Beryl magazines also work well in the WASR-3.  Some gunsmiths have also modified other magazines successfully for use in the WASR-3.

     The RH-10, also known as the WASR Magpul or AK-47 Magpul, is essentially a WASR with its furniture replaced by a Magpul parts kit.  The 16.5-inch cold-hammer forged barrel is chromed down the bore and is tipped with a removable birdcage-type flash suppressor similar to that of the AR’s A2.  The front sight is a standard AK/RPK-type hooded post, while the rear sight is a fully adjustable RPK-type sight.  It comes with a sight rail on the left side, as is standard for a scope rail on the AK-series.  The MOE handguards are Magpul, the MOE grip, and MOE side-folding stock are Magpul; the Zhukov-S stock is solid and well-made, and is collapsible as well as side-folding.  All are polymer. Century Arms sells the RH-10 with one 30-round polymer magazine.  Finish is black, including the polymer.

CMMG Mk 4

     Notes: The Mk 4 is chambered in the 5.56mm cartridge, as well as some in .300 Blackout, which is gaining popularity and has been tested by special operations. Though it is one of the lesser-known AR-15 clones, it is regarded highly by those who know it.

     The receivers, like most AR-15 clones from a given company, are basically identical. Receivers for the Mk 4 are of 7075-T6 aluminum – forged and not stamped.  They typically have an upper receiver with a MIL-STD-1913 rail, with a folding BUIS that may be attached to it. Triggers are Mil-Spec, as are the pistol grips and stocks (or the sliding type).  Barrels have chromed bores, and most have a “government profile.”

     The Mk 4 was the first of the series for CMMG.  It’s chrome-moly-vanadium barrel uses a trick to get around the laws in the US – the 14.5-inch barrel has an extended flash suppressor, giving it a “sort-of” 16.25-inch barrel. It uses an M4-type stock, pistol grip, and handguards. The Mk 4A4 is their full-size rifle, with a 4150 (4140 for the .22 version) Chrome-Vanadium Steel barrel 20 inches long coated with a Nitride finish for extra wear resistance.

     The Mk 4LE is designed primarily for law enforcement.  It comes in two versions: the basic Mk 4LE, and the Mk 4LE (OR) or Optics-Ready.  The OR version has no front sight, having a low-profile gas block and a short length of MIL-STD-1913 rail above it.  It also has a MIL-STD-1913 rail above the receiver, M4-type handguards, and an M4-type stock.  For game purposes, the basic LE and OR are the same, except for the above. Available in four calibers, it is useful in many situations. The Mk 4LEM, is also similar to the LE, except that it has mid-length handguards and a front sight further out, which gives a better sight picture and smoother operation and reliability (which unfortunately has no effect in game terms).  The barrel is of “government profile” and medium taper, which does help accuracy a little (a very little).  The barrel is slightly shorter at 16 inches.  There is also an LEM (OR) version.

     The Mk 4T is a version of the Mk 4 designed to use silencers as well as flash suppressors, and they have a threaded barrel to make this happen.  The 16.1-inch barrel has a government profile, a medium taper, and can be 416 stainless steel or nitrided 4140 Chrome-Moly steel (this makes no difference in game terms).  The handguards are designed by CMMG, and are called RKM KeyMod handguards.  It is a one-piece handguard with up to four MIL-STD-1913 rails, as well as an interlocking one atop the receiver. The gas block is low-profile and is below the muzzle end of the handguard, not touching the handguard.  There are no front or rear iron sights, though the rifle comes with a pair of BUISs. The handguard creates a free-floating barrel. The Mk 4RCE is similar to the Mk 4T, but is aimed primarily at competitive shooters. Instead of a flash suppressor, the RCE’s 16.1-inch barrel is tipped with A CMMG muzzle brake called the SV.  The trigger is a Geissele Automatics SSA match trigger, which is two-stage. The stock and pistol grip are Magpul MOE pieces.  The same RKM14 KeyMod Free-Float Handguard, but it is longer, so that only about an inch and a half of the barrel is exposed.

     The Mk 4D is designed to be tough, yet accurate; this means that parts are put together with great precision and sometimes hand-fitting.  The 16.1-inch barrel has a government profile, with the RKM14 Handguard and a free-floating barrel. The pistol grip and stock are by Magpul. The trigger guard is also Magpul, designed to take a gloved finger. The Mk 4S is much the same, but with an 18-inch barrel, standard A2 sliding stock, pistol grip, and trigger guard.

     The Mk 4 3GR is designed specifically for use in 3-Gun Competition.  It uses a stainless steel 18-inch medium tapered barrel, which is inside an RKM14 KeyMod handguard, and is tipped by a compact muzzle brake.  It has a Geissele 2-stage trigger inside a Magpul trigger guard designed for use with gloves. The Magpul MOE stock is not sliding, but is adjustable for length and has a recoil pad as well as a hollow in the stock for cleaning kits.  The pistol grip also has a small compartment, normally used for batteries for optics. Tolerances are tight and precise.  The Mk 4 3GR is designed for precise shooting and rapid engagement, using a variety of optics.

     The Mk 4HT is one of the specific versions around which rumors swirl of possible military use or testing. It comes in a variety of chamberings, including one specifically for training use.  The barrel is of heavy profile and is threaded on the end to allow a silencer to be fitted. A special cap can be fitted to protect the threads when not in use, or a flash suppressor or muzzle brake may be mounted. The 5.56mm and .300 versions can have a 416 stainless steel barrel, or nitride 4140 Chrome-Moly barrel, 16.1 inches long and heavy profile. (The .22 version comes only with a 4140 Chrome-Moly barrel.)  An HTP versions made, which is piston driven instead of by direct gas impingement.  The HT uses an RKM11 KeyMod free-float handguard; the HTP uses an RKM9 handguard, which fits better with the pistol system. The pistol grip, trigger guard, and stock are M4-types, Mil-Spec.  I have included some figures for automatic versions and for use with silencers, just in case. For game purposes, the HT and HTP are identical.

     The Mk 4V is a hunter’s weapon, optimized for varmints and small game. Key for the performance necessary is a 24-inch fluted barrel, made from 416 stainless steel and floating in an RKM14 KeyMod handguard, with the associated rails.  The barrel also has a target crown. The pistol grip is an A2 grip, but the stock is A1.

     Designed primarily for military and police use, the Mk 4K is also popular among those who have the proper paperwork and permissions.  It has a 12.5-inch medium-weight barrel with a fixed compact muzzle brake.  The barrel is a Chrome-Moly steel which is nitrided. The stock, trigger guard, and pistol grip are Magpul MOE designs, with the stock heavily skeletonized.  The Handguard is an RKM11 KeyMod free-float handguard; the barrel quality gives the Mk 4K a bit more accuracy than a normal barrel of this short length.  The rifle is otherwise quite light and handy, and rumors also are in the wild of military testing and use. The Mk 4K is clearly thought of with the military in mind. The Mk 4PDW is similar in concept, having a short 8.2-inch barrel.  Like most PDWs, it is meant to be used by vehicle vehicle crews and rear-area personnel who do not need a full-length rifle, but more than a pistol, as well as personnel who expect a lot of CQB, It has a short RKM7 KeyMod free float tube. The Mk 4PDW has a Magpul sliding stock, pistol grip, and trigger guard. The cartridges used work better in a short package than the 5.56mm round.

Cobb MCR

     Notes: The MCR is a development of Cobb’s entry in the US military’s SCAR program (which is itself a vastly-improved AR-15/M16-type rifle). The MCR (Multi-Caliber Rifle) is a precision-built version of the SCAR, with a better barrel, tighter tolerances for the parts, more features, and in general far better accuracy than its rather distant predecessor.  Of course, the feature that gives the MCR its name is its ability to be easily and quickly changed between calibers fired – generally requiring only a swap of the upper receiver and the magazine adapter module (and the magazines, of course). The MCR is also capable of being greatly-customized, from the amount of MIL-STD-1913 rails to the stock configuration used.  (Figures below are for an “average” MCR – if there really is an MCR configuration that can be considered “average.”)  It should be noted as of the Fall of 2007, Cobb Manufacturing is a subsidiary of Bushmaster Arms.

     In general, the MCR series is of very tough construction, using upper and lower receivers machined from solid billets of T6-6061 aircraft-grade aluminum alloy.  The barrel is made by Lothar Walther (well-known for the high-quality of their barrels), and is free-floated, available in several lengths (including custom lengths upon request), and may or may not be tipped with a target crown, flash suppressor, or muzzle brake upon request.  The MCR comes standard with a MIL-STD-1913 rail above the receiver, and (depending upon the handguards chosen) may have up to six more MIL-STD-1913 rails, and at the gas block, two more very short lengths of MIL-STD-1913 rail.  A variety of stocks, ranging from fixed to true folding stocks are available, including standard AR-15/M16 stocks and M4-type collapsible stocks, skeletonized fixed stocks, and special stocks like those made by Vltor and other such companies.  (Figures for the fixed and folding stocks below, especially in terms of weight, are greatly generalized.)

     The MCR is divided into four groups: the MCR-100, MCR-200, MCR-300, and MCR-400.  They vary for the most part only in the upper receiver, barrel, and magazines/magazine well adapter.  However, changing an MCR-400 from .300 Winchester Magnum to .338 Lapua Magnum also requires a bolt carrier assembly change.  For the most part, the MCR is designed for civilian/police sales, and is available only in semiautomatic form; it is rumored though, since the MCR had its genesis in the Cobb’s SCAR design, that automatic versions are available to certain agencies and for military sales, so figures are provided below.

     Note: Due to the large number of chamberings and the huge size of the charts, they are broken into MCR-10, M200, MCR-300, and MCR-400 sections.  Further, I do not know at this time whether all the calibers come in all of the barrel lengths listed (or even if there are other barrel lengths available for that matter) – but just in case…

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The MCR series is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.