Refresher Guide to AK12
By Itsauglool
When modernization calls, a new gun must take the stand. For the 5.45x39mm AK series, the AK12 heeds that call. Stable, Reliable, and with a neat trick up it’s sleeve, truly a jack of all trades. The AK12.
The AK12 is a versatile weapon based on modernization of the AK74 Series (lore-wise, in game). It features decent recoil control, good hip fire stability, and great effective range, along with a powerful 3 round burst. With a new permanent presence in the dark zone, here’s what you need to know.
AK12 base stats
A gun for any scenario, 730 RPM with 69 vertical and 45 horizontal recoil, 59 ergonomics, 43 accuracy, hipfire stability of 79, 100 effective range, and high firing power, the AK12 truly is a jack of all trades.
A feature most overlook with the ak12 is its 3-round burst. While it preserves the overall RPM, 3 shots are fired in rapid succession with minimal recoil, allowing for more bullets on target with a single trigger pull. The trade off with a preserved RPM however is that the time to kill (TTK) drops after the first burst when compared to full auto.
Attachment preview
While the ak12 shares many attachments with its predecessors, it contains several proprietary attachments of its own.
To start, It shares pistol grips with all of its ak counterparts, including providing one of it’s own, it provides 4 ergo and 4 hipfire stability. It also shares All magazine types with 5.45×39 caliber weapons (apart from the proprietary an-94 window mag) It also has its own ak12 window mag that is interchangeable with all 5.45×39 weapons (except the an-94) Finally, its top rail can mount any picatinny-rail based scopes. It unfortunately cannot mount any ak side mounted optics.
With shared attachments out of the way, we can move on to its proprietary attachments.
The AK12 comes with 3 different handguards, each with varying stats that provide their own unique contribution towards a build. Note that the standard handguard cannot mount lasers but can mount a forward zero-magnification optic or canted sight if you so choose.
As for stock options, there are once again 3 available options. Between the standard and tactical stock, the option becomes a choice of recoil control, or stamina endurance.
Mounting the Ak stock adaptor allows you to use Ak-PT stocks which allow for more build options.
Last, but certainly not least, the ak12 comes with 2 proprietary muzzle devices. A muzzle brake and a suppressor simplify, but at the same time, reduces options.
Iron sights
A dual ring sight allows for quick, but precise target acquisition. Though it is advisable to remove the rear sight for a better sight picture.
Recoil pattern
An important factor when learning about any firearm is its tendency to “drift” when firing along with any erratic movement that naturally occurs. In this portion of the guide, you will learn the AK12’s recoil pattern
Base parameters:
- Stock
- 10 meters
- Level height
- 30 Rounds
- 10 Mags
- 5.45×39 BP
- No recoil control
As shown in these results, the ak12 on full auto tends to have an initial jump up and right, before slowly drifting to the left. Mid burst the recoil tends to jump vertically and occasionally back to the right while following its leftward drift.
When Aiming Down Sight, The spray is much tighter but still retains the initial vertical jump and natural drift to the left with occasional jumps back to the right.
3 Round burst
Note that only 5 mags were used for the following tests and may cause inaccuracies.
When using the 3-round burst function, users should note that the recoil pattern inverts horizontally, while there is no initial vertical jump, the recoil naturally pulls the ak12 to the right. Interestingly, sudden jumps to the left are less extreme but jumps to the right are stronger.
When Aiming down sight, once again the recoil drifts to the right instead. However, the sudden jumps are much more balanced but more erratic.
How to aquire
So you’re interested in acquiring an ak12 for yourself? Well with S7 they are now available through Vladen. He requests 3 Fertilizer, 3 Cameras, and 2 card readers, about 35-55k when filling from the market.
Important note: Due to the volatility of new guns on the market, and its numerous proprietary attachments, the gun’s cost may vary wildly until more are introduced into the player market. Attachments such as advanced handguards or suppressors may be inflated in costs during non-peak hours.
Suggested builds
Important note: I will not be posting costs due to the current volatility of the AK12 Market. You might get lucky and assemble the most expensive build for as low as 70k, you may end up paying 100k for a middle ground build. Try to use as many market tricks as you know to get the gun as cheap as possible.
Flashlights and BV lasers are not included due to their volatile markets
Budget Builder
This build tries to maintain the stock form as close as possible, whilst not sacrificing nice-to-haves. The ergo handguard allows for a laser to be mounted for boosted hipfire and faster target acquisition. Whilst the optic, pistol grip, and foregrip were chosen for their cost efficiency.
Long range suppression
This build is the most costly as it prioritizes every factor in reducing recoil. This it the best recoil build you can achieve on the ak12. As a bonus, the gun excels in hipfire accuracy. 3-round burst is highly advised when using at range.
Ergomaxxing
As its name suggests, this build trades everything for ergonomics allowing the user to consume stamina efficiently when equipped, while also allowing fast ads. This build goes as far as to rely only on the front iron sight for ads, but with the removal of the rear iron sight, the sight picture is very clean.
Hip Fire Buzzsaw
This build focuses on the ak12’s excellent hipfire stats. It mounts everything that can be used to maximize hipfire, including usage of a 95-round mag for maximum sustained fire.
Author’s Personal Build
My build tries to emphasize the AK’s “Jack of all trades” Features. While I could mount the canted red dot on the scope, I personally prefer it on its dedicated mount. The only trade off is the lack of a laser to which isn’t much of a problem due to the natural hipfire of the ak12.
Final thoughts on the AK12 from the author
- With the recent buffs the RPK has undergone, the Ak12 feels exactly like a pre-buff rpk feels like. In a way the ak12 itself has become a budget rpk, a budget meta one could say.
- Its flexibility allows it to be used comfortably in any scenario.
- High firing power and 100 effective range is nice, makes 545 bp work nicely.