A new "AR" shotgun, the Akdal MKA 1919

ShotgunBill · January 15, 2012, 03:01 PM

Looking for a new semi auto, magazine fed shotgun? I suggest checking out the new Akdal MKA 1919 12 ga shotgun. (If I've been scooped on this subject, then please excuse me...and move on along people).

This gun looks like an AR15, maybe 25 percent bigger. Hand controls, general physical layout, function and so forth, are very AR like. In two particulars it does differ from the AR, and that is in a right side mounted charging handle, and a field stripping regimen that includes using a 6mm Allen wrench (in a six inch or so extension) in order to separate the upper from the lower.

I'm very familiar with the Saiga 12's having a couple of them, and having experienced their shortcomings right out of the box (friction, unreliable with light loads, uncertain feeding and ejection issues and so forth), but this Akdal (serial number 342), new out of the box, shoots any and everything a body can throw at it. I've shot it with everything from light hand reloads, AA#8's, even 3 inch magnum 00 buck. And nary a failure beyond one of my imperfectly crimped light reloads.

The gun comes with 2 steel five round magazines. One is stamped 3 inch, while the other is stamped 2.75 inch. But they are absolutely fully interchangable. For I've shot 3 inch magnums out of the 2.75 inch mag, 2.75 inch light loads out of the 3 inch mag, and have even loaded both lengths in both mags simultaneously. The magazines load into the gun just as AR mags do.

The sights are AR-like, with a rear handle mounted variable ghost ring/rifle type sight, and a large front AR-like sight. Mine came from the factory right on for a shotgun, and probably mighty close for a rifle.

Removing the handle reveals a Picatinny/Weaver/whichever flat top rail onto which MBUS sights, red dots, scopes, holos, whatever can be mounted. In fact, I added a top rail to the front of the forearm (easy to do with this gun), and put thereupon a set of Magwell MBUS sights. However, the factory sights fit me so much better, that I removed the MBUS set and put them aside for a future gun.

I did add an AR15 upper handle rail, onto which I can add lights, sights, or whatever. In my case, I feel the rail, sitting atop the handle as it does, would be too high for me to comfortably use scopes and so forth (I don't use scopes on shotguns anyway, although a Red Dot can sometimes be nice), so I've put a COAST Lenser, high powered, highly focused light on in a set of 1 inch scope rings. It matches or exceeds the TLR 1 I had on an upper left forearm piece of rail, but doesn't add to the width of the shotgun, sitting as it does on top of the handle rail.

Of my small collection of shotguns, this gun is the softest shooting of them all, even shooting down a batch of left over Maple tree widow makers from the '09 ice storm. Some of those shots, with 3 inch magnums, were with me shooting almost straight up, and I was surprised to find I didn't notice the recoil at all.
Of course, some of that might have been attributed to my preoccupation with dodging falling limbs and so forth from the widow makers.

So, between my guns, including some nice Benelli's and Saigas, I'll admit that insofar as home defense and fun, I'd let them go before the Akdal. I like it that much.

Just my opinion. Your mileage of course, may vary.

Good shootin' to ya,

Shotgun Bill

January 15, 2012, 03:01 PM	#1
ShotgunBill Junior Member Join Date: January 13, 2012 Posts: 3	A new "AR" shotgun, the Akdal MKA 1919 Looking for a new semi auto, magazine fed shotgun? I suggest checking out the new Akdal MKA 1919 12 ga shotgun. (If I've been scooped on this subject, then please excuse me...and move on along people). This gun looks like an AR15, maybe 25 percent bigger. Hand controls, general physical layout, function and so forth, are very AR like. In two particulars it does differ from the AR, and that is in a right side mounted charging handle, and a field stripping regimen that includes using a 6mm Allen wrench (in a six inch or so extension) in order to separate the upper from the lower. I'm very familiar with the Saiga 12's having a couple of them, and having experienced their shortcomings right out of the box (friction, unreliable with light loads, uncertain feeding and ejection issues and so forth), but this Akdal (serial number 342), new out of the box, shoots any and everything a body can throw at it. I've shot it with everything from light hand reloads, AA#8's, even 3 inch magnum 00 buck. And nary a failure beyond one of my imperfectly crimped light reloads. The gun comes with 2 steel five round magazines. One is stamped 3 inch, while the other is stamped 2.75 inch. But they are absolutely fully interchangable. For I've shot 3 inch magnums out of the 2.75 inch mag, 2.75 inch light loads out of the 3 inch mag, and have even loaded both lengths in both mags simultaneously. The magazines load into the gun just as AR mags do. The sights are AR-like, with a rear handle mounted variable ghost ring/rifle type sight, and a large front AR-like sight. Mine came from the factory right on for a shotgun, and probably mighty close for a rifle. Removing the handle reveals a Picatinny/Weaver/whichever flat top rail onto which MBUS sights, red dots, scopes, holos, whatever can be mounted. In fact, I added a top rail to the front of the forearm (easy to do with this gun), and put thereupon a set of Magwell MBUS sights. However, the factory sights fit me so much better, that I removed the MBUS set and put them aside for a future gun. I did add an AR15 upper handle rail, onto which I can add lights, sights, or whatever. In my case, I feel the rail, sitting atop the handle as it does, would be too high for me to comfortably use scopes and so forth (I don't use scopes on shotguns anyway, although a Red Dot can sometimes be nice), so I've put a COAST Lenser, high powered, highly focused light on in a set of 1 inch scope rings. It matches or exceeds the TLR 1 I had on an upper left forearm piece of rail, but doesn't add to the width of the shotgun, sitting as it does on top of the handle rail. Of my small collection of shotguns, this gun is the softest shooting of them all, even shooting down a batch of left over Maple tree widow makers from the '09 ice storm. Some of those shots, with 3 inch magnums, were with me shooting almost straight up, and I was surprised to find I didn't notice the recoil at all. Of course, some of that might have been attributed to my preoccupation with dodging falling limbs and so forth from the widow makers. So, between my guns, including some nice Benelli's and Saigas, I'll admit that insofar as home defense and fun, I'd let them go before the Akdal. I like it that much. Just my opinion. Your mileage of course, may vary. Good shootin' to ya, Shotgun Bill