What’s a Draco?
A shortened AK is generally referred to as a Draco, much the way the term “Kleenex” encompasses all facial tissue. There’s quite a large subset of AK variant shorties, and most of them are decent firearms.
Import laws being what they are, many of the Kalashnikov-pattern firearms that come into the USA do so as pistols. They’re no-frills guns ready to be customized after the fact but must abide by the ludicrous 922r regulations that require a certain number of parts used to be American-made. Typically, these do not have a stock, brace, or even a way of attaching. Thus, we see a lot of clumsy gun-handling leading to the stereotype that these are not useful or serious firearms.
However, if you can get a brace on or fill out your form to create a short-barreled rifle, these can become quite effective as close-range defensive firearms. The 7.62x39 cartridge boasts interesting ballistics and does quite well out of a 12.5-inch barrel, nearly maximizing its capabilities.
Breaking It Down
The Krinkov, or “Krink,” is the more highly regarded term for the SBR version of the AK. These often have a distinctive muzzle device and are rounded out with a triangle stock. Used by military and police in Eurasia, they have a definitive use case, whereas the Draco and its smaller variants do not.
Another 9mm version of the AK pattern is the Vityaz PP-19-01, or KP-9, from KUSA. The Vityaz is a submachine gun built for CQB and a high rate of fire while being easy to wield. Most of the parts and pieces are about the same as its full-size counterpart, though the gun is slimmed down and much easier to maneuver for police and military. This pistol caliber carbine uses a 9-inch barrel, is easily suppressed, and is similar in size to the German MP5.
While the term “Draco” is all-inclusive, there are three different size options. The standard (and largest) has an 11.75-inch barrel, just short of the sweet spot. The two other variants, the Mini and the Micro, have 7.6-inch and 6.25-inch barrels respectively.
Initial Thoughts
To be honest, the Draco makes me think of someone who doesn’t know much about guns and wants an AK that’s Eastern Bloc, but doesn’t want to spend too much. It’s my own bias, and I’ll own it. I knew very little about this gun before testing it out, so I did a fair amount of research.
I am not a ballistics expert, but I do like to understand the limits and expectations of any gun I own or shoot. The short length on the Micro Draco makes it much more concealable and lighter.
By cutting the barrel down to 6 inches, you lose a good deal of velocity, but up close and personal, this will send a .30-caliber projectile at 1,800-1,900 feet per second. That’s nothing to sneeze at. The Micro Draco is impressively compact, so throwing a folding stock or brace on this creates quite a capable setup.
I do prefer .300 Blackout in this space, with great velocity and ballistics out of a 7.5-inch barrel and the ability to choose from a wider variety of loads for different uses and distances. The Micro Draco is limited to a max range of about 80 yards, so it’s not quite a do-it-all choice but would work for smaller spaces and urban environments. It’s also a lot of fun when you get outside of any serious use case, and sometimes that’s as good a reason as any to own something.
Features
Like any Kalashnikov species, the Micro isn’t going to knock your socks off from a fit-and-finish perspective. Stamped steel and laser markings denote that this is made in Romania and imported. I did not see anything that stood out. The finish is even, all the rivets look good, and there is no rattle. Honestly, it would look weird if it weren’t a bit rough. It’s important to note, though, these Romanian imports have a good reputation for being reliable and well-made.
This model features low-profile pistol sights instead of traditional AK drum sights. The rear is fixed, while the front can be adjusted for elevation. The premium laminate wood foregrip acts as both a handguard and handstop, which is important on shorter barrels. You do not want your hands near the heat and muzzle flash.
The muzzle device included is a birdcage flash hider normally found on an AR. It does a good job directing gases upward but does not mitigate flash whatsoever.
The grip is standard AK fare and is easily swapped. I personally don’t love how thin these are and usually opt for something like US Palm or Hogue that’s a little beefier. The included magazine is a plastic US Palm that worked fine for me, although I prefer the traditional steel mags and used a few of my own in testing.
The biggest advantage of this model is that it is fitted with a rear Picatinny rail for attaching aftermarket stocks and braces, which makes the gun inherently more controllable. Paperwork, lock, chamber flag, and a rubber cover for the bolt were also included in the box.
Specs
- Height: 4.5 inches
- Weight: 4.85 pounds
- Length: 14.5 inches
- Barrel: 6.25 inches with A2 birdcage, 14x1 LH threads
- Stamped steel with Pic rail rear, made in Romania
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Enhanced Trigger Group installed
Range Time
I brought a couple different ammo types of Belom and PMC Bronze, both 123-grain. The mags I tested both worked flawlessly, and I had no malfunctions. I did notice that a couple of the rounds were keyholing, where the bullet is not flying in a tight spiral but tumbling like a football kickoff.
I’ve only experienced this with the AK platform, and both times have been with rifles that were 12 inches or less. I don’t really know how to explain it other than the barrel length is not able to stabilize the bullet, in this case. Perhaps it would be better with lower velocity ammunition, but that is not something I’m qualified to answer.
That aside, the gun is fun to shoot. Once you find the ammo it loves, this is a formidable and robust defensive option. The AK manual of arms takes some getting used to, but plenty of people can run these as hard and as fast as any AR.
I’ve always loved the special recoil impulse to 7.62x39. The solid “thump” lets you know you are shooting something with power. It doesn’t rock you, but it’s a friendly punch to the shoulder. Of course, the Draco has a little more concussion due to the shorter barrel and lighter weight, with an impressive fireball to boot.
The Micro Draco was decently accurate, and I could pile rounds on top of each other. The sights are rather crude and simple. With both the rear and the front being the same black finish, it was like shooting a retro pistol. Remaining target focused, I found myself getting close and letting loose.
The trigger didn’t stand out as good or bad, but it works. It doesn’t have hangups, nor is it overly heavy. It is marketed as an enhanced trigger group, which does feel more like my KP9 than a standard AK.
Final Thoughts
Personally, I’ll stick to the AK-104/Krink patterns and my KP9, but if I were to deck this one out, I’d love to swap the handguard to something more modern. I found a few side mounts that would fit a red dot up top, then I’d add a folding stock with my Form 1.
