{"id":142471,"date":"2021-03-20T22:01:09","date_gmt":"2021-03-21T02:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=142471"},"modified":"2021-03-20T22:01:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T09:14:33","slug":"modernizing-the-ak-with-the-slr-rifleworks-ion-mlok-hand-guard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/modernizing-the-ak-with-the-slr-rifleworks-ion-mlok-hand-guard\/","title":{"rendered":"Modernizing the AK with the SLR Rifleworks ION MLOK Hand-Guard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Modernizing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Modernizing the AK Platform<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Accessorizing your AK pattern rifle can be as problematic as being a firearms journalist working at Facebook. This is because AK-pattern rifles have a noticeable lack of standardization….what works in a Serbian AK likely won’t work in a Romanian, Chinese, or Russian manufactured rifle. It gets even stranger when you get into specific make and models. Numerous AK enthusiasts have spent hundreds of dollars in trial-and-error to find something that works with their specific set-up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I own several AK’s and the new Zastava M70 ZPAP is my favorite but I wanted to modernize the hand-guard to accommodate an angled vertical grip and provide some more rail space for mounting a flamethrower….or at least a 1,000-lumen weapon-light (can I live?). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding compatible accessories was incredibly difficult. Midwest Industries<\/a> offers a compatible MLOK hand-guard but it’s never in stock. Fit and finish had some questionable reviews, some users stating that they had to Dremel their rifle sling down to fit the Midwest Industries hand-guard. This is a common approach to modifying the AK platform and one I specifically wanted to avoid. Just as I was ready to give up on my quest, a certain subreddit pointed me to SLR Rifleworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I purchased the SLR Rifleworks’ ION 11.5″ Lite MLOK – M70<\/a> for $195. I also opted to buy the matching railed gas tube as well putting me at $295 for this set-up. Buy once, cry once. Especially considering I wanted to avoid potentially spending even more finding a compatible hand-guard for the Zastava. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Installation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Well GunsAmerica, I’m happy to report that the SLR Rifleworks ION hand-guard is a true<\/em> drop-in solution for upgrading arguably the most popular rifle of 2020. It’s so easy, even a Gun-Grabber could do it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the box, the ION hand-guard comes with: <\/p>\n\n\n\n