Anyone who knows anything about AK-47 knows that Arsenal is at the top of every collector’s wish list. The problem is, the most affordable Arsenals, which are still pricey by any standard, are also the ones that are sold out the same day they come into stock! Arsenals are known for making high-quality milled receiver AKs, but they also make a slightly more affordable stamped receiver version and that is going to be the focus of this article.
Today we take a look at Arsenal’s SLR-107R and give you a breakdown of its unique features and why we think it’s a great choice to add to your collection- if you’re lucky.
Introduction to the Arsenal SLR-107R AK47
As you will read below, Arsenal has had a long, storied history in the production of firearms. Bulgarian-made AKs are amongst the best you can buy in terms of build quality, tooling, and decades of trial and error. The AKs are imported from Bulgaria and assembled in Las Vegas, Nevada in full compliance with the Warsaw Pact (circa 1954). What this means is that they are 922r compliant, which basically means they must have a minimum of 6 components that are made in the US. Continued below-
The History Behind the Arsenal Name
The Arsenal company’s history can be traced back to 1878 with the first armory in the country – the Ruse Artillery Arsenal. Due to strategic concerns, it was relocated to Sofia in 1891. After the nation’s defeat in the Second Balkan War and World War I, in 1924 the company and all of its equipment were relocated to Kazanlak, a town situated in central Bulgaria. The armory was given the name Darzhavna Voenna Fabrika (“State Military Factory”). Initially producing only artillery gun components and ammunition, the factory later began to manufacture gas masks (1920s), nitroglycerin (1930s), machine tools (1940s), and finally assault rifles, optic sights, and B-10 recoilless rifles (1950s). The first assault rifle, a direct copy of the Soviet AK-47, was produced in 1958. By the 1960s a total of seven factories were under the company’s jurisdiction.
Until the Fall of Communism in 1989-1990, the company was named Mashinostroitelen Kombinat Fridrikh Engels (“Friedrich Engels Machinery Works”) to conceal its activities as a military enterprise. As part of this strategy, it adopted the manufacture of various civilian products, including automobiles such as the then-popular Bulgarrenault-8. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Arsenal began cooperation with companies from Japan, Sweden, Ukraine, and Germany. Currently, Arsenal AD is a private company conducting international arms trade, although it also expands its civilian exports, now including high-precision metalworking machinery, mobile robot manipulators, and synthetic diamonds.
Source: Wikipedia.org
Continued from above…The 922r language presented a list of 20 parts that applied to all semi-automatic assault rifles (not just the AK-47 series) made from imported parts sets or kits. For the AK-47, 16 parts apply.
Note: The following is a list of those parts, also referred to as 922r compliance parts:
[1] Barrel, [2] Receiver, [3] Front & Rear Trunnions (applies to stamped receivers only), [4] Bolt Carrier, [5] Bolt, [6] Gas Piston, [7] Buttstock, [8] Pistol Grip, [9] Upper & Lower Handguards (both count as one part), [10] Muzzle Device, [11] Hammer, [12] Trigger, [13] Disconnector, [14] Magazine Body, [15] Magazine Follower, [16] Magazine Floorplate
You may choose replacement parts from the list above, as desired. A maximum of 10 imported parts from this list may be used to build an AK rifle and make it 922r compliant. The bottom line is you must use a minimum of 6 U.S.-made parts from the above list to assemble a stamped-steel AK and a minimum of 5 U.S.-made parts for a milled receiver.
Since most US importers do not want to do a total rebuild of an AK, they will likely choose the smaller parts. If they ever wanted to do a complete build from a parts kit, they would be able to replace all parts on the list with U.S.-made parts, except the:
Bolt carrier, Bolt, Trunnions, and, possibly, the barrel (U.S.-made barrels are available for several AK builds but not all)
Arsenal has included only these US-made parts to meet 922r compliance: The anti-slap, double-stage trigger group, mil-spec polymer stock set, and Warsaw-length polymer buttstock.
Specifications on the Arsenal SLR-107R AK47
• Removable muzzle brake
• Rock-solid polymer stock
• Stainless steel heat shield
• Hammer-forged chrome-lined barrel
• Scope rail for optics
• 500m rear sights
• Trap door for cleaning kit
• US-made anti-slap double-stage trigger group by Arsenal, Inc
• Properly heat-treated, 1mm stamped receiver
• Mil-spec double stack mag
• 30rd Mil-Spec mag included
• Accepts all standard mil-spec mags
• Sought after by collectors and shooting enthusiasts
• Not a parts kit rifle!
• Great for target practice, long-distance, and small-game hunting
• Good personal defense round
• Ammo is readily available on the market
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Mil. Surplus (Corrosive) ammo is ok due to chrome lining
• Limited Manufacturer’s 1-year Warranty from date of retail purchase
Potential QC issues on the Arsenal SLR-107R
Update: AKOU did come across several issues with the rifle he received for testing. Because this video was made in 2016, we don’t know if Arsenal has since addressed these issues but the finish on the barrel Rob received produced bubbling on the paint after getting hot and the 2-stage trigger needed some work to prevent it from causing failures to reset. Also, they chose to use a spring-loaded firing pin that would occasionally cause light primer strikes. We don’t know if current batches are using the same bolt or a free-floating firing pin bolt so those are just some things to consider asking prior to purchasing. You can check out Rob Ski’s video on this here: Arsenal SLR-107R
Robski of the AKOU noted that the spring-loaded muzzle-brake retainer pin got stuck halfway and wouldn’t move from that position, but that may have more to do with rust caused by dunking it in a swamp than anything else. No questions concerning the quality of rivets or the durability of trunnions or barrels. Overall, most nitpickers will have anything negative to say about the Arsenal AKs. Unfortunately, we don’t have one of our own to verify any of these claims but if anything comes up we’ll be the first to report it.
Our Take on the Arsenal SLR-107R AK-47
Just like most factory-made com bloc AKs, the Arsenal is a really rugged and reliably-made AK. Though they may suffer from less-than-stellar finishes, it’s hard to argue with the overall quality and durability of these Bulgarian factory-made imports. The fitment of the stock and handguards is nice and tight. It’s also compatible with any furniture that will fit on the AKM platform, which is nice. So if you’ve always wanted that authentic look you could simply swap that out with some original surplus furniture (though they are pricey when available and are becoming harder to acquire).
We would definitely love to get our hands on one if they were ever in stock, but alas that has not been in the cards, as of yet! Arsenals make really good mil-spec AKs that are second only to their Russian counterparts, such as the Molot-made Veprs and the Izhevsk-made Saigas. The highly sought-after Chinese Norinco, and the Egyptian Maadi, also give the Arsenal a run for the money but at a higher premium, thanks to their pre-ban rarity.
Arsenal SLR-107R 5,000 Round Torture Test!
As stated by the venerable Robski of AKOU fame: “Enough of the bullshit talk”, so let’s roll the tape!
Results of the 5,000 Round Torture Test
Arsenal SLR-107R Price & Availability in 2023
Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, I can’t find one SLR107R in stock on any of the major gun sites that regularly sell them. The more expensive milled version Arsenals are available if you’re willing to pay upwards of $2,000 which is quite steep! When they are available, the best, and the most updated price, I could find was going for $1,599 at Atlantic Firearms.
Other websites list them for lower only because they haven’t updated their prices since their supply dried up. In our experience, if you see it listed for hundreds lower somewhere else it’s an old, outdated price. You can find several on sale on Gun Broker from time to time but the asking prices start at $1,799 to $2,149 which is crazy if you ask me. You’d be better off purchasing the milled version at those prices!
Yes, it would appear as though the window of opportunity has shrunken considerably for the stamped SLR-107R but maybe, just maybe, if you’re lucky you’ll be one of the few to snipe one before anybody knew it was there.
Our Final Score for the Arsenal SLR107R
Yes, this AK has a soft spot in our hearts if only because we can’t seem to ever get our hands on one! Keep a lookout for any updates to this rifle and other AKs that grab our attention! We’d like to thank all our readers and subscribers for supporting our efforts to bring you the most relevant data on a large variety of sporting topics.
