Video Demo
Features
Most of the internals on this Chiappa RAK-9 are clearly AK-inspired parts, such as the dust cover and recoil spring pictured above, though the spring guide rod on this RAK-9 is short and articulated. Other parts are significantly modified, such as the chopped-down gas piston in the middle, the rectangular buffer insert on the left, and the clever Glock magazine adapter on the right.
I did most of my shooting with various Glock and aftermarket Glock-pattern 9mm double-stack magazines. As a 9mm PCC, I think the fact that this gun can run those Glock mags is a huge selling point. However, for those looking for that classic AK profile, Chappa includes two AK-like 10-round magazines.
The lever safety and magazine release are your standard AK-47 affair. Other parts are a bit more unique. That includes the magazine adapter that locks into the rifle using the gun’s lever magazine release. This allows you to run Glock magazines, and there’s also a Beretta 92 magazine adapter, which is sold separately.
I was pleased to see that Chiappa added a few modernizing extras to this budget AK clone. There’s an optics rail on the left side of the receiver and common 1/2x28 TPI threads at the end of the barrel for suppressors and other muzzle devices.
I tested both. The side-mount optics rail fit all the standard AK rail mounts I have on hand: SAM13/23, Midwest Industries, and UTG Pro. Similarly, I ran a Banish 9 suppressor on the 1/2x28 TPI threads. The can worked great, though the loud action of AKs will limit your total sound suppression.
Overall, the gun shoulders well and feels decent in the hands. I found the ergonomics of the synthetic stock and cheek riser comfortable, too. The stock provides a decent 14.25 inches for the length of pull, and that was enough for my longer arms to run the gun without feeling cramped.
The RAK-9 has some heft to it at 7.9 pounds unloaded, but it doesn’t feel heavy in my hands. However, the front handguard is bulky and partly obscures the rear sight when it’s on the lowest setting. It doesn’t look terrible, and it provides a grippy surface while shielding my hand from the heat of extended shooting well enough.
I just wish the top of the handguard were lower to clear the rear sight. Personally, I would simply invest in a budget optic rail to run a red dot as the full-time optic anyway.
The trigger has a notably AK feel to it, which means it’s a bit springy and has some creep. There’s a springy 0.2-inch pull to get to the wall. Then there’s a long 0.15-inch creep to get to the break. That is followed by a positive 0.25-inch reset.
Chiappa gave this affordable gun a basic finish that it describes as blued. It looks and feels like an AK finish. Despite what folks may tell you about not needing to clean AKs, you will want to clean and oil the surface of this gun after exposure to moisture. Like most AKs, it can build up superficial surface rust quickly without some basic attention.
Finally, as a nice bonus, Chiappa ships this model with a 40-round ETS Glock magazine, along with two 10-round AK-style mags.
Specifications
Here’s a breakdown of the basic specs for the Chiappa RAK-9:
Weight: 7.9 pounds
Length: 35.9 inches
Barrel Length: 17.25 inches
Sight Radius: 15 inches
Length of Pull: 14.25 inches
Width (Handguard): 1.89 inches
Width (Receiver): 1.85 inches
Height: 7.4 inches
Chambering: 9mm
Barrel Threads: 1/2x28 TPI
Magazine Type: Glock or 10-round ‘AK’ mag (Beretta 92 adapter sold separately)
Capacity: Varies – 10 rounds (included RAK-9 mag), 40 rounds (included ETS mag)
Finish: Blued
Trigger Pull: 7.2 pounds
Accuracy & Reliability
Reliability after my initial break-in period for the RAK-9 has been 100 percent. The gun has also been happy to feed on multiple types of Glock-pattern magazines, including ETS, Magpul, and Glock OEM mags.
Notably, my very first shots through this RAK-9 were with a 15-round Glock 19 magazine filled with subsonic 147-grain Magtech 9mm. It ran the entire mag with the Banish 9 suppressor on the end of the barrel. That is not something all AKs will do when using subsonic ammo and a suppressor.
I’ve now put 400 rounds of various 9mm ammo through this Chiappa RAK-9. That includes 50 rounds of 124-grain Federal Syntech Match, 50 rounds of 130-grain Federal Syntech PCC, 50 rounds of 115-grain Federal Syntech Range, 50 rounds of subsonic 147-grain Magtech, and 50 rounds of 115-grain PMC Bronze. These ran without any issues.
I used 150 rounds of 115-grain Buffalo Cartridge Adrenaline during my initial break-in period at the start of my testing. During that time, I had two failures to feed while using the brand-new 40-round extended magazine that came with the gun.
Both of these failures happened near the end of the 40-round ETS mag, and the failure seemed to have more to do with cartridges binding inside the magazine than the gun itself. After breaking in the extended magazine with a third round of shooting, all failures ceased.
Accuracy proved to be plinker-effective while using the iron sights, if not precise past 50 yards. Here's what I got for two mags at 50 yards using the basic ladder sights on the RAK-9.
The sights are basic, but they are plenty for plinking. I found that elevating the rear sight was a must for my accuracy testing. At the lowest setting, the handguard blocked the rear sight picture. Elevating the sights brought them better on target at 50 yards anyway.
Since this gun has the sights – and springy trigger – of a basic AK, I wouldn’t expect too much more than that kind of accuracy out of this pistol-caliber carbine. This is not your 100-yard sub-MOA precision rig by any means, and Chiappa never meant for it to be that in the first place.
Pros & Cons
Here’s my short list of the pros and cons for the Chiappa RAK-9:
Pros:
- Affordable
- Reliable
- Reasonably accurate
- Accepts Glock magazines
- Also uses AK-type 9mm mags
- Very enjoyable for plinking
- AK-style action and controls
- Scope rail
- 1/2x28 TPI threaded barrel
- Cycles subsonic 9mm when suppressed
Cons:
- Somewhat heavy, but doesn’t feel it
- Finish is fine, but you will want to clean and oil it
- Handguard is thick
- Iron sights are hard to see at the lowest setting
-
Trigger is mushy, like most AKs
Final Thoughts
Sporting the classic AK action with just enough of a twist to run 9mm ammo reliably with Glock or AK-like magazines, the Chiappa RAK-9 is loads of fun at the range. This gun has some quirks, such as its skeletonized polymer stock and chopped-down gas piston, but it’s easy to disassemble and clean.
The recoil is very manageable with its 9mm chambering, and the fact that it comes with an adapter to run Glock mags makes it an affordable way to plink away to your heart’s content.
You can even slap a suppressor on this AK clone to quiet down extended shooting sessions. While not a battle-ready gun by my reckoning, it shines as a fun-time range companion.
