Armscor AK22

The Armscor AK22 is a rifle that fires .22 LR with a similar exterior design to the AK-47. It is imported to the United States from the Philippines. Made by Armscor (formerly Squires Bingham Co.). There were two versions one with a fixed wood buttstock and the second has a side folding stock.

This article is about Filipino .22 caliber AK-47 style rifle. For Romanian cadet rifle, see AK-22.
Armscor Model AK22
TypeSemi-automatic rifle
Place of originPhilippines
Production history
ManufacturerArmscor
Produced1987 - Present [1]
Specifications
Mass7 pounds (3.2 kg)[1]
Length18.25 inches (46.4 cm)[1]
Barrel length36 inches (91 cm)[1]
Cartridge.22 LR[1]
Caliber.22 LR
ActionSemi-Auto blowback
Feed system10-, 15-, 25-,or 30-round mag 50rd drum [1]
SightsHooded Post front, open U-notch fully adjustable rear.[1]

Description

  • The Armscor Ak22 while looking similar is easy seen as different from any AK variant in 7.62×39mm and/or 5.45×39mm up close and the parts are not interchangeable. This is not an AK that is modified to use a different caliber but a separate design of the firearm. There are several versions that were sold branded under different names of importers like Armscor, Mitchell Arms, Rock Island and several others. The release of other AK clones in the 2000s in .22 caliber are not interchangeable. The Armscor AK-22 in .22lr operates on a direct blow back system. Which eliminates the need for AK-47's gas port, gas tube and piston. The parts of the gas port and gas tube are faux. The rifle has wooden fore grips both an upper and a lower which angles are shaped slightly different than the AK family, and the buttstock is made of solid wood without a trapdoor or is of steel tubing in triangular shape that folds to the side. The wood used is Philippine hardwood Mahogany.[2] On the left hand side of the where the fake gas block is an attachment loop for a sling and the rear sling loop is on the buttstock. Due to the design and age there is not any type of Picatinny rail . Although a barrel clamp on style accessory may be used between the front sight and fake gas port by clamping around the barrel.

Operation

  • The bolt is operated by pulling the handle on the right side rearward and releasing. In the forward travel the bolt will extract a round from the magazines and load it into the chamber. When the trigger is depressed the hammer will strike the firing pin into the cartridge. This detonating of the .22 caliber cartridge's charge will start two actions, sending the bullet down the barrel and the gas pressure will cause the bolt to move to the rear. During which will eject the just fired spent case and the bolt will then return to forward travel stripping the next round out of the magazine into the chamber. Waiting to repeat the process on the next pull of the trigger. The charging handle is attached and reciprocates with the bolt during the entire action. If there are no addition cartridges in the magazine, on the last shot's cycling action, the bolt will return to battery on an empty chamber. There is no "bolt hold open" (BHO) feature for the last round.

Safety

  • The safety level does not engage any internal parts. It has a notch cut into the design to hold the operating handle of the reciprocating bolt locked back in the rearward position. When lowering the safety lever the bolt will mover forward and if present will strip a cartridge from the magazine (if inserted and loaded) and load it into the chamber ready to be fired.

Sights

  • The rear sight slides up an incline to adjust elevation as standard AK rear sights operate. The front sight is fixed post inside a ghost ring. Which is nonadjustable. Held in place by the front sight is a removable cleaning rod stored under the barrel just like the real AK. There is no bayonet mount or an attachment point.

Magazines

  • The magazines use a Squires Bingham Model 20[3] design placed into an AK-47 shaped magazine housing. The housing for the 10 and 15 round are almost the same externally. On the inside is a shim to fill in the bottom for the shorter 10 round magazine and has a retaining pin hole that will need to be re-drilled to hold the longer 15 round magazine, if replacing a 10-round magazine. The housings are becoming harder to find in the larger sizes. The original magazines by Squires can be used without the housing. Although they will lack the features and appearances of the housed magazine body. The magazine activator is mounted at the rear of the exterior casing. When depressed, the top end of the activator would push the lower end of the normal magazine catch, thereby releasing its connection with the magazine. This main release may be worked by fingers in between the trigger guard and the magazine body. Although the thumb lever on the magazines makes it easier by using less force applied due to the leverage and more area for the hand to fit.

Armscor magazines in 10 and 15 rounds variations are the most common . Externally it is hard to see the difference between the two. These will be the only sizes available in the United States market without a specialty one off sales and/or auctions.

There are rare 25 round magazines and extremely rare 50 rd drums.

There are no under 10 round magazines made for this rifle.

While there are other AK clones in .22 caliber the following model magazines and parts will not work, nor interchange. WASR AK/22, AKT 98, RPD 22, German MPI69/M69, GSG AK.22, & drums made by Black Dog Machines. This list is not complete. There are different designs of Mitchell's Ak-22, with some models magazines will interchange (AK-22S & F) while others will not (C8A/AK 22-).

This gun's internal design shares parts with its clone of M-16/Ar-15 body in .22 cal. See Armscor M16 22 for more info. Magazines can work between both Armscor rifles but each being designed to imitate a different style will of course not fit flush. Nor will they look like the intended imitation. In each magazine's shell housing is the same Squires Bingham magazine design.

Recoil As compared to the AK-47 and/or AK-74 the AK22 has very much less recoil making it easy to handle. This rifle is suitable for small framed people, hunting small game, for plinking and target shooting. The accuracy is very good.

Maintenance and cleaning

  • Due to the blow back operation nature, the chamber will become very dirty which is common in .22lr firearms. The upper body is a clam shell which can be disassemble to help clean out the spent powder residue that builds up. Other wise cleaning is done by swabbing the barrel to the breach and accessing the internal through the ejection port.

See also

References
  1. Peterson, Philip. Gun Digest Book of Modern Gun Values: The Shooter's Guide to Guns 1900 to Present (16th ed.). p. 277.
  2. Ramos, J.R. "Armscor Rimfire Battle Guns". Small Arms Review. Small Arms Review V7N7 (April 2004). Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  3. Miller, William. "AK-47 Copies in .22-caliber". Rockin' Rimfires. gunfax. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
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