by RWC Group is the exclusive importer of Izhmash-made Kalashnikov rifles and carbines. After President Obama imposed economic sanctions on the arms sector of the Russian economy including Concern Kalashnikov, they were between a rock and a hard place. The sanctions meant no more Saiga rifles or shotguns and no more 922(r) compliant AKs could be imported.
Fast forward to this year’s SHOT Show. They announced the formation of Kalashnikov USA would begin production of AK-47s in the United States. According to their press release, the US manufactured products will be available during the second quarter of 2015.
RWC Group, the licensed importer for the Kalashnikov company, revealed at the popular Las Vegas gun exposition known as SHOT Show this week that it would form a new company known as Kalashnikov USA to manufacture the weapon. The company is currently negotiating with three U.S. states to locate a production plant, with the rifles possibly rolling off the lines as early as the second quarter of this year, Jim Kelly, the new production manager of Kalashnikov USA, told the website OutdoorHub.com.
According to an update in the story by Matt Korovesis at OutdoorHub.com, Concern Kalashnikov will not be working directly with either RWC Group or Kalashnikov USA on the new US made rifles and carbine.
The YouTube channel of the AK Operators Union, Local 47-74, had an interview with Rob Young of Kalashnikov USA at the SHOT Show which they published on Wednesday.