Century BFT74 And BFT556: USA-Made Small-Bore AK

Got Kalashnikov? If you want an AK-pattern rifle but want it made in the USA, dadgummit, then Century Arms has what you’re looking for. They’ve just expanded their US-built AK lineup to include the new BFT74 and BFT556 models.

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Built by Americans, for Americans

We won’t re-hash the whole story of Century’s BFT lineup, but in a nutshell, it’s this: Instead of building AKs in the States with imported parts, Century went ahead and figured out how to make AK-47 rifles with US-manufactured components.

We told you about this process a while back, when the first BFT47 hit the market—see here and here. Those rifles were chambered in 7.62×39, just as Mikhail Kalashnikov intended. But now Century has expanded into the poodle shooter calibers, with 5.56x45mm and 5.45x39mm options.

Both the new BFT74 and BFT556 are built along the same general lines as their predecessor, with stamped steel receivers, bulged, forged trunnion for added strength and a chrome-lined chamber and bore for corrosion resistance. The guns’ parts come in a manganese phosphate finish that meets the Mil-DTL-16232 standard. Century’s RAK-1 trigger comes standard, and both rifles have adjustable front and back sights as well as a side mount for optics.

Century Arms BFT74

This is obviously a tribute to the AK-74 assault rifle, another Kalashnikov design that was directly descended from the Soviets’ AKM-series rifles, but chambered in a .22-cal cartridge. Specifically, the 5.45x39mm round. The Century version is semi-auto-only but carries over many details of the AK-74 such as a 90-degree gas block and a muzzle brake that however screws on 14×1 left-handed threads. The grip is from US Palm, and the stock is American maple. One Magpul magazine is included with each purchase. MSRP starts at $949.99; see more information here.

Century Arms BFT556