AK Pistols really do exist!! I'm not a fangirl of AR's only or AK's only, I like a good rifle, or in this case a good pistol when I shoot, regardless of manufacturer or model. And the AK-47 DRACO is a fun pistol to shoot! As much as I enjoy shooting it, I enjoy the beauty of it more. The combination of wood and steel on this pistol is stunning. And just like the AR pistols, a brace can, and in this instance likely should, be added to the AK pistol.

THE DRACO

Latin for serpent or dragon, the Draco was clearly inspired by the AK-47 rifle. The Romanian design keeps the 7.62x39mm caliber rifle cartridge used in AK rifles but with an engineered crisp and ultra-compact design that still provides the low-recoil, easy control, and most importantly the power of the popular rifle round. Just like the AK rifle, this mini-AK is rugged. While I would never recommend it, these mini-AKs don't require much care. It doesn't matter if they are full of dirt, mud, sand, or water, these machines just keep running. The AKs were built with slightly looser tolerances, designed to do exactly just that. If they do incur a malfunction, removing the dust cover and dumping out whatever is in the action usually fixes it. Shoot, an AK will even run without a dust cover. I wanted to see if the AK-47 Draco was just as rugged and reliable as the AK-47 rifle. So I reached out directly to the importer. Century Arms imports the AK-47 Draco. I asked the folks at Century Arms all of the tough questions, down to the bones and bolts of the Draco. Without hesitation, Century Arms answered each and every question with a confident, "Yes, the Draco will do that". I was impressed. I was also impressed to learn that the Draco is made in Romania at the same factory as the Romanian military rifles are. So the official answer to "are AK-47 Draco's as tough, rugged, and reliable as an AK-47 rifle" is a resounding "YES".

Century Arms AK-47 Draco Pistol

WHY WOULD YOU NEED AN AK-47 DRACO PISTOL?

Just like every single gun on the market, defense. For inside defense, the Draco is incredibly short, and I don't have to tell you that the length makes it exceptionally easy and practical to use in close quarters. That is what it was designed for, after all, close combat. The 7.62x39mm ammo that the Draco uses is a pretty substantial round. It is easily controlled without a brace, but with a brace you can actually control, use the sights to aim, and make a very accurate shot. Equally as easy as using this pistol for inside defense, you should feel confident in using the Draco outside of the home for defense as well. I wouldn't recommend shooting it at a target over 300 yards away though. OK, I know that you want to know about taking this "dragon" to the range. Well, I can tell you that I understand where the Draco gets its name from. With a short barrel, this hand cannon produces an incredible amount of flash and muzzle blast. To me, that's part of the fun! And it's loud! An AK-47 Draco without a muzzle device will definitely "BOOM".

Century Arms Special Mapgul Edition Draco

ERGONOMICS

Some like the design, some don't. The design of the Draco is still much like the 1940's design for the AK-47 rifle. The charging handle is on the right side, which I love. It is easy to charge the pistol with both the right or the left hand. The magazine release is ambidextrous and located right behind the magazine. The safety is a little awkward as the design keeps it on the right side, but that's not too big of an issue. The controls of an AK-47 are different than the controls of a U.S. designed rifle or pistol.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I cannot think of one single reason not to own this piece of moving art, unless you aren't crazy about semiautomatic rifle caliber pistols. Putting a brace on a Draco will give you the best of both worlds, compact, powerful, and accurate. The Draco pistol is extremely popular and often difficult to find as shipments from Romania contain different amounts of them from month to month. Check out all of the AK-47 Draco's here at Classic. If you see one that you just have to have and we are out of it, sign up for an e-mail notification and you will be the first to know as soon as we get them back in stock. You know what they say - It's always a good day to own an AK! Shop All AK/AR Pistols
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