%s Reviews

Pro: Milled, Accurate, Reliable, and High Quality
Con: Lower stock tang screw placement, Strong Solvents may wear finish (not experienced but well documented) use only approved cleaner.

Summary: I love this gun. If you are on the fence about getting a Milled AK then get the SLR101-13 and you wont be disappointed.

Deeper Review:

The fit and finish of the SLR101-13 is on par with what I would expect from Arsenal. Despite being shipped up the east coast during Hurricane Sandy the rifle arrived in perfect condition thanks to an excellent packing job. On the un-boxing it is worth noting that the rifle itself was stamped with the model SLR101S rather than the SLR101-13 listed on the box but fits double stack magazines.

When considering a Milled VS Stamped receiver AK there is much left to shooter preference to make the final call. The main criticisms of the milled receiver AK rest on the rifle being heavier and heating more quickly than its stamped receiver counterparts. In regards to the SLR101-13 rifle I found the extra weight, while noticeable, a non-issue even at extended shooting sessions of 500+ rounds. I would argue that the rifle is so well balanced that the added weight reduces the recoil felt by the shooter when compared to other 7.62x39 rifles and helped in placing quick and accurate followup shots. The heating of the receiver seems to me to be a non-issue with this rifle (or any non full auto) and seemed to heat and cool just as well as my Colt 6920.

In my sessions with the SLR101-13 I used both Double Stack Bulgarian Waffle circle 10 and new military surplus metal magazines using a variety of steel cased ammo (Tula, Wolf Pro, Wolf Mil, Brown/silver/Gold Bear) at 50m, 100m, and 200m using only iron sights only. This AK shot every round put in it irrespective of the magazines used. The fit to the receiver of the all the magazines was perfect with zero wobble.

The only issues stemmed from the magazine release being initially difficult to activate when using the new military surplus metal magazines with a out of the box rifle. As the rifle and magazine were broken in and paint wore off (of the magazine) the issue disappeared. This would likely only appear when a new rifle and new military surplus magazine are matched. In my case it resulted in a minor cut on my thumb as my rifle blooded its new owner.

The rifle performed with a surprising elegance and grace rarely discussed when talking about AK accuracy using iron sights. Once I got accustomed to the sight every round I send down the barrel hit paper at all three ranges right out of the box with no adjustments of any kind needed. The trigger was crisp and smooth with zero slapping.

One of the few criticisms I have for the gun is that the milled receiver lower stock tang screw placement is such that when the riffle is gripped high on the pistol grip one of the hex screws rests on the first thumb knuckle. After an extended session this caused some rubbing/bruising which could be addressed with gloves, change in grip, or minimal modification engineering.

Shooting this rifle was a pure pleasure and put a grin on my face for the rest of the day every time I have shot it. This milled AK feels and performs like a quality rifle should. Given that other Arsenal Milled AK's are in the $1500 to $2000+ range this is a steal. I shot this along side my Colt 6920 and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I would purchase another without hesitation.

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