TFB Behind the Gun #199: Raiders Arms & the Temple of the AK
New year, new gun tech? For this New Year’s episode of TFB’s Behind the Gun Podcast, I’ve brought on a new friend of the channel - Raiders Arms. The sole developer at the company, known as “Penny,” has spent a lot of time working with and around the AK platform both here in the United States and over in Eastern Europe. This familiarity has led to Penny originally starting Raiders Arms as a company focused on lightening up the AK platform through heavy use of carbon fiber. Today, he’ll tell us about how he approaches the problems of weight and even heat buildup in the AK platform, and how he has employed Carbon Fiber to help deal with those problems in the hopes of inspiring more people to continue to use the platform and even push it further in the competition realm.
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TFB Behind the Gun #199: Raiders Arms & the Temple of the AK
The AK might be one of the most recognizable rifles on the planet, but that does not mean it has to stay stuck in the past. On this New Year’s episode of TFB’s Behind the Gun Podcast, we are talking about what a modern, lightweight, competition-ready AK can look like when you throw tradition out the window and start thinking in carbon fiber.
My guest is “Penny,” the lone designer and driving force behind Raiders Arms. Drawing on years of hands-on experience with AKs in the United States and Eastern Europe, Penny has built a product line that reimagines the platform from the ground up. Raiders Arms offers ultra-light carbon fiber handguards, rigid yet featherweight dust covers, minimalist fixed and folding stocks, and slimline grip panels designed to cut ounces without sacrificing durability. The catalog also includes tuned gas tube assemblies and accessories that help manage heat, keep optics stable, and improve overall balance.
In this episode, Penny breaks down how he approaches the AK’s biggest pain points—weight, heat, and ergonomics—and explains how strategic use of carbon fiber can make a 70-year-old design feel like a truly modern rifle. Whether you are running an AK in competition or just want a lighter, more responsive rifle for training, this conversation should give you some new ideas about what is possible with the platform.
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Silencer Shop – www.silencershop.com
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The VNSH (pronounced Vanish) holster is quickly becoming one of the most popular holsters in America and thousands of customers say it’s the most comfortable holster ever. Because you’re a supporter of TFB’s Behind the Gun podcast you can go to www.vnsh.com/behindthegun to get a $50 discount on the vanish holster which normally retails for $130. Visit www.vnsh.com/behindthegun to claim your $50 discount today!
Reloader SCSA Competitor Certified Pilot Currently able to pass himself off as the second cousin twice removed of Joe Flanigan. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ballisticaviation/
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