The realization of the Jubilee Series AK-74 rifles has a long personal history behind it. First of all, it is the story of Lieutenant General Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov’s life and his legacy. His continuous dedication and hard work has benefitted countless number of people around the world. Through this tireless work, he has put forth one of the most applauded designs of the 20th century, the Avtomat Kalashnikova (AK) rifle.
The National Rifle Association and Arsenal, Inc. announced today the launch of a new commemorative Jubilee Series AK-74 Kalashnikov rifle developed by Arsenal, Inc. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these rifles will be donated to the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) and the Kalashnikov Foundation.
Additionally, Arsenal, Inc. donated a Gold Edition Jubilee Series AK-74 Kalashnikov rifle to the National Firearms Museum at the NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia.
NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox commented, “We are grateful that Arsenal, Inc. decided to make this unique and generous gift to advance our efforts to strengthen the Second Amendment. Dr. Kalashnikov’s contribution to the history of firearms is important and many collectors will surely cherish these commemorative rifles.”
Last year marked two significant anniversaries related to the development of this commemorative rifle – Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov’s 90th birthday and 35 years of this Kalashnikov rifle. Besides honoring the great designer, Dr. Kalashnikov, this project is intended to bring the West and the East together, as well as to eliminate the negative stigma attached by some to the AK rifle.
Arsenal, Inc. CEO Vartan Barsoumian stated: “As an American firearms collector, importer, and manufacturer, I felt that it was my duty to make sure that I do my part to both celebrate and bring more awareness to Dr. Kalashnikov’s legacy and his work, the AK rifle.”
This limited production run of rifles totaling 500 units, includes 100 Gold Edition rifles and 400 Silver Edition rifles. All components used in the Jubilee Series rifles are hand selected and inspected for perfection, and all the metal surfaces are coated by a special glossy black finish, which was developed specifically for these rifles. Each unit features engravings in dedication of Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov’s 90th birthday, 35 years of AK-74 production, the Izhmash factory logo, and Dr. Kalashnikov’s signature. The engravings are filled with either gold or silver color depending on the edition of the rifle. Select components are finely polished and coated with titanium nitride for a gold color, or hard chromium for a silver color, again depending on the edition.
All Jubilee Series commemorative AK-74s come with a certificate of authenticity, issued and endorsed by Lieutenant General Mikhail Kalashnikov. The first 100 certificates which accompany the Gold Edition are hand signed by Dr. Kalashnikov. Gold Edition rifles are packaged in a premium grade, custom fitted leather case specifically designed and manufactured for this special project. The Gold Edition rifles are also complemented by two unique brochures published by the Kalashnikov Foundation, illustrating the life and work of Dr. Kalashnikov.
The certificates accompanying the Silver Edition rifles bear a facsimile of Dr. Kalashnikov’s signature and come packaged in a high-quality, black synthetic leather custom case and carry the Arsenal, Inc. logo.
