AP74 Rifle Review

The Gun

Armi Jager made these cool rimfire black rifle knockoffs in Italy. They also sold under the name Mitchell and Adler. Eventually they produced sort-of clones of the French FAMAS, the British SA-80, and the AKM mostly chambered in .22 rimfire. Back then, however, the AP-74 was the only show in town.

The AP-74 was actually offered in both .22LR and .32ACP. The .32-caliber versions never were terribly common. However, the AP-74 was a standard fixture most everywhere serious guns were sold.

The AP-74 was a surprisingly nice rendition of a period Colt Model 602 M16. There was no forward assist and the open three-prong flash suppressor sported a tapered cross section. The furniture looked like a more serious infantry rifle but was of lighter weight and somewhat flimsier.

The controls were close but not quite right. The fire selector was typically a crossbolt push button, though some versions had a rotating lever. The front pivot pin was a two-headed screw, while the rear pin was not positively retained. The bolt release was right where it should have been. However, instead of the familiar pivoting paddle of the AR-15, it was a sliding stud that moved up and down slightly to retain the bolt to the rear.

The charging handle could pass for the real deal in dim light, and the rear peep sight and front post would have been familiar to anyone who wore an American military uniform after about 1965. Rear sight adjustments required a screwdriver rather than a bullet tip. The most serious departure from the hallowed source code was the magazine. For starters, the magazine release masqueraded as a screw.

At a glance, it looks like the AP-74 sports a standard 5.56mm 20-round box magazine. However, the magazine in this case is simply a cast part of the lower receiver. The AP-74 actually feeds via a single-stack 15-round magazine that looks like something you’d shove into the butt of a Ruger .22 pistol. Original magazines are rarer than honorable politicians today.

The pressed steel ejection port cover looks and acts just as it should, popping open automatically on the first round fired. Sling swivels accept standard GI slings. The slip ring doesn’t seem to be spring-loaded, so I have no idea how to get the handguards off. The gun fires via unlocked blowback as one might expect.