TFB Review: Century Arms BFT556 Core AK

Welcome back to another TFB review. In recent years, the AK market has taken a hit with the loss of cheap 7.62×39 and 5.45×39 ammunition. Whether it’s because of import bans, supply problems because of world conflicts, or just higher demand over the last few years it can be rather tricky to get ammo for AKs like it was in the past. This week, I’m looking at the new 5.56×45 AK from Century Arms. There has been a push to create an AK that users can shoot easily without searching for paying a higher amount for ammo. 5.56 AKs could not only keep the AK market alive in America but also offer a cheaper option. Let’s take a closer look at the new Century Arms BFT556 AK.

Specs

The BFT556 CORE rifle from Century Arms is chambered in 5.56×45 NATO. The rifle looks and feels like an AK74-style rifle with similar recoil impulses as the 5.45 caliber AKs but is easier to feed in the United States since 5.56 NATO is abundant and cheaper than other AK calibers currently available. The BFT556 comes standard with a chrome lined chrome moly 4150 steel barrel with an overall length of 16.25” and an AK74 style brake. One of the signature parts of the BFT556 Core is the Premium Red Maple Furniture that gives a distinct look from other models while showing the various details of the maple wood under the finish.

Another feature on the gun that really stands out is the extended safety selector with a built-in bolt hold open to allow for a reload with the bolt locked to the rear. Other models have this as well but it’s still a nice touch that allows for easier manipulation of the rifle. The entire rifle is protected by a matte magnesium phosphate finish with the ability to use accessories like red dots with the side-mounted attachment system. Century Arms finished off this model with a RAK-1 Enhanced trigger to add value and create an overall attractive package for people wanting to go from the AR15 to an AK platform. MSRP on this rifle is $1,049.99 and is currently in stores.

Range Time 

If I’m being completely honest, when I opened the box up on the BFT556 for the first time, I absolutely hated the maple wood furniture. Instead of being a dark red-rich finish, it was a light coating with no depth. The finish is more pink than anything and I started to doubt my decision to purchase this rifle. I took the BFT556 Core out to the range for the first time and the bones of the rifle really started to make sense. It was an extremely flat shooting rifle with almost no recoil or muzzle rise. Century Arms sends a single US Palm magazine that holds 30 rounds but they all functioned well during the duration of my testing.

Despite the look of the furniture, the BFT556 Core is one of the softest shooting 5.56 rifles I have fired in quite a while. The AK74 style brake does a lot to minimize recoil to almost zero making it a strange sensation to fire quickly during drills. With the rifle staying planted under quick fire, it’s incredibly easy to fire accurate quick follow-up shots if you’re doing an El Prez drill or even a Bill Drill with a rifle. The trigger is legitimately one of the best AK-style triggers I’ve ever had in a rifle before. It’s crisp with a defined wall with a trigger break right around 5 lbs and with an audible short reset restarting the process.

Accuracy Of The BFT556 Core 

I had 3 different ammo types all ranging in prices for a good representation of what to expect from these rifles. The first ammo I tested out was the standard 55gr American Eagle ammunition from Federal. This is the value ammo of the three with the most availability and lowest cost. I shot 3 groups of 5 rounds each bench rested at 100 yards to keep things consistent. The American Eagle ammunition shot an average group of 2.65” with the tightest group being 2.38” which for an AK is actually pretty decent.

The next round I used was the IMI Razor Core 77gr ammo that I typically use with my MK12-style rifles. When shooting the 3 groups of 5 rounds, my average group with the Razor Core was 2.29” with all being fairly close to each other. These rounds appear to shoot more consistently than the American Eagle but they are much more expensive so I’m not shocked by the results.

Reliability

When it comes to reliability, an AK should run 100% no matter what the conditions of the gun are and even the worst ammo should cycle. The AK has become known to be the workhorse platform in the gun community that just continues to run no matter what. Throughout my testing of the BFT556 Core, I have roughly 940 rounds through the gun, and by the time this article is released, I should have hit the 1,000-round mark with no malfunctions. In recent years people have reported various issues with their Century Arms AKs but the BFT556 has been reliable for me so far with no issues or oddities. I plan on doing a longer review after a year so we will take a look at the overall reliability after I have more time and rounds through the gun. For now, I’m happy to report I have no issues with the gun so far.

Midwest Industries Furniture

The biggest issue I’ve had with the BFT556 Core was the Russian Maple furniture. I looked at the rifle and thought it had huge potential if I switched out the furniture. I’ve always wanted to do some sort of Alpha build and the BFT556 was a great base rifle to start with. I ended up grabbing the new Alpha series furniture from Midwest Industries. I have the original Zenitco furniture on my Arsenal SLR-107 and after spending time with the Alpha series furniture, I can say it’s better made although it was harder to assemble than the Zenitco furniture.

Here is the list of the parts I used to build out my AK:

Handguard: SKU: MI-AK-ALPHA-QR-10Top Cover: SKU:MI-AK-ALPHA-RTCStock: SKU: MI-AK-ALPHA-FSAdapter: SKU: MI-AK-PEPA

Suppressor Options

There are several suppressor options out there that can do a wonderful job suppressing your rifle. Some of them will be 30 cal suppressors which will allow you to use them on your BFT556 rifle as well as a standard 7.62×39 AK variant rifle.

DeadAir Wolverine 

When it comes to suppressors for the AK platform, it’s hard to beat the DeadAir Wolverine suppressor. The Wolverine is one of the best options on the market with a wide variety of thread pitches and interchangeable adapters to fit your AK no matter the thread pitch. Combine that modularity with the fact it looks like a traditional AK suppressor and I think this is a complete slam dunk for an AK rifle. SilencerShop has the DeadAir Wolverine in stock currently with a price of $779 which is reasonable for a 30 caliber suppressor.

Length: 7.4″ (with thread adapter)Weight: 19.8-24.4 ozDiameter: 1.5″ tube, 1.93″ outside diameterBuild Material: Stainless steel (exterior); Stellite™ (baffles)Finish: CerakoteFull Auto Rated: YesBarrel Restrictions: None

Resilent Putnik Suppressor 

One of the newer options on the market is the Resilient Putnik suppressor chambered in 7.62×39 but it can also have 300 Blackout and 556 NATO put through the suppressor as well. This can is a bit new to market but I have heard good things about the overall quality and performance from people who have tested them on AKs. Right now the price on SilencerShop for the Putnik suppressor is $799.

Length: 6.2″Weight: 20.9 ozDiameter: 2.365″Build Material:17-4 Stainless Steel & 6AL4V TitaniumFinish:High Temp Cerakote (C-Series)Caliber Compatibility: 7.62×39, 5.45×39, 5.56, 300BLK (8″ Barrel Restriction), .308, 6.5CR (14.5 Barrel Restriction)Mount: 24×1.5mm Direct thread & 1.375×24 HUB/ Bravo threads

Overall Thoughts

So far the BFT556 Core has been flawless with no issues even with making the modifications with the Midwest Industries Alpha furniture. It’s a flat-shooting AK74-style rifle that is easy to find ammo for and use alongside your AR15 rifles. I certainly plan on beating this rifle up and continuing to shoot it for the coming months so be sure to keep an eye out for part 2 of this review in the coming months.

Let me know what you guys think about the Century Arms BFT556 Core in the comments below. Do you guys think it fixes a lack of options in the market or would you rather go with a different option? Sound off down in the comments below. If you have questions about the BFT556 Core or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you guys in the next review.

TFB is proud to partner with Silencer Shop as our preferred vendor for all of your NFA needs. Whether you are searching for a new suppressor, SBR, or trust, Silencer Shop is here to provide a seamless and fast service for your next NFA purchase. Head over to www.silencershop.com to begin your NFA journey.