For more information visit CenturyArms.com.
Century International Arms is going back to building AK-pattern firearms in-house with an ambitious new project, “Project 74.” If you’re looking for an all-new, all-American-made AK-74, this may just fit the bill.
While Century Arms, or CIA, is best known for its interesting and sometimes unique and rare surplus arms imports, in recent years the company has been tooling around with AK rifle and pistol production.
“We’ve been known for many years for our imports, the WASRs, the Drakos,” said Century’s Adam Ruanala. “But during political climates and government contracts, sometimes our import capabilities drain. When the selection becomes low also obviously price is driven up.”
“So we wanted to control our own destiny,” he said. Now Century is focused on making their own AKs, not just importing them, and making them right. CIA is keen to produce quality, durable, reliable and affordable AKs starting with one of the more in-demand AK platforms, the AK-74.
The AK-74 is much less common in the US than the many AK-47-based guns on the market. Chambered for 5.45x39mm, the AK-74 and its derivatives shoot softly and have ballistics similar to 5.56 NATO and offer better reliability with AK-pattern actions.
“The VSKA Project has really been amazing for us,” Ruanala said. CIA’s VSKA is CIA’s in-house AK series following the C39 series, also chambered for 7.62x39mm. Project 74 will be the first scale production of 100 percent American-made 74-pattern AKs down to the cleaning rod.
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The CIA AK-74 is optics ready with a side rail, built on the standard AKM stampings with forged trunnions and a nitride finish. The Project 74 rifles are all built to military specifications and are compatible with standard and aftermarket AK-74 parts and accessories.
To vet Project 74 Century International Arms will be bringing in experts from the AK scene in order to critique their manufacturing standards and quality control. If you have been waiting for an incredible 5.45×39 AK, Century’s Project 74 looks like it’s going to deliver–just as soon as CIA knows they’ve got it all right.
For more information visit CenturyArms.com.