Let Down: K-VAR’s Big Reveal a Basic Molot AK
Earlier this week, I published a brief article calling attention to a teaser photo posted by firearms importer and distributor, K-VAR, on various social media outlets and web forums. Well, as it turns out, the announcement didn’t quite live up to the lofty expectations I had set.
This afternoon, the company revealed that they will be bringing in an AKM-style Vepr from Molot in Russia. As many readers probably realize, the Vepr rifles are based on RPKs, and thus, they come with the heavier 1.5mm receivers and reinforced trunnions. K-VAR claims this is the first Vepr to come from the factory in this configuration, and the fact that it has a square backed receiver means that it should accept standard furniture.
It’ll be a quality rifle, no doubt, but at risk of sounding entitled, I expected more. When K-VAR claimed that something “BIG” was coming, they set the bar pretty high, and I don’t think this revelation hits that mark.
The perplexing piece of the Vepr story here in America is that the versions with 23″ barrels and square backed receivers are so incredibly rare. A true RPK sports a 23″ barrel, and it only seems logical that 7.62x39mm and 5.45x39mm versions of the Vepr with such a barrel would be gobbled up by those seeking bases for RPK clones. Oh well, maybe next time.
An information security professional by day and gun blogger by night, Nathan started his firearms journey at 16 years old as a collector of C&R rifles. These days, you’re likely to find him shooting something a bit more modern – and usually equipped with a suppressor – but his passion for firearms with military heritage has never waned. Over the last five years, Nathan has written about a variety of firearms topics, including Second Amendment politics and gun and gear reviews. When he isn’t shooting or writing, Nathan nerds out over computers, 3D printing, and Star Wars.